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Consumable Online Issue 105
==== ISSUE 105 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [April 12, 1997]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Dan Enright, Reto Koradi,
David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr,
Al Muzer, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron,
Janet Herman, Bill Holmes, Eric
Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller,
P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker,
Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney
Muir Wallner, Simon West, Lang Whitaker
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
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: The London Suede, _Coming Up_ - Robin Lapid
REVIEW: They Might Be Giants, _Then: The Earlier Years_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Freedy Johnston, _Never Home_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Savage Garden, _Savage Garden_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Various Artists, _A Tribute to the Misfits: Violent
World_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Ryuichi Sakamoto, _Smoochy_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Banco de Gaia, _Live at Glastonbury_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Swell, _Too Many Days Without Thinking_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Real McCoy, _One More Time_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: McRackins, _Best Friend_ - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Knapsack, _Day Three of My New Life_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Engine 88, _Snowman_ - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Einstein, _Einstein_ - Simon Speichert
NEWS: Rhino Musical Aptitude Test, Soundgarden
TOUR DATES: Art Alexakis, Backsliders, Blink 182, Bobgoblin,
Boiled In Lead, Cellophane, Chainsuck / Lycia, Shawn Colvin /
Freedy Johnston, Cordelia's Dad, Crown Heights, Daddy Longhead,
Darlahood, Drain S.T.H., Five-Eight, Humble Gods, Irving Plaza
(New York Concert Hall), Marilyn Manson / Helmet / Rasputina,
John Mellencamp / The Why Store, Metallica / Corrosion of
Conformity, New Bomb Turks, Ruth Ruth, Samples / Guster, Sexpod,
Shonen Knife, Sister Hazel, Elliott Smith, Squirrel Nut Zippers,
Stillsuit / Downset / Earth Crisis, They Might Be Giants, Verve
Pipe, Josh Wink
THE READERS WRITE BACK! (Aerosmith, Clarks, Valerie Ghent,
Jungle/Drum N Bass)
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: The London Suede, _Coming Up_ (Columbia)
- Robin Lapid
The London Suede have often been credited by the British
press for starting the overhyped "Britpop revolution," and the
band have certainly felt the sting of media backlash. But this
third effort proves their mettle. If The London Suede set out
to make an accessible pop record ("[they] have never been so
pop," says the press release for their latest album), then I can
safely say this - it's ridiculously accessible, in the sense that
the songs are keenly-written, instantly hummable tunes that recall
all their mentors, from Bowie to Bolan and everything in-between.
With a cocky title and an attitude to match, the band have laid out
ten tracks that shake with enough of the glittery guitar swagger of
their self-titled debut yet expand on the finer, layered
atmospherics of their highly-orchestrated second album, _Dog Man
Star_.
So they've had a bit of trouble during their career.
Much-beloved guitar virtuoso Bernard Butler (deemed by some critics
as the band's sole talent) has long since gone, and the band (known
as "Suede" everywhere except the U.S.) have had to bow to legal
troubles, forcing them to change their name for American audiences.
Then they dubiously found a replacement guitarist in a teenager who
had only ever played to the audiences assembled in his bedroom
(himself), and the band were generally forgotten or dismissed
altogether. Americans (but fortunately, not music journalists)
have had to wait months for an album that was released in late 1995
overseas. But through it all, they've succeeded. Lead singer and
songwriter Brett Anderson and company have made an album that's
quite good - great even. But *something* is missing.
_Coming Up_ nicely straddles the line between _Suede_ and
_Dog Man Star_, and proves the band can come into their own despite
massive internal shake-ups. I could've done without the slightly
tinny production sound hanging over each song, but it bodes well for
their live show. Richard Oakes's guitar may not be as elaborate or
evocative as Bernard Butler's (although the intro to "Beautiful
Ones" recalls the former guitarist's brilliant way with a riff), but
he's formidable in his own right, and the songs reach a polished
cohesiveness that was often lacking in their previous efforts.
Simon Gilbert's stylishly stuttering drums and Mat Osman's seamless
bass strike a satisfying balance with guitar and voice. The
keyboards and backing vocals of recent addition Neil Codling
(Gilbert's cousin) complete the London Suede arsenal. Whereas
their previous albums sounded more like "Songs by Brett Anderson
and Bernard Butler," _Coming Up_ clearly defines the band as a
whole.
What results is a balance between the metally brashness of
the first album and the over-the-top indulgence of the second.
The songs may not be as musically or emotionally intense as either
of the first two albums, but you definitely can't deny that the
album is filled with good and proper Pop - not "Britpop" or glamrock,
but pure pop music. Songs like "By The Sea" take the melancholy
beauty of empty souls of the first album's "Breakdown" and add the
polished production of _DMS_'s "Still Life" - the song is neither
too little (sparseness of music as mood) nor too much (musical
flamboyance). In other words, it's nearly perfect. Every track -
from the contained wildness of the beautiful "Beautiful Ones" to
the "sleaze-pop masterpiece" of debut British single "Trash" - aims
for this same goal. Anderson's lyrical images of the elegance of
England's seedy urban youth can get a bit redundant, but the mood
and his ideal permeate the music. There are often some lightweight
song structures, and rare are the lushness or intense interplay
between guitar and man which characterised the Anderson/Butler
compositions. It's one paradise lost, but then again there's a
whole new world to explore.
The band infuse their musical landscape with catchy riffs,
crunchy guitar, and lots of musical tongue-twisters: "cracked up,
stacked up, 22, psycho for sex and glue." This lyrical theme
reflects _Coming Up_ as a whole: the landscapes are beautiful to
look at and listen to, but they all scratch the beauty at the
surface. The album is a bittersweet success in my eyes - they are
undeniably good pop songs, but gone are the sexual angst, bitter
loves, and internal tension that cut gorgeous blood-red swaths of
musical intensity across the London Suede's first two albums.
Good or bad? You decide. I'm gonna go play the album again.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The American release of _Coming Up_ is a special limited
edition 2 disc collection containing videos, exclusive in-the-studio
footage, band interviews, live material, and an Internet browser
which allows fans direct access to an exclusive area on the London
Suede's website (http://www.thelondonsuede.com).
The first CD in the package contains the songs "Trash,"
"Filmstar," "Lazy," "By The Sea," "She," "Beautiful Ones,"
"Starcrazy," "Picnic By The Motorway," "The Chemistry Between Us,"
and "Saturday Night." CD #1 also contains the U.S. version of the
"Trash" video, the U.K. version of the "Beautiful Ones" video, a
"hidden" version of the U.K. version of the "Saturday Night" video and
exclusive studio recording and interview footage.
The second (or "bonus") CD in the limited edition _Coming
Up_ package contains six live musical tracks recorded at the Tivoli
Theatre in Dublin, the Midtfyns Festival in Denmark, and the Tokyo
Big Site Pop Stock in Japan: "She," "By The Sea," "Europe Is Our
Playground," "Saturday Night," "Killing Of A Flashboy," and "Lazy."
In addition, CD #2 contains live concert footage from Brighton
(February 3, 1997) and Redding (February 5, 1997) including footage
of the songs "Trash," "Lazy," "Saturday Night," "Beautiful Ones,"
and "By The Sea." CD #2 also includes "The Connection"
which will lead the fan - via the Internet - into a very exclusive All
Access area of the London Suede website. The All Access area will be
frequently updated and is ONLY accessible through the _Coming Up_ CD-ROM.
---
REVIEW: They Might Be Giants, _Then: The Earlier Years_ (Restless)
- Bob Gajarsky
They Might Be Giants were one of the late 1980s success stories.
With a drum machine, synthesizers, accordion, guitar and seemingly
endless imagination, TMBG captured the hearts of thousands, and
helped spawn a new genre of quirky alternative rock.
Now, more than ten years later, we see the issuance of _Then:
The Earlier Years_. A compilation of the first three They Might Be
Giants albums (_They Might Be Giants_, _Lincoln_, and _Miscellaneous
T_, in itself a B-side/remix compilation) plus 19 previously
unreleased tracks, _Then_ serves as an ideal main course for They
Might Be Giants completists as well as fans of their later, major
label (Elektra) works.
Purists might complain of the "repackage, repurchase" policy
which is employed here; after all, with the exception of the "single
version" of two tracks ("Don't Let's Start", "Hotel Detective"),
much of the good tracks have already been issued on disc. According
to a January issue of ICE, TMBG have slightly tinkered with many of
the songs on _Then_, to make them sound clearer to the listener.
In fact, the group compared it to the upgrading of certain
Frank Zappa albums - not a distortion of the songs, but cleaning
them up. And with the inclusion of the original EP covers, as well
as extensive liner notes from the Johns, the duo take great care
to "complete" the original process.
The 19 "new" tracks are an assortment of outtakes, genuinely
interesting demos, and some trash. "Kitten Intro" is based on a car
commercial, nearly two minutes of what could have been an introduction
for the band at a concert - and "Critic Intro" is a 90 second tape
which *was* used as an early introduction to the band. "Greek #3" is
simply a (bad) Greek version of "Number Three", while "Doris
Cunningham" is a 12 second soundbite which sounds like the twitching
nose from "Bewitched". The bouncy "Now That I Have Everything", from
a 1985 demo, stands out as the best of the new tracks - not only by
its quality, but from the fact that it lasts more than 30 seconds.
Although uncredited as such, some of the tracks were
clearly inspiration for future They Might Be Giants songs. The slow
"Fake Out In Buenos Aires" might have evolved into a Sleepy Paco
version of "Rabid Child". "Weep Day" also has a South American feel
to it while utilizing a bassline similar to "The World's Address", and
"Become A Robot" seemingly opens with the introduction from "Hope That
I Get Old Before I Die".
Alternate versions of bona-fide They Might Be Giants
hits help complete this collection. In addition to variants of
"Kiss Me, Son Of God" and "The World's Address" (both of which appeared
on _Miscellaneous T_), there are original or demo versions of "Hope
That I Get Old Before I Die", "Don't Let's Start" and "Which Describes
How You're Feeling". "Children Singing Particle Man", while cute in
concept (a grade-school class singing "Particle Man", recorded by their
schoolteacher), doesn't have the novelty appeal which one might expect -
and since "Particle Man" doesn't appear until the post-Bar/None / Restless
period (on _Flood_), it seems quite out of place on _Then_.
For those who haven't purchased all 3 of the first TMBG discs,
this compilation offers an opportunity to pick them up, along with
a sample of earlier They Might Be Giants works, for less than the cost
of two of those discs. Some things truly are better the second time
around.
---
REVIEW: Freedy Johnston, _Never Home_ (Elektra)
- Bill Holmes
It takes a special songwriter to get you to listen - and
possibly dance - to songs about arsonists and shoplifters. But
Freedy Johnston keeps proving, record by record, that he is a
short story author who writes with a guitar.
The Kansas-born Johnston first came to most people's
attention thanks to those great talent scouts Bar/None Records,
who issued his first record. _The Trouble Tree_. His most critical
success came with 1994's _This Perfect World_, which was a favorite
of many critics worldwide. And we know what a kiss of death that
can be.
It's tough for someone to straddle musical genres like
rock and folk while writing demanding material. James McMurtry
couldn't sustain it, even with his famous bloodline, and was
dropped after three excellent albums that didn't sell big numbers.
John Hiatt, maybe the premier songwriter of our generation, toured
in obscurity for fifteen years before finally hitting paydirt
with _Bring The Family_ (and he WAS writing rock and roll songs!).
Not young enough. Not the right "format". Ugh. Johnston's songs
are poignant, hurting, joyful or alarming, but most of all they are
visual. Maybe one or two songs can survive on melody alone (and
you'd be missing so much), but this is no hit radio record by a
long shot.
Fortunately, Elektra seems to believe in Freedy. Their
press machine is humming, and there's even a hilarious video for
"On The Way Out" that airs on MTV. That song's primarily three-chord
thrust makes it the only real rocker on the record, and a throwback
to the _Trouble Tree_ era. But maybe that video gateway will open
up the door for more of his songs and let them appreciate Freedy's
true genius - when the music is a little more mid-tempo and those
great words bubble to the surface.
If you prefer using your imagination rather than having
everything visually interpreted for you, there's a wealth of
stories here to gnaw on, like Freedy as the reluctant father in
"If It's True" ("If I won't believe my own advice/I could never
fool a child/and they don't forgive you once they see you've
tried..."). Or the album's closer, "Something's Out There", a
reassurance to a loved one from beyond the grave ("I was strong and
I was brave/I was taken anyway...I'm coming back as someone else...
you're going to be OK/and I won't leave you behind.")
Johnston has always written about offbeat characters, and
this record is no exception. My favorite is "Gone To See The Fire",
where Freedy sings about a girl who suddenly realizes that her
boyfriend's idiosyncrasies are a little more dangerous than she
thought: ("He hadn't been talking/parked out of the way/just sat
there smoking/watching the flames/when the roof fell in/he lit up
again....you're going to tell me why/we're the first to arrive...")
That's not to say the music isn't good - far from it. One
of the perks of being successful is getting top-notch talent on
your records, and Johnston scored big for _Never Home_. L.A. legend
Danny Kortchmar produced and played guitars, with bassist Graham
Maby (when will HIS record come out?) and ex-Heartbreaker Stan Lynch
on drums. The uptempo songs are crisp and punchy, but producer
"Kooch" wasn't afraid to let Johnston's more melancholy songs fly
on their own merits. While the band kicks out when necessary, cello
and lap steel underscore softer moments beautifully.
While there's pleasure to be had in spinning the record in
any circumstances, _Never Home_ is most impressive late on a rainy
night or during that solo car trip on an open road. But by all means,
do listen; _Never Home_ is a wonderful slice of life from one of our
best songwriters.
---
REVIEW: Savage Garden, _Savage Garden_ (Columbia)
- Bob Gajarsky
Exploding onto the American music scene, the Australian
duo of Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones, better known as Savage
Garden, have thrown the 1980s tribute parties back in the faces
of those who scorned the past.
The first single from their eponymously titled debut, "I
Want You" (which reached #4 in the duo's homeland of Australia), is
a delightful bouncing pop hit reminiscent of the best of the 1980s.
Imagine Roxette's Per Gessle (circa "The Look") singing Reunion's "Life Is
A Rock But The Radio Rolled Me" (or did Savage Garden hear Tracey
Ullman's 1984 cover of this tune?), with a synth-pop combination
harkening to Cause and Effect meeting Scritti Politti. And if there
was any doubt of the era for which this song was meant, check
out the drum machine (most like that in Fine Young Cannibals "She
Drives Me Crazy") which fills out the backing music during the track.
But rather than the eighties, we're in 1996, and radio stations
have already taken a liking - some might say too much of a liking, based
on New York City's potential overkill - to "I Want You". The hopeful
part is that these same disc jockeys take a further look at _Savage
Garden_, where several jewels are waiting to be uncovered.
The likely second single, "To The Moon And Back", takes a look
at the world through the eyes of a teenage girl who doesn't feel loved
by her parents, by the world, and just wants to escape from it all.
This touching song, which closes with a piano fadeout and features
the string section of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, sounds nothing like
"I Want You" - but still has "hit" written all over it.
Periodically, Savage Garden takes the softer route - "Truly
Madly Deeply" barely skirts the line between acceptable ballad and
cheezy all British boy groups, while "Universe" bridges the gap between
Motown and its 80s brethren - but their faster-paced tracks, such
as "Carry On Dancing" and "Violet", Savage Garden retain the listeners
delight of the past without consistently rehashing old retreads.
Savage Garden's weak point is their periodic unearthing of a
part of the past which should remain buried underground. Do we really
need the Michael Jackson soundalike on "Break Me Shake Me"? OK, Jacko's
taken more than his fair share of criticism while creating music for
the masses, but sticking to the synthpop, without the "Bad"-like vocals,
would have been a wiser choice.
That decision shouldn't be too much of a surprise, as
twentysomething lead singer Darren Hayes openly confesses that "(This
album is) unashamedly pop...I'm not scared to say that. When I was
growing up, my world was Star Wars, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran; these
were the supergods of my youth."
So, synthpop fans, get ready. New Order fans who can't wait
for Monaco, Cause & Effect fans who can't wait for the new release (well,
in 3 weeks), Duran Duran fans who miss Simon Lebon's old roots, get set.
That synthpop thing started in Europe in the 80s is back, and radio is
all over it. Go get it!
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _A Tribute to the Misfits: Violent
World_ (Caroline)
- Daniel Aloi
One of the greatest things about punk rock, is, as one wag put
it, "if you don't like this song they're playing now, there'll be another
one coming along in a minute or two."
That old saw came to mind while listening to "Violent World." I
was never a big fan of The Misfits, Glenn Danzig's death-obsessed punk
band before he became Jim Morrison Wannabe No. 1 in Danzig, his
death-obsessed alternarock band.
Revered or reviled, The Misfits' mix of rapid-fire horrorshow
punk rock, metal grind and dark, dark, dark lyrics about death and
dismemberment found slavish fans over a career that went from the
7-inch "Cough/Cool" to the coffin-shaped "Box Set."
So all of today's young punk bands both faux and true felt
obligated to pay a debt to their influence - and they have some fun
at it in the bargain. Most of the songs break the 2-minute mark, some
just barely. Shade's Apart's "20 Eyes" represents the most interesting
aspects of Danzig's art as lyricist, sort of an HP Lovecraft-inspired
Roky Erickson. Prong's "London Dungeon" is an aural mini-B movie (in
black and white, of course), with mechanistic percussion, pounding bass
drum, and phlegmy vocals. Therapy? goes beyond the metal grooves that
pervade most of the work by bringing a baritone sax to "Where Eagles
Dare." The most original interpretation is by Farside, with a jumping
Sparks-like new wave arrangement of "Return of the Fly." NOFX's take
on "Last Caress" shows it to be the best song about a dead baby since
Alice Cooper created the subgenre; and it's also the only surefire
winning Clash imitation here. And Goldfinger breaks from straight ska
for "Ghouls Night Out," but still comes off like the novelty act of
the bunch. This isn't going to make me a Misfits fan, but I like what
NOFX and Farside have done enough to recommend this. Of course, if you
like punk, the artless attitude of it all, you'll love most of this.
---
REVIEW: Ryuichi Sakamoto, _Smoochy_ (Milan)
- Joe Silva
As a direct response to Kraftwerk's stark vision of
the digital hereafter, Sakamoto's Yellow Magic Orchestra were
more of a acknowledgment of the synth ethic as a whole than a
logical progression to the form. And with the probable exception
of "Tighten Up," their near-gimmicky futurist affirmations won a
limited number of converts.
But on his lonesome, Sakamoto has proven to be a composer
of more than considerable eloquence. Having been tagged for film
scores (and snagging an Oscar for his efforts) and other projects
of sometimes Olympic proportions (he was the stylish Japanese
fellow conducting the opening ceremonies at Barcelona), his music
can veer from the tightly melodic and accessible to the expansive
and meditative.
Apparently born out of something of a mid-life crisis,
_Smoochy_ is a suave culmination of many of the intuitions,
influences, and musical affinities that Sakamoto has acquired
over time. And while ultimately casting himself as the consummate
urban musician is no new guise, Ryuichi exercises so much aplomb
here in how he solidifies that vibe, this record may turn out to
be one defining moments of his catalogue.
From the trip-hop-ish opener "Bibo No Aosora" to the
breezy samba-futurisms of "Aishiteru, Aishitenai" and onward to
the electro-island-skank of "Poesia," Sakamoto blends styles and
modes with the deft skills of an upscale sonic barkeep. With all
the subtle particulars in place and the lush passages as well,
Sakamoto conjures much that can be considered exquisite listening.
With Kraftwerk now long dormant, and their ghosts mutated into the
techno-jungle cum electronica muddle, Sakamoto succeeds in exhuming
what soulful and warm possibilities the Germans sidestepped while
programming their revelations.
---
REVIEW: Banco de Gaia, _Live at Glastonbury_ (Planet Dog/Mammoth)
- David Landgren
A live recording of a guy playing around with a stack of
synthesizers and samplers. Why would anyone want to do that? Because
you can. And when the person in question is the very talented Toby
Marks, a.k.a. Banco de Gaia, and the gig is at the fabled Glastonbury
Festival in England, the result is very much a success.
Far from being a matter of simply pressing the "Play" button
and then standing back, Marks takes the hands-on approach, mixing and
blending the original samples from the studio sessions with various
flotsam and jetsam he has reeled in from the greater world over the
past couple of years, for a new interpretation of the material. A
close parallel can be drawn with The Orb's _93 evil_ double album -
although a single CD is less self-indulgent and just the right length.
The album kicks off with "Last Train to Lhasa", the title
track to Toby Marks' last studio album. The intro lasts for about
four minutes, with samples of various bits and pieces, new ones and
old, lulling you with the signature puffing steam train. By the time
the beat really kicks in, (note the clever effect of smatterings of
percussion to heighten the anticipation), and it's a feeling of
"hey! it's good to be back".
The album continues much along these lines. If you know
Banco de Gaia's material (notably, _Maya_ and _Last Train to Lhasa_),
then it's like visiting old friends. The liner notes like to underline
the fact that the recording isn't an exercise in technical perfection,
but more of a document of "being there". Indeed the performance was
regarded as the finest set at the Glastonbury Festival in summer '95.
And as it turns out, the technical quality is very high, and the only
minor annoyance is the end of the set, when Marks leaves the stage and
the audience applaud... and applaud... and applaud.
"Mafich Arabi", from _Maya_ gets a look in, with a similar
feel to the album sound, as do "Amber", "White Paint" and "Kincajou";
all from _Last Train_. To someone who hasn't heard any of this, I'd
classify Banco de Gaia as being The Orb with a little more warmth; a
more danceable version of Future Sound of London (certainly after
their recent loss of direction) and less techno than Orbital.
Transglobal Underground probably comes the closest in vibe. And vibe
is what it is all about.
A high point is "Heliopolis", where shimmering keyboards
are accompanied by flautist Joe Marshall, a smart counterpoint to
the song's solid dance backbone. Yet again, a track where Marks
unearths different elements present in the original score that had
previously been hidden. This, as much as anything, makes the album
a valuable document for all Banco de Gaia fans.
The most exceptional moment would have to be the rendering
of "887", a moody track from _Last Train_ that loses none of its
melancholy in its translation from record (The original sound bites
are still there: the school children crying out, the dog barking,
the voices, and so I wonder...did they ever find out "what it was
the potato lacked, in order to survive in outer space"?) This was
really a strong song on the album, and the intensity is stronger
live. Too bad, therefore, that a vocal sample on the track had to
be surgically removed for copyright reasons.
About the only flat spot on the album is the closing track
"Data Inadequate", a very early piece. Much more interesting early
work, such as "Soufie" or "Desert Wind" from the _Ambient Dub_
compilations from Beyond Records would have been perfect. I think
the crowd would have liked it too.
There is a corporate page (with a good response time) for
Banco de Gaia on the Web at http://www.onsolete.com/banco/ although
it doesn't look as if much has been added recently, since the site
is moving to http://www.banco.co.uk sometime in the future.
All in all, a very interesting album, and I'm happy with
it. Let's hope Toby Marks is hard at work cooking up some more
rhythms for us. And if he plays live near you, it sounds like an
event not to be missed.
---
REVIEW: Swell, _Too Many Days Without Thinking_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Daniel Aloi
Swell went through a great deal to make this, its fourth album
after three critically acclaimed discs as indies and for (Def) American
Recordings. And they learned some valuable home improvement skills
along the way. The band left its San Francisco base in the fall of '94
for a massive warehouse in downtown L.A., and built an isolation room
for the drums out of moldy carpet and duct tape. While in the area,
they appeared in a Showtime movie by Griffin Dunne, "Duke of Groove."
After occupying a real studio in Hollywood, they regrouped in San
Francisco a year after leaving, finished up most of the mixes and
welcomed Kurt Ralske (Ultra Vivid Scene) to produce what is now a
B-side ("20,000 Years").
The band decamped with Ralske back to his Zabriskie Point Studio
and the coldest New York February on record, living in the studio and
building a shower while Ralske helped them re-record everything and
piece it all together the old-fashioned way, on 2-inch tape, one part
at a time. By April 1996 it was completed and the final master was
sent on May 1 to American, where Rick Rubin took two months to listen
to it - and passed. Then Beggars Banquet, their European distributor,
stepped in and here you have it, 10 songs and 42 minutes of indie cool.
Fortunately, suffering makes for great art. Anomie and
discomfort seethe throughout this album's anthems and love songs. The
drumming is all muffled anger, bipolar guitars churn in roiling
distemper, fuzzy crescendos and acoustic jangle (all three on "At
Lennie's") and the overall production is thick with the cottonmouth
haze of sleeping on the floor. "What I Always Wanted" is simple
lyrically but deep emotionally, "Make Mine You" says "I'm happy most
of the time" and the hypnotic, driving "(I Know) The Trip" is the
final pinnacle of the mutation of two earlier songs of admiration.
"Fuck Even Flow" is unfortunately titled right out of a deserving run
at the airwaves.
The band addresses its recent and past history in "What Took
So Long?" in its "Swollen" illustrated newsletter/presskit. It's packed
with trivia, autobiography rendered in dry wit, a complete discography
and fan mail.
During their wilderness years they were also asked to submit a
song for "Showgirls" - watch the first few minutes, until "Don't Give"
comes over the truck radio, then return the tape (without rewinding)
immediately and rent something better, like "Kingpin."
For my money, the trails for this album were worth it - the
smelly carpet, the hard floors, the maddening behavior of the bearded
label honcho. _Too Many Days Without Thinking_ succeeds despite these
adversities. And this release made an instant Swell fan out of me.
---
REVIEW: Real McCoy, _One More Time_ (Arista)
- Bob Gajarsky
Before 1995, most Eurodisco acts' definitions of success
was a solitary club hit which broke through to pop radio. Full
length albums by these groups often wound up in the bargain bin
by the time the second single had reached the street.
Real McCoy broke out of Berlin and re-invented the
playing field for those acts. With multiple top 20 hits from
the debut triple platinum album _Another Night_, the German
group seemed likely for the sophomore jinx. But rather than fall
victim to a slump, the resulting album, _One More Time_, has
established Real McCoy not only as the real deal, but a bonafide
pop act which can be counted on for quality dance music.
The title track for _One More Time_ has already broken
through on the pop charts, and is likely to repeat the top 20
success of some of Real McCoy's earlier hits. This one (and
the second track, "I Wanna Come (With You)" ) are hybrids between
2 Unlimited's many smashes and RM's own "Run Away". The female
duet of Vanessa Mason and new member Lisa Cork play their vocals
off of O'Jay's deep raspy rap and offer a stronger contrast (and
greater listener interest) than your typical dance act.
While these two songs are likely to get dance floors pumping,
_One More Time_ offers a greater diversity than _Another Night_.
The Expose'-like ballad, "Look At Me", could become a prom song
for the class of 1998. The faux-reggae/synth beat of "Give A Little
Love" parallels Ace of Base's "The Sign" and reappears on the final
cut, on "Tonight". However, the one track most likely to be played
in the late morning hours (and stays closest to Real McCoy's
beginnings) is "Love Save Me". Oddly enough, this was partially written
by pop-meister, Billy Steinberg, but the driving keyboards (including
a pseudo-sample used to back numerous dancehall songs) ensure that
with a proper remix, even fans who think Real McCoy are too "pop"
will love this song.
Probably the most unusual effort is their complete re-working
of the Shania Twain country smash, "(If You're Not In It For Love)
I'm Outta Here." Rather than the typical Eurodisco cover, this
version breathes a new life and vigor into the track and will
make some people even forget there *was* an original version.
By touching the pop edges of techno and rap, Real McCoy
won't win the affection of the underground clubbers - but that's
not their audience. The mainstream club-goers, or even people
from the 'burbs, have found (and will continue to find) Real McCoy's
brand of dance music irresistible. And somehow, although none of the
songs will be played into the ground by top 40 radio (see: "Another
Night") Real McCoy have produced a sophomore album, _One More Time_,
which is stronger than their debut effort.
---
REVIEW: McRackins, _Best Friend_ (Shredder)
- Al Muzer
Quite possibly the most prolific group of costume-wearing, three
chord loving lunatics in Canadian music history, Vancouver's Bil, Fil and
Spot McRackin (who favor egg suits, dog costumes, loud noises and crazed
beats) follow last year's eight-song Short And Sweet with another smarmy,
eight-rant blast of hyperspeed Dickies-meets-Misfits-meets-Descendents fun
'n' furious snot nosed pop.
Boasting big, sweeping, punked out guitars, Raspberries-worthy
bubblegum hooks, giddy three-part harmonies, and playful lyrics about stuff
like Chinese Food ("Dim Sum"), best friends, being a McCrackin (Get
Crackin' "), loud music, slapping the monkey ("Slap The Monkey"), mass
murder ("Willy Killigan") and, on the surprisingly acoustic, amazingly
melodic "What Comes Around," gleeful revenge - the McRackins prove once
again that clowns still rule. Check out the band's slightly strange web
site at: http://www.bunglehead.com/mcrackins/index.html
---
REVIEW: Knapsack, _Day Three of My New Life_ (Alias)
- Joann D. Ball
Knapsack is a college band in every sense of the word. The
type of band that evokes the sound, smell and feel of those tiny,
rocking live music clubs with a stage that's just barely off the ground.
The type of band that easily helps you forget your obligations and
encourages you to just drink some beer and hang with your buds while
you soak up their no frills rock. The type of band that a college
radio station without commercial intentions would play in a set with
Generation X, The Godfathers, Leaving Trains and early Replacements.
Formed at University of California at Davis in 1993, Knapsack
consists of vocalist/guitarist Blair Shehan, drummer Colby Mancasola and
bassist Rod Meyer. An unpolished chip off the same rock as early Goo
Goo Dolls, Knapsack's sound is simple but gets the job done. Shehan
sounds like a Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum)/David Lowery (Cracker) hybrid
with raspy touches of Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) as he sings his
way into a sort of yell-shout that convinces you he's putting everything
he has into the delivery.
_Day Three of My New Life_, the band's sophomore release, was
produced by Drive Like Jehu's Mark Trombino. And Knapsack opens with
"Thursday Side of the Street", a number propelled by Shehan's vocal
surge, power chords, pulsating bass, pounding drums and crashing
cymbals. Typical of the offerings here, its hook is the big crescendo
at the chorus where Shehan belts his guts out. "Diamond Mine", "Heart
Carved Tree" and "Sleeper Than We Thought" stand out here as the few
tracks which forego the build-up but retain the energy and drive.
Knapsack's high fueled approach is short and to the point, with
all ten tracks clocking in under five minutes. But like a good roller
coaster or thrill ride, it will keep you coming back for more.
---
REVIEW: Engine 88, _Snowman_ (Caroline)
- Al Muzer
Creators of songs with cryptic, one word titles that'll
pound yer puny little ass like nobody's business, this San
Francisco four-piece follow last year's truly outstanding _Clean
Your Room_ with 13 edgy, inspired, jagged-edged tunes that rank as
some of the best agit-power-punk-pop noize to be released all year.
An exciting morph of PIL's snotty whine, Husker Du's furious
pop pulse and Big Black's barely-in-control guitar chaos and
sparse, elliptical sound; songs such as "Istanbul," "Manclub,"
"Seconal," "Butchery" and "Snowman" are a head-spinning, mid-air
collision between lead vocalist Tom Barnes' navel-intensive,
semi-autistic world observations and lead guitarist Damon Wood's
furious, eyes-closed, over-caffeinated string mangling.
---
REVIEW: Einstein, _Einstein_ (Whirled)
- Simon Speichert
Einstein is a talented band. Somehow, they've been able to fit
songs from different genres, and totally different sounding songs, onto
one CD. The styles covered on this CD range from heavy metal/hard rock to
classical to lofty, poetic ballads.
A bunch of studio musicians made this album, and that's why I
think it works. Einstein could never be a garage band. It takes a
considerable amount of studio knowledge to combine a wide variety of songs
in such close proximity to one another (the songs, that is). Einstein is
three people. Those three people are guitarist/singer Stan Janowski,
drummer Jonathan Mover, and keyboardist/bassist/rhythm guitarist Jani
Mangini.
Einstein's self-titled debut album features 11 spell-binding
tracks including "Between The Cracks" (which has a very strange time
signature), "Mirror Mirror", "Pain" and the classical number "Dance of the
Poltergoost". It's an album that should appeal to a lot of people. Sadly
it appears not many people will hear it, as it's on a small indie label,
Whirled. But if you can find it, pick it up.
---
NEWS: > The Rhino Musical Aptitude Test, sponsored by the label of
the same name, will take place live on Sunday, April 27 to find the
one music geek whose head is filled with the most useless information
and crown that person the "Ultimate Music Geek".
The contest will take place live in New York (Tower Records,
66th St./Broadway), Los Angeles (Tower Records, Sunset Blvd.) and live
on the Internet. Winners will receive a "Rock N Roll Musical History
Tour", and jukeboxes stocked with Rhino discs. The registration
process to enter the contest ends on Thursday April 17. For further
information on the contest, check out the Rhino web site at
http://www.rhino.com/rmat/rmathomepage2.html
> Seattle-based group Soundgarden have decided to
end their career as a group after 12 years. The breakup, deemed by
a spokesman as "amicable", will result in all members pursuing
individual projects in the music industry.
---
TOUR DATES:
Art Alexakis
Apr. 13 Santa Monica, CA McCabe's
Backsliders
Apr. 12 Columbia, SC Rockafella's
Apr. 14 Cleveland, OH Wilbert's
Apr. 15 Lexington, KY Lynagh's
Apr. 16 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Apr. 17 Berwyn, IL Fitzgerald's
Apr. 18 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Apr. 19 Chicago, IL Schuba's
Blink 182
Apr. 12 Lake Tahoe, CA Boreal Ridge
Bobgoblin
Apr. 12 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
Boiled In Lead
Apr. 12 Berkeley, CA Freight & Salvage
Apr. 13 Pinole, CA House Concert
Apr. 15 Eugene, OR John Henry's
Apr. 16 Seattle, WA The Backstage
Cellophane
Apr. 12 Cincinnati, OH Top Cats
Apr. 13 Austin, TX ESPN EXTREME GAMES -6th St.
Apr. 16 Birmingham, AL The Nick
Apr. 17 Columbia, SC Rockafella's
Apr. 18 Jacksonville, FL Moto Lounge
Apr. 19 Orlando, FL Tsunami Theater
Apr. 20 Miami, FL ESPN EXTREME GAMES -South Beach
Chainsuck / Lycia
Apr. 17 Pittsburgh, PA Charlie's Bistro
Apr. 18 Lakewood, OH Phantasy
Apr. 19 New York, NY Bat Cave
Apr. 20 Providence, RI Met Cave
Shawn Colvin / Freedy Johnston
Apr. 12 San Diego, CA 4th & B
Apr. 13 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre
Apr. 15 Phoenix, AZ Union Hall
Apr. 18 Santa Rosa, CA Luther Burbank Center
Cordelia's Dad
Apr. 12 Bar Harbor, ME College of the Atlantic
Crown Heights
Apr. 12-14 Detroit, MI Shelter
Apr. 16 Toledo, OH Wit's End
Apr. 17 Cleveland, OH Euclid
Apr. 19 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
Apr. 20 Fargo, ND First Avenue Bar
Daddy Longhead
Apr. 18 Boston, MA Loud Fest Boston
Darlahood
Apr. 12 Chicago, IL Double Door
Drain S.T.H.
Apr. 12 Boston, MA The Rat
Apr. 13 Portland, ME The Pavillion
Apr. 14 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance
Apr. 15 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint
Apr. 17 Erie, PA Sherlock's
Apr. 18 Cleveland, OH Sidekick's
Apr. 19 Columbus, OH Alrossa Villa
Apr. 20 Canton, OH Sadie Rene's
Five-Eight
Apr. 12 Baton Rouge, LA LA State U.
Apr. 14 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Apr. 16 Greensboro, NC Babylon
Apr. 17 Columbia, SC Rockafellas
Apr. 18 Charleston, SC Music Farm
Apr. 19 Savannah, GA Bay St. Bar
Humble Gods
Apr. 12 Witchita, KS Forum
Apr. 15 Albuquerque, NM State Of The Union
Apr. 17 Phoenix, AZ Nile Theater
Apr. 18 Riverside, CA Barn
Apr. 19 Hollywood, CA Roxy
Apr. 20 San Diego,CA Hurricane's
Irving Plaza (New York Concert Hall - http://www.irvingplaza.com)
Apr. 15 Samples
Apr. 16 Dick Dale
Apr. 18 Jupiter Coyote / Acoustic Junction
Apr. 19 Kula Shaker
Marilyn Manson / Helmet / Rasputina
Apr. 12 Biloxi, MS Mississippi Coast Col.
Apr. 13 Atlanta, GA International Ballroom
Apr. 15 Orlando, FL Univ. of Ctr. FL Arena
Apr. 16 West Palm, FL West Palm Beach Aud.
Apr. 17 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Coliseum
Apr. 19 Winston, NC Lawrence Joel Vets Mem.
Apr. 20 Columbia, SC Carolina Coliseum
John Mellencamp / The Why Store
April 12-14 New York, NY Theater at Madison Square Garden
Metallica / Corrosion of Conformity
Apr. 12 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
Apr. 14 Nashville, TN Arena
Apr. 16 Cincinnati, OH Riverfront Coliseum
Apr. 18 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Ice Palace
Apr. 19 Miami, FL Miami Arena
Apr. 20 Orlando, FL Orlando Arena
New Bomb Turks
Apr. 12 Detroit, ML Magic Stick
Apr. 14 London, ON Call The Office
Apr. 17 Toronto, ON Opera House
Apr. 18 Montreal, QC Foufounes Electriques
Apr. 19 Ottawa, ON Grand Central
Apr. 20 Quebec City, QC L'arlquin
Apr. 21 Burlington, VT Club Toast
Ruth Ruth
Apr. 12 Detroit, MI Shelter
Apr. 13 Bowling Green, OH Bowling Green Univ.
Apr. 15 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Apr. 16 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Apr. 19 Nashville, TN 328 Perf. Hall
Samples / Guster
Apr. 12 Boston, MA The Avalon
Apr. 13 Providence, RI Lupo's
Apr. 15 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Apr. 17 Portland, ME The Pavilion
Apr. 18 Burlington, VT Memorial Aud.
Apr. 19 Bethlehem, PA Lehigh University
Apr. 20 Syracuse, NY Syracuse University
Sexpod
Apr. 12 New York, NY Coney Island
Apr. 13 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Apr. 14 Providence, RI Living Room
Apr. 17 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
Apr. 18 Detroit, MI Shelter
Apr. 20 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax
Shonen Knife
Apr. 12 Santa Cruz, CA Palookaville
Apr. 14 Eugene, OR Wow Hall
Apr. 15 Portland, OR La Luna
Apr. 17 Seattle, WA RCKCNDY
Apr. 18 Vancouver, BC Graceland
Apr. 19 Victoria,BC The Limit
Apr. 21 Edmonton, AB The Rev
Sister Hazel
Apr. 12 Gulfport, MS The Zoo
Apr. 16 Memphis, TN Newbys
Apr. 17 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Apr. 19 Springfield, MO Shrine Mosque
Elliott Smith
Apr. 12 Princeton, NJ Terrace Club
Apr. 13-14 New York, NY Brownie's
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Apr. 12 Pittsburgh, PA The Byham Theater
Apr. 14 Chicago, IL Park West
Apr. 15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Stillsuit / Downset / Earth Crisis
Apr. 12 New London, CT El N Gee Club
They Might Be Giants
Apr. 18 Westminster, MD Western Maryland College
Verve Pipe
Apr. 12 Fayetteville, AR Univ. of Arkansas Auditorium
Apr. 14 Huntington, WV Huntington Civic Arena
Apr. 16 Fort Wayne, IN Pierre's
Apr. 17 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
Apr. 18 Milwaukee, WI Rave
Apr. 19 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Josh Wink
Apr. 12 Toronto, CA Warehouse (w/King Britt)
Apr. 19 Washington, DC Capital Ballroom
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> Great review on the Aersomith cd; I am now
convinced it will be the next cd that I buy! - Donald D., Alabama
> I must agree with the review of Aerosmith's latest album,
_Nine Lives_. It is by far the best work this group has release in
years! If you are into rock n' roll Aerosmith style and you don't
already own _Nine Lives_ go out and get it. You won't be disappointed! -
H.P., Canada
> (About the review of the Clarks _Someday Maybe_)
Thanks for taking the time to review the guys album. It was
great to see some homeboys 'make good'. These guys work as hard
as any band I've worked with.
You picked up on some interesting items in the review. The entire
album for _Someday Maybe_ was originally funded by the Clarks for King
Mouse Records - and then picked up pretty much 'as is' by Way Cool and MCA.
Most major label releases have a budget at least three to four times
that (of the King Mouse release), and it's still pretty cheap. The
recording sessions for _Someday Maybe_ yielded 15 songs; 13 appeared on
the original version, and 14 on the Way Cool/MCA version.
Also, I appreciate your mentioning my name in the review, but it's
spelled 'Bomba', not 'Bamba'. - Tim Bomba, producer, Clarks.
> Is Valerie Ghent the same person who was in the exceptional 80's
pop band Dizzy & the Romilars? Just curious. - F.
(Ed. note: Yes, it's the same person)
> FYI, there is a difference between jungle & drum n bass-
the former is a much "ruffer" sound, a bit darker and more dancey than
the latter which is more laid back & "intelligent". - Ian F., Uxbridge, UK
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest continuous
collaborative music publication on the Internet.
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serving Westchester County, NY.
Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online,
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===
