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Consumable Online Issue 060
==== ISSUE 60 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [November 13, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason
Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia,
Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Britain Woodman
Also Contributing: Rey Roldan
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: The Beautiful South - Rey Roldan
CONCERT REVIEW: Mike Peters, Fez, New York City - Bob Gajarsky
CONCERT REVIEW: Weezer, The Warfield (San Francisco) - Courtner Muir Wallner
REVIEW: Meat Puppets, _No Joke!_ - Mario J. Lia
REVIEW: Mike Scott, _Bring 'Em All In_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: PM Dawn, _Jesus Wept_ - Tim Hulsizer
REVIEW: _Means To An End: The Music of Joy Division_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Tindersticks, _Tindersticks_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Flaming Lips, _Clouds Taste Metallic_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Guru, _Jazzmatazz Vol. 2: The New Reality_ - Britain Woodman
REVIEW: Henry Threadgill, _Makin' A Move_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Tenderloin, _Bullseye_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Joan Armatrading, _What's Inside_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Eric Andersen, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ - Jon Steltenpohl
NEWS: Counter Aid '95, Natalie Merchant's CD Video Single, Poemfone,
Sonicnet happenings
TOUR DATES: Joan Armatrading, Ben Arnold, Banco de Gaia / Emergency Broadcast
Network, Barkmarket, Better Than Ezra (With Dambuilders), Bjork
Boiled In Lead, Billy Bragg, Combustible Edison, Cornershop, Cravin' Melon
Dance Hall Crashers, Eastbound / Grotus, Electrafixion / Echobelly
For Love Not Lisam, Green Magnet, Kate Jacobs, Freedy Johnston
King Missile / Urchins / John S Hall, Knapsack, Lizard Music, Mana
Natalie Merchant, Mike Peters Acoustic Tour, Phish, Ruth Ruth/Everclear
7 Mary 3, Skirt, Sky Cries Mary, Spacehog, Stanford Prison Experiment
Tenderloin/Psyclone Rangers, McCoy Tyner, Urge Overkill
ERRATA
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: The Beautiful South
- Rey Roldan
The Beautiful South has always been one of those bands that should be
big, like Tuscadero, David Gray, and Moxy Fruvous. But being one band in a
major label's pot of simmering acts can be a disheartening thing. Originally
signed to Elektra at a time when they had to compete with such label-mate
luminaries as The Sugarcubes, The Pixies, and The Cure, their brand of smooth
provincial pop was no match for the sales figures and indie cred that those
bands had. In fact, Elektra had to resort to promoting the band by referring
heavily on their previous incarnation, the seminal and very much respected
Housemartins, to stir any interest instead of letting the music speak for
itself (much like Elektra is currently doing with ex-Galaxie 500 Dean
Warham's band, Luna).
"At first, we tried to steer clear of any mention of The Housemartins",
says ex-Housemartins (natch!) drummer and currently one of the Beautiful
South vocalists (they have three) Dave Hemingway. "We hoped people would
take us on our own merit, but [our origins] kept following us."
The comparisons are hard to escape especially with ex-Housemartins
singer and another current Beautiful South vocalist Paul Heaton and his
unmistakable high octave bluesy voice. "I've come to embrace [the
Housemartins] questions, and now I can look fondly on the band, not like
before."
Currently sporting a new label (Mercury) and a greatest hits package
_Carry On Up The Charts_ (reviewed in a February issue of Consumable), which
is the third highest selling album in UK history (behind only Michael
Jackson and Phil Collins), The Beautiful South are ready to kick in their
assault on the US.
"We've always had a good hold of the US, especially with our tours,
but the sales figures have never been the best," he explains. "It seemed as if
[Elektra's radio promotions department] didn't know what to do with us.
Hopefully Mercury's will be able to figure it out."
Musically, The Beautiful South are an odd pop band. Chock full of
three part harmonies, a solid rhythm section, and an energetic brass section,
their brand of music would seem to attract more of a mellow 70s fanbase that
one that is very much steeped in crunchy guitars and brash atmospherics. But
the main difference is the ironic content of the lyrics. Sometimes blacker
than pitch but often with a humorous ironic twist, a normal track listing for a
Beautiful South record can speak about spousal murder, masturbation, and
shoplifting all the while skipping to an easy-listening pop beat. "I've
never really thought about all the murders in our songs," laughs Hemingway.
"I guess there really is a lot, ain't there?"
While _Carry On Up The Charts_ tends to focus on the more semi-innocent
love songs like "Sail This Ship Alone" ("they said that if I burned myself
alive/ That you'd come running back"), a general overview of their
full-length albums betrays a sinister underbelly of slayings, from the
tell-tale heart-esque "Woman in the Wall" ("Well he was very rarely drunk but
very rarely sober/ And he didn't think his problem was his drink/ But he only
knew his problem when he knocked her over/ And when the rotting flesh began
to stink") from their debut _Welcome To The Beautiful South_ to the serial
murders of a lover's family of _0898_'s "Something that You've Said" ("So if
you walk into your house and she's cutting up your mother/ She's only trying
to tell you that she loves you like no other").
Through the course of a full record, whole communities of characters
are slayed, maimed, or are so emotionally wounded that they might as well be
dead for all intents and purposes. "I guess you can say we're serial character
killers," he laughs. "I guess you can say that I'm fascinated by serial
killers, but I don't really follow them. Just recently, a couple in
Gloucester [Fred West and his wife] were convicted of killing over ten
people. However, he hanged himself before he went to trial, and now his wife
is on trial for ten murders, even though the actual number is closer to
thirteen."
A common thread along the Beautiful South discography is violence
against women, namely wives and lovers. "I Should've Kept My Eyes Shut" from
the album _Choke_ follows a daughter who witnesses her father strangling her
mother. The aforementioned "Woman in the Wall" has a husband kill off his
wife and then proceed to bury her in the wall.
"We don't just kill women in our songs," he corrects. "We kill a lot
of men too. I don't want people to think we're misogynists, because we're not.
We are, in fact, feminists," he states unflinchingly. "One of the problems
Briana [Corrigan, former female vocalist] had was the focus of the lyrics.
She found offense with a number of our songs, and many times we've changed
lyrics when we realized that she was right."
One of the last straws unfortunately was the catchy single "36D," from
_0898_ (which is the UK equivalent to a 1-900 sex line). With a refrain of
"36D, so what?/ Is that all that you've got?", the song reeks of
women-as-objects sentiment. "Briana took offense to the lyrics to that song,
and she ended refusing to sing on that song," he replies. "But the misogyny
of the song was not intended at all. She misunderstood the point of the
song. And now looking back at it, I sometimes regret that the song was
released at all."
Fortunately, Hemingway and band are sidestepping many controversial
subjects these days and focusing more on La La Love songs. "The violence of
the lyrics was reflective of Paul [Heaton]'s state of mind back then,"
Hemingway says. "For a while, Paul was writing very violent songs because he
had a lot of pressure that he needed to release. But recently, he has been
writing love songs. Lately, his domestic situation has been really nice,
with his girlfriend and stuff."
So now instead of blood-spewing across lyrics sheets, there are titles
such as "Prettiest Eyes" and "One Last Love Song," and a faithful cover of
Harry Nilsson's number one hit of 1969 "Everybody's Talking." But it's not
all shiny, happy love songs skipping to a smiley beat. Interspersed amongst
the heart-pounding romance is the trademark Beautiful South black humor.
"Paul's attitude and songwriting may change unexpectedly any minute,"
Hemingway warns.
Who knows, the next song title Paul scrawls across his songbook may
just be "Everybody's Talking about Her One Last Prettiest Eye."
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Mike Peters, Fez, New York City
- Bob Gajarsky
The Alarm were one step away from becoming an alternative
rock super-group, and making the jump from college radio to pop music
without compromising their integrity. The two groups to whom the
Alarm were most often compared, R.E.M. and U2, are still around today
and selling millions of albums. But, for reasons unknown to this critic,
the Alarm could never take that next step. Former lead singer Mike
Peters has gone solo and is on tour in anticipation of his 1996 debut
release.
Unlike other singers who eschew their past (Morrissey immediately
leaps to mind), Peters let there be no doubt about how his fame
arose. Interspersing songs with anecdotes from the Alarm's past -
the attempted kidnapping of a British journalist, to force him to see
how "great" the pre-Alarm (Seventeen) were, or an introduction of a fan who was
quite literally the world's biggest Alarm fan - Peters created a friendly
atmosphere which made the audience realize how fortunate they were to
be in attendance. Rather than take on the air of a huge pop star,
Peters instead came across as a long-lost relative, performing at a
family gathering. And the smile on his face - when the crowd of
less than two hundred people sang along with nearly every song - was
priceless.
The classics were all there - "The Stand", "Rain In The Summertime",
"Strength", "Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?", "Rescue Me" -
and Peters introduced a couple of his new songs, which were performed
with the same passion and integrity which gripped his previous hits. The
chills in this author's spine were present through most of the other
audience members.
Peters also performed a few rare (only performed live) B-sides; these
were recently recorded by Mike on an album titled _Second Generation_,
which consists of ten songs, half electric and half acoustic. The
album is available in the U.S. by phoning 716-827-1244 or writing to
MPO at PO Box 213, Buffalo, NY 14220-0213. Web surfers can order it
through Peters' Web site at http://www.demon.co.uk/alarmpo - the cost
is $15 + $2 shipping.
There's always the opportunity to see a band in a large setting,
*after* they've made it big - it's much more difficult to see a rock
superstar in smaller, intimate venues. Peters' return to his roots is
something that absolutely should not be missed - possibly the event, for
any fan of the Alarm (or any modern rock fan), of the year.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Weezer, The Warfield (San Francisco)
- Courtner Muir Wallner
At first the evening seemed like any other before a Weezer concert,
with young adolescents and high school students milling about the
place donned in their signature Levi's and miscellaneous
haircolors. Only this was the final show on a long tour and the
excitement hung anxiously in the air as the line grew larger in
front of The Warfield. Mykel and Carli, Weezer's loyal friends and
fan club organizers, chatted effortlessly with a group of fans
waiting to be granted admission. (Earlier, Pat Wilson, the drummer
of Weezer, and his wife Jen Wilson, had attended an informal
gathering of fan club members and friends, organized by Mykel,
Carli and others.)
Inside the euphoria grew as fans greedily bought up every
Weezer article for sale. The atmosphere was one
of anticipation and cheer as opposed to previous Weezer shows,
where coolness and tough aggression abounded. Perhaps this was due
to the particular audience, or the Warfield's unique design. One could
choose the mosh-pit right next to the stage, the "standing only"
area that was guarded and controlled by the staff, or choose to
have a few drinks at one of the many tables in the back. And the
view was wonderful no matter where you went.
That Dog opened and then Teenage Fanclub followed, putting on
a great show. After a rather long break, the theme song to
Battlestar Gallactica seeped out into the audience and the crowd
went wild. A cardboard Chewbaca stood quietly over the to left side
of the stage as lead singer and guitarist Rivers Cuomo hobbled
efficiently with the use of his cane over to his mike (due to the
brace on his leg). Bassist Matt Sharp and guitarist Brian Bell,
came running onto the stage, arms flailing and then Sharp screeched
his comical greetings for all to enjoy. Without any further ado,
they burst into "No One Else." The show had begun.
These guys put on an utterly fantastic show. While playing
guitar during one of their newer songs, "Getchoo," Cuomo played the
keyboard with the tip of his guitar. And of course, Sharp and Bell
made up for Cuomo's lack of mobility by dancing, jumping, swinging
their butts in the air, you name it. Petra Haden, from That Dog,
snuck out on stage during "My Name Is Jonas" and let off a eery
wail, startling the crowd and Cuomo alike. And as if the crowd
willed something special to happen during "Buddy Holly" by their
overwhelming cheers and screams, rainbow colored streamers came
flying through the air and landed on the audience, like a true
symbol of the festivity and finality of the event. Before we all
knew it, the show was over.
Outside the tour bus young fans lined up in the hundreds it
seemed, as the band finished up with their ritual Sega hockey game,
sans Brian Bell. Eventually a car pulled up for Cuomo, who smiled
appreciatively as he exited the bus and signed autographs before he
was whisked away to his hotel. Sharp was on board, opening and
admiring a gift from a fan, and Bell, who was more daring, walked
freely amongst the crowd, hugging and talking to fans, and posing
for pictures. This show was the last until next spring, Cuomo told
the crowd, and it was visible from the grins upon everyone's faces.
---
REVIEW: Meat Puppets, _No Joke!_ (London)
- Mario J. Lia
In 1980 the Meat Puppets broke onto the scene with their _In A Car_
EP. Since then they have continued to push the boundaries and expand the
musical horizon. _No Joke!_ their ninth album goes out and reaches outer
space.
This new album starts where the last album, _Too High To Die_, ended.
It includes the same weird artwork as always but this time some of it is
drawn by non-band members of the Kirkwood family (Catherine and Elmo).
Once again it is produced by Butthole Surfer guitarist Paul Leary. This
time Leary adds to the recording even further by playing lead guitar on
"Inflatable".
The Meat Puppets have always had a country-ish song or two on
their albums and this one is no exception. However, the tempos are a little
more brisk and chords jingle with distortion. Texture is added to some
songs by the use of the Hammond B3 organ and piano as well as the use
of the cello on the chamber hall sound of "Head".
No matter what music you are into you will like this album. If you
liked _Too High To Die_ or any other Meat Puppets album _No Joke!_ will
fill with more of the same great stuff. And if you haven't really been
into them, now is the time to try them. Whether it's the rock & roll of
"Poison Arrow" or the raw energy of "Scum" this album will become a
favorite. No joke!
---
REVIEW: Mike Scott, _Bring 'Em All In_ (Chrysalis/EMI)
- Reto Koradi
Mike Scott may sound like a new name to many, but he has been
around for quite some time, leading the Waterboys for more than 10 years.
He dissolved the band in '93 and relocated from Manhattan to Scotland. His
journeys through the world, finally having found the right place, are a
major topic in the lyrics of his first solo album _Bring 'Em All In_,
mainly in the key track "Long Way To The Light" (with the great line "but
if you wanna give God a laugh, tell him your plans").
This is a very personal, intimate and passionate record, not only
in the poetic lyrics, but also from the musical point of view. He plays
all instruments himself, and recorded it on simple equipment. The
production is almost too low-fi, with partly audible tape noise, but it
ensures that the music goes straight to the heart. The main elements are
his vocals and the acoustic guitar, spiced with some keyboards and electric
guitars. Not only the occasional harmonica revokes memories of Bob Dylan,
if you imagine Dylan having a much better voice and the energy that he lost
long ago. And what a fine songwriter Mike Scott is! The spectrum goes from
"She Is So Beautiful", a classic ballad that belongs on every list of
greatest love songs, to the upbeat, groovy "Building The City Of Light".
Mike Scott shows once more that folky singer/songwriters are not a
thing of the past. Good music is not a question of following current
trends; this album has the quality that it takes to stand the test of time.
And if you are more into harder stuff, it still makes a wonderful Christmas
present for your beloved ones.
---
REVIEW: PM Dawn, _Jesus Wept_ (Gee Street/Island Records)
- Tim Hulsizer
I consider PM Dawn to be my "guilty pleasure". I know it's a bit
cheesy, but I can't help it because they sound so good. As you probably
know, they had a big hit a few years back with a song called "Set Adrift
on Memory Bliss," which borrowed the undeniably catchy riff from "True"
by Spandau Ballet. That seems to be half of PM Dawn's philosophy; take
a great tune from an old song, add some soul-searching lyrics, and whip
up a hit song. The sad thing is, I fall for it every time, hook line and
sinker.
This time out the group is sampling hot and heavy, lifting grooves
from Joni Mitchell, Deep Purple, and 808 State among others. The results
are the usual successful mixture of rolling 70's/80's pop melodies with
contemporary beats and sound production, and the lyrics of course are
still out there as far as ever. Prince Be AKA Reasons, is the head
honcho lyricist of the group, and he's decidedly different. I just read
in an interview that he decided not to talk for three weeks last May when
he turned 25. Another time he was at a radio station and he claims he
asked the listening audience to come take his unlocked Pathfinder truck if
they wanted it (apparently nobody was listening, because it was still
there with the keys in it when he came out). He goes out of his way to turn
his brain inside out when he writes his songs. Love, souls, religions,
it's all here...after two albums of goofy searching, our pals have embraced
Christianity, and they aren't shy in devoting every second of the album
to it.
Now, I'm hardly the most religious fellow on Earth, but for some
strange reason I like this album. A lot. It's a combination of things,
I guess. First, my favorite 808 State song is "Pacific," and PM Dawn has
chosen that as one of their samples. Second, nearly every song, though
pretentiously deep in the lyric department, embeds itself in your brain,
causing you to sing it all day. Third, the last song on the new album is an
8-minute medley of Prince's "1999," Talking Heads' "Letting the Days Go By,"
and the now-classic song "Coconut". Lastly, in their mandatory
incomprehensible intro track, they include a sample of Linus from a Peanuts
cartoon, talking about the Great Pumpkin (a thinly veiled reference to God,
no doubt).
So what if they're too serious for their own good? So what if they
borrow the tunes for the first 5 songs from other groups? PM Dawn does
it with style...and _Jesus Wept_ is a smooth, stylish ride indeed.
---
REVIEW: _Means To An End: The Music of Joy Division_ (Virgin)
- Lee Graham Bridges
It seems that a Joy Division covers compilation would be a good
idea --besides, many people have been interested to see how musicians
react to this fantastic (if not a bit psychologically disturbed) band. This
was finally realized with _Means To An End_, a 14-song tribute to one of the
most prominent influences on modern rock. Unfortunately, it is less an
honor to the band than it should be.
The new renditions range from "pumped full of drugs" ("New Dawn
Fades") to sluggish ("Transmission") to outright weirdness ("As You Said").
In all, about one-third of the covers are in some way interesting, uniquely
different, bringing something new to regular perspectives of the original.
The remainder is pretty lame--merely a copy of the original greatness with a
modern kind of twist.
Let's focus on the good covers. Moby's uncharacteristic
guitar-strangled cover of "New Dawn Fades" is phenomenal--one of the few
modern versions to match the strength of the original. "Love Will Tear Us
Apart" has been interestingly (if not a bit more sweetly) reconstructed,
with the same melody but a feminine voice that is less somber than Ian
Curtis's on the original LWTUA. Kendra Smith did well with her cover of
"Heart and Soul", and the cover of "As You Said" by Tortoise is quite
unique. Finally, let's not forget the fine vocals of Smashing Pumpkins'
Billy Corgan on the cover of "Isolation", done by Starchildren.
Overall, though, the album is rather disappointing. The songs are
without much flavor, sporting flat vocals and in most cases, chancing little
or no deviation from the original Joy Division melodies. Real tributes, too
infrequently witnessed here, mean some special input from the band--and in
this sense _Means to an End_ is not truly worthy of the title "tribute
album." Perhaps it would have been more interesting if there were a wider
variety of types of artists (e.g. Garth Brooks helping out on the Kiss
tribute album). Nonetheless, being more inspired by originals, I would
rather suggest purchasing Joy Division's _Substance_ or the recent (but
rather unnecessary) compilation _Permanent_.
Track Listing: She's Lost Control - Girls Against Boys; Day Of The
Lords - Honeymoon Stitch; New Dawn Fades - Moby; Transmission - Low;
Atmosphere - Codeine; Insight - Further; Love Will Tear Us Apart -
Stanton-Miranda; Isolation - Starchildren; Heart & Soul - Kendra Smith;
24 Hours - Versus; Warsaw - Desert Storm; Walked In Line - Godheadsilo;
Interzone - Face To Face; As You Said - Tortoise
---
REVIEW: Tindersticks, _Tindersticks_ (London)
-Tim Mohr
Even without exaggerating, the Tindersticks are an extraordinary
band. Unlike most anything in the current musical landscape, their songs
emerge from arrangements of strings, horns, xylaphones, and other fairly
unusual instruments for a pop or rock recording. And yet the record remains
sparse and brooding rather than over-blown and tacky. The result is
experimental in the strict meaning of the word; their sound, however, has
little to do with bands normally tagged "experimental."
On their second album Tindersticks continue to amble their dusky path
through an arid countryside that bares similarities to regions plowed by Nick
Cave, Tom Waits, Red Hill Painters, American Music Club, Souled American, or
PJ Harvey.
The deep, ragged voice that moderates Tindersticks has a forlorn
expressiveness that inspires a loyal following, though it is not grating
enough to animate the complementary hatred that Tom Waits' voice does.
The opening track, "El Diablo En El Ojo," is a harbinger of the album
to come: a slow bass, whispy organ, and vocals are eventually joined by a
spooky string ensemble and climax in a dissonant frenzy. Other tracks utilize
different arrangements to the same affecting end. "Snowy in F# Minor," for
example, is slightly faster, adds piano, and is urged on by some brass and a
wooden flute.
Tindersticks integrate all the diverse instrumentation into an
earthy, unassuming album with none of the pretense or grandiosity that might
come to mind when strings, horns and rock are combined. Their writing process
must approach actual composition; rather than ordinary rock ballads with
expensive decorations sprinkled on, the songs seem to have been envisioned as
multi-instrumental from the start.
This adventurous approach to writing makes Tindersticks very
difficult to describe without scaring people off: very few bands will use
just a few odd instruments to build a song if they are going to go to the
trouble of calling in a string ensemble or a brass section or whatnot. The
lack of overkill, the sparse, open feel, is a saving grace. But so few bands
manage this restraint that writing about a band that uses strings
automatically induces skepticism as people recall hulking monstrosities like
Guns N Roses' "November Rain" or Extreme's outings with full orchestra.
Atmospherically, the Tindersticks second lp is a latenight
masterpiece, an addition to the Mazzy Star/Drugstore (Drugstore's Isobel
Monteiro appears on _Tindersticks_) section of your collection. An album to
listen to alone, a musical comfy chair into which to collapse at the end of
the week.
---
REVIEW: Flaming Lips, _Clouds Taste Metallic_ (Warner)
- Joe Silva
The label exec who's been pounding on Wayne Coyne's
Dad's garage door to tell him and the other Lips that they've
nabbed enough real world success now that they can stop
being goofy and write more hits, has yet to be heard by the
inhaitants inside. Top forty chart positions and Batman
aside, there's nothing on _Clouds Taste Metallic_ that
sounds the least bit tainted by the fact that they may have
made the racks at Wal-Mart.
On the outside, this all still sounds like a series of
fragmented ruminations on the "Why Things Are" level -
like a small clique of middle class adolescents, way stoned
and mulling over things like the origins of a bag of candy
orange slices. This is all sloppily pasted with Elmer's to an
off-kilter, unmanicured sonic vision of the rock universe. In
other words, it doesn't matter how Yes came up with all
those complicated songs that suburbia is forced to redigest
daily, this is as close as they'd care to come.
On the inside though, _Clouds_ is wholly relevant to
scores of future people - teen heads who hang out on Main
Streets everywhere with shlocky dye jobs and MTV as their
sole means of making sense of what possibility lies beyond
their pre-fab existence back home. The cosmic pertinence
therefore is not so much that being joyfully weird is a
possibility, but the joyful possibilities that being weird can
afford. There's only so much importance you can attach to
growing up in today's America, if you can already map your
existence full circle back to your parent's living room ethics.
So even without the tuneful catchiness of a "She Don't
Use Jelly," The Lips shouldn't be dismissed as cartoonish
alterna-rockers randomly musing into their microphones and
driving haphazard melodies through their not necessarily
well ajusted amplifiers. For all of the mild disorder built into
the structure, _Clouds_ is no "whatever sticks" venture.
By the time they get to their stride with "Psychiatric
Explorations of the Fetus With Needles," there's already
serious otherworldliness afoot. It's the vibe that the post-
partum Sonic Youth seem to latch onto less frequently - a
spacey guitar line hovers in the background while up front
while Steven Drozd drums, miked clean and mixed up high,
create the naked tension down in front. Being track two, it's
like the post launch high - a soaring feeling that if you're not
sure about whether or not you should be here, the fact
remains that it's a little too late to do otherwise.
When you land eleven tracks later, having waded through
sleigh bells, projector noises, and assorted guitar
wanderings, you realize the extent to which the Lips can and
have traveled. With the "aurally excited version" of "Bad
Days," Coyne (jokingly or not...) becomes the latest rock
fellow to worship at the altar of the lost and demented surf
God. The Brian Wilson-ness of the tune, filled with the
wonder of buzzing guitars, is (again, jokingly or not...)
undeniable. It comes off monumental, a blissful touchdown
with off the cuff harmonies and toy marimba/xylophone
flourishes.
Pushing any further examination away, _Clouds_ is an
aural continuum done in high Slurpee fashion - brightly
coloured, middle fidelity confection that you know will hurt
if you drink it too fast. But that's also essentially a major
part of the fun, isn't it? "Where does space end?" indeed.
---
REVIEW: Guru, _Jazzmatazz Vol. 2: The New Reality_ (EMI)
- Britain Woodman
A major turning point in the hip-hop/jazz crossover of the mid-90s
came in the summer of 1993, when two albums were released:_Hand On The Torch_
by US3, a group of British DJs given full run of the Blue Note catalog, and
Guru's _Jazmatazz Vol. 1_, an experimental jazz/rap crossover record that
took Guru's ten years of jazz experimentation with Gang Starr to the next
level -- live musicians. Although Guru's album had all the credibility,
US3's album sold like hotcakes, becoming jingle-bait for everyone from
Betty Crocker to HBO.
Two years later, Guru's back, and promoting a "new reality."
"I'm here to give direction," he states on the lead-off track, "'cause I'm The
Lifesaver." Backed by crossover group The Solsonics, he offers observations
and inspirations between cuts in spoken-word form, as well as kickin' it in
collaborations with everyone from Jamiroquai to Donald Byrd.
The thing that seems to have caught many rap fans off-guard about this
album is that such a hot album could be made without cusswords, a lyrical
staple. This is part of Guru's plan to reach younger people than would
otherwise have the option to listen to this record. DeLores Tucker ain't
got nuttin' on Guru. Although a lot of the content is inspirational (as in
the standout track, "Count Your Blessings"), Guru's not preachy (or, even
worse, Anthony Robbins) and this disc has some great music. You'd have to
really, really, really, hate rap music, in fact, not to enjoy _Jazzmatazz
Vol. 2_.
--
REVIEW: Henry Threadgill, _Makin' A Move_ (Columbia)
- Ali Sinclair
When I was about fifteen years old, our class music teacher, Mr.
Humphries, decided to give us a lesson in avant-garde jazz. First he played
us a couple of recordings: then he sent each of us into the store room to
collect an instrument, any instrument: as long as it was something that we
did not know how to play (we were lucky: our school was very arts-and-music
minded, and most of us could play something-or-other, whether it was
symphony-quality violin or oboe, or a simple xylophone or penny-whistle).
And then, switching on the reel-to-reel tape recorder, he ordered us to play
and play and play... and later, when we listened to the "music" we had
created, it sounded just like the "avant-garde" stuff we'd been listening
to earlier... a cacophony, a noise, a musical Tower of Babel with everyone
following their own thread and meeting in time, rhythm or harmony only
occasionally, by chance.
That is what Henry Threadgill's _Makin' A Move_ could have sounded.
But it doesn't... instead, he takes rock, jazz, classical rhythms, a
striking lead guitar, a brass band (at least, a tuba or two) cellos and
guitars... and creates a musical masterpiece. It's not a CD for the top
twenty, and I doubt that any of the tracks will be heard on popular,
commercial radio, but this man's music should be HEARD... for example, the
third track on the CD, "Official Silence", is more evocative and
atmospheric than a lot of the music currently filling cinemas as
soundtrack: it is dark and criminal, with a semi-comic melody, like a
large Mr. Plod the Policeman tracking a bungling burglar down a dark back
street full of alleys and dustbins and running tom-cats...
I like this CD. It's chaotic, like Van Gogh on a stormy night.
You can't classify it or file it: it has a style of its own, like a Martian
circus. It's not jazz, it's not classical, it's not rock--but there's
something of each in there. It's an adventure. It's life--and it's alive!
I'm off to find some more Henry Threadgill recordings...
---
REVIEW: Tenderloin, _Bullseye_ (Qwest/Warner Bros.)
- Joe Silva
With all due deference to Toto and his master, Kansas can be a
fairly off kilter locale. Williams S. Burroughs aside, venturing into
the somewhat tranquil town of Lawrence, Kansas, one doesn't
expect to come across a lit up marquee with a band roster that
features the likes of the sonically caustic (and probably now
forgotten..) Kill Whitey. But it happens. And therefore it makes
sense that Tenderloin can gravitate there as well - gathering en mass
to put together a few pounds of serious American and not quite
rockabilly-ish clatter.
Leaning towards the school that encompasses the good Reverend
Horton Heat (the band bears several ties to that camp) the
Buttholes, Mojo Nixon, the Allmans and possibly Geoge
Thorogood, Tenderloin is the band you expect to find drowning out
the WWF match on the big screen at the bar you come across when
wandering the back roads of Alabama.
A one-time Sub Pop release of "Supernatural Bolonga" initially
drew interest, but _Bullseye_ is not quite hit the mark material. The
The guitars are done in stainless steel (yawn) distortion, undercut by
double bass drum thumps and splashes of vaguely processed
harmonica lines.
Ernie Locke country growls atop what sometimes collapses into a
down home rumble ("Hearty Beef Party") and generic 4/4 riff
working ("Alabama Hammer"). But there are moments when
Tenderloin almost gets it back in order despite Locke. "Mystified"
is a salvaged moment, but it fades quickly. "Inseminator" tries to
pull a Twin Peaks/Doors spookyness, but the psuedo-darkness can't
be upheld despite what turns out to be Locke's best moment on
mouth organ.
Musically and otherwise, one's better off with one foot in the
Rev. Heat camp and the other in the Motorhead realm. As a band
that attempts to straddle the breach between the two, Tenderloin are
best left to stew a while longer.
---
REVIEW: Joan Armatrading, _What's Inside_ (RCA)
- Ali Sinclair
The latest collection of songs from British singer-songwriter Joan
Armatrading, _What's Inside_, is as energetic as her long-ago-1970's and
80's albums such as _Walk Under Ladders_ and _The Key_ (remember "Drop
The Pilot" and "Love and Affection"?) The songs are personal but not
private, emotional but not silly, strong but not fierce. Her voice is
warm, round: the guitar, like a friend.
She pours herself into the songs: she says that she writes songs
because "it is as natural as breathing". She tells stories and draws
portraits with music and words--and smiles through the song.
"Everyday Boy" and "Trouble" are examples of Ms. Armatrading at
her best, and "Merchant Of Love" is outstanding. Some of the tracks are
more blatantly commercial: I prefer the deeper, thoughtful numbers. With
thirteen numbers to choose from on _What's Inside_, there's a wide range of
Armatrading styles, with something that should find favour with each and
every one of her fans--and new listeners, too.
---
REVIEW: Eric Andersen, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ (Plump Records)
- Jon Steltenpohl
The first thing that stands out about Eric Andersen's album _Ghosts
Upon the Road_ is the picture of Andersen himself staring directly out of the
cover and into your eyes. At first glance, he appears to be a haggard,
hard-luck individual, but when you stare back into the image on the cover,
the gruff appearance is transformed into a quiet, gentle soul. Andersen's
voice comes across the same way. It sounds a little rough and tired, but
after a careful listen, Andersen's voice reveals itself to be tender and
understanding.
With a batallion of acoustic guitars, shimmering back-up vocals
supplied by Shawn Colvin, and atmospheric keyboards, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ is
a typical modern folk album. "Typical" in this case means that it's better
than 90% of the music you can normally find on your radio dial. Andersen's
imagery is gritty and a little too honest to be comfortable, and he tends
to take a song to its stark, silent depths. For the enlightened who have
their CD rack filled with Green Linnet and Philo/Rounder albums, _Ghosts
Upon the Road_ nestles itself fairly well next to modern folk greats such
as Bill Morrissey or possibly David Wilcox.
Listeners without a background in modern folk will note that _Ghosts
Upon the Road_ was produced by Steve Addabbo who has worked with Suzanne Vega
and Shawn Colvin. In fact, the album features many of Vega's band from the
_Solitude Standing_ era including keyboardist Anton Sanko and bassist
Michael Visceglia. Also prominent on the album are John Leventhal on
guitar and Andy Newmark on percussion. Andersen chooses a different
musical path than Vega. His songs are not as pop oriented, and the lyrics
are often musical portraits of past journeys. What this means in practical
terms is that Andersen inspires eyes closed contemplation instead of chorus
sing-alongs.
_Ghosts Upon the Road_ was originally released in 1988 and has now
been re-released on Plump Records. However, re-releases seem to be a large
part of Andersen's career. Andersen was part of the early folk and singer-
songwriter scene in the 60's that included such luminaries as Tom Paxton,
Judy Collins, and Bob Dylan, and he had his big break in 1972 with the
album, _Blue River_. The follow-up album to _Blue River_ was to be a
classic, but the master-tapes mysteriously disappeared before any copies
were made.
The loss devastated Andersen's career, and for almost 20 years, his
music just wasn't the same. It wasn't until the 1988 release of _Ghosts Upon
the Road_ that Anderson re-emerged in the U.S. Then, in 1991, his lost album
was miraculously recovered and released as _Stages: The Lost Album_. Since
then, Andersen has released a few albums on Rykodisc with Rick Danko of The
Band and Norwegian artist, Jonas Fjeld, under the name of "Danko Fjeld
Andersen", and Plump Records has re-released _Ghosts Upon the Road_.
For more information on Eric Andersen, contact Plump Records at 1-800-
PlumpCD or on the internet at Plumprec@aol.com.
---
NEWS: > Counter Aid '95, where music performers man the registers at
various retail outlets across the country to help raise money for those
living with HIV/AIDS, is scheduled this year for December 2. Some of the
stars who have currently signed up include: (New York) Evan Dando, Juliana
Hatfield, Lisa Loeb, J. Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr.) and Sponge; (Los
Angeles) Coolio, Mike Inez (Alice In Chains), Johnette Napolitano, Martin
Page, Weird Al Yankovic; (Atlanta) Speech (of Arrested Development);
(Miami) Rembrandts; (Minneapolis) Jayhawks. More artists are being
added daily.
> Natalie Merchant's new single, "Wonder", will be released
in enhanced CD format at no extra cost. This will combine the video
for the single as well as two audio tracks, one of which is the previously
unreleased "Baby I Love You". In addition, Merchant will be appearing
on the Tonight Show on November 24.
> Poemfone: The Web Site - the best of new spoken word live,
recorded and on the Internet - will be released in January. For those who
are interested in seeing what it's like before then, there will be
performances on Thursday, November 16 from 9:30-midnight at the @ Cafe
in New York City. Hosted by Jordan Trachtenberg, spoken word performances
will be given by Penny Arcade, Nicole Blackman, M. Doughty of Soul Coughing,
Anne Elliott, Bobby Miller, Hal Strowitz, Sparrow and Edwin Torres.
> Sonicnet happenings: Nov. 13, Mystery Melrose Theatre (8 pm);
Nov. 14 Superchunk (5 pm); Nov. 15 Bob's conscious party with Jim
Carroll (8 pm); Nov. 20 Dead Milkmen (6 pm); Nov. 27 Hardcore
conferences XI hosted by Roree Krevlin with Ignite. Sonicnet can be
accessed on the WWWW at http://www.sonicnet.com
---
TOUR DATES
Joan Armatrading
Nov. 16 Madison, WI Civic Theatre
Nov. 19 Minneapolis, MN State Theatre
Nov. 21 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
Ben Arnold
Nov. 15 Brookline, MA The Tam
Nov. 16 Boston, MA South Station (WBOS-FM Concert)
Nov. 17 Albany, NY The Metro
Nov. 22 Brookline, MA The Tam
Banco de Gaia / Emergency Broadcast Network
Nov. 16 Boston, MA Axis
Nov. 17 New York, NY Palladium
Nov. 18 Philadelphia, PA Asylum
Nov. 21 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Nov. 22 Orlando, FL Embassy
Nov. 23 Miami Beach, FL Cameo
Barkmarket
Nov. 13 Madison, WI O'Kayz Coral
Nov. 14 Kansas City, MO Daily Grind
Nov. 15 Omaha, NE Cog Factory
Nov. 16 Lawrence, KS Replay Lounge
Nov. 18 Boulder, CO Club 156
Nov. 21 Seattle, WA Moe Club
Nov. 22 Portland, OR Satyricon
Better Than Ezra (With Dambuilders Nov. 6-Dec.11)
Nov. 13 Baltimore, MD Hammerjack's
Nov. 14 Wilmington, DE Stone Ballroom
Nov. 16 Charlottesville, VA Trax
Nov. 17 Norfolk, VA Boathouse
Nov. 18 Richmond, VA Floodzone
Nov. 20 Dayton, OH McGully's
Nov. 21 Louisville, KY Brewery
Nov. 22 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Bjork
Nov. 14 New Haven, CT Palace Theater
Nov. 16 Providence, RI The Strand
Nov. 17 New York, NY Roseland
Boiled In Lead
Nov. 15 Davis CA The Palms (acoustic)
Billy Bragg
Nov. 14 Seattle, WA Backstage
Nov. 15 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Nov. 17 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Nov. 18 Chicago, IL Double Door
Nov. 20 New York, NY Tramps
Combustible Edison
Nov. 15 Philadelphia, PA Silk City
Nov. 16 New York, NY Tramps
Nov. 17 Providence, RI Met Cafe @Lupo's
Nov. 18 Cambridge, MA Middle East Downstairs
Cornershop
Nov. 13 Boston, MA Paradise
Nov. 14 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Nov. 15 Washington, DC Black Cat
Nov. 17 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Nov. 18 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Nov. 20 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Nov. 21 Philadelphia, PA Nick's
Nov. 23 Toronto, CA Hoseshoe Tavern
Cravin' Melon
Nov. 15 Statesboro, GA Legends
Nov. 16 Athens, GA Ga Theater
Nov. 17 Clinton, SC Pres College
Nov. 22 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's
Dance Hall Crashers
Nov. 15 Houston, TX Deep Phat
Nov. 16 Austin, TX Electric Lounge
Nov. 17 Ft Worth, TX Engine Room
Eastbound / Grotus
Nov. 14 Long Branch, NJ Brighton Bar
Electrafixion / Echobelly
Nov. 13 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Nov. 14 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Nov. 16 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line
Nov. 17 Chicago, IL Metro
Nov. 18 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Nov. 19 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall
Nov. 21 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
Nov. 22 Montreal, QC Club Soda
For Love Not Lisa
Nov. 14 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Nov. 15 Tulsa, OK Ikon
Nov. 18 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
Nov. 20 Salt Lake City, UT Bar & Grill
Nov. 21 Los Angeles, CA Lava Lounge
Nov. 22 Hollywood, CA Dragon Fly
Green Magnet
Nov. 15 Boise, ID The Neurolux (w/godhead silo)
Nov. 17 Eau Claire, WI The Golden Chair
Nov. 18 LaCrosse, WI The Warehouse
Nov. 19 St. Louis, MO Cicero's
Nov. 21 Denton, TX The Argo
Nov. 22 Austin, TX Emo's
Kate Jacobs
Nov. 17 Hoboken, NJ City Hall Coffee House
Freedy Johnston
Nov. 13 Burlington, VT Club Metronome
Nov. 15 Baltimore, MD 8*10
Nov. 16 Piermont, NY Turning Point
Nov. 17 Long Branch, NJ Metro Lounge
King Missile / Urchins / John S Hall
Nov. 18 New Brunswick, NJ Court Tavern
Knapsack
Nov. 15 Denton, TX Argo
Nov. 16 Austin, TX Emo's
Nov. 17 Monroe, LA Loose Caboose
Nov. 21 Richmond, VA Twisters
Nov. 22 Lexington, KY Wrockladge
Nov. 23 Huntington, WV Drop Shop
Lizard Music
Nov. 13 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill
Nov. 15 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Nov. 16 Silverlake, CA Spaceland
Mana
Nov. 17 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavillion
Nov. 18 Tucson, AZ Convention Center
Nov. 19 El Paso, TX UTEP
Natalie Merchant
Nov. 15 Berkeley, CA Community Theatre
Nov. 17-18 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre
Nov. 20 San Diego, CA Symphony Hall
Nov. 21 Mesa, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre
Nov. 22 Tucson, AZ Civic Center
Mike Peters Acoustic Tour
Nov. 13 Ithaca, NY Haunt
Nov. 14 Wilmington, DE Kelly's Logan House
Nov. 15 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar
Nov. 16 Washington, DC Bayou
Nov. 17 Richmond, VA Twisters
Nov. 18 Atlanta, GA Smith's Olde Bar
Nov. 19 Raleigh, NC Brewery
Nov. 20 Baltimore, MD Club Midnight
Nov. 21 Camp Hill, PA Zee's Underground
Phish
Nov. 14 Orlando, FL U. of Central Florida
Nov. 15 Tampa, FL Sundome
Nov. 16 West Palm Beach, FL West Palm Beach Auditorium
Nov. 18 N. Charleston, SC N. Charleston Coliseum
Nov. 19 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Coliseum
Nov. 21 Winston-Salem, NC Lawrence Joel Coliseum
Nov. 22 Landover, MD US Air Arena
Ruth Ruth/Everclear
Nov. 14 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall
Nov. 15 Atlanta, GA The Point
Nov. 16 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
Nov. 17 Washington, DC 930 Club
Nov. 18 New York, NY West Best Theatre
Nov. 20 Providence, RI Met Cafe
Nov. 21 Syracuse, NY Lost Horizon
7 Mary 3
Nov. 14 Vancouver, BC Town Pump
Nov. 15 Portland, OR La Luna
Nov. 16 Seattle, WA Weathered Wall
Nov. 18 Colorado Springs, CO Rack N' Roll
Nov. 20 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Nov. 21 Chicago, IL Cubby Beat
Nov. 22 Milwaukee, WI Unicorn
Skirt
Nov. 16 Columbia, SC Elbo Room
Nov. 17 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia St. Pub
Nov. 18 Augusta, GA Red Lion
Sky Cries Mary
Nov. 13 Long Beach, CA Csu Long Beach
Nov. 15 Los Angeles, CA UCLA
Nov. 16 S Juan Capist., CA Coach House
Nov. 17 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Nov. 18 Phoenix, AZ Gibson's
Nov. 19 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
Nov. 22 Salt Lake City, UT Cinema Bar
Spacehog
Nov. 13 Las Vegas, NV Freemont Street
Nov. 14 Phoenix, AZ Electric Ballroom
Nov. 15 San Diego, CA Backdoor @SDSU
Nov. 16 Los Angeles, CA Palace
Nov. 18 Denver, CO Bluebird Cafe
Nov. 20 Omaha, NE Capitol Bar
Stanford Prison Experiment
Nov. 15 San Jose, CA Cactus Club
Nov. 16 San Francisco, CA San Francisco University (Noon)
Nov. 22 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Tenderloin/Psyclone Rangers
Nov. 12 New York, NY Coney Island High
Nov. 13 Cohoes, NY Saratoga Winners
Nov. 15 New London, CT El N Gee
Nov. 16 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
Nov. 17 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Nov. 20 Tallahassee, FL Cow Haus
McCoy Tyner
Nov. 16-19 Boston, MA Charles Hotel
Nov. 20 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Urge Overkill (dates subject to change)
Nov. 22 Chicago, IL The Metro
Nov. 24 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
Nov. 25 Milwaukee, WI TBA
Nov. 26 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Nov. 28 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
---
ERRATA: The band touring with Ash in the U.S. is China Drum
not China. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
---
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