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Consumable Online Issue 068
==== ISSUE 68 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [February 14, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,Dan Enright,
Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric
McGill, Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason
Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia,
P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Britain Woodman
Also Contributing: Robin Lapid
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: Tori Amos, _Boys For Pele_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Howard Jones, _Live Acoustic America_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Marion, _This World And Body_/ "Time" -Tim Mohr
CONCERT REVIEW: Blur, the Rentals - Robin Lapid
REVIEW: Bluetones, "Slight Return" - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Levellers, _Zeitgeist_ - Reto Koradi
CONCERT REVIEW: Jazz Passengers feat. Debbie Harry - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Possum Dixon, _Star Maps_ - Eric Hsu
REVIEW: Tracy Chapman, _New Beginning_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: The Harvest Ministers, _A Feeling Mission_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Melting Hopefuls, _Viva La Void_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: Nine Below Zero, _Ice Station Zebro_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Mark Brodie & the Beaver Patrol,_The Shores of Hell_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Devin Hill, _Wayout Lane_ - Ali Sinclair
NEWS: Bloodhound Gang, Cypress Hill, Z100 Extreme,
Mittageisen, My Little Sister, Pentagon CD/1000 Mona Lisas,
Rake's Progress, R&S Records, Sonicnet/Loser's Guide to Boston
TOUR DATES: Aunt Bettys, Walter Beasley, Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky,
Jackson Browne, Cravin' Melon, Fleming & John, Freewheelers,
Gin Blossoms / Dead Hot Workshop / Refreshments, Hum / Mercury Rev,
Huey Lewis & The News, Lustre, Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers,
Natalie Merchant, Mighty Mighty Bosstones/Dance Hall Crashers,
The Mother Hips, Mysteries of Life, Mystery Machine, Nancy Boy,
Niamh Parsons and the Loose Connections, Mike Peters, Plastic Mikey,
Presidents of the United States of America / Love Jones,
Rake's Progress / Nancy Boy, Reeltime, Ruby/Schtum, Bob Seger / John Hiatt,
Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills, Elliott Smith / The Softies, Spacehog,
Tina & The B Side Movement, Velvet Crush / Lustre, Weston,
Jane Kelly Williams
CONTEST: Free CD from Grass Records
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Tori Amos, _Boys For Pele_ (Atlantic)
- Sean Eric McGill
Emotion can go a long way. One of the things that made Freddy Mercury
the icon that he is was that no matter how serious or how cheezy the song,
Mercury could make us believe that he meant every last syllable of the tune
through his delivery - he was what a "rock star" should be...and what a
"balladeer" should be...and a couple of other things, as well. And when you
talk about women in popular music, nobody holds that same level of emotional
intensity as well as Tori Amos.
Her songs can strike a chord in your heart, regardless of sex (although
most of her songs are much better understood by women). Her heartfelt
delivery, with Amos many times playing the role of the gawkish teenager -
all grown up and ready to tell everyone what they put her through - gives
each song an urgency that cannot be matched. But it's been five years since
Amos came on the scene with her sophomore album _Little Earthquakes_ and its
single "Silent All These Years," and time has changed Amos - for good and
for bad.
First, the good part. That urgency is still there, coming though with
every note she sings. Songs like "Hey Jupiter" and "Horses" stand out as two of
the best works on the album. But, there is also a down side. On her last album,
1994's _Under The Pink_, Amos became more and more attracted to large,
orchestral arrangements. For some artists, this works. But most of
Amos' strength is in her ability to sit at a piano with minimal effects and
instrumentation and tell you a story. Many times, in songs like "Father
Lucifer," Amos' writing, while quite accomplished, often relies on subtle
lyrical tricks that don't come through too well when placed over a barrage
of instrumentation - leaving the songs feeling rather cluttered.
Not all of these songs are losses, though. "Putting the Damage On" is
quite well done, reminiscent of "Yes, Anastasia" from _Under The Pink_ with its
often soaring background score. Likewise, "Caught In A Lite Sneeze," the
album's first single, works as well. But it is songs like "Twinkle" and
"Doughnut Song" which bring out the best in Amos.
Ultimately, if you're not a fan, this album most probably won't turn
you into one. But if you are (and judging from her wide fanbase on the World
Wide Web, there are plenty of them out there - enough to make the album
debut at #2 on Billboard's charts the week of its release), then you'll
definitely enjoy _Boys for Pele_. And although the album isn't Amos' strongest
work to date by far, it is still superior to the majority of albums released
so far this year...and will probably still be ten months from now.
---
REVIEW: Howard Jones, _Live Acoustic America_ (Plump)
- Bob Gajarsky
If you're not a hard-core Howard Jones fan, and never saw him on
his 1993 acoustic tour, the thought of the author of hits such as "New
Song" or "No One Is To Blame" playing without the keyboard may seem
a bit frightening.
Don't get scared off, however: although there was no electricity
connecting the instruments, this performance has plenty of it in the air.
Consisting of just two people on stage - Howard on piano and vocals,
and renowned percussionist Carole Steele - Jones wows not only the
Los Angeles crowd where the show was recorded, but this reviewer as well.
His songs gain a new depth when taken away from the synth wall which
has surrounded Jones since 1984, and highlight the songwriter and
performer behind the songs.
_Live Acoustic America_ doesn't focus on all his hits, nor is that
the collection's purpose; however, of the 17 tracks, 11 of them are
well known to his fans. It comes across more as a "thank-you" to his
fans, and a unique way to bend the rules. Don't forget, when Jones
first burst on to the scene with his UK #1 hit "New Song", the
possibility of a keyboard player touring, much less giving an
entertaining evening, was laughed at. Howard broke those rules as well;
this time, he succeeds in bringing his fans one step closer to his songs.
The songs do work; "You Know I Love You" takes on a new breath
of life and "No One Is To Blame" was meant to be heard in close quarters.
And, Howard's version of the Beatles' "Come Together" sounds not only more
distinct, but *better*, than the recent cover from The Smokin' Mojo Filters
(Paul Weller, Paul McCartney and Oasis' Noel Gallagher) from the
Bosnian relief effort _Help!_.
The crowd interaction - which is a mandatory part of most intimate
shows, but usually fails to impresss on record - doesn't come across well
on this album either. But this small blemish should not stop one from
stepping back and taking another look at this talented performer.
Sometime in 1996, Jones will be releasing his next album,
_Angels and Lovers_. However, until then, the time is right to rediscover
Howard Jones in an intimate setting on _Live Acoustic America_.
World Wide Web surfers: Howard has become involved with the site at:
http://www.amug.ord/~hojoinfo/index.html
TRACK LISTING: Intro / Pearl In The Shell, Don't Always Look At The Rain,
Fallin' Away, Exodus / Come Together, You Know I Love You Don't You,
Out Of Thin Air, One Last Try, Like To Get To Know You Well, City Song,
Lift Me Up, Tape to Tape Rag, Everlasting Love, Life in One Day, Things
Can Only Get Better, What Is Love, New Song, No One Is To Blame
---
REVIEW: Marion, _This World And Body_/ "Time" (London)
-Tim Mohr
In their initial burst of publicity, Marion's bleak lyrics, driving
sound, prominent bass, and Manchester home brought comparisons, somewhat
exaggerated, to Joy Division. "Sleep," their gripping London debut, had a
racing heart and, in the harmonica, a stylistic nod to 60s classics. The
desperate feel of "Sleep," and its dark b-side, "Father's Day," earned the
band immediate attention, and their emotional writing, quite at odds with the
studied eccentricity and intellectualism of bigger bands like Blur, Menswear,
or Pulp, gave them a directness that has remained through their subsequent
releases.
"Toys for Boys," Marion's next European single, lacked the inescapable
hook of "Sleep," but continued the sharp, detailed guitar work and emotional
approach. The third London release, "Let's All Go Together," marked a new
stage in Marion's growth. The tempo slowed and the guitars became more open,
lacey, and less cutting; an anthemic chorus assumed a central role.
With "Let's All Go Together," a better comparison than Joy Division
started to emerge: the passionate immediacy and gasping spitfire delivery of
early U2. Aside from the striking but unintentional vocal similarity, the
earnestness and unabashed sentimentality of Marion's songs also present
corollaries to songs on _Boy_, _October_, and _War_.
The newly released "Time," the third European single from
_This World This Body_, is once again reminiscent of seminal U2 songs, but
the lyrics and music are more complex and less maudlin than "Let's All Go
Together." As U2 can attest, having eventually rejected the style, writing
based on emotion has as a downside a tendency towards melodrama and self-
parody, particularly when the musical backdrop is slowed to accomodate the
pathos evoked by the lyrics. But on "Time," Marion manage to sidestep this
pitfall as U2 frequently did on early albums.
The b-side of "Time," like that of "Let's All Go Together," returns
to the fast riffing of "Sleep" and "Toys for Boys," but now that the image of
U2 has been established, it is easy to remember that U2 had punky roots, too.
_This World This Body_ is one of the most interesting releases
of the Britpop era, if for no other reason than in Marion we have an English
pop band not afraid to lay itself bare, to take off its party mask and reveal a
wide range of deeply-rooted human emotion. The few sombre songs by big
contemporary bands, ie. Oasis' "Wonderwall", are really about redemption or
epiphany, and offer an uplifting resolution. Even morose bands like Gene
camoflauge gut feeling with elaborate language and poetic imagery. Marion
bring a note of dissent to the Britpop party, and by exhibiting some naked
working class misery they make the whole scene broader in scope and ambition.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Blur, the Rentals at the Fillmore, San Francisco
January 29, 1996
- Robin Lapid
So, are Blur really intent on "breaking America" and beating out
Oasis in the woefully misguided and overhyped battle of the "Britpop"
bands? An answer to this question would be merely gratuitous. But if
the public really wants one, they need only listen to Blur bang out a few
schmaltzy, Blur-ified bars of Oasis' "Roll With It" during their
performance at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore Theater (in the U.K.
last year, it was Blur's "Country House" single which beat out "Roll With
It" when both were released on the same day). With lead singer Damon
Albarn on organ, they then briefly launched into the Knacks' "My
Sharona." Roughly translated, the boys just wanna have fun, a concept
which was successfully conveyed to this sold-out crowd.
The pop indie princelings of Britain tread some strange waters in
America these days. As fellow U.K. acts like Oasis and Bush garner their
fair share of stateside success with radio-friendly alterna-rock, Blur
continue to play distinctly British-flavored pop tunes. As a live band,
however, it doesn't much matter that they clearly love the Kinks and the
Jam more than the Rolling Stones. They are still, according to stellar
guitarist Graham Coxon, "a pop band that can rock."
The "fast" songs ("Advert," "Globe Alone") were frenetic and
bounce-around pop, and the "slow" songs ("The Universal," "This Is A
Low") were haltingly anthemic weep-alongs. The fact that Blur sing about
the oddities of the British working class and occassionally play waltz-y
instrumentals becomes a moot point when the whole crowd begins singing
louder than the singer himself, or when you somehow find yourself amongst a
mass of people giddily shouting out "Parklife!" every fifteen seconds.
An occassionally dazed Albarn dabbled in climbing the P.A. and
knocking down equipment while a cheerful Coxon provided some appropriate
rockstar acrobatics. As the crowd writhed in time to the music and belted out
lyrics, an endless stream of groupies periodically rushed the stage to
kiss and/or embrace poster idols Albarn, Coxon, and bassist Alex James
(the haughty, still one with the hair and cigarette permanently dangling
from the face).
Despite the vocals starting out a bit too low in the mix, the
band were relaxed and limber enough to provide some crowd-pleasing antics
(Albarn risked life and limb jumping dead center into a pit of
young groupies eager for the flesh of a bona fide British popstar); and
Albarn conversed freely with the fans between songs while Coxon
graciously handed someone a towel of his sweat at her request. Backed by
the steady rhythm of drummer Dave Rowntree and the embellishments of a
two-man horn section, Blur dove into a steady stream of pop-pleasing
numbers, performing long-lost favorites from all four of their albums -
the grateful crowd were treated to the rarely-heard "There's No Other
Way," their first major hit from their debut album _Leisure_ and to a
crackling version of "Stereotypes," the band's next U.K. single from their
current album _The Great Escape_.
The Rentals provided a subdued, pleasant opener to the evening.
Frontman (and Weezer bassist) Matt Sharp led an affable set of
"nerd-rock" that was a moog-synth lover's dream. The band offered a
unique brand of rough pop smoothed out by cheesy electronic effects.
Even better, they also had the harmonizing backing vocals of two
women intent on displaying their karate-kicking dance moves between synth
playing. Although a slightly annoyed Sharp ignored repeated requests for
"Buddy Holly," the band temporarily appeased the anxious crowd with their
alternative hit, "Friends of P."
Blur provided the audience (largely a mixture of Anglophile
fashion-followers and swooning girls) a lesson in the art of a good show
- keep the audience jumping up and down in time and play songs as if you
actually _like_ them (Oasis please take note). Afterwards, a contented
Coxon smiled amiably, aptly summing up the point of the whole evening:
"I had a lot of fun tonight."
Anyone who wonders if the band are stressed out with selling as
many records in America as Oasis need not worry. According to Coxon,
"[Making music] is not about making money. It's about integrity."
---
REVIEW: Bluetones, "Slight Return" (Blue UK)
- Tim Mohr
The third single from the Bluetones proves that their magnificent
synthesis of British pop on "Are You Blue Or Are You Blind?" and "Bluetonic"
was no fluke.
The voice of the Bluetones adds to the theory that the singers in
Oasis, the Charlatans (UK), and the Stone Roses are all the same person; in
fact, he seems to have been holding out his best material for his latest
project, the Bluetones.
Musically the Bluetones throw out big melodies like Oasis, but
without the ponderous wall of sound that forms the trademark sound of Oasis
(and hides the melodic failings of other Oasis imitators like Northern
Uproar). The lightness of touch on all three Bluetones singles allows the
instruments to reach the listener's ears intact, so that the lush acoustic
and electric guitars are distinguishable from the easy-rolling bass, and the
perfect 60s vocal harmonies aren't lost in a swath of distorted guitar (see
Ride).
This distinctive sound is successful only because the songs are so
well constructed. "Slight Return" is brief and sweet. There is a 60s
inflection to the music, perhaps taking pointers from the shimmering early
pop of the Hollies and the light-hearted hits of Herman's Hermits, but the
affinity is never displayed in the heavy-handed manner of the La's or, more
recently, the Weekenders.
Assuming that the evolution of the Stone Roses left a vacuum in the
hearts of many music enthusiasts, the Bluetones could truly be the second
coming. Their control is unassailable; like the Stone Roses (circa 1989),
their synthesis of material roots them in historical tradition while making
each single sound original and vital.
---
REVIEW: Levellers, _Zeitgeist_ (Elektra)
- Reto Koradi
The Levellers 4th album was released in Europe a few months ago,
and now has made its way over the pond. Besides a very nice German title,
which can't be translated to English, what's new about the Levellers latest
offering? Not much, really.
Whether this consistency is a good or a bad thing depends on the
perspective of the listener. Fans will certainly still enjoy their catchy
celt-folk-rock style, and the beautiful ballads that they're used to are
also here, such as "Maid Of The River". But it's hard to see how this release
should change their status as an underrated band with an avid fan base
that is much smaller than it could (and should) be. The sound is a bit
harder than on previous releases, most notably on the single "Hope St.", but
the quality of the songs doesn't quite reach the level of their break-through
album _Levelling The Land_.
Maybe the Levellers just need time to gain more popularity, and
their excellent albums and great live shows (e. g. supporting Neil Young on
his European tour last year) will finally bring them to the top. But more
likely, they will just remain the way they are. Which would not be a bad
thing at all.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Jazz Passengers feat. Debbie Harry, Franz Club, Berlin
- Tim Mohr
The magical recollection of Blondie insured that this New York-based
jazz combo would sell out the medium-sized venue. But in order to stake their
ground, they opened with a dizzying instrumental cavort while Ms. Harry sat on
the side, just in front of the vibraphone or xylophone rig.
Jazz Passengers consist of a sax player, trombone player, drummer,
xylophone player, violinist, and upright bass player, and alternated between
bopping groove-outs and more traditional balladeering. All the
instrumentalists received frequent time for solos, and the bassist, Jones, anchored
the proceedings with alternatively acrobatic and chugging bass lines.
The cartoon-soundtrack opening sequence segued into a ballad and Ms.
Harry, clad in a long black skirt and dark sweater, stepped up to the mic to a
burst of enthusiasm and then hushed reverence. Her voice unsurprisingly has
matured, filled out and become more precise, and was well suited to the
material.
Between numbers the band and Harry clowned around, making cryptic
references to imagined history, talking about Harry's salad days several
centuries before as Baroness of Heidelberg. At the end of the first hour-long
set, the band launched into "a popular folk song from the Baroness's time in
Heidelberg," a jumpy version of "One Way or Another," during which Harry
recalled some of her stadium antics with winks, big smiles, and mic-stand
shaking.
The second set opened like the first, the Jazz Passengers stressing
that the Baroness has wider tastes than those for which the audience seems
willing to give her credit. The band frequently worked from sheet-music and
scripts, and Harry repeatedly put on her wire-rimmed glasses to sing
along. Still, the band seemed effortlessly fluid, and Harry kept up in a way
that points to extensive collective rehearsals. Debbie Harry as middle-aged
librarian is an odd sight, but the musical combination glosses any pangs of
nostalgia by providing a new and successful context for her vocals.
The middle of the second set was taken up by a rambling musical skit
that included musical references to the Wizard of Oz, and climaxed in a song
that pit Harry against the sax player as she compared him to a pork chop.
Echoes of earlier songs from the set added cohesion to the musical progression
throughout, with intertwined melodies and snippets of horn riffs.
The second set finishesd with an extended version of "The Tide is
High," which far outshone the original with an exceptional slide bass line,
winning chorus harmonies, and scat background vocals. The intimate setting
and successful redefinition of Harry's voice left the audience begging for
more, and the band indulged them with two lengthy encores.
---
REVIEW: Possum Dixon, _Star Maps_ (Interscope)
- Eric Hsu
It's easy to get on a band for trying to exploit some hip new music
trend (e.g. glam-metal, grunge, metal-rap, punk), but it is understandable.
Given the fact that record companies think in such categories and
(more to the point for a beginning band) live audiences think that way,
that's a lot of pressure to aim for well-established measures of musical
quality.
Possum Dixon is a playful and likable L.A. band which manages
(thankfully) to be difficult to pigeonhole, but they've somehow made a
relatively quick jump to the major labels. Their songs may have odd
surfaces or moods, but at the center of each one is a chewy pop center.
The songs are the catchy love rants of twenty-something clerks and runners
delivered with convincing earnestness and urgency. The lyrics veer from a
talky casual ("from the bathroom she came out and made an order/ two HUEVOS
RANCHEROS") to a playful artyness ("love story senseless").
Listening to _Star Maps_, I'm constantly hearing other bands but
the references shift and have no glaring chunks of derivativeness. They
have a guitars-bass-drums lineup plus keyboard and their songs are all
tastefully arranged and throughout there are touches of extraterrestrial
noises. They have managed to blend their influences very skillfully and
finely, ending up with an expressive voice that still sounds very familiar.
Rob Zabrecky's vocals come from Lou Reed/Frank Black territory: often
talkative and even when tuneful he'll still swerve into talking as if the
melodies couldn't carry the proper insistence.
This album has a pleasant and compassionate party atmosphere, like
drunks who sit around your place radiating joy and occasionally throw in
killer one-liners and be sober by the end of the party - unlike Rocket From
the Crypt, their party-happy label mates, who are musically the drunks who
scream for everyone's attention, tattoo your dog and then vomit on your
rug.
Some of the highlights of this album are the ZZ-Top groove "Go
West", "Emergency's About to End" which is propelled by a one-finger
new-wave keyboard part, "Crashing On Your Planet" and the unexpected
"Reds", which would be right at home on Pink Floyd's "The Final Cut" or any
Roger Waters solo album.
So all in all, an intelligent, likable and talented band. Not
essential yet, but when they stretch out past pop pleasures they could well
make a splash. And the story is that they have chaotically enjoyable live
shows, so you may want to catch them at that local club.
---
REVIEW: Tracy Chapman, _New Beginning_ (Elektra)
- Ali Sinclair
I was looking forward to the latest recording from Tracy Chapman,
but I have to admit to initially feeling slightly disappointed on
hearing _New Beginning_: I suppose I was still hoping to refind that
personal feeling of discovery, shared with so many people the world
over, the first time that I heard Tracy singing "Fast Car". But that
was then, this is now: several years later, several years more mature,
and after a few listenings I realized that there is a new calmness
and safety in _New Beginning_ that I hadn't heard in her songs before.
Tracy's songs still carry the same strong message, but express more
subtlety. "We can break the cycle. We can break the chain. We can
start all over. In the new beginning..." and "Mother of us all.
Place of our birth. How can we stand aside and watch the rape of
the world..."
Tracy's voice is like honey and iron. Her guitar becomes part of
her voice and the music blends smooth. I think the most important song
on _New beginning_ is "Say It Like It Is"; "And tell it like it is / But
say you'll never close your eyes. / Or pretend that it's a rosy world. /
Say you'll never try to paint what is rotten with a sugarcoat.../ Say
you'll never cover your ears and close your mouth / And live in a silent
world. / Say you'll only run as far or as fast as you need to be secure...
---
REVIEW: The Harvest Ministers, _A Feeling Mission_ (Setanta)
- Tim Mohr
The Harvest Ministers are an Irish band, based now in Britain, who
have recorded for Sarah records and have a new album out on Setanta. They
offer a mixture of several folk traditions: pub music of Ireland, the
sophistocated but low-key albums of Van Morrison, and the more angular neo-
folk of Americans such as Bob Dylan or more recent purveyors of the genre. _A
Feeling Mission_ has, in fact, a distinctly Dylan-esque quality to it, from
the timbre of William Merriman's voice, to the gentle folky tempos, and
through the interesting and vaguely intellectual lyrics. Consider a few lines
from "A Drowning Man," for instance: "...and by your own omission [sic], you
bear a slight resemblance to a drowning man who is soured by vengeance..."
and so forth. Other songs show a working familiarity with Biblical and hymnal
imagery.
On some tracks, female vocals are added to good effect by Maeve
Roche. "Temple of Love," for example, with plaintive violin, piano, and
acoustic guitars, begins to evoke comparisons to early 10,000 Maniacs
recordings, or Beautiful South songs with female lead vocals.
The band and album are not as gritty as Souled American, Uncle Tupelo
and its later incarnations, or early Jayhawks, but the production on _A
Feeling Mission_ allows a lively interplay between the guitars, violin,
piano, restrained percussion, and vocal harmonies. Only on a few tracks do
they seem to make an obvious mistake, like on "She's Buried," where the
synthetic keyboards ruin the organic, acoustic atmosphere thats elsewhere
pervades the album.
---
REVIEW: Melting Hopefuls, _Viva La Void_ (EP) (Big Pop)
- Reto Koradi
The Melting Hopefuls released their debut album _Space Flyer_ in
1994, and now the five piece (three women, two men) band from the East Coast
is back with a 26 minute EP, featuring 7 new songs and a remix of their
alternative hit "Pulling An Allnighter On Myself".
Even though, like most other artists, they despise comparisons,
names like Breeders or Throwing Muses come to mind when listening to this
disc. During the more quiet moments of _Viva La Void_, there are also
associations with girl pop band like the Go-Go's, but crunching guitars
soon lead back to the indie rock road. Beyond the generally solid
musicianship, the breathy, sweet voice of lead singer Renee LoBue and the
groovy bass lines are worth special mentioning. The songs were recorded
live in the basement studio of the band, the simple production gives them a
very fresh and immediate touch. The song writing is far above average, as
well as the interesting lyrics.
While not being ground-breaking, this entertaining release is
heartily recommended to lovers of the alternative female rock genre. The
Melting Hopefuls are a band with potential, you shouldn't be surprised to
see their van called Spongey carrying them much farther in the future.
Big Pop is on the web at http://www.bigpop.com/~bigpop.
---
REVIEW: Nine Below Zero, _Ice Station Zebro_ (Pangaea)
- Ali Sinclair
Want something to liven up a boring evening? To put some fire
and feeling into that party? To get everyone moving and shaking?
_Ice Station Zebro_ will do it, with a blatant, bluesy, bass-and-beery
British beat.
The music is pure and raw but by no means unfinished: years and
years of practice and performance have gone into this (as every)
recording from Nine Below Zero. It's wonderful to hear Nine Below
Zero still slamming out those excellent sounds and gutsy power so
many years after fellow R&B'ers Dr. Feelgood seemed to fade away...
And there is nothing dated here: this music is as timeless as its
own energy.
The rhythms are tight and secure. The bass hits you somewhere
between the breastbone and the pelvis. Try keeping still to
"Down By The River". Impossible. Try not moving to "The Blues
Moved In When You Moved Out". You'll never do it. And try keeping
a straight face to "Shut Up". (It's like Saturday night down
the pub in working England...) "She's A Loaded Gun" slows the
tempo to ballad level, but it's a Clint-Eastwood-spitting-
tobacco-type ballad: gentle yet tough... "See Which Way The
Wind Blows" is one of those songs that you've always known but
never heard before.
"A viable alternative to Alternative" says the press release.
"A must for your record collection" say I. And for the dance
floor. And the next party. And really good for when you're
feeling devilish and want to wake up the neighbours...
---
REVIEW: Mark Brodie & the Beaver Patrol,_The Shores of Hell_ (Shredder)
- Tim Mohr
Opening with the sectionalist anthem "Frogs Can't Surf," Canada's
Mark Brodie & the Beaver Patrol go on to double-pick their way through a
varied, authentic, and fun instrumental surf album.
Captured with a bare minimum of studio effects, Mark Brodie et al
come across with the spontaneous energy of a live show, but with a clarity of
sound not often heard live or on old surf records. The packaging is very 60s,
and borrows from the "Living Stereo" logos used on classical and experimental
electronic recordings at that time, offering an interesting speculation about
what those Chantays records could have sounded like if they, too, had been
utilizing the breakthrough stereophonic technology of the early 60s.
The Beaver Patrol make no attempt to update the surf sound, and
attack the genre with reverence rather than modernist irony used by other
contemporary surfers like Man or Astroman. Still, even with the trademark
reverb, double-picking, and guitaar runs used as break beats, the the album
is remarkably good: a wide variety of tempos differentiates the 16 songs, the
occasional toy organ brings other 60s garage styles to mind (the Pacific
Northwest's Kingsmen and Wailers, in particular), and all the musicians
display great talent for surf music. The percussion on tracks like "Theme
From the Old West" is especially deft and original.
For fans of Dick Dale et al, _The Shores of Hell_ sits very
comfortably next to the original masters of the genre. It is a rare piece of
nostalgia that manages to transcend its derivative origins and add flesh to
old bones.
---
REVIEW: Devin Hill, _Wayout Lane_ (Big Deal)
- Ali Sinclair
_Wayout Lane_ is a delight: a sweet, gentle collection of songs
which are no doubt being labeled 'pop' but being more than just
sweet and fizzy, each song gets bigger the more you listen to it.
Reminiscent of the Byrds and the Beatles and other late-sixties
British bands, Devin Hill's sound is none the less unique. His
music has a refreshing innocence, a happy springtime sound in a
musical world that is too-often struck with autumnal doom.
---
NEWS: > The Bloodhound Gang have finished up preproduction to their
followup to _Use Your Fingers_, which is slated for a spring 1996 release.
A Philadelphia/New Jersey/New York mini-tour is planned at the end of
April, with a full U.S. tour (with live instruments) planned later in the year.
> Cypress Hill will be giving an in-store appearance and signing
autographs at Tower Records (4th and Broadway) in New York City on
February 16 at 4:30 pm. In addition, they will be "appearing" in an
episode of the Simpsons due to air in May.
> New York City's Z100's Extreme is a high adrenaline
sports & music festival that will take place Saturday March 9th at
Action Park in Vernon Valley, New Jersey. Confirmed bands performing
include Oasis and Garbage, with more to be announced; also included in
the package are a lift ticket, free snowboard clinics, mountain bike
trials, a human slingshot and much more. Tickets for the entire event,
which are available through Ticketmaster, cost $36.
>The Swiss dark-wave band Mittageisen has some beautiful web
pages at http://www.centralnet.ch/userpages/mital_U/welcome.html. A CD
titled _alles ist anders ... nichts hat sich geaendert_ with much of their
material, including the legendary "Automaten" from '85, was finally
released last year. The web pages have more information and sound files.
> The band My Little Sister has its own webpage, and links
to other musical sites, at http://www.solution.nl/~dejong/mls/.
> Pentagon CD's (http:///www.pentagon.net) has teamed up with BMG
and 1000 Mona Lisas; customers are able to purchase the upcoming
1000 Mona Lisas album only through Pentagon (on the net) before it is
available in stores, at the end of February. In addition, there are
soundbites of other releases which are for sale at the site.
> The Rake's Progress are currently working on their new album
which is slated to be released this fall. In addition, the band were recently
interviewed on the nationally syndicated radio show "Listen Up hosted by
Jaeneane Garafalo".
> R & S Records has joined the WWW pool; To get access
on any of their artists, their label divisions (such as Apollo, Generations,
Satori, Global Cuts, etc.) and links around the global dance village,
check out http://www.rsrecords.com
>Sonicnet has put up their Loser's Guide To Boston on the Web;
check it out at: http://www.sonicnet.com/feature/lgboston/
---
TOUR DATES
Aunt Bettys
Feb. 26 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Walter Beasley
Feb. 18 Richmond, VA Carpenter Center
Feb. 19 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall
Feb. 20 New York, NY S.O.B.'s
Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky
Feb. 19 Phoenix, AZ Gibson's
Feb. 20 Albuquerque, NM The Zone
Feb. 22 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
Feb. 23 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Feb. 24 Houston, TX Urban Art Bar
Feb. 26 New Orleans, LA Howling Wolf
Feb. 28 Tampa, FL Rubb
Feb. 29 Orlando, FL Renaissance
Jackson Browne
Feb. 16-18 Lake Tahoe, NV Caesar's
Feb. 20 Salt Lake City, UT Abravenal Hall
Feb. 22-23 Seattle, WA Opera House
Feb. 24 Spokane, WA Opera House
Feb. 26,28 Portland, OR Schitzer Auditorium
Feb. 27 Eugene, OR Hult Center
Cravin' Melon
Feb. 14 Columbia, SC Elbow Room
Feb. 15 Greenville, SC Characters Teen Show
Feb. 16 Charlotte, NC Amos'
Feb. 21 Elon College, NC LightHouse Tavern
Feb. 22 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia's
Feb. 23 Greenwood, SC The Griffin
Feb. 24 Athens, GA Georgia Theater
Fleming & John
Feb. 15 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia Street Pub
Feb. 16 Columbia, SC Elbow Room
Feb. 17 Raleigh, NC Brewery
Feb. 18 Charleston, WV Empty Glass
Feb. 21 Radord, VA Highlander
Feb. 22 Greenville, NC Peasants
Feb. 23 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger
Feb. 24 Johnson City, TN The Casbah
Feb. 28 Charlotte, NC Jack Straw's
Feb. 29 Augusta, GA Red Lion
Freewheelers
Feb. 18 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
Feb. 20 Santa Barbara, CA Underground
Feb. 21 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coach House
Feb. 22 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick
Feb. 23 Tempe, AZ Gibson's
Gin Blossoms / Dead Hot Workshop / Refreshments
Feb. 15-16 Ashland, OR Southern Oregon State
Feb. 18 Bozeman, MT Montana State University
Feb. 19 Missoula, MT University of Montana
Feb. 20 Salt Lake City, UT University of Utah
Feb. 21 Boulder, CO University of Colorado
Feb. 26 Albuquerque, NM University of New Mexico
Feb. 29 San Diego, CA San Diego State University
Hum / Mercury Rev
Feb. 18 Columbia, SC Rockafella's
Feb. 19 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Feb. 20 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music
Feb. 21 Nashville, TN Exit/Inn
Feb. 22 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy Malone's
Feb. 23 Columbus, OH Stache's
Feb. 24 Champagne, IL Blind Pig
Huey Lewis & The News
Feb. 15-18 Las Vegas, NV Caesar's Palace
Lustre
Feb. 20 Richmond, CA Twister's
Feb. 21 Raleigh, NC Brewery
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Feb. 18-19 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Feb. 20-21 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
Feb. 23 San Francisco, CA Warfield
Feb. 24 Santa Cruz, CA Civic
Feb. 25 Las Vegas, NV Joint
Feb. 26 Anaheim, CA Celebrity Theatre
Feb. 28-29 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Natalie Merchant
Feb. 14 Portland, ME City Hall
Feb. 16 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
Feb. 17 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre
Feb. 20 Hempstead, NY Tilles Center
Feb. 21 Amherst, MA Mullins Center
Feb. 23 East Lansing, MI MSU Auditorium
Feb. 24 Muncie, IN Emmons Hall
Feb. 26 Grand Rapids, MI Devos Hall
Feb. 27 Bloomington, IN I.U. Auditorium
Feb. 28 Louisville, KY Palace Theatre
Mighty Mighty Bosstones/Dance Hall Crashers
Feb. 19 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Feb. 20 Orlando, FL Club at Firestone
Feb. 21 St Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Feb. 22 Ft Lauderdale, FL The Edge
Feb. 24 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Feb. 25 Charleston, SC The Music Farm
Feb. 26 Virginia Beach, VA Abyss
Feb. 27 State College, PA Crowbar
Feb. 28 Harrisburg, PA The Metron
The Mother Hips
Feb. 14 Winter Park, CO Slope
Feb. 15 Breckenridge, CO Johsha's
Feb. 16-17 Fort Collins, CO Tony's
Feb. 18 Dylan, CO Pioneer Saloon
Feb. 19-20 Telluride, CO Fly Me To The Moon Saloon
Feb. 22 Grand Junction, CO Pour House
Feb. 23-24 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr Club
Feb. 26 Seattle, WA Backstage
Feb. 27 Portland, OR Belmont's
Feb. 28 Eugene, OR Good Times
Mysteries of Life
Feb. 21 Bloomington, IN Second Story
Feb. 22 Indianapolis, IN Patio
Feb. 23 Louisville, KY Phoenix Hill Tavern
Feb. 24 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy Malone's
Mystery Machine
Feb. 13 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Feb. 14 Hollywood, CA Dragonfly
Feb. 16 San Diego, CA Casbah
Feb. 17 Fullerton, CA Club 369
Feb. 18 Phoenix, AZ Mason Jar
Feb. 20 Denver, CO Mercury Cafe
Feb. 22 Kansas City, MO Hurricane
Feb. 23 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Feb. 24 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax
Feb. 25 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
Feb. 26 Detroit, MI Shelter
Feb. 27 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Feb. 29 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Nancy Boy
Feb. 14 New York, NY Don Hill's
Niamh Parsons and the Loose Connections
Feb. 14 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
Feb. 15 Washington, DC Folk Alliance
Feb. 16 Hartford, CT Univ. of Hartford
Feb. 17 Nashville, TN Nashville Extravaganza
Feb. 18 Riverdale, NY Sam McGuire's
Feb. 20 Ojai, CA Women's Club
Feb. 21 Santa Cruz, CA Kuumbwa
Feb. 22 Berkeley, CA Freight and Salvage
Feb. 23 Edmonton, AB Irish Society
Feb. 24 Calgary, AB Irish Cultural Society
Feb. 25 Vancouver, BC WISE Hall
Feb. 26 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Mike Peters
Feb. 19 San Francisco, CA Hotel Utah
Feb. 20 Santa Cruz, CA Palookaville
Feb. 21 West Hollywood, CA Luna Park
Feb. 22 San Juan Capastrano, CA Coach House
Feb. 23 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick
Feb. 24 Tempe, AZ Gibson's
Feb. 28 Philadelphia, PA Grape Street Pub
Feb. 29 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Plastic Mikey
Feb. 17 Batavia, IL Daily Grind
Presidents of the United States of America / Love Jones
Feb. 14 San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge (only Love Jones)
Feb. 18 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Feb. 19 San Jose, CA The Edge
Feb. 22-23 Los Angeles, CA American Legion Hall
Feb. 24 San Diego, CA Soma
Feb. 26 Phoenix, AZ Electric Ballroom
Feb. 29 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Rake's Progress / Nancy Boy
Feb. 17 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Reeltime
Feb. 16 Ann Arbor, MI Ark
Feb. 17 Chicago, IL Irish Heritage Center
Feb. 18 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Feb. 22 Philadelphia, PA Old St. Patrick's School
Feb. 23 New York, NY Blarney Star
Feb. 24 Norwood, MA Norwood Theatre
Feb. 25 Central Falls, RI Blackstone River Theatre
Feb. 26 Altamont, NY Masonic Temple
Feb. 29 San Antonio, TX Kennedy's Irish Pub
Ruby/Schtum
Feb. 22 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Feb. 24 Atlanta, GA The Point
Feb. 26 Chicago, IL Double Door
Feb. 28 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Bob Seger / John Hiatt
Feb. 19 Hartford, CT Civic Center
Feb. 21 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Feb. 22 East Rutherford, NJ Byrne Arena
Feb. 24 Pittsburgh, PA Civic Center
Feb. 26 Cincinnati, OH Riverfront Coliseum
Feb. 29 Boston, MA Fleet Center
Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills
Feb. 19 Baton Rouge, LA AAA
Feb. 21 Biloxi, MS America Live
Feb. 23 Lafayette, LA Grant Street
Feb. 24 New Orleans, LA Kenny's Key West
Feb. 25 Memphis, TN 616
Feb. 28 Little Rock, AR Juanita's
Elliott Smith / The Softies
Feb. 18 Monroe, LA Loose Caboose
Feb. 19 New Orleans, LA House Party
Feb. 20 Tallahassee, FL Grand Central Cafe
Feb. 21 Gainesville, FL Hardback Cafe
Feb. 22 Columbia, SC Courtyard Coffee House
Feb. 23 Chapel Hill, NC Lizard & Snake
Feb. 24 Princeton, NJ Terrace Club
Feb. 25 Washington, DC The Basement
Feb. 27 Providence, RI Mill House
Feb. 28 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
Feb. 29 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Spacehog
Feb. 14 Ottawa, ON Zaphod Beeblebrox
Feb. 15 London, ON Call The Office
Feb. 16 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
Tina & The B Side Movement
Feb. 29 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Velvet Crush / Lustre
Feb. 27 Portland, ME Granny Killam's
Feb. 28 Boston, MA TT The Bear's
Feb. 29 Providence, RI Met Cafe
Weston
Feb. 24 Stroudsburg, PA Spanky's 4th Dimension
Feb. 25 New York, NY Wetlands
Jane Kelly Williams
Feb. 19 San Diego, CA Cafe Japengo
Feb. 20 Santa Monica, CA Borders Books
Feb. 22 Piermont, NY Turning Point
---
CONTEST: Consumable will again be offering its readers
the opportunity to win free music in 1996. The first contest of the
year is with Grass Records. Five people will be chosen at random to
receive _Score Some Grass_, Grass Records' 1996 sampler, which
includes two songs each from seven Grass artists such as Wasted Time,
Omatic, and A Ten O'Clock Scholar and the #1 added song on CMJ charts,
the Wrens' "Rest Your Head". To enter, drop an email with the subject
header "Grass Contest" before February 23 to nina@theonline.com
E-mails sent directly to Consumable will *not* be eligible to win.
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Thanks for the Dan Baird review. "Younger Face" is getting
airplay here. You know what is funny? My wife said she thought
that song sounded like something off of Matthew Sweet's _100% Fun_.
Brendan O'Brien's touch, I guess. - Ray F., New Brunswick, Canada
As an American now living in Taiwan and receiving Consumable in
Taiwan, I wanted to let you know how much Consumable is appreciated here.
Music has taken a heightened importance since living here. The reviews
help guide us in our monthly haul from the island's Tower Records. Even
the Tour Date info is dandy. We can scan and see what we're *not* going
to be able to see. Somehow, it's alright. - Jeff D. Taiwan
I just wanted to express friendly disagreement with Sean Eric McGill,
who in his review of the _Heat_ soundtrack back in Issue 66 comes down
pretty hard on Einsturzende Neubauten's "Armenia" - claiming it
doesn't work in the movie and calling it "annoying." Personally, I
thought that it represented one of the most effective uses of music in
the entire film - on the several occasions it came up, it sent a
creeping chill along my spine and underscored the ominous emotional
substance of the scene very effectively. I can see how the complete
track, divorced from the movie and with all of the screaming intact,
could be off-putting to non-industrial fans. But Michael Mann racked
up a lot of extra points with me by taking such an old, obscure piece
and employing it very effectively indeed. - Peter S., Ithaca, N.Y.
---
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===
