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Consumable Online Issue 048
==== ISSUE 48 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [July 31, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Contributors: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi,
David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Joe Silva, John Walker
Other Contributors: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Kelley
Crowley, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Sean Eric McGill,
P. Nina Ramos, Jamie Roberts, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Scott Williams, Britain Woodman
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Paul K. Uhlir, Sweet Water - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Neil Young, _Mirrorball_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Marillion, _Afraid of Sunlight_ - Dan Birchall
REVIEW: Dead Hot Workshop, _1001_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Sweet Water, _Superfriends_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Dandelion, _Dyslexicon_ - Jeremy Ashcroft
REVIEW: Ben Vaughn, _Instrumental Stylings_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Rozalla, _Look No Further_ - Daniel Kane
REVIEW: Emergency Broadcast Network, _Telecommunication Breakdown_
- Jamie Roberts
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Deep Into The Jungle_ - Tim Kennedy
NEWS: Gene, Bruce Hornsby, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Sinead O'Connor/
Elastica, Martin Phillips, Urge Overkill
TOUR DATES: Better Than Ezra, Buckwheat Zydeco, Circle Jerks, Dandelion
Dillon Fence / Drivin' & Cryin', Filter/Die Cheerleader
Health & Happiness Show, Hum, Kate Jacobs, Elton John
Live / Buffalo Tom (also PJ Havrey/Veruca Salt), Professor & Maryann
Rake's Progress / Drugstore, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Warped Tour (L7,
Quicksand, Sublime, Fluf,Use For A Name, Orange 9MM, Civ)
Young Dubliners, Young Gods
ERRATA
THE READERS WRITE BACK
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Paul K. Uhlir, Sweet Water
- Sean Eric McGill
Paul K. Uhlir from Sweet Water is in a good mood these days, and for
good reason. After four years on the local bar circuit, two previous
albums (one on the Restless label under the name SMG and another on
Atlantic), and tours with Candlebox and Alice In Chains, Sweet Water's first
album with EastWest Records, _Superfriends_ is set for a late July
release - setting the band on the brink of success.
But when you talk to Uhlir, you don't get the feeling that he's
in the position he is these days, and that's refreshing. In a
conversation that ranged from the band's songwriting and past experiences
to the fact that, yes, that is the new Nelson album with the two blond
dogs on the cover, Uhlir was talkative, humourous, and easy-going. In
short, he's not any different from hundreds of other drummers playing in
bars right now. Only he has a new album about to come out and a single
rising up the AOR charts.
"We signed with Atlantic about the same time STP did, and when
they took off, we kinda got left behind," Uhlir said, talking about the
band's previous deal with Atlantic Records. "When you sign with a big
company like that, they only have so many resources to extend. That's why
we're happy to be on EastWest now, because they're really doing a lot for
us."
The EastWest deal was brought about by "Superstar", the first
single off the new album, which was an interesting process in itself,
according to Uhlir.
"We got a good response with that song in clubs and some of the
local radio stations started playing it," he says. "One of the radio
stations got in touch with the label and said 'You've gotta hear this,'
and we ended up getting signed."
When it came to finding a producer for the album, the band hooked
up with Dave Jerden, who has worked with Jane's Addiction in the past and
played a key role in the redefining of Anthrax's sound on their 1993
release _The Sound of White Noise_. Uhlir says working with Jerden was a
great experience mainly because of how he came into the project.
"Dave ran the show, basically. He came into the production and
basically said, 'Look, I've been down all the alleys before and made all
the mistakes, so let's just do this my way,' which was cool, because we
didn't have to waste any time with studio experiments and just made the
album."
And what an album it is. _Superfriends_ gets its strength from
its songwriting, which Uhlir says has undergone some changes since their
previous album.
"We always had this punk thing going on, but kept playing these
rock songs. This time, we decided to play some of the punk stuff, too."
And while "Superstar", "Adeline", and "Big Rock Show" may not be
considered "punk," songs like "Painless", which deals with divorce, and
more specifically, remarriage, contains that tried and true element of
punk rock: honest expressions of angst set behind a wall of sound.
"'Painless' was written by Paul [Czeisler], our singer, and I
don't really know if he's speaking for himself or not," comments Uhlir.
"Because like so many people our age, his parents went through a divorce."
"'Big Rock Show' is basically about getting psyched up for a show
at a club, and the first time I heard the line 'I've got a Visa, who
needs a drink' I laughed and said that sounded like me a while back,"
Uhlir chuckles.
The band is set to begin touring in early September, and are
looking into the idea of a 'Residency Tour' with their friends and fellow
Seattle residents Green Apple Quick Step. This would have the band
playing the same cities every week for a month, building a larger fan
base each week. And after having a taste of the arena tour life while on
tour with Alice In Chains, Uhlir says he prefers this idea of touring for
a couple of reasons.
"When you play the same city week after week, you watch the
crowds grow and watch them get into your music. You may start off playing
to twenty people, but by the time it's over, you're playing to three
hundred," he says. "And you get a chance to know some of the people, which
you really don't get to do when you go from town to town every night."
It's that kind of down-to-Earth attitude from a guy that says if
he wasn't playing drums, he would "maybe be playing college basketball"
that makes Sweet Water such a treat, and should translate into success.
---
REVIEW: Neil Young, _Mirrorball_ (Reprise)
- Tim Kennedy
This CD comes in a recycled cardboard jacket with a recycled
booklet which comes as a bit of a shock these days. Of course _Harvest_
came in a biodegradable sleeve back in the seventies so this is nothing
new for Neil. This unassuming package conceals musical dynamite.
Pearl Jam actually make an excellent backing band for Neil Young
and they have chosen an auspicious moment to join him. Clearly, Young has
returned to form after, in this critic's opinion, his lapses with _Sleeps With
Angels_. He still has a taste for the odd throwaway track on occasion, but in
the context of this broad brush collection of guitar crunchers (with
occasional pump organ interludes) it works.
Critics might say that Young is treading familiar territory. It is
very redolent of the _Ragged Glory_ and _Rust Never Sleeps_ collections
of the late eighties and seventies respectively, but personally I take
the view that if it ain't broken, why mend it? No-one can tackle
raunchy two chordery like Neil. It was completed quickly and sounds
that way, uncomplicated and yet craftsmanlike.
Neil's voice is as terrific as ever, frail and gritty in equal
measures, a great counterpoint to the saturated sonic attack of the famous
guitar sound he has copyrighted since the sixties and his old outfit Buffalo
Springfield.
The opener "Song X" is the most unusual track of this set. It takes
the form of a kind of sea chanty, in waltz time. His guitar really
blisters the paint off your walls on this one. Lyrically, it describes
a priest who appears to be trying to lay down the law whilst the
world dissolves into empty absurdity and hedonism.
As Neil was a precursor of punk it is unsurprising that the record
bears comparison to some of that music. "Act Of Love" reminds one
of old Ramones. The "romantic" lyrics here drip irony, "You know I'll
always help you baby/but I just can't do that/I know I said I'd
help you baby/Here's my wallet call me sometime" "Big Green Country"
sounds like Hawkwind meets punk, in the same way that "Anarchy" by the
Sex Pistols borrowed from that relentless seventies outfit. The soloing
in this track is some of his career best. It also has a wonderful joke
"Over the hill in the big green country/that's where the cancer cowboy
rides". "Truth Be Known" is a nagging tune with superlative guitar.
In the seventies punk uproar, Johnny Rotten managed to outrage even his
own following when he played some Neil Young during an appearance on a
local London Radio station.
Two of the numbers here are played solo on a pump organ in the style
of his _Unplugged_ version of "Like A Hurricane", "What Happened Yesterday"
and the final track "Fallen Angel". They serve as brief respite in the
raucous general scheme of things however.
Probably _Ragged Glory_ is the main reference point here. The theme
of love conquering through immense struggle such as in "Love And Only
Love" and "Love To Burn" is re-emphasised here in songs such as "Peace
And Love" and "Throw Your Hatred Down". Those who might titter at
this should be reminded that Neil Young knows more than most about
the redemptive power of love in the face of adversity - he had to
bring up two appallingly disabled children, yet his (second) marriage
to Pegi has survived since the seventies. In "Throw Your Hatred Down"
he ponders the futility of mankind's lust for destruction - bringing to
mind the model Carl Sagan devised in order to better visualise infinity:
by pondering mankind's stupidity. "I'm The Ocean" actually sounds a bit
like "White Line" from that album - lyrically it is Joycean, apparently
describing the transmigration of souls in a late 20th century context.
"Peace And Love" features some lyrics and vocals by Eddie Vedder, and
it works well. This is the only time that Pearl Jam step into the
foreground - _Mirrorball_ is definitely a Neil Young album. "Throw Your
Hatred Down" contains soloing reminiscent of "Cortez The Killer" from
his seventies classic _Zuma_.
"Scenery" departs somewhat from all this with its lighter feel, though
still an iron fist, and a notion of space about it. This is a weary
commentary aimed at the effects of fame, a theme he was writing about
in "Broken Arrow" back with Buffalo Springfield in the sixties.
Neil's always had a wry sense of humour and "Downtown" displays this
side, with its depiction of a mythical nightclub where old hippies get on down
to Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. This is not a swipe at either old hippies or
Zep, but a cheerful reminder that even wrinklies like to party.
The backing throughout is unobtrusive and a triumph for Pearl Jam who
no doubt can thumb their noses at critics who have questioned their
credibility. To be chosen en bloc by Neil Young is no mean compliment.
Amongst the best Young has ever done, this record is better than
_Ragged Glory_, his last best rock album. This is a rock record like few
others, like _Never Mind The Bollocks_, which you can stick in your hifi
anytime, safe in the knowledge that you are in for pure adrenalin thrills.
Neil's been here before and he'll be here again. For a man who once wrote a
great album entitled _Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere_ he has never had a
problem finding the road onward. Now I'm going to listen to _Sleeps With
Angels_ again and check if it was just me.
---
REVIEW: Marillion, _Afraid of Sunlight_ (IRS/El Dorado)
- Dan Birchall
In _Afraid of Sunlight_, Marillion have resurrected the theme
of their 1987 treatise on the black-tie set, _Tux On_, and
extended it to album length. In a supreme feat of concise
understatement, the label's press release states simply that
the album addresses fame and its effects on those who possess
it, and completely fails to mention that all the effects
covered are negative. The album's protagonist, the King, is a
sort of everyman tragic hero, on bad terms with his lover, the
law, the media, and himself. Six of the eight tracks deal with
his despairing state.
The soaring track "Beautiful," one of the two exceptions to the
overall theme, will doubtless join the ranks of other anthemic
favorites by the group. Fans of the twisted will likely enjoy
"Cannibal Surf Babe," in which the band combines bondage,
sadomasochism, and the Beach Boys. The music is uniformly
well-written throughout, and makes for pleasant listening, with
most of the related songs blend into an extended tapestry of
sound.
Eight years ago, _Tux On_ seemed somewhat bitter and mocking,
but in this day and age, the effect of _Afraid of Sunlight_ is
saddening or depressing, like a television documentary on
fallen heroes. It's not quite music to slit your wrists to -
unless you're famous, or used to be - but it's easily more
unsettling than _Tux On_ ever was.
---
REVIEW: Dead Hot Workshop, _1001_ (Tag Recordings)
- Linda Scott
Dead Hot Workshop is huge in its hometown of Tempe, Arizona and has
developed that fanbase into a devoted Southwest following. They're now
looking to become a national presence. The current (since 1990) lineup:
singer/guitarist Brent Babb, bassist G. Brian Scott, guitarist Steve
Larson, and drummer, percussionist, backing vocalist Curtis Grippe. Dead
Hot is an alternative rock band that sounds like Gin Blossoms, Hootie and
the Blowfish, and Soul Asylum. The band claims this is not the case and
that their influences are Kiss and Black Sabbath with some Lynyrd Skynyrd and
Byrds' harmonizing thrown in. Regardless of the band's statement, the
Gin Blossoms have always been great friends and Dead Hot sounds more like
them than they ever will sound like a hard rock band.
The band's new album is _1001_, the street number of a Tempe
club where Dead Hot often appeared. Their first release was last
year's EP _River Otis_ followed by _White House_ and a full length
cassette. _1001_, their debut on Tag Recordings, was produced by
Jim Scott (AC/DC, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Sting). This 14 track set
is one of the first releases from Atlantic's newly established Tag
Recordings. The best of these songs has be be "A", the first
commercial alternative radio single off _1001_. It promises to
be huge on "alternative" stations, including "Vinyl Advice". The
radio will get the entire album with emphasis on _Vinyl Advice_. The
tracks don't falter except in providing clear lyrics. Babb's high
tenor doesn't do justice to the ballads turning pleas into whines.
Still, rock songs are the majority and the band does them up in
style. Special commendation to guitarist Larson playing classic
four chord rock with elegance.
The band has spent the spring and early summer relocating to the
Southeast and touring that region in support of _1001_. With their current
tour supporting the Gin Blossoms, expect Dead Hot Workshop to deservedly
break things open. If you like Gin Blossoms, Hootie and the Blowfish,
and Soul Asylum, see Dead Hot Workshop and try _1001_ for solid alternative
rock. Information on Dead Hot Workshop and their activities will be
available on the Tag web site, www.tagrec.com.
---
REVIEW: Sweet Water, _Superfriends_ (EastWest Records)
- Sean Eric McGill
I like a good rock 'n roll album. The kind of album that makes me
want to go to a bar with a live band and sit in a corner and drink beer
until it comes out of my ears. I'm a simple man, and that's one of my
simple pleasures in life.
Unfortunately, it's one that I don't get to indulge too often.
For one, my place of residence is horribly devoid of anywhere to just "go
see" a band without making some serious arrangements beforehand. And most
importantly, most of the rock albums I hear these days just don't give me
that feeling. That's why I'm thankful for bands like Sweet Water, whos
latest, _Superfriends_ is one of those albums that fills me with the
aforementioned urge.
_Superfriends_ is to rock music what lymon is to Sprite. It's the
perfect mix of songs with a message like "Painless" and "Self-Hater" and
songs that are about bars and women and whatnot, like "Big Rock Show" and
"Superstar." It's also one of the best rock albums you'll hear all year.
When trying to think of a way to describe the band's sound, I
kept thinking of other bands and Sweet Water's similarities to them. Not
in the same way that you would compare Ratt and Motley Crue to The New
York Dolls (ripoff), or the way that you would compare Van Halen
with...well, Van Halen (pale shadow of their former selves). What you
find in Sweet Water is a compilation of their influences, and where I
found it difficult to pinpoint certain bands, the genres were
unmistakable. There's the biting sarcasm of punk in "Self-Hater" and the
sheer fun of "Happy" and "Back Into Your Way" that's synonymous with good
party rock.
The band is fronted by Adam Czeisler, who, in the tradition of
great rock vocalists before him, doesn't have the best voice in the
world, but has the perfect voice for his band. Guitarist Rich Credo,
along with bassist Cole Peterson and drummer Paul K. Uhlir, all fit
perfectly in the group as well. No one member of Sweet Water stands
above all the rest, giving the band and their album a solid feel that you
don't find in bands which are centered around one key player.
And regardless of each song's lyrical and musical base, one thing
stays the same. Sweet Water has a uncanny knack for a good hook in a
song, give each individual track it's own unique voice. When Czeisler
sings "I want to run away and make everybody sorry, I'll get my revenge"
in "Self-Hater", you immediately remember that not two minutes ago in the
same song, he expressed his desire "to be a hero and save a life." And
when you contrast this with the borderline Bon Jovi-esque sentiments of
"Superstar" and "Adeline", you realize that this is the kind of
songwriting that sets Sweet Water apart from so many of their
contempararies. Sweet Water is a band of multiple facets, both musically
and lyrically, and that is perhaps what is most refreshing about them.
The bottom line here is that there is something on this album for
practically everyone, so buy a copy or ten for yourself and friends. And
if you decide to go out to a bar and have a few after hearing it, then
drink one for me.
---
REVIEW: Dandelion, _Dyslexicon_ (Ruffhouse/Columbia)
- Jeremy Ashcroft
There's no doubt that the easiest reviews to write are those of albums
you either really love or those you really hate... it's so natural to
want to hype your favorites or slag off anything that you regard as a
waste of vinyl, but the problem comes when your opinions aren't so
extreme in either direction. Or worse, when you _really_ like some of the
songs and yet the others leave you disappointed. That's been my problem
with this album.
A quick and dirty one line review might say something like "Smashing
Pumpkins with Kurt Cobain on vocals" and I don't think that's an unfair
comment - and in fact, if like me you'd like the Pumpkins more without
the Corgan's whiney vocals, perhaps that's not a bad recommendation
either. It's just that I much prefer it when Dandelion are less like
anyone else and a lot more like themselves. I don't think that they're
copying from these other bands, but the singer just happens to sing like
Kurt and the riffs sometimes go off into Pumpkins territory. But on to
the songs themselves...
The opener, "Pass the Stone", reminded me of a heavy metal Monkees -
in fact I can almost imagine them singing "hey hey we're Dandelion" to the
tune. The following track, "Weird Out", is the first single from the
album, though the quiet verse/heavy chorus is perhaps too Nirvana-like to
make the band stand out from the crowd.
Next up, "Trailer Park Girl". I'm sorry, but it has echoes of _that_ band
again, but at least it gives us the first taste of what I really like
about the band... towards the end of the song there's a great overdriven
wah-wah guitar solo that just kind of goes off on it's own for a while.
Again, for a different mood, before the next track there's a brief
flute-led instrumental that would sound just perfect as a soundtrack to
some hazy 60s movie - there's even some coughing in the background!
"What A Drag", as befits the title, tries to conjure up the singer's
bored mood with the same kind of simple repetition as The Stooges "No
Fun" but, as with that classic, it's not quite as simple as it first
appears - there's actually quite a groove to it. There's a reprise of the
previous instrumental within the song and more wah-wah guitar. I cannot
say no to such cool wah-wah guitar. A great track.
"Supercool" evokes The Smashing Pumpkins, but the dual vocals make the
song more distinctive. We're treated to another great overdriven guitar
solo in this one and the song concludes with some atmospheric samples of
a child's voice and haunting laughs - a production device that works.
"Retard" changes the mood totally and sees the band abandoning any
subtlety for punk. "False Alarm" shares the same frantic pace. Good fun
in concert perhaps, but not that interesting on record.
Just to briefly run through the other tracks: "Tapped" - almost heavy
metal with slightly Eastern-sounding vocals; "Whatever" - another
throwaway punk song; "Snow Job" - starts as too-Nirvana but takes off
into an exciting tom-tom-led freeform instrumental workout towards the
end; "Viva Kneval" brings to mind Hendrix at his most frantic, though
later brings back the mellower flute for another 60s-flashback. Finally
"Melon From Heaven" closes the album, sounding not unlike Smashing
Pumpkins again.
With U2's "Hold Me,Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" being practically a
cut and paste job of Bowie and Bolan, and Elastica's album a chance to
spot-the-riff new-wave-style, perhaps there's nothing wrong with sounding
like other bands these days, but all I'd say is that Dandelion's finest
moments are when they take off and do their own thing. Usually records are
better for having such "over-indulgences" stripped from the songs... if I
were to produce a Dandelion album, however, this is what I'd encourage them to
pursue.
In conclusion: This is their second album. The Smashing Pumpkin
and Nirvana comparisons aside, there's some great moments
on _Dyslexicon_. I'll certainly continue to look out for these guys in
the future.
---
REVIEW: Ben Vaughn, _Instrumental Stylings_ (Bar/None Records)
- David Landgren
Ben Vaughn plays the guitar. You might think that you don't know
him, given that he hasn't a huge discography to date. He put out _Mono
U.S.A_ in 1993, on Bar/None as well, and a few albums out Restless/Enigma
back in 1986 through 1992.
All the same, he has produced or co-written an impressive amount of
material with such people as Arthur Alexander, Alex Chilton, Marshall
Crenshaw, Kim Fowley and Alan Vega, to name but a
few. He has also written a number of soundtracks and songs for the cinema
and television. I have it on good authority that _Instrumental Stylings_
sounds a lot like The Raybeats circa 1980, a band featuring Alan Vega,
though I haven't been able to check this out myself.
Few people would be daring enough to put out an album recorded in
glorious mono, but that's just exactly what Ben Vaughn did with _Mono
U.S.A._. His new album, _Instrumental Stylings_, is in stereo, and, while
it's not going to dislodge anything from the Top 50, there are definitely
some worthy tracks to be found on it.
The opening track, "Aqua Blue" is pure Wall of Voodoo, back in the
days of credibility and _Call of the West_. The second track,
"Gumpstumper", veers over into zydeco territory, and from then on it's a
ride from send-ups of spaghetti westerns ("Enfermo", "Toestubber") to
dystopian surfie rock ("Pipe Bomb") winding up with both of the above with
a little psychedelia thrown in ("Battery Acid") and so on. "Heaven above"
is just what it feels like when the weather is stinking hot and no breeze
in sight. You can almost smell the heat haze coming out of the speakers. In
this hot (northern) summer, his music is perfect company for just sitting
around, waiting for the cool change. A guitar sound somewhere between the
Byrds and Ry Cooder.
Ben Vaughn (btw, no relation to the late, great Stevie Ray -- that's
Vaughan) is a person reconciled with his music. He's not out for technical
mastery like Adrian Belew, nor, perish the thought, after the FM clarity of
Mark Knopfler. He just writes songs from time to time, in between hanging
out with friends and drinking a few beers to pass the time. The JJ Cale
school of thought, if you like.
In this day of artist push and label pull, it is pleasant to come
across an album evidently written for fun, not profit. Plus, if he ever
rolls into the place where you live, you'll have half a chance of seeing
him perform at a decent venue, where there's always a vacant chair or two
at a table with an excellent vantage point.
---
REVIEW: Rozalla, _Look No Further_ (Epic)
- Daniel Kane
Rozalla's 1995 _Look No Further_, following up her 1992 _Everybody's
Free_, is an exploration into another side of Rozalla. Owning the title
of Queen of the Rave, her intention with _Look No Further_ appears to be not
only to avoid being categorized as a dance artist, but also to reveal a
wider variety of vocal talents.
Given the enormous success of _Everybody's Free_ in general and with
several tracks particularly, including the title track, "Are You Ready to
Fly?" and "Faith (In the Power of Love)", such a departure into experimental
areas would likely be a difficult task indeed. Should she remain with
the "safer" formula approach or broaden into a brand new territory?
With the skills of several producers and co-writers, including DNA,
Lamont Dozier, Andre Betts, John "Jellybean" Benitez and Frankie Knuckles,
Rozalla's choice to delve into newer areas has produced a collection about
145 degrees from the previous Rozalla. From the powerful first track, "This
Time I Found Love" to the persuasive, soft and soulful "You Never Love the
Same Way Twice" to the concluding huge dance hit, "I Love Music," Rozalla
displays her ability to evolve gracefully, effortlessly into the various
styles she wants to explore. As she says, "I'm showing people that I can do
different styles of music...I'm hoping to keep my fans and gain <new> fans
along the way."
---
REVIEW: Emergency Broadcast Network, _Telecommunication Breakdown_
(TVT/Wax Trax!)
- Jamie Roberts
If I were on a desert island, and could only get CDs from one record
label, it would be TVT/Wax Trax!. Their stuff is always cool, but this one
takes the cake. Even though you practically need tech- support to read their
impressive multimedia press kit, it is well worth the wait and effort.
EBN is a dance sensation. The frenzied sampling and pumping
backbeat hold a raging rave party in your brain, and much, much more. Their
relevant lyrics and un-PC smples actually make you think (and laugh at
yourself and your culture) til you could just explode. This theme coming at
you 'a la ZOO TV (from U2), or even Negativeland (for those in the know).
Each track follows the general theme, but has a different kick to
it... pace and pitch varying, as well as relevant message evolving. It is
almost like making the news bearable again, while not beating the listener
over the head with the message.
Stick this one on when you need a boost. It energizes you in a way
that few other albums ever have. Experience EBN's wave of infotainment;
you won't regret the trip.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Deep Into The Jungle_ (Multone)
- Tim Kennedy
The Bhangra dance scene has been established for several years
now amongst young British-Asians. It blew up around the same
time as Acid House in 1987 and has continued in parallel since.
This compilation is one of the more enjoyable dance CDs
I have come across. One of the problems with modern
dance music is that the lack of variety is crushing, the
obsession with a narrow band of technology in many cases
restricts this music form to the enjoyment only of people
with nimble feet who have ingested too many illegal chemical
substances. This CD takes the tried and tested jungle (house)
formula and spices it with thrilling asian language vocals and
instruments. The album doesn't bear a lot of analysis - the
lyrics are all in one or other of the various Indian languages.
"Sarke Sarke" is maybe the weakest - it features a rather
lame synth wash of sound, thereafter picking up a little with
vocals by Pammi, a female vocalist. The furious beat hardly
lets up throughout the CD; it amazes me how anyone can dance
to this rhythm.
"Challa" by Rashma has a good toast on it, and features a more
interesting beat, for me. There isn't a lot of Indian
instrumentation on this track, it relies on synths again.
"Kangna" by DCS uses Indian instruments to better effect, whilst
throwing in a bit of cockney sloganeering and an old school acid
'riff'.
"Nastik" has a rhythm track that recalls some of the electronic
pioneers of the early eighties such as Deutsche Amerikanische
Freundschaft and Liasons Dangereuses. The sweet female vocal
winds its way seductively round the fierce industrial noise.
"Aja Mera Pind Di" has a fantastic male vocal backed with the by
now familiar rhythm track. I am intrigued to know what they are
singing- I would hope that its not "Everyone in the house say yo"
in Gujerati.
"Southall Wich Nachdi" refers to the town of Southall, a suburb
of West London settled for over two decades by a large Asian population.
"Apna Sangeet Sings Apna Sangeet" (actually sung by Chardara Gill)
starts with hiphop vocalising then launches into a superb hypnotic
male banghra vocal.
"Jago Aya" starts in a banghra vein - with female chorus and tabla
leading into the rhythm track. The more the banghra influence is
made evident the better the song is, it seems.
"Kara Vajda (In Da Jungle)" starts with tropical noises, and is
more of the same - relentless beat, but with quite interesting
synth chord progression that conveys a bit of atmosphere.
"Doabe Dia Jatta" is Pammi's parting shot, she rushes along with
the furious beat, though I'd prefer her to take things a bit
slower. The indian drums are being hit as fast as the programmed
ones, one realises. (Or have they been speeded up?!) This is the
better of the two Pammi songs here.
Whilst many might find the beats intimidating and the lyrics mostly
unintelligible, for those who like modern dance music with an exotic
flavour - fans of Transglobal Underground for example - this CD would
be a good investment.
---
NEWS: British band Gene has cancelled their American dates in Washington,
D.C. and Atlanta, GA. On August 4, they'll being touring in Spain and
the rest of Europe.
Bruce Hornsby will be appearing on Good Morning America
on Wednesday August 2 in support of his current album, _Hot House_.
Mercury artists Mighty Mighty Bosstones, who are part of
Lollapalooza '95, have issued a special limited edition, _Here We Go
Again_, which consists of five B-sides and rarities. It is available with
the purchase of any regular Mighty Mighty Bosstones album.
Since supplies are limited on this, make sure your local store has copies
of the rarities in stock. The store where the Bosstones CD is purchased
is the only place to obtain this CD.
Sinead O'Connor's pregnancy has caused her to leave the
Lollapalooza tour. Her spot on the main stage will be replaced by
Elastica.
Martin Phillipps will depart for England Tuesday, July 25 to
start recording a new album, _Sunburnt_, as Martin Phillipps and
the Chills. It is scheduled for release by Flying Nun records in early
1996; an American label is still unknown. In addition, a Chills rarities/
b-sides project may be released in 1996.
The release of Urge Overkill's newest album has been delayed
from August 15 to sometime in September.
---
TOUR DATES
Better Than Ezra
July 31 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Aug. 1 Ft. Collins, CO Lory Student Theatre
Aug. 5 Seattle, WA Kitsap County Fairgrounds
Aug. 6 Portland, OR Champeog State Park
Aug. 7 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Aug. 10 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Aug. 11 Los Angeles, CA American Legion Hall
Aug. 13 Chicago, IL Q101
Aug. 14 San Diego, CA Soma
Aug. 15 Phoenix, AZ Gibson's
Buckwheat Zydeco
Aug. 1 Kansas City, MO Grand Emporium
Aug. 3 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Aug. 4 Des Moines, IA The Runway
Aug. 5 Lakewood, WI Paul Bunyon Ski Hall
Aug. 6 Sioux Falls, SD The Pomp Room
Aug. 9 Detroit, MI Crown Plaza Hotel
Aug. 11-12 Hailey, ID The Mint
Aug. 13 Brooklyn, NY Propsect Park Band Shell
Aug. 14 Provincetown, MA Eurocafe
Circle Jerks
Aug. 1 Sacramento, CA El Dorado
Aug. 2 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Aug. 4 Portland, OR La Luna
Aug. 5 Vancouver, BC New York Theatre
Aug. 6 Seattle, WA DV8
Aug. 8 Salt Lake City, UT Club DV8
Aug. 9 Denver, CO Aztlan Theatre
Aug. 11 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Aug. 12 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
Aug. 13 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Aug. 14 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Aug. 15 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
Dandelion
July 31 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Aug. 2 New Castle, DE CODA Tavern
Aug. 3 Wilkes Barre, PA Mantis Green
Aug. 4 Burlington, VT Club Toast
Aug. 5 Providence, RI The Strand
Aug. 7 Toronto, CAN El Mocambo
Aug. 8 Buffalo, NY Nietzches
Aug. 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Aug. 10 Providence, RI Met Cafe
Dillon Fence / Drivin' & Cryin'
Aug. 1 Phoenix, AZ Martini Ranch
Aug. 2 San Diego, CA Casbah (w/Sun 60)
Aug. 4 Los Angeles, CA Palladium (w/Gin Blossoms)
Aug. 5 San Francisco, CA Paradise Lounge (w/Sun 60)
Aug. 7 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Square
Aug. 8 Sacramento, CA Cattle Club
Aug. 9 Los Angeles, CA Dragonfly
Filter/Die Cheerleader
Aug. 1 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Aug. 2 Rochester, NY Water St. Music Hall
Aug. 3 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Aug. 5 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Health & Happiness Show
Aug. 2 Washington, DC Bayou
Aug. 4 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar
Aug. 5 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Aug. 7-8 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Aug. 10 Burlington, VT Toast
Aug. 11 Portland, ME Raoul's
Aug. 12 Toronto, ON Ultrasound Show Bar
Hum
Aug. 3 Louisville, KY Bottleneck
Aug. 13 San Diego, CA Casbah
Kate Jacobs
Aug. 3 New York, NY Barnes & Noble (21st & 6th)
Aug. 11 Peabody, MA Borders Books
Elton John
Aug. 4 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
Aug. 5 Manassas, VA Nissan Pavillion
Aug. 6 Charlotte, NC Blockbuster Pavillion
Aug. 9 Pittsburgh, PA Starlake Amphitheatre
Aug. 11-12 Camden, NJ Sony Entertainment Center
Aug. 13 Hartford, CT Meadows
Live / Buffalo Tom
July 31 Tampa, FL Expo Hall
Aug. 2 New Orleans, LA Kiefer Uno Lakefront Arena
Aug. 3 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
Aug. 4 Dallas, TX Starplex Amphitheatre
Aug. 5 Austin, TX South Park Meadows
Aug. 8 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavillion
Live/PJ Harvey/Veruca Salt
Aug. 9 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheater
Aug. 10 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
Aug. 12 Laguna Hills, CA Irvine Meadows
Aug. 13 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Professor & Maryann
Aug. 4 Manchester, CT Borders Books
Rake's Progress / Drugstore
Aug. 1 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Aug. 3 Cambridge, MA T.T. Bear's
Aug. 4 Providence, RI Club Babyhead
Aug. 5 Philadelphia, PA J.C. Dobbs
Aug. 6 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Aug. 8 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Aug. 10 Cincinnati, OH Top Cats
Aug. 11 Detroit, MI Shelter
Aug. 12 Chicago, IL Double Door
Aug. 13 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Aug. 15 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Aug. 11 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Warped Tour (L7, Quicksand, Sublime, Fluf,
Use For A Name, Orange 9MM, Civ)
Aug. 4 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air
Aug. 5 Boulder, CO Franklin Field
Aug. 7 San Antonio, TX Sunken Garden
Aug. 8 Houston, TX Astro Exhibit Hall
Aug. 9 Dallas, TX Leadbelly Plaza
Aug. 11 Atlanta, GA Masquerade Music Park
Aug. 12 Orlando, FL Edge Concert Field
Aug. 13 Miami, FL Bayfront Park
Aug. 14 Tampa, FL Expo Hall
Aug. 15 Myrtle Beach, SC Myrtle Beach Stadium
Young Dubliners
Aug. 3 Las Vegas, NV Fremont Street Reggae & Blues
Aug. 4 Aspen, CO Double Diamond
Aug. 5 Teton Village, WY Mangy Moose
Aug. 8 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr Club
Aug. 10 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
Aug. 11 Vail, CO Garton's Saloon
Aug. 12 Colorado Springs, CO Rack & Roll
Aug. 13 Bellevue, CO Mishawaka Amphitheatre
Young Gods
Aug. 2 Toronto, ON Lee's Place
Aug. 3 Cleveland, OH Phantasy Nightclub
Aug. 4 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
Aug. 5 Chicago, IL Double Door
Aug. 7 Tulsa, OK Ikon
Aug. 9 Dallas, TX Trees
Aug. 11 Denver, CO Mercury Cafe
Aug. 14 Vancouver, BC Graceland
Aug. 15 Seattle, WA Moe
---
ERRATA
As was pointed out by several of our Australian subscribers,
Newcastle (situated north of Sydney) is not a resort town, but an
industrial city that underwent some problems during one of Australia's
biggest earthquakes a few years ago.
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK
Thanks so much for the interview with Luther Allison.
I went to see him this past Wednesday in Cleveland,
and it was great to be able to read such a thorough interview
beforehand. I really enjoyed reading the piece! - Sandy Q.
---
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