Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Consumable Online Issue 070
==== ISSUE 70 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [March 9, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, 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,
Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson, Daniel
Kane, Mario Lia, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner
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: Dave Allen and the Elastic Purejoy - P. Nina Ramos
REVIEW: Killing Joke, _Democracy_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Ministry, _Filth Pig_ - Jamie Roberts
REVIEW: Men Without Hats, _Collection_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook, _Night Song_ - L. Graham Bridges
REVIEW: The Band, _High On The Hog_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Dadawa, _Sister Drum_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _From Dusk Till Dawn_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: The Mysteries of Life, _Keep A Secret_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: Marry Me Jane, _ Marry Me Jane_ - Jamie Roberts
REVIEW: Mr. Mirainga, _Mr. Mirainga_ - Mario J. Lia
REVIEW: 1000 Mona Lisas, _New Disease_ - Bob Gajarsky
NEWS: PM Dawn, Public Enemy, Rake's Progress, Rocktropolis chat, Scout
Indie Record, Seven Mary 3, Sonicnet chat, Wilmington Exchange Festival
TOUR DATES: AC/DC, Aunt Bettys, Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky, Boiled In
Lead, Jackson Browne, Brother Cane, Combine, Cravin' Melon, Arlo & Abe
Guthrie, Health & Happiness Show, Kate Jacobs, Love and Rockets, Ziggy
Marley & Melody Makers, Kathy Mccarty, Mensclub, Mr. Mirainga / Ruth
Ruth / God Lives Underwater, Mystery Machine, Mysteries of Life,
O-Matic, Poi Dog Pondering, Professor & Maryann, Reeltime, Sister
Machine Gun / Gravity Kills, Elliott Smith / The Softies, Swales,
They Might Be Giants, Thirty Ought Six, Uzjsmedoma, Wallmen, Weston, Wrens
CONTEST WINNERS
ADDITIONS
ERRATA
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Dave Allen and the Elastic Purejoy
- P. Nina Ramos
He's a musician, a producer, a journalist, a husband and father of
three children. With all these roles, you'd think Dave Allen would have
enough things to do. His solo project has just released a new record,
The Clutter of Pop; he runs an independent label (World Domination Records)
and has a CD Rom in the works. All of this should be enough to keep any
one persons hands tied.
But, this British born and raised artist just has to do more than
humanly posible. He is in one way or another involved in all the bands
that are signed to his label. He helps run a print publication, Clutter
and has an extensive WWW page for World Domination. Yes, he is a fouding
member of Gang of Four, Shriekback and even a sleeper project called
King Swamp - and yes, he's a bass player. But for too long, these have
been the only ways in which the media has seen fit to describe this
talented writer, producer and composer - and it's time to set the
record clear (yes, clear, not straight).
Dave Allen is just one of those people who have that quiet
confidence that you either admire or are jealous of - because no one
should be that together. It's rare to capture so many talents and use
them to their fullest potential. He is a man without pretention, a man
with a mission, a message. What does he have to say? A lot more than
most of us take the time to conceive. Consumable Online caught up
with him in a phone interview recently.
Consumable: You seem like a very focused and succesful
individual. What helps keep your goals in sight and your life on track?
Dave Allen: I've learned to use all the resources at hand. With
a tight knit staff of fourteen, it's become very easy to delegate.
Everyone is really great and that helps the end result. For example,
I'm involved in a print magazine called Clutter, a music magazine with
a lot of essays and artwork. I take care of the editorial and
publishing responsabilities. But as far as the layout, artwork and
printing, a very talented woman named Ofelia Chong is in charge. Also,
the fact that I have a very positive, confident outlook helps - if you start
with that, you can make anything happen.
C: It seems all the articles I've read have been focused on the
fact that you are no longer playing bass. For instance, in a record
review in Raygun for the first Purejoy cd it stated: "This is Allen's
first official stint as frontman..." What do you think of this?
Dave: I would call that lazy journalism. It's very easy to
focus on a person's past activities. It seems that people are only
allowed to do one specific thing and when they're done, just go
away quietly. There doesn't seem to be any room for anything
truly expressive or artistic. If anything creative or intellectual
is presented it doesn't seem to have a ground to fall in. I'm out there
attempting to fight the prejudice.
C: Let's talk about the record. When I listened to it, my first
thoughts were towards the Velvet Underground. But after a few
plays other influences came through. What would you say it's
reminiscent of?
Dave: Actually your first instinct was not too far off. I would
say it is more like Lou Reed than Velvet Underground; Lou is
just great. You always know you're getting something good if you
get any of his records; he really cares about the creative and production
process. It's basically all about attitude. You take a three or four chord
song, present something interesting lyrically and there you have it.
Like Jonathan Richman as well, he's not too serious. But dig into
his lyrics and he starts to get serious.
C: Now, about your Internet involvement. How did the
ball get rolling for all the web and Internet access to come about?
Dave: It was a bit of a fluke. I was interested in letting people
know we were out there. Around two years ago, a man named
Charles Como of an organization Boxtop contacted me and asked
if World Domination wanted to be on the Web. Jason Fiber, a guy
on staff (at World Domination), was the key person in making it
happen. I was interested in making World Domination as accessible
as possible. If you go into the page you'll notice that not only is
there information on the bands, but also a way to contact us. Whether
it may be by phone or e-mail, people can experience what we're all about.
C: Who maintains your Web sight?
Dave: A guy named Zack Zalon from an organization called
The Factory Network. He's doing a great job. He comes into the office
and then shows me what he's doing. I get final say on what actually
goes out. It's really simple actually.
C: How did the idea for the CD-ROM come about?
Dave: Well, Scott Blum of an orgnization called IMUSIC
(based in Seattle) first approached me with the idea. The concept is
an interactive talk radio station - actually, it's several stations. Each
one of them will have a theme. For instance, there's one station called KNRA.
An announcer will talk about different bills being considered and let
the user select a track. According to whatever track they choose,
consequent reports will be given by the announcer on the state of
affairs according to their choice. If a bill was passed to give 15 year
old kids the right to own firearms without a permit, a report will
state some sort of mayhem due to this. I want to illustrate that
everything you do in life is a choice, and everything that happens
around you is a choice. Even if you choose nothing it will still
affect the outcome.
C: As the main voice for World Domination Records
you have stated your intention on releasing 20 more cd's in the
next ten years. How do you plan to go about it?
Dave: Well, if you think about it, I've already released the
first two (The Elastic Purejoy's _The Clutter of Pop_ and The
Harvest _Movie Soundtrack_) and two more are due later this year
(CD-ROM and a new one by Low Pop Suicide). So actually, I'm
due for some time off.
If anyone deserves a vacation, it's definitely Dave Allen.
When I mentioned this, he very nonchalantly commented how
nice of an idea that was. According to him, family provides all the
vacation he needs and he's very happy working to accomplish his goals.
"I'll rest after the 20 releases." I have a feeling he'll find another
nemesis to keep him from getting that rest.
If you'd like to experience World Domination on the Web they
can be reached at http://underground.net/Worlddom/worlddom.html/
---
REVIEW: Killing Joke, _Democracy_ (Zoo)
- Joe Silva
The road from pandemonium to democracy is as graceful
an artistic leap as you want it to be or as twisted and pock marked as
the coven of Republican candidates who have debated their collective self
worth's. For Killing Joke's mouthpiece Jaz Coleman (who has no
less wind mind you than the aforementioned gaggle of candidates
combined), it's the former...sort of.
Mixed in with all the reunion hulabaloo that descended upon the band
when 1994's _Pandemonium_ saw light of day were bucketloads of pagan
sensibility and guitar throttled mysticism. Jaz's sense of abandon was
probably never afforded so much on vinyl resonance before. This they
took from the chambers of the Great Pyramids of Giza (where Jaz actually
finagled some recording time) to the length and breadth of America
where they logged an eighty date tour of the U.S. But the scope of such a
ride, combined with the manic pace of Coleman's current work ethic (he
divides his time between the band, symphonic composition, and way too
many trans-oceanic flights from his New Zealand home), may be finally
bleeding into the mix.
With the return of Youth on the bottom end and behind the board,
_Pandemonium_ was a Killing Joke refueled by a new vibrant throb and
huge middle eastern painted atmospheres. The bone obliterating guitar
work, and soul purging vocals were there only because this was intended
as rock and roll. But now, _Democracy_, while maintaining many of the
same elements, is the band not quite full on. Perhaps it's because the
gleeful anxiety of the refurbished lineup has dissapated a touch, or because
Jaz spent a couple theraputic post tour weeks in the new age wonderland
of Sedona, Arizona. Or as he tells it, it's due more to having assembled
most of the music in a quiet English country home during one of the most
blissful summers in recent memory.
Whichever's the case, _Democracy_ sounds more like the band in sub-
overdrive, coming closer to the well balanced and the efficiently tempered
unrestraint of their _Nighttime_ LP. Witness "Aeon" for starters with its
manicured rhythmic drive and its lead riff tunefully spinning off into
overall ambience. Coming some time after the weak ire of the opening
track ("Savage Freedom"), it's where _Democracy_ peaks stylistically.
"Medicine Wheel" works well and along the same design, but the title
track, with its weariness done up in minor chords and slow melodic
choruses represents the other side of the disc's coin. Geordie's work is
impeccably paced and crafted for the heady environs that Jaz wants to
create, but his embellishments are never fussy or overdone and he's the
Joke's most reliable element.
But even when they choose vibe over melody as their chief concern,
they don't lapse into a state where you feel they are feeding filler.
"Another Bloody Election" and "Absent Friends" aren't necessarily as
musically compelling as their subject material may be, but they aren't
tossed off vehicles for Coleman's heartfelt visions either. But considering
the volumes of his other output, you can't not wonder whether Jaz as
ringleader reserves enough oomph for the Killing Joke side of his life.
After the unabated neo-pagan romp of the last effort, _Democracy_ is an
overall reassuring stroke that says they could probably serve up more of
the solid material they have here if they just "channeled" appropriately.
---
REVIEW: Ministry, _Filth Pig_ (Warner)
- Jamie Roberts
Yet another kick in the head from hesitant Industrial luminary, Al
Jourgensen and company. No prizes will be won for originality on this one,
but there is much to be said for sticking to the tried and true formula that
has moved a generation.
Look to _Filth Pig_ for a veritable history of Industrial music (the
fare that influenced Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, God Lives Underwater, etc.).
Jourgensen draws from his previous schemes to bolster _Filth Pig_ with 'pure
evil'. Makes you want to go and fish your all-black wardrobe from the trash
(oh, wait - you still dress in all-black, don't ya?), and bang your head in
quasi-metal fashion.
The 'creeping beat' of _Land Of Rape And Honey_ rears its head, as does
the hyper-charged 'sonic boom' of _Psalm 69_. Every wail on the guitar and
bellow of the vocal seems to conjure looking down the barrel of a loaded gun.
If you are not that scared by this kind of music, maybe you haven't been
listening closely enough to our pal Al.
Never was a lesson learned better or louder. Crank this one up to
'10' as an Industrial street-cred primer, and call me in the morning.
---
REVIEW: Men Without Hats, _Collection_ (Oglio)
- Bob Gajarsky
Nearly two years ago, Consumable readers participated in
a poll to determine which album they would most want to see on
compact disc. The #1 vote-getter was something which has never
appeared in *any* format - the soundtrack to John Hughes'
_Ferris Bueller's Day Off_. However, thanks to Oglio Records reissue,
the #2 choice - Men Without Hats' greatest hits, titled here
as _Collection_ - has finally secured a well-deserved place in record
bins.
It's not just the 2 big hits ("Safety Dance", "Pop Goes The
World") that have secured a place in synth-pop fans forever - Ivan and
the band could always offer more than just the occasional hit single.
Though tracks such as "Living in China" and "Where Do The Boys Go?"
seemingly evoke memories of bands with small but loyal devotees such
as A Flock of Seagulls and Gary Numan, the challenge is remembering
that these were just the the lesser-known songs of a band that took
synth-pop to the next level.
This collection is *not* recommended for the people down the
street who just purchased the _Frat Rock_ collection. But those
people who jumped on the Depeche Mode bandwagon in the late 80's,
or anyone who has been dying to land their hands on some of these
tracks - several of which have been out of print for years - should
be overjoyed by this compilation.
It's about time. Kudos - one more time - to Oglio.
TRACK LISTING: The Safety Dance (Regular, Extended), Living In China,
Antarctica, I Got The Message (Regular, Dance), I Like, Where Do The
Boys Go? (Regular, Extended), Messiahs Die Young, Pop Goes The World,
Moonbeam, Hey Men, Editions of You
---
REVIEW: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook, _Night Song_(Real World)
- Lee Graham Bridges
"You, my sweetheart, are my heart, my life." This is an English
translation of how the new Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Michael Brook
collaboration, _Night Song_, begins. _Night Song_ is the sequel to their
classic previous collaboration, _Mustt Mustt_ (released in 1990, it was
voted one of this decade's top 100 albums by Alternative Press). However,
while _Mustt Mustt_ was the product of the artists' separated efforts,
_Night Song_ was written collaboratively.
The serene, moving Qawwali vocals of classically-trained Pakistani
singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, combined with the music of Canadian ambient
composer Michael Brook produces an aural experience perhaps only paralleled
by the eyewitnessing of a faith healer at work, a miracle birth, or a
natural disaster in this present-day world.
The mood of _Night Song_ swings wildly from track to track.
"Longing" is basically a slow ballad beginning with a slide guitar's sweet
melody and ending with strangled pleas (In English, "my dear longing for you
is killing me."). "Lament" is plodding, desolate and dark, with Nusrat
droning "without you there is gloominess--come back home sweetheart" as
mellow background guitar sounds soar and slowly drift to the depths of one's
soul. "Intoxicated" is a more upbeat tune featuring unexpected outbursts of
Nusrat's rapid-fire, metaphorical vocals about obsession.
One could draw certain parallels between this album and many of
Brian Eno's works and productions (of course, Brook has done extensive work
with Eno in the past), and the music of Brook's 4AD-mates Lisa Gerrard and
Dead Can Dance, who often times also fuse traditional foreign (or
pseudo-foreign) vocals and rhythm with modern ambient music and, on
occasion, technological sound. This makes traditional music somewhat more
accessible to the listener while adding diversity to the elements of ambient
- which is, to begin with, an eccentric form of music with a devoted following.
Nusrat has recorded over 60 albums so far, not to mention
collaborations. He has worked with artists such as Real World Records
founder Peter Gabriel (_Passion_: the soundtrack to _The Last Temptation of
Christ_) to Eddie Vedder (_Dead Man Walking_ Soundtrack). Brook has
recorded several albums and has collaborated with various ambient and other
musicians. _Night Song_ shows Brook at his best--the richness of his
imagination really shows.
_Night Song_ makes a great companion to either sudden revelation or
a simple evening in the forest, under the stars. Despite the down-to-earth
lyrics about relationships and spiritual cleanliness, the two artists make
an obvious, pronounced effort to lead one down a path of pure spiritual
ecstasy. It is certainly one of the best collaborative albums of the year.
Real World plans to release an album of dance remixes of Nusrat's
work this summer.
---
REVIEW: The Band, _High On The Hog_ (Pyramid Records)
- Linda Scott
The Band need no introduction. They have a secure niche in the
history of rock and roll. But the niche was secured in the sixties, and
not all readers may be familiar with this group. Their history? Four
Canadian musicians joined up with a fellow from Arkansas and created a
sound that mixed electric rock with rockabilly, blues, country, gospel,
Cajun in a distinctive gumbo that would eventually earn them a place in
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They actually LIVED in Woodstock, New York in a house called Big
Pink. As backing band for Bob Dylan, The Band worked with Dylan on _The
Basement Tapes_. Original band members were Levon Helm (of Arkansas),
Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel. The Band
was a tight group with songs coming from Robbie Robertson, the _de facto_
group leader. But, The Band was never comfortable with touring beginning
with Robertson who suffered from extreme stage fright, which was
immortalized in the well-known Band song "Stage Fright". Other big hits
were "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "The Weight", "Up on Cripple
Creek" - and the list goes on and on. Stage fright was a condition and
not just a song, and The Band seemed to pull back from the audience and
have little or no contact with them onstage.
The group's drug and alcohol abuse were part of the times and
part of the reaction to touring. Somehow they soldiered on together till
the friction within the group reached a breaking point. In 1976 The Band
called it quits with Martin Scorcese recording the last concert on the
film _The Last Waltz_ and Robbie Robertson quickly departed for a solo
career. By the eighties, all but Robertson were back together on the
road and in the clubs. Following a bout of depression linked with drugs
and alcohol, Richard Manuel hanged himself in one of the endless road
motels. The Band again fell apart. A few years ago the remaining three
members got back together and released _Jericho_, the first album from
The Band in 18 years. _High On The Hog_ is the second from this
incarnation of the group. The current lineup for The Band on these two
albums is the original three: Helm, Danko, Hudson and joined by guitarist
Jim Weider, drummer Randy Ciavalante and pianist Richard Bell.
_High On The Hog_ seems a strange title choice - but the good
news is that starting with the first track, you know it's The Band!
They sound the same vocally - outstanding - and the music is a bit
different, but still top-notch. Ten tracks show the variety expected
from The Band. Vintage Band is right there on track 1 with "Stand Up",
the first single off the album. There are some good blues numbers such
as "Back to Memphis" and several ballads, "Where I Should Always Be",
"Forever Young" and "She Knows", slow things down just a little between
the livelier country rockers.
Although the album sounds very good, it has this strangely
familiar feeling to it; all but one track are cover songs. It's doubtful
that an album of covers will ever receive the critical praise that a
more creative effort will. The album's diversity comes in part from
the variety of artists covered. Bob Dylan songs are cheek by jowl with
Jack Dupree's blues and Foster/McElroy's En Vogue hit, "Free Your Mind".
Not much new on this album at all except the Band gives each song their
unique sound. Robbie Robertson, chief songwriter, is gone, and the
impact of his loss is seen in this avalanche of covers.
But if you love The Band or the sixties music, you should pick
up _High On The Hog_. Even if they don't have the songwriting anymore,
the guys still know how to play and how to sing. To hear more about
this legendary group, tune in to Arts and Entertainment channel's
"Biography" series May 18, 9pm (EST), or check out the band on their
latest tour.
---
REVIEW: Dadawa, _Sister Drum_ (Elektra)
- Jon Steltenpohl
The words just roll off the tongue: "Dadawa _is_ the Chinese Enya."
It's a comparison that is too easy to draw yet clearly on target. Where Enya
swirls Gaelic runes into a soothing and surging mix of pop and new age,
Dadawa does the same with Tibetan prayer wheels. Her carefully sculpted
vocals emerge and withdraw with fluttering beauty and are punctuated with
strikes of a drum and monks chanting.
While the texture and production of the album is clearly Enya-esque,
there is world music flair not found in western recordings. Where Enya rarely
breaks from the melody and pace of a song, Dadawa punctuates her music with
short bursts of cacophony struck by her piercing wails and the clatter of
metal shakers. The songs on _Sister Drum_ are starkly chilling, spiritual,
and curiously foreign. _Sister Drum_ incorporates traditional and
religious music from Tibet in a particularly engaging way. Much of the
work is reminiscent of Peter Gabriel's seamless merging of modern
synthesizers with indigenous instruments.
The album represents the first world-wide release of a Chinese album
since the 1950s. Despite the current political climate, _Sister Drum_ is a
musical reflection of a two year journey through Tibet and the Himalayas
taken by Dadawa and her producer/collaborator He Xuntian. The two broke
through the walls of communism and oppression to engage the Tibetan culture
and take a spiritual journey of the soul. As evidence to the impact of
that journey, the song "Sky-Burial" reportedly is so moving to Dadawa that
she once experienced an out of body experience while singing it.
Although _Sister Drum_ won't provoke such strong spiritual
experiences for everyone, it is an invigorating and challenging work.
While "Crossing the Ridge" fits in with any of Enya's work, "The Turning
Scripture" features glottal chants (an octave lower than any Benedictine
monk) which are set against modern choral refrains. To the uninitiated,
_Sister Drum_ may be strange and unnerving, but Dadawa opens the ears
to rare musical delights and presents a lovely fusion of exotic world
music and new age atmosphere.
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _From Dusk Till Dawn_ (Los Hooligans/Epic)
- Sean Eric McGill
It was a little less than one year ago when I gave a stellar
review for the soundtrack to Robert Rodriguez's Desperado, and both
the film and the soundtrack went on to be placed on my top ten lists
at the end of the year. And now, here I am writing a review for the
soundtrack for _From Dusk Till Dawn_, Rodriguez's latest picture, this
one written by Quentin Tarantino.
It should come as no surprise that the soundtrack contains all
the trademarks that assure you of its maker's origins. There are
soundbites aplenty (and since _From Dusk Till Dawn_ is surely one of
the most vulgar movies ever made, it stands to reason that the soundbites
are, as well - so beware), but like the soundtrack for Desperado, the
music has a certain South-of-the-border flavor, featuring artists like
Tito & Tarantula, ZZ Top, and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.
The contributions by Stevie Ray Vaughan and his band Double
Trouble, "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and "Willie the Wimp (and His
Cadillac Coffin)" are the two highlights to the album. Vaughan's
ability to create a six-minute song with only two minutes of vocals and
not have the song become some mindless trek into the realm of "guitar
gods" is one of the many things that made him such an incredible
performer in life, and one that is sorely missed.
Other strong tracks on the album, are "Foolish Heart" by
country/pop stars The Mavericks, "Dark Night" by The Blasters and
"Texas Funeral" by Jon Wayne - a song which shows the truth in the
DeNiro line from The Untouchables: "We laugh because it's funny - and
we laugh because it's true."
Unlike the soundtrack for _Desperado_, _From Dusk Till Dawn_
actually features some of the score for the film, composed by Graeme
Revell. "Mexican Standoff" and "Sex Machine Attack" run about two
minutes total, but do more to show the character of the film than all
the sound clips on the album combined.
And indeed, the only weak link in the album has nothing to do
with any of the songs or their contributors, but the film itself and
Rodriguez and Tarantino's insistence to infuse the album with bits
from the film. On the soundtracks for _Pulp Fiction_ and _Desperado_,
the bits from the film were interesting, from Samuel L. Jackson's
memorable speech to Antonio Banderas discussing salvation with Steve Buscemi.
But in _From Dusk Till Dawn_, there really isn't that much
interesting about the film. As it is, unless you have a serious love
for B-horror films - or are a mindless follower of Tarantino, you won't
get it. The movie revels in its excesses, be it in language (one scene
alone featuring Cheech Marin insured the film of an R rating - and of
course, it's on the soundtrack), or in violence (a five-minute sequence
where body parts and blood continually fly around is surprisingly enough
not the climax of the movie). But unlike the movie, the soundtrack for
_From Dusk Till Dawn_ could have stood on its own without giving in to
the same excess - and Tarantino and Rodriguez would have been better to
have let it.
(Ed. note: The author has also written a film review, at:
http://www.linknet.net/sean/enter/movies/fdtd.htm )
---
REVIEW: The Mysteries of Life, _Keep A Secret_ (RCA)
- Reto Koradi
Exactly opposite to many other bands, The Mysteries of Life consist
of a male lead vocalist (called Jake Smith) and three female musicians, the
drummer being Smith's wife, Freda Love. Part of the band members have pasts
in bands like Blake Babies (with Juliana Hatfield) and Antenna.
But the gender distribution is not the only unusual thing about the
Mysteries. While many bands try to create attention by using the maximal
number of effects and a remarkable noise level, The Mysteries of Life choose
a relaxed, laid-back style with a Van Morrison influence. The result
sounds quite unspectacular at first sight, but _Keep A Secret_ improves
massively with repeated listening. Smith's vocals remind of Elvis Costello
at places. The songs maintain a high quality throughout the album, and
despite the slow pace, the music often develops a groove.
The album is just a step away from being truly outstanding;
although the music grows on the listener, the songwriting lacks the
brilliance behind a wonderful songwriter like Costello. But fans of
slow, sensible music, covering the gamut from the Velvet Underground to
the Counting Crows, should definitely check it out.
---
REVIEW: Marry Me Jane, _ Marry Me Jane_ (Sony/550)
- Jamie Roberts
The only thing I am left wanting on this debut release from the NYC
five piece Marry Me Jane, is the knowledge of which songs are/aren't on the
soundtrack to the new movie _If Lucy Fell_ (Y'know, that new Sarah Jessica
Parker, Ben Stiller Gen-X'er). Marry Me Jane's lyrics could be THE script
of Gen-X torment, so break out the inner sleeve and read along - you might
see someone (everyone?) you know in these songs.
There is a near-perfect balance of sweetness and grit on this first
effort. You get the little-girl lilt from vocalist Amanda Kravat, as well
as the big grrl vocal authority. The tight control on the energy level
gives just enough to bring you through the entire album, and crave more.
One gets the feeling Marry Me Jane are not 'spent' from this collection of
songs, and could easily come up with a follow-up as beautiful and
emotionally charged.
Kravat's songwriting is anything but "Ordinary" (an interesting take
on what irks urban youth), and really hits home on "You Didn't Kiss Me"
- so real, it's frightening!. Dan Petty's guitar work, and the
Albetta/Pagano rhythm section don't allow the songs to get too sappy, or
overbearing, which is a serious danger in this genre.
Now that this is out, I'm waiting (im)patienly for the sequel...
---
REVIEW: Mr. Mirainga, _Mr. Mirainga_ (Way Cool/MCA)
- Mario J. Lia
Have you heard of Mr. Mirainga yet? If you havn't, you soon will.
Slowly but surely, Mr. Mirainga is creeping into American homes. Mr.
Mirainga (Mer-aine-gay) made their stunning debut with an EP titled _Fuck
The Scene_. Now out comes their debut self-titled album, and it's
already turning people's heads. The song "Burnin' Rubber" is on the
_Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls_. This song burned its way straight
up Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. And now with the Adam
Sandler-meets-Rancid single "Baglady", Mr Mirainga will be around a while.
Some of their favorite bands are the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, and The
Clash. These punkish influences show up in songs like "57 South" and
"Waterdog". Keeping with the punk tradition, only 5 of the 15 songs are above
three and half minutes.
Then again, these guys aren't from the New York punk scene.
According to bassist Hedge, "We're not part of any scene in particular.
We are an Arizona band." Being so close to Mexico, some of those
mamba-samba sounds have seeped into Mr. Mirainga's music - such as the
wonderfully Latin "Saguarro's Cryin'", and sometimes even fusing the two
as in the song "Jalopeno Eyes" - pronounced as it looks, not as pronounced
in Spanish.
A little pop-punk, a little bit salsa and that's Mr. Mirainga.
They're on tour with God Lives Underwater - a show not to be missed.
---
REVIEW: 1000 Mona Lisas, _New Disease_ (RCA)
- Bob Gajarsky
To my mind's eye, punk bands have always been driving,
almost simple rock music - inspiring countless imitators, none nearly
as successful as the original - while offering different views
on well-known songs. The Ramones defined it for a generation,
and now 1000 Mona Lisas are attempting to do the same for the
1990's crowd.
If the first experience with 1000 Mona Lisas was through their
harder, punk version of Alanis Morrissette's "You Oughtta Know",
this full length release should keep you coming back for more.
Who else would cover Paul McCartney & Wings' "Jet", without
sounding incredibly dated and stupid? Instead, they breathe
new life into this track, sounding like a live band that got this
half-hearted request at a concert.
Now, 1000 Mona Lisas don't always do the punk "thing" - some
might not call it hard enough to be punk, in the same way that Guns N
Roses may not define the true meaning of metal - but their hearts are
in the right place. The band shines when the tracks are at their
shortest - get the point, riff and hook home, and leave. None of
this endless nonsense that drains on and on - check out "Maybe It's
All Forgotten", "In The Red" and "I'd Rather Die Than Have To Touch
You" - all of which are less than two minutes long, grab the
listener's attention and don't let go.
Check them out at the local listening booth - and fasten
your seat belts for a punk ride with 1000 Mona Lisas.
---
NEWS: > PM Dawn is working on a CD-ROM coming out this summer,
_PM Dawn According To The World_ and a song called "Holding You
Eventually" (which contains a sample from Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On").
> Public Enemy founder, Chuck D has formed his own rap label, Slam
Jamz, to be devoted exclusively to rap releases and will issue singles and EPs,
each containing about 7 tracks. The first release on Slam Jamz will be an
EP from Hyenas in the Desert in early June.
>The Rake's Progress will be briefly included in an upcoming Japanese
special, which includes the group Tokio "enjoying a weekend in New York
City." In addition, their song "Howard Is A Drag" will be included on the
soundtrack for the movie _Heavy_, due to released in June.
> Rocktropolis will be having an on-line chat with producer
Don Gehman (who has worked with John Cougar Mellencamp and Hootie
& The Blowfish) at http://rocktropolis.com on March 12, 8 pm EST
>The Scout Indie Record store has opened its doors on the WWW at
http://www.southwind.net/scout1
> There will be a live Cybercast in RealAudio 2.0
with 7 Mary 3 at New York City's Irving Plaza on Thursday, March 14
from 7:30-10:30 pm on http://www.sonicnet.com
> Upcoming Sonicnet live chats, all located at
http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat unless noted: Mar. 12 The Wedding
Present, 8pm; Mar. 14 Hip-Hop in cyberspace w/ Busta Rhymes, 6pm;
Mar. 18 (on Prodigy exclusively) Radiohead, TBA
> The Wilmington Exchange Festival is an eclectic gathering
of all sorts of unique people, including more than 50 bands, filmmakers,
zines, beer and more. It will be held in Wilmington, North Carolina
during the week of May 23 - 29, 1996; more information is available from
http://www.popes.com/demou/wefest.html
---
TOUR DATES
AC/DC
Mar. 11 Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
Mar. 13 Landover, MD US Air Arena
Mar. 14 Philadelphia, PA Spectrum
Mar. 15 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Mar. 17 East Rutherford, NJ Meadowlands
Mar. 18 Providence, RI Civic Center
Mar. 19 Boston, MA Fleet Center
Aunt Bettys
Mar. 11 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Mar. 15 Austin, TX Steamboat
Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky
Mar. 12 Baltimore, MD Bohagers
Mar. 13 Washington, DC 930 Club
Mar. 15 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Mar. 16 New York, NY Tramps
Mar. 17 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Mar. 18 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Mar. 20 Providence, RI Lupo's
Boiled In Lead
Mar. 14 Madison, WI Angelic Brewing Company
Mar. 15 Duluth, MN R.T. Quinlan's
Mar. 16 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Jackson Browne
Mar. 12 Pensacola, FL Bayfront Auditorium
Mar. 13 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Mar. 15 Fort Lauderdale, FL Sunrise Musical Theatre
Mar. 16 Orlando, FL Bob Carr Pac
Mar. 18 Louisville, KY Palace Theatre
Brother Cane
Mar. 13 Sioux Falls, SD Pomp Room
Mar. 15 Chicago, IL Metro
Mar. 16 Milwaukee, WI Globe
Mar. 17 Des Moines, IA Edge
Mar. 19 Champaign, IL Mabel's
Combine
Mar. 13 Louisville, KY Cherokee Blues Club
Mar. 14 Lexington, KY Wrocklage
Mar. 15 Toledo, OH Asylum
Mar. 16 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Mar. 17 Columbus, OH Bernie's
Mar. 18 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern
Cravin' Melon
Mar. 16 Savannah, GA Roundhouse
Mar. 20 Tuscaloosa, AL Ivory Tusk
Arlo & Abe Guthrie
Mar. 9 Spokane, WA Met Theatre
Mar. 15 New Braunfels, TX Gruene Hall
Mar. 16 Austin, TX State Theatre
Mar. 17 Houston, TX Rockefeller's
Mar. 18 Dallas, TX Poor David's Pub
Mar. 20 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
Health & Happiness Show
Mar. 9 New Haven, CT The G.Y.P.S.Y. Bar (Yale Univ)
Mar. 15 Bryan, TX Dixie Theatre (W/Bottlerockets)
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Lubbock Or Leave It(W/Butch Hancock)
Kate Jacobs
Mar. 10 Wayne, NJ House Of Blixt
Love and Rockets
Mar. 17 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
Mar. 19 Portland, OR La Luna
Mar. 20 Seattle, WA Showbox
Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Mar. 11 Greencastle, IN Kresge Auditorium
Mar. 13 Providence, RI Strand
Mar. 14 Boston, MA Avalon
Mar. 15 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
Mar. 16 Lewiston, ME Bates College
Mar. 18 New York, NY Academy
Mar. 19 Washington, DC 930 Club
Mar. 20 Virginia Beach, VA Boathouse
Kathy Mccarty
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Maggie May's (Sxsw)
Mensclub
Mar. 10 San Francisco, CA The Kilowatt (W/Dieselhead)
Mar. 14 Austin, TX Driscoll Bar
Mr. Mirainga/Ruth Ruth/God Lives Underwater
Mar. 16 Tulsa, OK Expo Square Pavillion
Mystery Machine
Mar. 11 Columbia, SC The Elbow Room
Mar. 14 Huntington, West Virgina Drop Shop
Mar. 17 Toledo, OH Frankie's
Mar. 19 Peterbough, ON Trashateria
Mysteries of Life
Mar. 9 Madison, WI East End
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
O-Matic
Mar. 10 Memphis, TN Barrister's (W/Pansy Division)
Mar. 19 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's
Mar. 20 Orlando, FL Ultraviolet
Poi Dog Pondering
Mar. 18 Chicago, IL Berlin (Cd Release Party)
Professor & Maryann
Mar. 9 New York, NY West Bank Cafe
Mar. 12 New York, NY Ludlow St. Cafe
Mar. 13 New York, NY CB's Gallery
Mar. 15 Summit, NJ Common Ground
Mar. 19 New York, NY Sine
Reeltime
Mar. 11 Portland, OR East Av. Tavern
Mar. 13 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Mar. 15 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
Mar. 16 Aurora, CO Doubletree Hotel Ballroom
Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills
Mar. 11 Panama City, FL Club Lavella
Mar. 12 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter
Mar. 14 Tallahassee, FL The Moon
Mar. 16 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Nemesis
Mar. 17 Ft. Meyers, FL Pyramids
Mar. 18 Stewart, FL Playground
Mar. 20 Jacksonville, FL Milk Bar
Elliott Smith / The Softies
Mar. 11 Minneapolis, MN Bryant Lake Bowl
Mar. 12 Fargo, ND Coffee Club
Mar. 13 Minot, ND Sweetheart's Coffee Shop
Mar. 14 Rapid City, SD Atomic Cafe
Swales
Mar. 10 Atlanta, GA Blt's
Mar. 11 Tuscaloosa, AL The Chucker
Mar. 12 Pensacola, FL Sluggos (W/For Squirrels)
Mar. 13 New Orleans, LA Monaco Bobs
Mar. 15 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Mar. 16-17 Des Moines, IA Sheffield's
Mar. 20 Houston, TX Urban Art Bar
They Might Be Giants
Mar. 14 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Thirty Ought Six
Mar. 9 Tuscon, AZ Luna Loca
Mar. 10 Tempe, AZ Nita's Hideaway
Mar. 11 Albuquerque, NM Golden West Saloon
Mar. 15 Austin, TX Emo's
Mar. 17 Boulder, CO Club 156
Uzjsmedoma
Mar. 9 New York, NY Wetlands
Mar. 15 San Antonio, TX Sluggo's Tavern
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Ruta Maya Coffeehouse
Mar. 20 Tucson, AZ Luna Loca Cafe
Wallmen
Mar. 13 New York, NY Coney Island High
Weston
Mar. 16 Moosic, PA Sea Sea's
Wrens
Mar. 13 Austin, TX South by Southwest
Mar. 18 New York, NY Brownies
Mar. 19 Washington, DC Black Cat
---
WINNER: Congratulations to the winners in the Consumable/Grass Records
giveaway - Jeff Burroway, Bob Devine, Sara Granlund, Anquinette Barry
and I. Goiz.
---
ADDITIONS: Issue #69 of Consumable inadvertently left out
contact information for Revolver and Tim Sparks. Revolver can
be reached via e-mail at w21w@aol.com or by U.S. mail c/o
William Bates, 5 Townes Square Lane, Greenville, SC 29609.
Tim Sparks' _Guitar Bazaar_ (on Acoustic Music Records) can be
ordered at 1-800-649-4745.
---
ERRATA: As noted by Laurie from Canada, the Odds
have had previous major label releases, including _Bedbugs_
in 1993.
---
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
FTP: eetsg22.bd.psu.edu in the directory /pub/Consumable
ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable
Gopher: diana.zems.etf.hr
Engleski Jezik/Music/Consumable or
Hrvastki Jezik/Glazbena Rubrika/Consumable
(URL) gopher://diana.zems.etf.hr:70/11/eng/Music/Consumable
http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html
(WWW) http://www.westnet.com
(CIS) on Compuserve Notes: GO FORUM
(Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC
Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com),
serving Westchester County, NY.
Promotional support provided by Music Interactive
(http://musicinteractive.com), a free online resource for aspiring musicians
and other music professionals seeking to expand their careers, networking,
music skills and scope.
Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online,
409 Washington St. #294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
===
