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Consumable Online Issue 094
==== ISSUE 94 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [December 9, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto
Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr,
Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges,
Scott Byron, Paul Grzelak, Janet Herman, Bill
Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson,
Daniel Kane, Stephen Lin, Bob Mackin, Scott
Miller, Al Muzer, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali
Sinclair, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl,
Courtney Muir Wallner, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Also Contributing: John Fahres
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Imperial Drag's Roger Manning - Joe Silva
REVIEW: The Heads, _No Talking Just Head_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Rutles, _Archaeology_- Dan Enright
REVIEW: Midge Ure, _Breathe_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Small Faces, _The Anthology: 1965 - 1967_- Al Muzer
REVIEW: Blind Melon, _Nico_- Linda Scott
REVIEW: Robert Forster, _Warm Nights_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Bobby Fuller, _Shakedown! The Texas Tapes Revisited_ - Al Muzer
REVIEW: The Candy Butchers, _Live At La Bonbonniere_ / Fountains of
Wayne, _Fountains Of Wayne_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Harold Budd, _Luxa_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Martin Barre, _The Meeting_- Paul Grzelak
REVIEW: Love Nut, _Bastards of Melody_ - John B. Fahres
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Raspberries Preserved_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Reel Big Fish, _Turn The Radio Off_ - Simon Speichert
NEWS: Sonicnet chats: Descendants, Chemical Brothers, Corrosion of Conformity
TOUR DATES: Arm Dogs, Backsliders, Barenaked Ladies, Black Crowes,
Boiled In Lead, Tracy Bonham , Johnny Cash, Chimera, Phil Cody,
Deftones, Ednaswap, Ginger, Gravity Kills, Jason & The Scorchers,
Lizard Music, London Suede, Sarah McLachlan, Teddy Morgan, Ocean
Colour Scene, Poorhouse Rockers, Professor & Maryann, Speed McQueen,
Sponge / Ruth Ruth / Red Five, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Stillsuit,
Tree, Miss Lavelle White, Yatsura
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Imperial Drag's Roger Manning
- Joe Silva
Draped in their spot-on representation of all things hip
circa 1974, it's a bit tricky to adopt a retro-free perspective of
Imperial Drag. Brought into being by former Jellyfish enlistees
Roger Manning and Eric Dover, they dip liberally into the glam bag
and tosses up swinging images of Hef, the Zodiac, and glorious days
of gender bending on the Sunset Strip. Oddly enough, they spent a
fair portion of the year opening stadium spot for Wesley Willis
muse Alanis Morissette which may reaffirm somewhat Manning's claims
that the band isn't simply working the hallowed Marc Bolan vibe.
Odds are that she doesn't own a copy of _Electric Warrior_. Manning
elaborated on his position between mixing sessions:
Consumable Online: Is this glam attitude you've adopted with
Imperial Drag likely to stick with the band for long?
Roger Manning: That's really hard to answer because so many
people have come back saying "Oh you guys are doing a T. Rex/Sweet
thing." and we're like "What are you talking about?" Because that
wasn't even a thought. I mean yes we like that music, yes "Boy or a
Girl" has a verse T. Rex type of a verse to it, but anybody who's
listened to the whole record, like the first song for instance, is
more like a funk tune than anything else. But a lot of journalists
just find one angle and just go with it. They don't even make it to
track four of your album. I'm not going to say we don't like glam
rock because I love that era of British pop, but we like rock and
roll whether it's 50's, 60's, 70's, or 80's. Eric and I are huge
Smiths fans. We like Echo and the Bunnymen. We like the Beastie
Boys, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Beck. Obviously some
influences in our stuff come out in our songs a little more obvious
than others, but with this record we tried to make a really focused
album. But just being from Jellyfish, there are moments when we go
down these little paths. This band is continuing to discover
ourselves. The next record I know for a fact will be aggressive,
but it'll be different as well.
C.O.: Can we talk real briefly about the genesis of all this
and the Jellyfish split?
R.M.: Sure. Basically it's really simple. There's no great
melodramatic story behind it. We basically just grew apart personally
and musically. He (Andy Sturmer) wanted to take things in a different
direction, as did I. So in the beginning of '94 it was just very
logical for us to go our seperate ways. And then having out with
Eric on the road, I just told him to send out tapes of some of the
things he'd been working on. And we both kind of agreed that we
should try something together, since it seemed like we were both
riding into similar areas. When I made the phone call to Andy it
was literally one of those things that was beyond my control. It was
like my body was making me pick up the phone before I was committed
to an insane asylum. Four days later I knew I'd made the right
decision. I equated it to what it must feel like to when people say
they've been born again or abducted by aliens or something.
C.O.: What about the recording process for the Imperial Drag
record? Especially after having been involved in something so
layered and intricate as the last Jellyfish record.
R.M.: The whole thing is different. This material didn't
require as much production. It's a lot more straight forward and we
set times lines on what we were doing. We wanted to make a quick
record and capture the spontaneity. So we were in and out in three
months.
C.O.: Are you more or a keyboard person in the way you
conceive music, because I've seen you play guitar a bit.
R.M.: No, actually I write on both. You don't need to know
anything about either to write a good song. I'm quite capable on the
keyboard and quite uncapable on guitar. But I write equally on both
instruments. In fact a lot of my songwriting at this point I come up
with in my car and then I run to an instrument as soon as I can even
if it's a flute or something just to capture the idea.
C.O.:So you don't necessarily keep up with what's happening
keyboard-wise, with new instruments or players like Ben Folds?
R.M.: No...I don't. I can always go listen to Elton John,
you know what I'm saying? It's kind of like if I want to hear people
who can play their instrument whether you're talking about a saxophone
player or a keyboard player, I'll listen to jazz or progressive rock.
I don't keep up with a lot of newer performers becuase I hear so
little that impresses me. The guys today that are saying new things
and very fresh things are a handful of some of the grunge bands and
some of the rap stuff. I mean I love the fact that the Beastie Boys
are breaking new ground even though it's in the realm of rap.
Fortunately for people like that, keyboards have gotten back into
the forefront. On the whole, the late 80s and 90s have been such an
argument just because of what punk said to the world, to not be
proficient at your instrument, you have a lot of people who are idea
people who can't perform or do anything and work with people like the
Dust Brothers who can execute their ideas. If that makes good music
in 1996, then so be it. I definitely come from a more traditional
background where having all kinds of knowledge and ability at your
disposal allows for ultimate freedom of expression.
C.O.: Do you guys find yourselves now, especially when you're
setting up a new project, a little jaded or super conscious about
how you're represented? I mean I think it's a big coup that your
single got well so much airplay considering what's else is out there
getting attention.
R.M.: I totally agree, but there's also a lot of weird,
random shit out there having success. Sure there's the rap metal/Rage
Against the Machine type thing but modern rock is basically becoming
a top 40 format like in the 70's. I mean Dishwalla are basically the
Rembrandts of the 90's. But because the guitars are a little fuzzier,
and because they have the right haircuts, it's looks like something
hip and young. So with "Boy or a Girl" being played right next to
a Soundgarden song, I agree is very weird, but it might also mean
that there is hope.
C.O.: Have you guys gotten any flack for the retro clothes
you wear. I mean with all these lounge acts around now resurrecting
different shades of avocado.
R.M.: But the funny thing about all this lounge stuff that's
so hideous is that it's going to be one of those hipster trends that
is going to be huge and then burn out in a year and a half. The
people who did the records in the first place, were classically
trained people like Henry Mancini and Hugo Montenegro and they were
arrangers. And the level of musicianship that those guys had was so
ridiculously insane that they could do all those wacky things with
an orchestra. But a lot of these bands being inspired by this thing
are attempting to do things that they can't possibly do. It'd be
like me having a love for basketball and being five foot six and a
half thinking I could go out there and compete with the big guys.
But it's interesting you say that about our clothes because compared
to the clothes we wore in Jellyfish, nothing we wear we consider
retro. But if you perceive it that way, maybe I have to have a
different sort of band meeting next time around (laughs)...
---
REVIEW: The Heads, _No Talking Just Head_ (MCA)
- Bob Gajarsky
When Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth
announced a reformation of the Talking Heads, former lead singer
David Byrne immediately voiced strong objections and no desire to
return to his former band. Threatened lawsuits never
materialized, and he granted his former bandmates the right to
use The Heads as their monicker.
Without a lead vocalist, the trio decided to recruit 11
outside vocalists for their project. One of them, former
Concrete Blonde lead singer Johnette Napolitano, would be their
"touring" singer; the rest would make periodic appearances at
live shows but primarily be used only on the disc. And while
the idea of a diverse listing of vocalists (from XTC's Andy
Partridge to Violent Femmes' Gordon Gano) sounds promising,
_No Talking Just Head_ is a mish-mosh of hits and misses.
When the Heads are good, they're very good - the collaboration
with Black Grape's Shaun Ryder and Kermit on "Don't Take My
Kindness For Weakness" could easily pass for a Black Grape/Happy
Mondays song, and painting comparisons of how the musical skills
of both bands are remarkably alike. Similarly, the title track
"No Talking Just Head" (with Debbie Harry on vocals) reminds one
of Siouxie & The Banshees' "Cities In Dust", or ironically enough,
some of Concrete Blonde's work. "Punk Lolita" (with Harry,
Napolitano and Weymouth on vocals) also clicks and returns
Frantz and Weymouth back to their Tom Tom Club days.
Unfortunately, there's times when David Byrne's vocals are
sorely lacking. With "Indie Hair", Live's Ed Kowalczyk is strangely
out of his dimension when Byrne's eclectic warblings would be
a much better fit. A similar problem plagues INXS' Michael Hutchence
on "The King Is Gone"; his vocals are a wonderful fit with the
Farriss brothers in his Australian band, but here, they just leave
one longing for Byrne to drop the world music for just a little
while.
Worth a listen at the local record store's soundbooth to
determine if the "other" songs are inspiring enough to make a
purchase.
---
REVIEW: The Rutles, _Archaeology_ (Virgin)
- Dan Enright
If you're unfamiliar with the Rutles, I suggest a visit
to their "Official" website http://www.rutles.com for the complete
story. Suffice it to say that they are a well done satire/parody
of the Beatles.
There are some real-life parallels between the two bands
that are uncanny. For example, this release posthumously features
recordings of Rutles guitarist Ollie Halsall, who died in 1992 -
two finished tracks from the 1977 rehearsal sessions, "We've
Arrived (and to Prove it We're Here)," "Now She's Left You," and
the uncompleted backing track "Unfinished Words," which Neal added
lyrics to. In addition to these lost recordings, the rest of the
album features the surviving members Neal Innes (Ron Nasty -
songwriter, vocals, guitar, and keyboards), Ricky Fataar (Stig
O'Hara - vocals, guitar, drums), and John Halsey (Barry Wom -
vocals, drums), along with Mickey Simmonds (keyboards), Malcolm
Foster (bass), Dougie Boyle (guitar), and Bernie Holland (guitar).
The Rutles mythos was instigated by Eric Idle (Monty Python's
Flying Circus) and Neal (Bonzo Dog Band) in the early '70's. This
album alleges to be recently interred tapes of the group's abandonded
last album. It's actually the three recently unearthed songs,
combined with 13 new ones (written by Neal). The album is dead-on
lyrically, of a band in disintegration, while capturing (outright
stealing in many cases) the production techniques/effects of the
Beatles later recordings.
While the first album by the Rutles chronicled, lyrically
and musically, the Beatles pop-through-psychedelic styles (and as a
result was built on re-workings of the songs - ie. Neal would lift
the melodic hooks from several songs and link them together, then
write sarcastic lyrics which stand on their own, for them), here
the emphasis is on the production techniques the Beatles used after
they retired to the studio. The lyrics are also more focused,
chronicling the band's disappointment, disillusionment, and antagonism.
The album is so full of references, it's beyond the scope of
this review to list them all. What I would like to comment on,
however, is the way Neal has structured the album to tell the story
of the Beatles disintigration better than the Beatles have (can). A
longing for the band's innocence haunts the album, best reflected by
the way Neal programmed the ironic "We've Arrived (And To Prove It
We're Here)" to immediately follow the remorse of
"Rendevous/Questionaire."
"We've Arrived" sounds like a hurried soundcheck from 1964,
possibly for an Ed Sullivan television appearance. Kicking off with
a infectious pop intro, the song quickly deteriorates into a false
start while the band regroups. It sounds like a couple musical ideas
stuck together - demonstrative of the bands writing style. Here,
they're still playfully co-operating and creating. The lyrics sound
like they could have been written on the spot, to just fill the out
the music: "We've arrived! And to prove it we're here/ We've arrived!
And it's suddenly clear/ That we're here to stay/ For more than a day/
Maybe a week or a year..." The band is obviously goofing and having
fun...totally oblivious to what the future holds.
This is mirrored against "Rendezvous" where Ron Nasty
(obviously John Lennon) laments, "Do you spend the time like me?/
Yearning to be free?/ Free From all you have to do? Doing only what
you want to?/ "Oh yes, of course I do..." Ah ha, we thought as much...
"Hang on! Who are youse?" We're the other members of the band... "And
who invited you to sing along? Just answer that..." Well, no one, we
were only passing by..."Well kindly keep on going if you please..."
But we're only trying to help you with your song... "But I don't want
any help!..." The production accurately captures a band grudgingly
constructing their album instead of creating/performing it.
"Rendezvous" segues into "Questionaire" in the Beatles best
_Abbey Road_ style. Here, Neal (again as Ron Nasty) sings, "Hey
Mister man in the street - excuse me/ Do you have a few minutes to
spare? Oh yeah.../ Don't worry, I'm not trying to sell you anything
you wouldn't want/ I'm just a Questionaire.../ "Tell Me What You
Think About This Low-Fat Shampoo..." The song precedes "Rendezvous"
stylistically - it's straight out of _Magical Mystery Tour_ - and
reflects the awareness that the band has become a job, the music a
commodity.
The only time the album breaks out of the story is on
"Unfinished Word." Here the lyrics are a lightly scathing critque
against interring John Lennon, to produce "new songs" for the
_Beatles Anthology Albums_; "Unfinished words like Cheese and
Onions... (which in the lyrics is handwritten, while the rest is
typed)/ Help me to write this/ Marzipan song/ Unfinished words/
Flying like birds/ High in the sky above my Deckchair..." followed
by "I can't pretend to be/ someone who pretends to be/ someone
else.../ Or so my pretend friend tells me."
I could go on. I strongly suggest listening to this album
from this perspective. It's rewarding my multiple listenings as I
dig deeper into it. I'm impressed by how Neal cleverly addresses
both lyrically and musically, the same ideas about personal
dysfunction, love, wealth, success, class, and business that filled
John's and (to a lesser extent, the rest of the Beatles) songs.
---
REVIEW: Midge Ure, _Breathe_ (RCA Victor)
- Joe Silva
From a once supreme but brief standing in the UK charts,
to mild MTV rotation, to a seesaw dance with solo obscurity, Midge
Ure can probably ignore pop vacillations and focus instead on
keeping his common thread of passion intact. In the 80's Ure gave
the synth outfit Ultravox the unquestionable polish and skills
(voice, tunesmanship, guitar) the band needed to avoid becoming a
post-Roxy electronic curio. Together they glided to the fore of
the wispy New Romantic fad that tread all over punks' Doc Martens
sensibilities like much well oiled Italian shoe leather.
Now Ure has shed most if not all of the silk and circuitry
and headed for more heather laden ground. From the title track
opener and onwards, Ure has assumed the mature pop artist posture.
The songs on _Breathe_ are meant to be majestic, passion drenched
affairs that might pass as film soundscapes in a pinch, more scored
than sequence. Accordions, mandolins, fiddles, and even one
Uilleann Pipe wielding Paddy Moloney make the register. Organic?
Quite, but not quite unplugged either. Robert Fripp, for instance,
unsheathes his Soundscape Guitar to noodle all synth-like and ambient
in the backdrop of "Guns and Arrows."
It's almost as if Ure is taking a cue from Sting by choosing
to disavow the 4/4 roots that brought him hither. Granted, Ure's
Ultravox was never a gritty, backbeat ensemble, but they certainly
were able to shift into fourth gear whenever need be. But all of the
hurdy gurdy celtic leanings of _Breathe_ don't serve to blur any
waning strength in songwriting. The songs (some done in
collaboration with accomplished bass man and ex-Mr. Joni Mitchell
Larry Klein) are solid bits of work that prove UreUs remains a strong
hand at crafting tunes that resonate just as clearly as his lush
vocals. The only sizeable dig that can be made here is that these
Ure inlays a good number of these quite respectable songs with some
fairly heavy handed Christian outpourings. While the Ultravox text
stretched the ethereal to the saccharine, _Breathe_'s potential as
a second wind triumph for Ure is thrown off kilter by the lyrical
content. Something that was mildly hinted at as far back as
_Quartet_'s solemn "Hymn" and apparently approved of by the time
his solo hit "Dear God" took off, now belabours the strength of
this material and would probably send all but the severely dedicated
packing.
---
REVIEW: Small Faces, _The Anthology: 1965 - 1967_ (Polydor)
- Al Muzer
Dismissed in their time as little more than a foppy mod pop
band more interested in style over substance on these shores - the
Steve Marriott-led Small Faces were major factors in defining the
sights and sounds of "swinging London" in the mid-'60s.
A much more influential band than they were ever really given
credit for (save for Paul Weller, Blur, Oasis and the late Jim
Ellison), this 33-track retrospective showcases the work of a brash,
tight, soulful, surprisingly powerful pop and rock outfit deserving
of more than their present, semi-obscure cult-band status.
A foreshadowing of the raw power later exhibited by Marriott's
Humble Pie and the loose, bluesy, full-throttle roar of the (early)
Rod Stewart/Ron Wood-led Faces (which included bassist Ronnie Lane,
drummer Kenny Jones and keyboard player Ian McLagan); a serious
listen to these tunes shows a group achieving a mean, vibrating,
hard-edged sound above and beyond the flash-in-the-pan lite-pop
reputation they've long been saddled with.
Both discs intersperse a nice sampling of breezy, chart-aimed
pop rave-ups such as "What'cha Gonna Do About It," "Shake,"
"Sha-La-La-La-Lee," "Sorry She's Mine," "It's Too Late,"
"Understanding," "All Or Nothing" and "Take This Hurt Off Me" with
bluesier, more Motown- and rock-oriented tracks like "What's A Matter
Baby," "I've Got Mine," "Grow Your Own," "My Minds Eye," "That Man,"
"Come On Children," "Baby Don't Do It," "You've Really Got A Hold On
Me" and "You Need Loving" (later bastardized into "Whole Lotta Love"
by Led Zeppelin).
No matter what style the group dabbled in, Marriott's deep,
gut-bucket wail and wall of curious, thrashing, almost static power
chords worthy of Pete Townshend coupled with the chaotic drumming of
future Who stickman Jones, the rich, ringing keyboard fills of McLagan
and the supple bass and spot-on backing vocals of Lane transformed each
tune (most composed by Marriott/Lane) into something truly vital.
---
REVIEW: Blind Melon, _Nico_ (Capitol)
- Linda Scott
Blind Melon formed in Los Angeles in 1990, released its
eponymous debut in 1992, and rocketed to fame with the ubiquitous
appearance on MTV of the single "No Rain" - remember the Bee Girl?
In October, 1995, frontman and lead vocalist Shannon Hoon, 28, was
dead of a drug overdose in a tour bus outside a New Orleans club.
The cause of death was reported as an accidental drug overdose
stemming from Hoon's years of heroin addiction although the killer
here was listed as cocaine. Shannon left behind a longtime
girlfriend, infant daughter, grief-stricken parents in the Indiana
heartland, four bandmates, friends, fans, the debut album and
_Soup_, the sophomore release.
The remaining band members plan to move on together with a
new singer and new name. But, in laying Blind Melon to rest and
in tribute to Shannon, the band has put together _Nico_, an album
of Blind Melon rarities dedicated to the late singer's daughter.
_Nico_ is a retrospective including "Soul One", the first song ever
written for the band and "Hell" and "Glitch", Shannon's last
recordings. Their third album has special appeal to Blind Melon
fans, of course, though folk rock fans may like it as well.
Shannon's playfulness and style are still something very special.
There are interesting versions of some previously released material
- "No Rain" appears here as a version that would not bring on the
Bee Girl. For the most part the album is not lighthearted, with
Shannon's death almost foreshadowed from the first track, a cover
of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher." Hoon gives the lyrics and vocal a
much lighter touch than the famous Steppenwolf version - whistling
in the dark? "Soul One" is another melancholy track where Hoon
sings of not having the chance to say goodbye. The most wrenching
is the final track, "Letters From A Porcupine", sung by Shannon Hoon
onto guitarist Christopher Thorn's answering machine tape. In
mid-song, Hoon's voice is cut off as the tape beeps and ends.
_Nico_ is also an enhanced cd with lyrics, photos, concert
footage, videos and interviews. A portion of the proceeds will be
donated to the Musician's Assistance Program which helps those in
the music industry recover from drug and alcohol addiction. This
album and video documentary, _Letters From A Porcupine_, close the
books on Blind Melon. Shannon Hoon now lives only in the music and
the little girl he created. He is missed.
---
REVIEW: Robert Forster, _Warm Nights_ (Beggars Banquet)
- David Landgren
"Well the medallion's back" and Robert Forster is "drifting
back/to the nightclubs and the stage" -- Robert Forster rocking out
on "Cryin' Love", a fuzzy electric guitar underlining such gems as
"I'm going to come to your house/because I want to see/He cannot be
as good looking as me".
Here, then, is _Warm Nights_, Robert Forster's fourth album
since the breakup of The Go-Betweens. Produced by Edwyn Collins, of
80's funky- pop Orange Juice fame (read: another new wave band that
sank without a trace), the album is warmer and less moody than his
first solo album _Danger In The Past_. It's also a far better album
than his second album: the mediocre _Calling From a Country Phone_.
(Robert's third album was a quirky collection of covers, _I Had a
New York Girlfriend_, featuring a wonderful take of Martha & The
Muffins "Echo Beach").
This album, like his previous ones, is a vehicle for his
lyrics, which have always been his strong point. You must listen
to the album at least once with the lyric sheet in hand. Although
it should be said in passing that this insert is a casebook of
modern typography disasters: show me where it is said "orange text
on a pink background is a Good Thing".
The country sound that dominated _Calling..._ is still
present, but kept in check, present mainly via the pedal-steel
guitar that weaves through most of the songs. This, combined with a
rather laidback Charlie Watts style of drumming gives an overall
feeling of indolence. This is especially prominent on the opening
track "I Can Do". It takes a few listens to acquire a taste for this
album, but the effort is ultimately rewarding. There is a quiet
urgency to Robert's voice in "Warm Nights", together with a delicate
melody picked out note by note on an acoustic guitar that could
easily be overlooked on a first listening.
In the Soul-laid-bare-department, a realm where Robert is
king, there is "Snake Skin Lady", and when he says "Why must I see?",
he captures in that one phrase whether it wouldn't be easier to just
be anaesthetised by "Queensland grass", "coming out of the homes as
I pass". The siren song of the suburban couch potato.
Another high point of the album is a glorious reworking of
an early Go-Betweens track, co-written with Grant McLennan: "Rock
'n' Roll Friend". Robert's vocals sound tired and world-weary, yet
passionate at the same time, and the track is propelled along by a
tambourine and tremolo Wurlitzer. The album is worth buying for this
one alone.
If that isn't enough, the proof of Robert's brilliance is the
track "Fortress". It's a case of "Q: Why did you do that?", "A:
Because I can". Imagine a drunken tuba, oom-pah-ing along to Robert
demurely delivering the most obscure verse of the album "There's an
image of you, that's always there before me/There's an outline that
I can touch/There's an image of you/Parallel above me/You're a lover
I never want to rush". Complete with a trombone solo no-one else could
get away with, it appears to be dashed off effortlessly. An amazing
piece of work.
There are a couple of near-misses, such as "Jug of Wine", with
its trombone parp-parping away in the background, over a bubbly Mancini
riff a la "Baby Elephant Walk", but the lyrics, while on paper look
good, simply unanchor the song and leave it adrift.
The other flat spot is "On a Street Corner", a minimalist
ballad, no drums, only a acoustic guitar and a brief hint of cello.
Boring. Skip it, you won't missing anything. All the faster to get to
the closing track, "I'll Jump": some of Robert's finest lyrics wrapped
up in his closest approximation of what a three minute pop song should be.
In summary, dedicated Robert Forster fans will have already
bought this album and will be really happy with it. I know I am.
Whichever way you look at it, it is his best album to date. I can't
help feeling just a little depressed though, because it's not the
killer album we've all been waiting for since the demise of the
Go-Betweens.
The official Robert Forster home page that runs at a fast
clip, but contains little information, is at
http://www.beggars.com/rforster/rforster.html The unofficial home
page for Robert Forster contains heaps of info, and the tour date
info appears to be kept up to date regularly. Be warned, it's a
rather dreadful thing featuring gratuitous use of frames and the
dreaded scrolling JavaScript banner. Combined with slow throughput
from CompuServe at the best of times, using it can be an exercise in
frustration. Still, the official site points to it, so I take this
to mean that it has Beggars Banquet's blessing. See
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/Skeleto/homepage.htm
---
REVIEW: Bobby Fuller, _Shakedown! The Texas Tapes
Revisited_ (Del-Fi)
- Al Muzer
An artful, if not 100% convincing, musical chameleon until
his untimely (and still unexplainable) death in 1966 at the age of 24,
Bobby Fuller was the sum total of a wide variety of musical influences
ranging from Elvis to Gene Vincent, Bill Haley, Eddie Cochran, the
Everly Brothers, Elvis, the Beatles, the Ventures and, most noticably,
fellow Texan Buddy Holly.
Compiled from nearly 100 tapes recorded between 1961 and 1964
in the studio Fuller built in his parents El Paso home - _Shakedown!_
is packaged to resemble the seven-inch reel to reel tapes on which
these songs were originally captured.
Disc one runs through four or five decent, early Buddy
Holly-type tunes before Fuller's Cochran/Vincent fixation hits full
stride on vibrant versions of "Nervous Breakdown" and "Rock House"
sandwiched around a great shot at Holly's "Not Fade Away."
"King Of The Beach," "Wine, Wine, Wine" and "Bodine" are
proof that Fuller had seen at least one Frankie and Annette movie and
had heard at least two Beatle tracks; while "Keep On Dancin'" shows
more than a passing familiarity with Ritchie Valens.
While a bright, Beatle-esque, version of "I Fought The
Law" - the obscure Crickets B-side that would rocket him to fame when
it was re-recorded a few years later - shows early promise, as does
"A New Shade Of Blue" and a John Lennon-meets-Jonathan King-like tune
called "Nancy Jean"; the bulk of the first disc runs a listenable, if
not particularly original, gamut from blatant Elvis, Four Seasons,
Rick Nelson, Beatles, and Everly knock-offs and Ventures-inspired
surf tunes to generic Mersey Beat sound-alikes from an artist not
sure, exactly, where he fits in musically.
The second disc features a few repeat tracks given slightly
different treatments as Fuller and his ever-changing band (bassist and
brother Randy is the only continuous member) whip through thinly
veiled rewrites of "Shakin' All Over," "Peggy Sue," "Everyday," "True
Love Ways," "Walk, Don't Run" and "Telestar" - as well as covers of
"Summertime Blues," "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Donna," "Do You Wanna
Dance?" and "Keep A Knockin' " - in Fuller's never-ending quest for a
signature sound and elusive commercial success.
---
REVIEW: The Candy Butchers, _Live At La Bonbonniere_
(Blue Thumb) / Fountains of Wayne, _Fountains Of
Wayne_ (TAG/Atlantic)
- Bill Holmes
Although it took Tom Hanks' Hollywood muscle to propel a pop
soundtrack onto the charts, there's no denying that the title track
to "That Thing You Do" is a killer pop single. As life imitates art
and the song streaks up the charts, attention has thankfully been
directed at its writers, Adam Schlesinger and Mike Viola. While
neither band sounds like the fictional Wonders (I'd buy a Rubinoos
record for that!), both releases will please pop fans.
Viola's band, the Candy Butchers, have released a five-track
live EP; two songs are from the upcoming self-titled CD. Recorded as
a duo, tracks like "Bells On A Leper" are reminiscent of _East Side
Story_-era Squeeze, both in vocal style and witty wordplay. Viola's
slightly raspy harmonies with partner Todd Foulsham have the classic
appeal that all good pop from the Everlys to The Posies is built upon.
This is occasionally offset by lyrics that are anything but fluff,
like the plea from the obsessive unrequited lover in "Till You Die".
Grab this for a solid taste of a good band.
Fountains Of Wayne is a horrible name for a book, let alone
a band, but get past that and there's a Whitman's Sampler of pop
waiting for you. FOW wear their roots on their sleeves, from the
Beatle-ish harmonies to their more lo-fi heroes ("Leave The Biker"
is a hysterical song that They Might Be Giants would kill for).
"Survival Car" and the slower paced "She's Got A Problem" hits the
mark the Lemonheads can't, and I can best describe "I've Got A
Flair" as a head-on collision between Cheap Trick's "Dream Police"
and the Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda" - really! Strands of Beach
Boys, Raspberries and even the Ramones are dumped into a blender
and whipped into a delicious confection of strong harmonies and
melodies that will not leave your brain. There's a big difference
between being derivative and being a product of your influences,
and FOW is definitely the latter. Quite simply, this is one of the
best pop records of the year.
While I'm excited by the success of _That Thing You Do_, I
don't expect it to wake the rest of the world up to the great pop
scene that struggles for recognition. But if it helps get these two
bands a little more notoriety, well, that's a start.
---
REVIEW: Harold Budd, _Luxa_ (All Saints/Gyroscope)
- Lee Graham Bridges
Ethereal, ethereal, ethereal. Minimal, minimal, minimal.
The same dry, unengaging comments about Harold Budd infect the
few discographies, summaries, and press releases regarding his work.
More precisely, Harold Budd is impressionistic in the age
of "pop" overstatement. His work is crafted with the quality that
the experience of experimentation brings; Budd was part of the
minimalist and avant-garde movements of the 1960's, writing such
pieces as "Unspecified D-flat Major Chord and Lirio" (a 24-hour
solo gong performance). In the 70's, Budd shifted his composing
focus from outright simplicity to prettiness and decoration; in
'72 he wrote "Madrigals Of The Rose Angel", featuring a topless
chorus of female singers, harp, percussion, celeste and lights.
_Luxa_, Budd's first solo album since 1991, is an excellent
mixture of the minimalism and prettiness of his past. Simple,
repetitive, direct melodies and rhythms throughout the album,
accompanied by one-dimensional background hums, lock the listener
into a state of amused contemplation. "A Sidelong Glance From My
Round Nefertiti," one standout track, seems reminiscent of his
collaboration with the Cocteau Twins, _The Moon And The Melodies_,
with a simple, rolling piano melody over a subtle background drone.
"Feral" in a similar way sets up a harmonic balance between
background drone and repetitive foreground "themes," or patterns
of notes through a song, and adds gentle voice-like samples and an
even less cutting keyboard sample in the fore instead of regular piano.
The 80's brought Budd to utilize the recording studio as a
key instrument in his music, much like ambient composer Brian Eno,
with whom he collaborated on _The Pearl_ and _Ambient 2: The
Plateaux of Mirror_. This kind of emphasis on production and sonic
decoration has a definite positive effect on _Luxa_ and many other
albums, without taking away the music's ability to make tiny,
beautiful auditory tracks across his audience's mind.
Budd's work includes well over a dozen solo works and
collaborations, working with musicians like Robin Guthrie of the
Cocteau Twins on _The White Arcades_, and XTC's Andy Partridge on
_Through The Hill_ in 1994.
---
REVIEW: Martin Barre, _The Meeting_ (Imago)
- Paul Grzelak
Martin Barre is perhaps best known for his guitar work
with Jethro Tull. Many of his guitar riffs and musical ideas
surround the rock classics which made Jethro Tull famous. Martin's
work has made classics of Tull favorites, such as "Aqualung". But
in his latest album, Martin Barre has taken electric guitar into
new areas of rock.
_The Meeting_ is his latest solo work, in which Martin acts
as composer, lyricist, and artist. Martin's stylish electric and
acoustic guitar work, combined with some flowing instrumentation,
creates a rock sound that is unique. The sound is somewhat
reminiscent of bands like Asia, Kansas, and Rush, with some Jethro
Tull sounds thrown in.
Assisting Martin in this recording are an assortment of
talented folks. Gerry Conway, Doane Perry and Dave Mattacks perform
on the drums on various tracks. Bass is provided by Jon Noyce. With
Mel Collins on sax, Andrew Murray on keyboards and Miles Bould on
various percussion thrown into the mix, this creates a full and
flowing instrumental mix. On vocals, you have Maggie Reeday and
Joy Russel (on the last track).
All in all a talented group of performers, with Martin
leading them all on a sometimes overpowering electric and acoustic
guitar - with, of course, some flute thrown in on occasion. While
the sound quality and instrumentation is good, this is an album that
did not immediately grab this reviewer's attention. It *is* an album
that grows on you, however. With repeated listenings, this reviewer
has seen more and more in each of the tracks.
_The Meeting_ opens with the title track, "The Meeting". A
strong guitar line combined with some nice keyboard and guitar gives
a classic rock feel. The vocals are clear and crisp. "The Potion"
is a song with interesting guitar riffs, coupled with some keyboard
and vocal effects. This particular track is faintly reminiscent of
Kansas or Styx.
On to an instrumental, "Outer Circle" is a track with some
great guitar work, built on a strong bass and drum theme. Nice
development of the work throughout the track, with sax and keyboards
introduced as the piece builds. The studio post production provides
great depth in the guitar lines and in adding some spatial effects
that enhance the sound. "Misere" is another instrumental - but this
one is a rather good combination of acoustic guitar, electric guitar,
combined with some nice percussion work. The way the electric and
acoustic interweave through the track is a joy. Some rather good
and subtle keyboard work as well.
Another instrumental. "Spanner" has a great instrumental
combination, with a rather jazzy feel. Warm melodies, with some
interplay between sax, keys, and drums. All of which is lead by a
crisp and perfectly executed electric guitar line. It is easy to
see why Martin Barre has such a renowned history with the instrument
in so many bands. "Tom's" is a rather quick moving instrumental.
Basically some really good travel music - great in a car.
"I Know Your Face" adds Martin's flute playing to the mix.
A welcome addition. Again the sound will remind the listener of
classic rock styles. "Time After Time" is a track with some
intriguing percussion and rhythm. The interaction between the
instruments gives this track a rather powerful feeling. The vocals
seem a bit overpowering, almost an afterthought tacked on.
"Running Free" blends a combination of guitars and sounds.
The effects of the varying instruments builds the track quite well.
Each of the short vocal verses is accompanied by a somewhat different
musical sound. The end result is an interesting musical variety,
with a kind of rolling flow.
"Dreamer" is the personal best of the lyric works on the
album. With a combination of strong acoustic guitar work, accented
with a rather mellow vocal combination and percussion.
The final work of the album is "The Audition". An excellent
musical closure to the album. Slightly too cutesy vocals from a pair
of guest vocalists, though.
_The Meeting_ is a highly interesting album, strongly
reminiscent of classic rock with a rather highly polished flair,
which grows on you. It requires additional listening for full
effect. In addition, the vocals and lyrics seemed a bit underwhelming
at times. This reviewer preferred the instrumental tracks the most,
and feels the vocals are the weakest part of the album. As a whole,
however, _The Meeting_ is an excellent work. Martin Barre and company
should be commended.
---
REVIEW: Love Nut, _Bastards of Melody_ (Interscope)
- John B. Fahres
In 1995, a local label in Baltimore (called Merkin)
signed a band (called Love Nut) and released an album (called
_Bastards of Melody_). Shortly after the release, Love Nut was
picked up by Interscope records, who re-released the album.
Why is this pertinent information, you ask, when this is supposed
to be a review of the CD?
Simple. The Merkin version of the release has the nifty
glow-in-the-dark-cover, that's why! Sure, it's cheesy, sure,
it's campy, but then again, the album's called _Bastards of
Melody_, and has a picture of a dwarf on the cover mugging with
a Gretsch standing in front of a cool old '66 Buick Special.
This cover screams "ATTITUDE"!!! And that's Love Nut in a (pardon
the pun) nutshell.
Consisting of Andy Bopp on guitar and vocals, Max
Mueller on guitar and vocals, Dave Vespoint on bass, and Tom
Sabia on drums, this Baltimore quartet hits you right between
the eyes from the first note of "She Won't Do Me", and doesn't
let up until the last measures of "Black Cat". Does it falter
along the journey? Sure, but I've rarely met a record that didn't.
Highlights include the songs "Into Battle" and "Touch",
the most melodic tunes of the this collection. Crunchy guitars
and vocals that range from silky smooth to rawing growls give
this record its best appeal.
The record slips only when it forgets to hook you, on
songs like "The Images", which lacks that Love Nut catchy pop/punk
groove. They hit more on songs like "I'm A Loser", which
contains the chanted refrain of the title that has everybody
singing along even if you've never heard the song before.
Even though you can't get the cool glow-in-the-dark
cover any more, you'll want to pick this record up if you're
into high-energy power pop. If Yanni's more your speed, you'd
better skip this one... of course, if you don't pick this one
up, the band might just send the dwarf after you with the shotgun
he's pictured holding on the back cover.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Raspberries Preserved_ (Ginger)
- Bill Holmes
It's about time.
Anyone familiar with the Raspberries knows that they were
like a bright star, streaking to brilliance and then imploding
just when they were starting to look like a keeper. But as Big
Star fans will tell you, a lifetime of influence can be imparted
in a short career, and that's why many current bands lined up to
share the experience of bringing these songs to the forefront
once more.
Any tribute disk fan knows better than to expect every song
to be great, but _Preserved_ amazingly kicks off with two of the
three weakest tracks, including a limp version of "Go All The
Way" - certainly someone submitted a better version than this!
But pressing on we come across the ever-dependable Bill Lloyd
("Goin' Nowhere Tonight"), The Rubinoos ("Cruisin Music") and
even the Nicoteens covering the Carmen solo classic "Hey Deanie".
Brad Jones' "Let's Pretend" wins the battle of the falsettos
with Ken Sharp's "Waiting", and The Flashcubes nail a powerful
version of "Don't Want To Say Goodbye". Ex-band member Scott
McCarl diplomatically chooses the Carmen/Smalley "Nobody Knows",
and even Off Broadway stars with "Tonight". Production is almost
always consistently good, which is no slam dunk on projects like
this.
If I have one main complaint, it's the liner notes. Four
pages of band history from Ken Sharp is nice, but I'd have omitted
Jordan Oakes' page of kudos for some information about the bands!
Outside of a track listing on the rear jacket, there's nothing.
While it's not as wall-to-wall solid as _Sing Hollies In
Reverse_ (eggBert), what tribute is? Pop fans will enjoy this
twenty-one track labor of love, and it's an absolute must-have
for Raspberries fans. And yes, I know that last sentence may have
been redundant.
---
REVIEW: Reel Big Fish, _Turn The Radio Off_ (Mojo)
- Simon Speichert
I hadn't heard much ska until I got this disc. Maybe bits
and pieces, but I didn't really know what it was - until now.
Reel Big Fish is an energetic 7-piece (2 trumpets, 2 trombones,
drums, bass, guitar) ska band from Southern California. Although their
lyrics may sound strange, they do have rhythm, and with their energy,
everyone gets a workout on this album.
I like _Turn The Radio Off_. It's perfect for parties because
the songs are short, fast, and full of energy - and the horns sound
cool in fast songs. If these guys are this pumped in the studio I'd
love to see them live! It has a great professional sound, with
everything having equal space in the mix. On some ska records, the
horns and/or bass are too overpowering, but not here.
Produced by Jay Rifkin and John Avila, _Turn The Radio Off_
is RBF's second album, and it spans 15 tracks. With great songs
like "Beer", "Everything Sucks", "Sell Out", and "Join The Club",
this thing's a sure hit.
---
NEWS: > Sonicnet chats: Dec. 9, 7:00 pm, Descendants; Dec. 11, 7:00 pm,
Chemical Brothers; Dec. 13, 7:30 pm, Corrosion of Conformity. All times
are Eastern Standard; the chats can be accessed via
http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat
---
TOUR DATES
Arm Dogs
Dec. 12 Los Angeles, CA Cicada
Backsliders
Dec. 12 Knoxville, TN Bijou
Barenaked Ladies
Dec. 11 Atlanta, GA Civic Center
Dec. 12 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre
Dec. 13 Dallas, TX Buffalo Bowl
Black Crowes
Dec. 10 Phoenix, AZ Union Hall
Dec. 12-13 Los Angeles, CA Pantages
Dec. 14 San Diego, CA 4th & B
Dec. 15 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Boiled In Lead
Dec. 11 Boston, MA Johnny D's
Dec. 12 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Dec. 13 Worcester, MA Above Club
Dec. 15 Columbus, OH Stache's
Dec. 16 Charleston, WV Empty Glass
Tracy Bonham
(All shows are sponsored by the listed radio station)
Dec. 12 San Jose, CA KOME
Dec. 13 Los Angeles, CA KROQ
Dec. 14 Houston, TX KTBZ
Dec. 15 Austin, TX KROX
Johnny Cash
Dec. 10 Anderson, IN Paramount Theatre
Dec. 11 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Dec. 12 Neenah, WI Auditorium
Dec. 14 Des Moines, IA Civic Center
Dec. 16 Minneapolis, MN Orchestra Hall
Chimera
Dec. 11 St. Louis, MO Cicero's
Dec. 12 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Dec. 16 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy Malone's
Phil Cody
Dec. 10 Scottsdale, AZ Rocking Horse
Dec. 12 Los Angeles, CA Roxy
Dec. 15 Solano Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
Deftones
Dec. 10 St. Louis, MO Galaxy
Dec. 11 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Dec. 12 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Dec. 14 Salt Lake City, UT Fowl Friends Bldg.
Dec. 16 Vancouver, BC Starfish Room
Ednaswap
Dec. 10 New York, NY Brownie's
Dec. 11 New York, NY CB GB's Gallery
Ginger
Dec. 12 Nanaimo, BC Queens
Dec. 13 Victoria, BC Vertigo
Dec. 14 Vancouver, BC The Town Pump
Gravity Kills
Dec. 10 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theatre
Dec. 12 Tempe, AZ Electric Ballroom
Jason & The Scorchers
Dec. 13 Louisville, KY The Brewery
Lizard Music
Dec. 14 Asbury Park, NJ Saint
London Suede
Dec. 10 Southampton Guildhall
Dec. 12 Exeter University
Dec. 13-14 London Roundhouse
Sarah McLachlan
Dec. 11 Atlanta, GA Civic Center
Dec. 13 Dallas, TX Fair Park Colliseum
Dec. 13 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheatre (Yes, 2 shows on Dec. 13)
Teddy Morgan
Dec. 11 Louisville, KY Stevie Ray's
Dec. 12 Pittsburgh, PA Tobacco Roadhouse
Dec. 13 Bethesda, MD Twist & Shout
Dec. 14 Charlotte, NC Double Door
Dec. 16 Chattanooga, TN Sand Bar
Ocean Colour Scene
Dec. 10 Los Angeles, CA The Whiskey
Poorhouse Rockers
Dec. 12 Fells Point, MD Parkers Tavern
Dec. 13 Ocean City, MD Fager's Island
Professor & Maryann
Dec. 10 New York, NY Fez
Speed McQueen
Dec. 12 New York, NY Brownies
Sponge / Ruth Ruth / Red Five
Dec. 10 St. Petersberg, FL Jannus Landing
Dec. 11 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Edge
Dec. 13 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
Dec. 14 Shreveport, LA Midtown Hall
Dec. 15 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom
Dec. 17 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Dec. 12 Knoxville, TN The Bijou Theater
Dec. 13 Birmingham, AL Zydeco
Dec. 14 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's
Dec. 16-17 Austin, TX The Electric Lounge
Stillsuit
Dec. 15 New York, NY Wetlands
Tree
Dec. 12 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Dec. 13 Columbus, OH Chelsie's
Dec. 14 Buffalo, NY Showplace Theater
Miss Lavelle White
Dec. 13 Tyler, TX Rick's
Dec. 14 Ft. Worth, TX J&J's Blues Bar
Yatsura
Dec. 10 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
(Regarding Rich P's letter on Marilyn Manson, Dec. 2 issue)
I have to disagree; (writer Janet) Herman's review of
_Antichrist_Superstar_ was not nearly as flawed or tainted as
we are led to believe. I would say that it was no more tainted,
possibly less tainted, than Rich's response. It seems to me that it
may well have been motivated by Rich taking offense because he likes
the album more than Herman.
My reading of the review in question had less emotional
investment, and I certainly have to agree that there are many people
who like this album and Marilyn Manson quite a bit. There is a place
however for those who do not. Is it somehow a wrong match because
Herman didn't give a sparkling review? What makes a bad match between
this album and Herman? Using Rich's argument on his own response
yields the same questions.
The review by Herman was informative, it was respectful, and it
was honest. That is more than enough to warrant a thank you to the
writer: it is a difficult job to put an opinion out and not to cave in
to the majority of reviewer's opinions or to waffle and not take a
stand. As for the specific issue of mentioning the Eurythmics cover,
I expect such useless and insignificant banter from "print-based, mass
media marketing efforts." - Steven Lewis
---
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