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Consumable Online Issue 042
==== ISSUE 42 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [June 8, 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: Scott Byron, Kelley Crowley, Nigel Harding, Tim
Hulsizer, Sean Eric McGill, Melissa Pellegrin,
P. Nina Ramos, Jamie Roberts, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Jorge Velez, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Scott Williams
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |-.
`------------' |
`------------'
REVIEW: The Police, _Live!_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Catherine Wheel, _happy days_ - Dan Enright
REVIEW: Sugar Ray, _Lemonade and Brownies_ - Martin Bate
INTERVIEW: Omnium Recordings and Drew Miller: Independent and On-line
- Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEWS: Recent Omnium releases - Boiled in Lead, Garmarna, Cordelia's Dad
- Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Chris Connelly, _Shipwreck_ - John Walker
REVIEW/INTERVIEW: Rosa Mota _Wishful Sinking_ - John Walker
CONTEST: Nettwerk Records
NEWS: Manic Street Preachers, Gene Release Party, Rocktropolis, Gary Tanin
TOUR: Simon Bonney, Cravin' Melon, General Public, God Lives Underwater,
Lollapalooza '95, Joan Osborne/Dead Hot Workshop, Shaw/Blades
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Fugazi, Hootie and the Blowfish, Mercury Rev, Muffs, More
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: The Police, _Live!_ (A&M)
- Tim Kennedy
The Police were an unusual band to appear in the heady days of punk.
They'd all been in bands before - Sting and Andy Summers in overblown
pomp rock tosh merchants Curved Air. The manager (and brother
of drummer Stuart) Miles Copeland was a former top CIA operative
and arch right-wing reactionary. They sang virtually all love songs
in stark contrast to the anti-love message of their contemporaries)
and their output was unashamedly poppy. Andy Summers had in fact been
around the scene as early as the sixties (and had been a neighbour
of the legendary Syd Barrett during his Floyd days, trivia fans).
Sting, it will be remembered, became an icon of the brief mod revival
of 1979-80 when he starred as the 'ace face' in the Who's 60's great yoof
epic 'Quadrophenia' of 1978. To his credit he never cashed in by making
spurious 'sixties' R'n'B (i.e. 'mod') music, unlike other lesser
artists at the turn of the seventies.
He has since become one of the international rock aristocracy, for
better or for worse. His solo career has easily eclipsed the other two, who
one occasionally spots in the credits of TV shows for writing the theme music.
True they wrote a great deal of white reggae, as did many of the
original punk groups, influenced by Don Letts, dreadlocked DJ at the
legendary Roxy who used to play dub and rockers disks as much as punk, in
between live performances by top punk bands. But in contrast to the spiky
experimental shapes thrown by the likes of the Slits and the heavy
dub of the Clash, the Police took inspiration from Bob Marley, whose
accessible pop had established itself widely by the late 70s. Gordon
Sumner AKA Sting and his mates added a soft rock guitar feel to the
Jamaican rythms, and Sting was probably the first white singer to build
a successful career by affecting a Jamaican accent. Their American
connection through the Copelands gave an edge that led them to greater
success there than other British outfits such as the Jam, who bombed
across the Atlantic.
This 145min double CD features two concerts, one in Boston from 1979
and the other 1983 in Atlanta. The performances don't add or subtract
much from the originals, but it is an interesting collection, drawing
from two distinct eras of the Police's development. There are three kinds
of live bands: bands that reproduce their studio more or less; the
bands that rip up their songs and change them round for the audience's
entertainment - Led Zeppelin were very good at this; and the bands that
sound totally different live anyway - generally because they can't play
too well -e.g. The Clash and indeed The Rolling Stones for many years.
The Police come in the first category on the evidence presented in this
CD -with one notable exception.
In 1979 the Police were already established in the UK charts.
"Message In A Bottle" went straight to number one in the autumn of that year.
The record was the furthest yet the band had moved musically from the
punk 'style'. This show opens with a putative 'punk' number "Next To
You" and it is only here that the sound quality wavers somewhat.
Another time the band stray into '77 territory is on "Fall Out",
a few songs later, which was their first single. "Truth Hits Everybody"
features too, it always struck me as a bit punky, but has the distinct
advantage over the former two of being a jolly good tune. "Landlord"
was possibly as political as the Police got, not very political at
all as it happens. This is another 'punky' number. These sound very
rushed and are in stark contrast to the confident material elsewhere
on the CD. They weren't really suited to this material; this writer
believes that they were only there in order to gatecrash the punk
bandwagon in the first place. "Peanuts", although a fast rock number,
is too 'light' to be punk. The nearest they got to some sort of anthem,
"Born in the 50s" is a song on behalf of their generation, criticising
their parents - but already the Police were of an older generation
themselves in comparison to their peers.
Sting complains of throat trouble at the start of the show but you
couldn't tell he was in any difficulty otherwise.
The material is predominantly the first album, with highlights "So
Lonely" and "Roxanne" exemplifying the blue-eyed reggae element of their
early output. "The Bed's Too Big Without You" is possibly the most
reggae-ified of the earlier material - it was on the second album _Regatta
De Blanc_. This is easily the highlight of the whole collection,
featuring an interesting extended percussive dubwise middle section.
"Can't Stand Losing You" was a nice combination of the two strands of
early Police - vaguely punky chorus with reggaeish verses. This was probably
the song that broke them in the UK. Again a very good performance is
featured here.
The 'risque' ode to a blowup sex doll - "Be My Girl" is the final
track. This was a thing of it's time - John Cooper Clarke, punk poet, no
doubt inspiration for it - especially with the cod northern English accent
delivery. It has none of JCC's use of alliteration and surreal vision
unfortunately, aside from the fact that JCC was (is!) a genuine working class
northerner unlike Sting - a middle class north-easterner who toted a fake
London accent onstage!
Overall the first CD displays the band at the end of their 'angry (not
so) young men' period. The second CD has the Police playing with synths,
exotic rythms and the melodic philosophical pop that they came out with
around the time of the _Synchronicity_ album. There is also some material
indicating a resurgent 'progressive rock' thread - "Synchronicity 1"
and "Walking In Your Footsteps" for example.
Although they took some flak at the time for pretentiousness in the UK
press, this was their best album to date and compares well to
anything out at the time ('82 admittedly not a vintage year for rock...)
The themes of Jung and political commentary (mentioning picket lines
and Ireland) were aired -somewhat casually.
However, airhead dumbness like "De Do Do Do" particularly irritated
some, and indicated that although the band wanted to be viewed as
serious commentators of their times, they were also keen to sidestep
big issues, often content to merely use controversial images. Example
"When your eloquence escapes you/Their logic ties you up and rapes you".
Hmm, yes, very sensitively put...
They were contemporaries of dozens of bands that weren't afraid
properly to address the difficult issues of the time such as disarmament,
unemployment, Ireland, racism and so on. The Jam, U2, the Specials, The
English Beat all combined great pop with serious comment and influenced
their listeners. The Police never joined any of the great benefit concerts
of the day and their manager was often to be heard condemning protesters as
'commies'.
What people will remember the Police for is their uncanny knack with
a pop tune, and this 1983 concert displays some of their finest - "Every
Breath You Take", "Don't Stand So Close To Me", "Wrapped Around Your
Finger", all these and more are tunes that, once heard, will probably
entwine themselves round your cortex forever. They are pop classics
of the best vintage. The only slight drawback here is that the backing
singers are virtually lost in the mix, this particularly affecting "King Of
Pain" in its call-response section.
Certain of the songs from the 1st CD are featured again, which maybe
could have been left out, but presumably are included for completeness.
"Roxanne" is given an extended quiet middle section which doesn't amount
to much. "Can't Stand Losing You" has a long audience partipation
section which you can take or leave.
For Police fans this is a treat, two time capsules of the band
during the middle and towards the end of their career. For the casual
fan of late seventies/eighties music, it is a fine document of one of the
most talented pop groups of that time, displaying both their strengths and
weaknesses. For the Sting fan of today who isn't too familiar with his
old band, it is a great chance to catch up and see just how much of the
band's songwriting was his contribution - evidently most of it.
---
REVIEW: Catherine Wheel, _happy days_, (fontana/Mercury Records)
- Dan Enright
The album opens with a sound and style reminicent of Seattle's
sub-pop records, heavy and hard with slightly distorted vocals, yet
melodic. Opening with the lament, "I've Got God Inside My Head" and
continuing through the *first side* (I have the cassette) I
couldn't decide if this was a heartfelt tribute to the style, or a
tongue-in-cheek jibe, "Listen, anyone can do that..."
The packaging is as dark as the recording. The band's logo is
printed in a dark gray on a black background, making it almost
indistinguishable. That, and the title, are the first clue these guys are
not contented. And for the most part, that's an accurate profile. There are a
few "uptempo/not too gloomy" songs, but for the most part it's lyrically
bleak.
After several listens, I'm still not sure if it's a tribute or a
parody. They've captured the style accurately, either way. By the last
song on side one, "Eat My Dust You Insensitive Prick", they've begun
slipping back to the sound I'm familiar with. Sleepy, melodic pop, with
breathy vocals and those unique harmonies. Still, the song's addition of
bluesy harmonica ties it to the rest of the side. The stand -out track on
the first side, "Little Muscle", (about the tongue, of course) is so
stylistically different from the rest of the album - upbeat and rockin',
using a major scale instead of the minors they seem to favor - it must be
the album's single. The second side's, "Judy Staring At The Sun", must be the
second single with it's classic "British Pop" style.
The second side opens with "Shocking". On this cut, the two
styles are combined like oil and water. The instruments are contemporary
rock, while their vocals and arrangement could only be Catherine Wheel.
From that point on the album is a continuation of previous work. They still
favor the harsh, distorted guitars, but the arrangements and harmonies have
returned to their established style. The transition is subtle and well done.
Overall, the album seems to reflect a desire by the band to grow
and experiment, by incorporating radically different musical styles they
admire. It works fairly well. The group's moved forward while still
retaining a link to their past. I suspect the next album will be the
breakthrough. Oh yeah, they need to lighten up just a little more...
---
REVIEW: Sugar Ray, _Lemonade and Brownies_ (Lava/Atlantic)
- Martin Bate
The cover is a soft-edged photo of a young, naked blonde girl on
all-fours with her bottom pushed up in the air. Oh dear....
This is the debut album from Sugar Ray, an LA foursome with House
of Pain's DJ Lethal helping out on production. A little surprisingly then,
that their sound in the main is fashionable rock-punk with only a side-serve of
rap and funk.
OK, lets get the bad bits out the way first. Too many songs here
sound like the wave of ordinary funk-metal that swept in on the back of
the success of Living Colour and the Chili Peppers a few years back.
"Iron Mic" typifies the problem, sounding *exactly* like a white-boy rock
band attempting a clumsy stab at funk - think a harder-edged Extreme circa
their second album. This is then allied to a clumsy and patronizing attempt
at social commentary - the fate of Mike Tyson in this case, although
elsewhere the favoured topic seems to be childish sex stories - and topped
of with a lumpen, wooden rap which proves once and for all that, like
playing guitar, anyone *can* do it, but that you need a wealth of talent
and skill to make it interesting. Then you've got the drive-in ordering
skit which was old years ago and the cock-rock of "Caboose" which I can
only hope is meant to be a joke.
So I hate this, right? Well, no. "Big Black Woman" is a cool two
minute comic thrash-around, "Dance Party USA" has an admirably scuzzy riff,
and "Mean Machine" is a dumb rock-and-roller worthy of The Supersuckers
and guaranteed to have you flooring the gas pedal.
Then there's "Danzig Needs a Hug" (possibly song title of the
year!) and "Scuzzboots", whose daft titles hide rare moments of sincerity,
with the band's funk benefiting from the ham-fisted power-chords being
replaced by some smooth DJ Lethal produced beats, the latter utilising
the same ice-cool brooding backing as Compton's Most Wanted's "Hoodrat".
Throughout the whole album there's an energy and sense of fun
that shines easily through the crisp production and suggests that they'd
be a riot live. All in all, it's certainly a fair way to being a good,
varied, dumb party album. And to be fair that's probably what they were
aiming for all along.
---
INTERVIEW: Omnium Recordings and Drew Miller: Independent and On-line
- Jon Steltenpohl
Picture all of the colors of the musical rainbow: the subtle earthiness
of folk, the flashy show of rock, the dark depths of the blues, the rough
abandon of punk, and the swirling sounds of world music. Each has a style
and mood that sets them apart as distinct and individual. Now, chop them
up and throw them into a sound kaleidoscope. Notice how they float between
each other in a random promenade that churns with a beauty that each of the
parts could never hold. And before you know it, with the blink of an
eyelash, you are mesmerized and engaged by the musical mix.
This is the only way I have to describe the style of music featured on
Drew Miller's Omnium Recordings label. Omnium features a broad collection
of sounds and moods and feelings that fit together in a cosmic way. Like
the Pogues merging punk and traditional Irish music or Enigma splicing
Gregorian chants with electronic dub beats, the music found lurking in the
halls of Omnium has many faces and many ways to appeal to every listener.
The latest releases from Omnium include Cordelia's Dad, who's sound Miller
describes as "really loud versions of traditional music songs," and the
Swedish band Garmarna that specializes in cold-blooded fairy tales.
Consider Drew Miller's own band, Boiled in Lead. For over ten years,
Boiled in Lead has been a cult favorite inside the Minneapolis music scene
and throughout the world. They started out as a Celtic/world music band,
and through the years have evolved into something broader Miller has been
with the band from the start, and his bass and dulcimer are Boiled in
Lead's backbone. With the addition of a new lead singer, Adam Stemple,
Miller considers Boiled in Lead "more rocking, more improvisational."
Boiled in Lead's on-stage presence is what has earned their cult
status. Says Miller, "We all love improvising, yet we know what each of the
songs require." At a Boiled in Lead concert, you are as likely to hear a
bawdy, drunken Irish jig as a simple, acoustic Hungarian tune. From listening
to their two latest albums, _Antler Dance_ and _Songs from The Gypsy_, this
comes as no surprise. Boiled in Lead might start out giving you a southern
blues song straight from the Allman Brothers archives and then take a wide
u-turn to Bulgaria for a folk dance. After Bulgaria, it's off to a mid-
western bar known as the Hook'em Cow for a crazy, inebriated romp through
the pasture.
If all this seems a little weird, don't be scared off. Just because
Boiled in Lead draws from many wells doesn't mean they won't quench your
thirst. Instead, Boiled in Lead will quench a thirst you never knew you
had. The combination of traditional and modern music satisfies in a
surging, primal way. It may be as fundamental as the appeal of Beethoven
or Mozart.
But, as that music was timeless for the aristocrats, the songs of the
common folk and gypsies who danced in moonlight and sang around campfires
were certainly just as eternal. Perhaps the immediacy of traditional music
is more vital than the classics. Miller puts it this way, "There's so much
powerful traditional music out there that, if you succeed in presenting it
in a powerful way, you can take it to the next generation."
And just as Boiled in Lead's music combines the sounds and textures of
the old and the new, Miller's label is finding it's own way. With a classic
DIY style, Omnium Recordings is a true independent label. Miller explains
that it "comes from wanting to see things done right. We're always looking
for people to work with, but it's more important for it to be the right
people."
Although Omnium is now distributed nationally by a larger record
company, it isn't a big fish like Sony or Atlantic. Instead, Omnium's
distributor is one of the United States premier folk and traditional labels,
Flying Fish. Why did Miller go with Flying Fish? Miller explains that
"they're good people to deal with. They're honest."
While Miller's business dealings may be as traditional as a handshake,
promotion of the Omnium label is established on the internet. To start
with, there's the "leadheads" mailing list. "The mailing list has been
around for 3 years now," comments Miller. In addition to their mailing
list, Boiled in Lead can be found hiding out in the Usenet news groups, and
Omnium has their own corporate address "tunes@omnium.com". A quick note to
say "hello" will produce a 25 page catalog of the entire Omnium catalog.
In another modern move, the latest Omnium release is a CD-ROM that
contains both a full album and a full novel. _Songs from The Gypsy_ is one
of the first albums to feature the new I-trax technology. I-trax allows a
CD-ROM to be played like a normal audio CD without that annoying first
track featuring 30 minutes of fuzz. The songs act as something of a
soundtrack to the Steven Brust and Megan Lindholm book, _The Gypsy_, which
is the ROM portion of the CD-ROM. Not only do you have a book to read, but
a stunning album to listen to after you're done.
Drew Miller, Omnium Recordings, and the artists of Omnium are doing
something right. In the world of music, Miller is one of the good guys.
When asked about signing on with a major label someday, he downplays the
idea. "I don't know that everything we do would be suited for major
distribution," says Miller. "We're definitely looking for music that's
going to endure. We're looking for people who take chances, and people
that will be listened to for a while." The result is that every Omnium
album is a treasure chest. As Miller proclaimed, "If people _once_ get the
chance to listen to it, they'll like it." Without a doubt, one listen will
light a flame of passion in your heart.
To get in touch with Omnium, e-mail: tunes@omnium.com or use:
Boiled in Lead listserv: send e-mail to leadheads-request@apocalypse.org
WWW homepage: http://www.apocalypse.org/leadheads/home.html
Snail mail: For a catalog, send a SASE to Omnium Recordings, Postbox 7367
Minneapolis, MN 55407 USA Phone: (612)379-0405 Fax: (612)379-0354
---
REVIEWS: Recent Omnium releases -
Boiled in Lead, Garmarna, Cordelia's Dad
- Jon Steltenpohl
Boiled in Lead - _Antler Dance_ and _Songs from the Gypsy_
When something achieves "cult" status, it's due to the fact that
despite greatness, the general public hasn't had the chance to experience it.
Such is certainly the case with Boiled in Lead. For over 10 years, Boiled in
Lead has been one of Minneapolis's beloved live bands, but it has been hard
for them to break away from their regional status. This is a shame because
their mix of traditional American tunes, world rhythms, and rock anthems
deserves a much larger audience.
1994's _Antler Dance_ is an eclectic mix of "good 'ol fiddle" tunes,
Bulgarian dances, and bar songs a la the Replacements. What is most
impressive about _Antler Dance_ is that no matter what style is being
tackled, Boiled in Lead pulls it off as if all they played was that type of
music. It takes a few listens before _Antler Dance_ really takes ahold,
but once it does, you'll know it.
_Songs from The Gypsy_ is a CD-ROM and album in one. The CD-ROM
portion is the book, _The Gypsy_, is a dark, mystical tale of a gypsy and a
series of mysterious crimes. The album contains songs that were co-written by
Boiled in Lead's lead singer, Adam Stemple and the co-author of _The
Gypsy_, Steven Brust during the same period that the novel was written.
The album features a side of Boiled in Lead that comes close to a
classic rock sound. Shades of Mason Proffit and the Allman Brothers merge
with the Boiled in Lead sound in a refreshingly new style. _Songs from The
Gypsy_ is perfect for the music lover who likes classic roots rock but is
tired of hearing the same old songs. Boiled in Lead animates and adds soul
to every note and tune they play no matter what the style. They are a rare
treasure.
Garmarna - _Vittrad_ ("Crumbling Away")
Even though the lyrics are in Swedish, it isn't hard to tell that
something strange is going on in the songs of Garmarna. Emma Hardelin's
voice breaks the void between your ears like an icepick crashing through
thin ice, and then the lilting drone of violins, drums, flute, and bouzouki
gives way to a sampled rhythm that would make an ambient dance fan drool.
A quick check of the translated lyrics reveals the surreal tales of Swedish
folklore that were told to keep the kids awake at night.
"It's powerful stuff," says Omnium founder Drew Miller, "if you were
to write those lyrics today, it would come out as sounding like bad Nine Inch
Nails." Instead, Garmarna's _Vittrad_ stands up to the likes of not only
NIN but also artists such as Enya or Sinead O'Connor. One view of Garmarna
finds a traditional Swedish band making traditional music, but the view
from the other side reveals a more modern passion. The spinning rhythms of
the traditional are sampled back into the mix that recalls the neo-
traditional sound of Enya, and Hardelin's vocal stab and wail with a duel
strength and fragility mirrored by O'Connor. The result is a sound that's
hard to categorize, but one that is quite incredible. Garmarna's _Vittrad_
is a must have album.
Cordelia's Dad - _comet_
To Cordelia's Dad, "folk" is a four letter word. In their liner notes
to _comet_, they state, "[it] turns out all these songs, to one way of
thinking, might be called 'traditional American' or even 'fuck' music, but
don't let that get in the way of enjoying them." Indeed, the latest album
from Cordelia's Dad has a stark simplicity and beauty using only drums,
acoustic guitar, an occasional banjo, and fiddle.
The songs featured on _comet_ were all recorded or documented in the
1800's and early 1900's. Cordelia's Dad presents them in a no-frills
setting with "modal" harmonies. "Modal" harmonies fit somewhere musically
between Gregorian chants and the chords found in traditional American
music, and they resonate in a fundamental way which is hard to describe.
The lyrics of these 'fuck' songs are about the constants of life: strife
and struggle, love and despair. The tenderness of the lyrics, the quiet
beauty of the presentation, and the lack of edits or overdubs set _comet_
apart from their peers whether 'fuck' or otherwise. If I were to recommend
any album as a begineer's course in American folk, it would be this one.
As an added bonus, one of Cordelia's Dad's electric tracks is tacked
onto _comet_'s tail. "Jersey City" takes the same musical touch of the
acoustic side of _comet_ and adds the three piece guitar sound of Bob Mould's
Sugar. Omnium's Drew Miller says that the sound reminds him of Sonic Youth
"in the way that they go at their attack." He adds, "It's a very thick
sound." Look for a new full length rock album from Cordelia's Dad before the
end of the year. For more information about _comet_ or any of their previous
albums, e-mail Cordelia's Dad directly at "Steeple@world.std.com".
---
REVIEW: Chris Connelly, _Shipwreck_ (Wax Trax!/TVT)
- John Walker
Chris Connelly has what you might call an "image problem." What
to do when you're best known as lead screamer and John Lydon
impressionist for Al Jourgensen's industrial/metal projects Ministry
and Revolting Cocks, and yet you've just released a classic solo album
of British art-rock which sounds like the product of a heavenly union
of David Bowie, Brian Eno and Scott Walker?
_Shipwreck_, first released in late 1994 but only now gathering
steam with kudos from Rolling Stone, no less, is that album. And while
it doesn't entirely jettison the hard-rock punch of Connelly's
industrial past - "What's Left But Solid Gold?," "Drench" and "Meridian
Afterburn" all rock out respectably--it is minus the Lydonesque yowl
of RevCo which left Connelly with "a headache 24 hours a day and a
constant sore throat." Which is quite OK, because _Shipwreck_'s most
glorious moments come when Connelly embraces the influences which he
wears quite proudly on his sleeve--his current tour features Bowie and Walker
covers for the encores--and goes for it.
"Candyman Collapse," the album's leadoff track, is sprightly
art-funk al la Eno's _Nerve Net_, with Ministry drummer William
Rieflin, sounding quite relieved to be freed from the hammerhead
tempos of his regular band, cooking up a steamy polyrhythmic brew,
over which Connelly adds a--suitably, given the song's title--
neo-bubblegum sounding chorus. Bubblefunk? Why not? The end result
here is original, and, uh, quite _tasty_ indeed. Similarly enjoyably
bent is "Spoonfed Celeste," a comically black and kinky tale which
would have sounded quite at home on Bowie's whimsical _Hunky Dory_
album; check the lyric sheet for this one!
Beyond the rocking, the sprightly and the kinky, however, lies
the true spiritual core of _Shipwreck_. Scotsman Connelly is at his
best when he's mixing his love of poetic language (a big fan of W. B. Yeats,
he) with the torch-song sensibility of Bowie's "Word On A Wing" or
Walker's version of "No Regrets."
"Detestimony III," a remake of an obscure classic from
Connelly's days with his first band, Finitribe, utilizes the
aforementioned formula to stunning effect. The lyrics here are more
suggestive than concrete: "Swords controlled by unknown souls / break
habits by reversing roles / the mind completes the cycle / then you
die." A gloomy existentialism, perhaps, but one buoyed by Rieflin's
powerfully insistent drumming for an overall uplifting effect.
"The early nighters (for River Phoenix)" avoids the cliches that
one could imagine infecting such a topic, an elegiac gem featuring a
lilting vocal which effortlessly rides over a jazzy, syncopated
musical backing. Here, Connelly conjures up a poetic evocation of
those "who stop the flow / and die young," perhaps thinking not only
of Phoenix, but of his girlfriend Tracey, who committed suicide in
1991. Connelly's industrial work also dealt in images of death, but
in an entirely different way--only a true cynic could turn a deaf ear
to music this stunning.
As it should be, the title track is the album's artistic apex.
"Shipwreck" is an ode to a past of moral misadventure, and is
musically on a level with "Heroes," no small praise coming from this
critic. A soaring bassline takes the singer over the everyday
threshold of emotion into catharsis, as Connelly wallows in the
fragments of a misspent past: "It was proven in darkness / the
drugs and the water mix well / If I come across heartless / I lost
what I knew when I fell." The final line of the chorus is fittingly
also one of the album's most powerful images, positing Art as an
escape from Reality and a lifetime of mistakes: "Design your own
sunset / and drop out of sight," sings Connelly, his voice cracking
with emotional intensity.
_Shipwreck_ is the great David Bowie album that fans have been
waiting for since about 1980, except that Bowie didn't make it, an
enigmatic Scotsman from Edinburgh did. Buy it today, and help ensure
that Chris Connelly the crooner never has to scream again.
---
REVIEW/INTERVIEW: Rosa Mota _Wishful Sinking_ (Mute)
- John Walker
Julie Rumsey, Rosa Mota's guitarist, flutist (!), and co-lead
vocalist (she of the ethereal harmonizing and--less often--Flying
Lizards-ish deadpans) is rightfully pissed off. Her band has just
come out with one of the top albums of the year in _Wishful Sinking_,
a _tour de force_ of the various hues and colours of existence as seen
from a place outside of the world of bourgeois constrictions, and yet
all the British press can talk about is the new "Pop Scene"
spearheaded by Oasis and Blur.
"We often get a raw deal from the British press because they don't
know how to categorize us", she snaps. "We've actually had some snarky
reviews accusing us of 'ignoring the British Pop Revival.'" If she
actually wasn't so nice, you'd swear that the comely Ms. Rumsey
was ready to punctuate that last statement with a projectile of
saliva. "We've got to get out of here," she goes on. "It's doing us
in."
Rosa Mota are the underbelly of the current Pop scene in Britain,
bringing the dark intensity of alternative rock's pre bland-out 80s
roots--The Birthday Party, Bauhaus, Echo & The Bunnymen--back to a
scene currently wallowing in light. No musical snob, however, Rumsey
even goes so far as to praise Elastica, who at least rehash new wave
"with passion," bringing welcome attention, with songs like "Waking
Up" to "criminally forgotten" bands like the early Stranglers, whose
musically inventive explorations of the gutter are emulated--but not
imitated--by Rosa Mosa.
They key to _Wishful Sinking_'s stunning success as a work of art
lies in the artistic interplay between co-founders Rumsey and main
lyricist, vocalist and second guitarist Ian Bishop, an alumnus of
Ultra Vivid Scene. Bishop's artfully decadent poetic vision, similar
in style and intent to UVS brainchild Kurt Ralske's, yet perhaps more
free-ranging, is reflected and refracted throughout incandescent
_Wishful Sinking_ numbers like "Smack Scratch" and "Stripped And
Bleeding." The latter tune especially encompasses the ideal Rosa Mota
aesthetic, moving from heavy to light (Rumsey adding some gorgeous
flute) and back again, leaving the listener exhilarated.
This motif of "peaks and troughs." or as I put it to Rumsey, "ebbs
and flows" ("that's good, put that in" she chuckled) was honed with the
very able help of Robin Proper-Sheppard, the main main behind the
sadly defunct--due to the untimely death of bassist Jimmy Fernandez,
to whom _Wishful Sinking is dedicated--God Machine, whose two albums
_Scenes From The Second Storey_ and _One Last Laugh From A Place Of
Dying_ are top ten of the decade material in this critic's book.
Happily for GM fans, _Wishful Sinking_ is more than worthy to sit
among the aforementioned company.
Rumsey speaks of Sheppard and the GM in the most glowing of terms:
"Ian met Robin at a session for another band, where he was overdubbing
a clarinet part (eclectic bunch, these Rosas)." The leader of the
still-learning-to-crawl Motas then invited Robin along to one of
their gigs, not thinking that he'd actually show. He did, and the
rest is musical history.
"Robin has understood what we were doing from the beginning, and
where we wanted to go", Rumsey enthuses. After producing an initial demo for
the band, Sheppard was unfortunately unavailable for the band's first
mini-lp, _A Drag For A Drag_, an ominously titled clunker which left
the band "devastated," according to Rumsey. With _Wishful Sinking_,
however, the pieces have been picked up and reassembled in a very
big way.
"The parallel with the God Machine is the fact that we go at it
with a similar intensity", notes Rumsey adding that a short joint tour with
the GM provided Rosa Mota with a "massive adrenalin rush: we'd get one
when we played, then we'd watch them and get another one. By the end
of the night we'd be completely exhausted." Natural highs, indeed.
An evening spent in the company of _Wishful Sinking_, I might add,
leaves the listener in a similar, blissfully drained state. Nothing
is automatically excluded in this happy collision of heterogenous
musical sensibilities. From Bishop raging "I don't know you / I don't
want to / I don't lie / Cause I don't need to" in the powerful "Always
With Wings," to the blissed out, meditative centerpiece "Deepness,"
which features Bishop and Rumsey's voices intertwining in a most
deliriously enticing manner (aural sex?), Rosa Mota is the real,
uncalculated thing, an anomaly in an age of pre-fab rock stars. In
the beginning, "the very idea of doing a gig was hugely amusing to us"
says Rumsey. "If you're doing things purely to make money, go ahead
and follow the rules. You'll be here today and gone tomorrow."
Rosa Mota, I predict, will be around for the long haul.
---
CONTEST: Nettwerk Records (nettwerk@mindlink.bc.ca)
is running another contest. In honor of the debut Taste of Joy album,
here it is:
Send them your favorite recipe for a "Taste of Joy".
We'll need to know the ingredients, the proportions of them, and
instructions for putting them all together. We'll award a Taste of Joy CD
and limited edition comic book to the 10 most original, creative, wacky,
or far out recipes.
E-mail your recipe to Nettwerk (*one* entry and one recipe only,
please!) along with your name, address and e-mail address. The contest
expires at midnight on June 30th. We'll open our "Test Kitchen" on July 1st
and choose the winners within the next few days.
---
NEWS: The Manic Street Preachers, without missing guitarist Richey
Edwards James, are rumoured to be returning to the studio to pick up the
pieces before James mysterious disappearance.
The British group Gene, reviewed in the May 30 issue of
Consumable, is having a record release party in San Francisco
on Friday, June 16 at the Cat's Grill and Alley Club located at
1190 Folsom St at 8th, ph. # (415)431-3332. You must be 21
to attend, but there will be food and drink, espresso, and a DJ playing
the best of alternative British music.
Rocktropolis, a virtual music city, is the official site
for Sting, The Doors and many others bands. Users can go there
on the World Wide Web by using: http://underground.net/Rocktropolis
Stewart Copeland will go on-line on June 12 at 6 p.m. Pacific, to discuss
the new Police live album.
Gary Tanin's _Sublime Nation_, previously reviewed in a February
issue of Consumable Online, reached an agreement for Japanese distribution
of his debut CD.
---
TOUR
Simon Bonney
June 8 New York, NY Tramps (opening for Black Velvet Flag)
June 9 New York, NY Sin-e
June 10 Albany, NY Bogies
June 11 Boston, MA Middle East (upstairs)
June 14 Washington DC 15 Minutes
June 15 Cleveland, OH Symposium
June 16 Detroit, MI 7th House
June 17 Chicago, IL Schuba's
Cravin' Melon
June 8 Sylva, NC Baily's
June 9 Clemson, SC Tiger Town
June 10 Raleigh, NC Lake Boone CC
June 16 Charleston, SC Music Farm
June 17 Greenville, NC The Attic
June 22 Atlanta, GA Smiths' Old BAr
June 23 Spartanburg, SC Magnolias.
June 24 Charlotte, NC World Mardi Gras
July 1 Greenville, SC Freedom Aloft Festival
July 2 Isle 'o Plams, SC Windjammer
July 3 Murrells Inlet, SC Sandpipers
July 7 Knoxville, TN Flamingo Grill
July 8 Chattanooga, TN Sandbar
July 14 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's
July 15 Wilmington, NC Mad Monk
July 21 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger
General Public
June 8 Hollywood, CA Palace
June 10 Albuquerque, NM Zone Complex
God Lives Underwater
June 8 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall
June 9 Madison, WI The CHamber
June 11 Bowling Green, OH Gargoyle's
June 12 Lansing, MI Small Planet
June 14 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
June 15 Virginia Beach, VA Bayou
June 17 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint
June 18 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
June 21 New London, CT L&G Club
June 22 Boston, MA Paradise
June 24 New York, NY Brownie's
June 27 Atlanta, GA The Point
June 29 Springfield, MO Regency Showcase
Lollapalooza (Main stage acts include Sonic Youth,Hole, Cypress Hill,
Pavement, Sinead O'Connor, Beck, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Jesus Lizard)
July 4 George, WA The Gorge
July 5 Vancouver, BC UBC Satdium
July 8 Denver, CO Fiddlers Green
July 10 Kansas City, MO Sandstone Amphitheatre
July 11 St. Louis, MO Riverport Amphitheatre
July 12 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Amphitheatre
July 14 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheatre
July 15 Chicago, IL World Amphitheatre
July 17 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
July 18 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Amphitheatre
July 19 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Amphitheatre
July 23 Toronto, ON Molson Park
July 26 Hartford, CT The Meadows
July 28 New York, NY Randall's Island
Aug. 5 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug. 9 Austin, TX Southpark Meadows
Aug. 10 Dallas, TX Starplex Amphitheatre
Aug. 12 Phoenix, AZ Blockbuster
Aug. 14 Los Angeles, CA Irvine Meadows
Aug. 18 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Site locations in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and Tampa have not
yet been announced. Second stage acts are:
Doo Rag, Possum Dixon, Poster Children (July 4-July 13)
Coolio, Yo La Tengo (July 4-July 19)
Brainiac (July 14-July 19)
Coctails (July 14-July 25)
Geraldine Fibbers (July 14-28)
Dambuilders, Laika, Pharcyde (July 20-July 28)
Superchunk (July 26-Aug. 4)
Helium, St. Johnny (July 28-Aug. 2)
Built To Spill, Redman (July 28-Aug. 8)
Dirty Three, Mike Watt (Aug. 3-Aug. 19)
Versus (Aug. 5-Aug. 19)
Blonde Redhead, The Roots (Aug. 9-Aug. 19)
Joan Osborne/Dead Hot Workshop
June 8 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
June 9 Memphis, TN Antenna
June 10 Nashville, TN Music City Mix Factory
June 12 Atlanta, GA The Point
June 14 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
June 15 Charleston, SC Music Farm
June 16 Athens, GA 40 Wtat Club
June 20 Richmond, VA Flood Zone
June 21 Washington, DC The Bayou
June 22 Pittsburgh, PA Graffitti
June 29 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Club
Shaw/Blades
June 8 Kalamazoo, MI State Theatre
June 9 Detroit, MI The Ritz
June 10 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
June 11 Chicago, IL Park West
June 13 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
June 14 Fort Wayne, IN Pierre's
June 15 St. Louis, MO Union Station
June 16 Atlanta, GA Balloon Race
June 17 Charlotte, NC Capri Theatre
June 18 Jacksonville, FL Shades
June 20 Fort Lauderdale, FL Button South
June 21 Orlando, FL Sunset Strip
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
On Fugazi, S.P. writes...
In the May 30 issue of Consumable Online, you said Brendan Canty is the
bass player for Fugazi. Joe Lally is the bass player, Brendan plays drums.
On Hootie and the Blowfish, Oscar M. writes:
When I saw this on your newletter, I thought I would put in my two cents.
Hootie and The Blowfish's name actually came from nick names that the band
members gave to 2 mutual friends. One had big eyes like Hootie the Owl and
the other was a big, chunky dude that reminded them of a
blowfish.......Hence Hootie and the Blowfish. Darius Rucker explained this
when the band was interviewed on MTV by the beautiful Idalis a couple of
months ago.
On Mercury Rev, Jay Beaumont writes:
Another dose of Consumable, but much better: one that has a Mercury
Rev review. Definitely the Greatest Rock Band of All Time (tm)
If there are any readers who don't own both _Yerself is Steam_
and _Boces_ (they must be owned in pair to truly understand) then go buy
it now. Also, I'd like to set up a mailing list of MR fans, and fans of
music that fits the same category (Shady, Radial Spangle, Flaming Lips)
anyone want to help? Write to: s009jdb@discover.wright.edu
On the Muffs _Blonder and Blonder_, Benjamin K. writes:
Yes, it would seem like Blonder and Blonder is a reference to Bob Dylan's
Blonde on Blonde album. But the case in fact is the the name of the
album was taken from a comment that Courtney Love made to Kim one night
at a club. Noticing Kim's hair seemed to be even more dyed than usual,
she said: "Hmmm... blonder and blonder, I see."
And, finally, Steve Y. from Tennessee writes:
I have enjoyed Consumable very much. I teach a course in the History of
Rock Music at U of Tennessee; your magazine is very helpful in choosing
alternative music to purchase. Keep up the good work. We will also have a
home page for the fall for the course, with syllabus full of URLs, a place
to E-mail me or the GTAs, and a Listserv type discussion group.
Keep those letters coming in!
---
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
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ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable
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Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online,
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===
