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Consumable Online Issue 058
==== ISSUE 58 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [November 3, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason
Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia,
Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Britain Woodman
Also Contributing: Joe D'Angelo, Jiji Johnson
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: Scott Benzel - Machines of Loving Grace - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Lenny Kravitz, _Circus_ - Linda Scott
CONCERT REVIEW: David Bowie/Nine Inch Nails - Joe D'Angelo
REVIEW: Indigo Girls, _1200 Curfews_ / Shawn Colvin, _Live '88_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Menswe@r, _Nuisance_ - Jiji Johnson
REVIEW: Echobelly, _On_ - John Walker
REVIEW: Peter Frampton, _Frampton Comes Alive II_ -Linda Scott
REVIEW: McCoy Tyner Trio, _Infinity_ - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: _The History of Space Age Pop_ - Various (Vol. 1-3) /
_Four Rooms, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ /
Combustible Edison - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Joan Baez, _Ring Them Bells_ - Ali Sinclair
NEWS: Bands on the Web: Banco de Gaia, Mammoth Records, Rocket from the Crypt
Shirk Circus, Young Dubliners; AC/DC Contest, Anthrax, Minimal
ambient (New York City)
TOUR DATES: Ben Arnold, Ash/China, Bjork, Boiled In Lead, Candlebox,
Combustible Edison, Julian Cope (Acoustic Shows), Dandelion, Echobelly
Robben Ford & Blue Line Tour, Green Magnet, Kate Jacobs, Lizard Music
Mana', Plastic Mikey, Poi Dog Pondering, 7 Mary 3, Sky Cries Mary
Stanford Prison Experiment, Stiffs, Inc., Tenderloin/Psyclone Rangers
The Mother Hips, McCoy Tyner, Urge Overkill
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Scott Benzel - Machines of Loving Grace
- Sean Eric McGill
_Gilt_, the latest album from Machines of Loving Grace, is a
departure from their previous style. Leaning more towards guitars and
less towards sampling, it marks a change in a band many have considered
to be one of the best outfits in the industrial genre. Recently, I spoke
with vocalist Scott Benzel about that change and a few other assorted topics.
Consumable: _Gilt_ is certainly different from some of the earlier
work the band has done. What brought about the change in musical style?
Scott: Well, the live show. We toured alot after _Concentration_ and
_The Crow_, we were out about six to nine months, and all of that touring
really got us liking the live sound. The way that _Concentration_ was
recorded - directly into the studio from the computer instead of taking it
to the live band - was cool and it worked for us back then, but we were
looking to expand on it, and get the live sound down on tape.
C: Did the heavier aspect of the music have a direct effect on the
lyrics or vice versa?
S: The two were simultaneous, actually. The record was written for me
during a very dark time, and alot of the tunes on this album were mainly
a matter of getting stuff down on paper. I deal with some themes that I
hadn't dealt with on a record before, like drugs and the rigidity and
codifying of relationships.
C: One of the people I played the album for is a psychologist, and she
said to me that it was dark, but not as dark as Trent Reznor, who she
wants to put on the couch.
S: That's cool, actually. One of the things I was really trying to do
and one of the things that differentiates us from what Trent is doing is
that there is a degree of almost acceptance of humanity or something in
our music. These songs come from a dark place, but not a totally
nialistic place with no hope entirely.
C: How's the tour looking?
S: It's going pretty well, actually - it's kinda strange. We're on
the road with Jim Rose, and it's actually pretty fun. Basically, what we
hoped would happen is happening, in that we're getting to see a little
bit into these guy's lifestyles. We're sorta checking out the freak
lifestyle a little bit, and bonding with them, so it's pretty interesting.
C: What's been the one thing so far in your career that you're the
happiest with?
S: I think the thing I'm most proud of is the opportunity to work
with people whom I respect - like Sylvia Massey, who produced this
record, and a variety of good artists, remixers, and people like that.
That for me is the most gratifying to be able to have some kind of
relationship with those people.
C: We've talked about this being a fairly dark album lyrically, but
the next album may not be this dark. It will never be as light as Bon Jovi,
but this isn't some kind of thing were you're thinking "OK, now I'm going
to be a dark person."
S: Well, we write songs depending on where we are in life. There are
songs off _Concentration_ that are dark and songs that are lighter. On
the first record, there are songs that are very light, like "Cicciolina."
We're not a band that's consumed by darkness - in fact, I know very few
bands who actually are, whether they present that on stage or not. We're
actually coming into sort of a lighter phase from just being out on the
road and enjoying each other's company.
C: What do you look at from a writing standpoint when it comes to
lyrical content? Is there a point where you say, "OK, this is too personal?"
S: That's a good question and something that I'm bumping up against
right now. I would like to try and push it in the future, because
certainly I've had my struggles with what to write about and deal with.
As time goes on, there are songs that have become less cerebral and more
visceral. They've gone from the head to the gut, and that's really what I
attempted to do on this record. I really worked on conveying some very
specific emotions that I'd never really worked on conveying before. This
record gave me a challenge, and I think in the future I'll become even
better at that.
C: Who were your influences?
S: I think we all have a wide variety of influences. Mike is a
classically trianed cellist who got into working with electronics and was
doing film soundtracks when I hooked up with him. Then Ray comes from a
jazz background, and Dave, our new drummer, comes from a fifty percent
jazz, fifty percent hard rock background.
When I was young, I initially got into hardcore, since I lived in
Vegas and alot of the Southern California hardcore bands came through town.
And when I discovered Wax Trax and the joys of sampling, I got pretty heavily
into that for awhile. All of our influences are diverse, but they seem to
gel.
C: Who are you listening to now that you're getting into?
S: I'm not listening to alot of new stuff, although Girls Against
Boys is a band I'm a big fan of. I've been going back and listening to
alot of people who are very lyrically oriented, like Patty Smith, Tom
Waits, Steely Dan, and stuff like that. I'm really interested in
different ways to convey a story through lyrics and music. I've been
going through a Bowie phase, as well, although I'm not a big fan of the
new record.
C: What would you like to do now as a band in terms of your direction
musically?
S: I think what I'm interested in doing now is making records and
playing shows that feel real to myself and the band. That's what we were
trying to do with _Gilt_, and like you said, we're never going to be as
light as Bon Jovi. We're never going to sacrifice our deal for better
marketing. I'd like to make an album that in some ways expands on what we
did on _Gilt_. We seem to change our approach with each album, and I
would like to continue with that. I definately think there's more
territory to be explored.
---
REVIEW: Lenny Kravitz, _Circus_ (Virgin)
- Linda Scott
Lenny Kravitz has always seemed a little out of step with the
rock world. Unable to be the Hendrix-rocker he dresses as, his niche is
more classic rock and soul. Yet he struggles and sometimes succeeds in
his latest album _Circus_ to find a place beyond retro-rock. Childhood
exposure to jazz and classical music and later embrace of rhythm & blues,
gospel, funk, reggae, Beatles, Hendrix produced a musician of wide
ranging interests. 1989's hit debut album _Let Love Rule_ followed by
1991's _Mama Said_ and 1993's _Are You Gonna Go My Way_ and now _Circus_
are all recognizable Kravitz albums - no major changes, no huge sales,
just Lenny Kravitz, good albums to toss in the player and listen to over
and over.
A continuing presence in Kravitz' albums is his use of vintage
recording equipment. A master studio craftsman using pre-digital sound,
Kravitz's albums have a distinctive lean sound compared to contemporary
albums. Simplicity and coherence in _Circus_ are also achieved by his
nearly exclusive instrumental work. Here is an artist that can write the
lyrics, sing the songs, play the drums, the bass, and 10 or 12 guitars.
_Circus_ is truly a Kravitz production that varies from rock to soul.
The star rocking track, "Rock and Roll is Dead", is the first single.
This single lacks the power of predecessors "Are You Gonna Go My Way" and
"Always On The Run". The album as a whole is a good Lenny Kravitz album
but no powerhouse chart buster. Kravitz's detractors can make points
with _Circus_ that they have made before - unoriginal, riffs borrowed from
Led Zep, the Beatles, Hendrix. Kravitz's new found spirituality ("God",
"In My Life Today", "The Resurrection") will bring fresh criticism as the
lyrics seem especially naive even with their psychedelic references.
_Circus_ is uneven but Kravitz's albums always seem a bit that
way. When you write them, sing them, play them yourself, the public sees
you/hears you as you are. Perhaps the booklet with nude photos sprinkled
among the lyrics is part of this baring himself to the world or perhaps
it's just a clever marketing ploy. Kravitz fans will like _Circus_
because there are no surprises here. Those new to Kravitz should first
get his finest album, 1989's _Let Love Rule_. _Circus_ doesn't replicate
the debut album's excitement but is a comfortable Lenny Kravitz
continuation.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: David Bowie/Nine Inch Nails
- Joe D'Angelo
David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails. The suggestion of this
pairing six years ago would have been thought quite absurd. The old
guy who sings nice songs about China girls and red shoes with the
human angst-filled libido couldn't make for an odder coupling. So why then,
has this been one of the most publicized, non-festival tours of the year?
When first hearing of the "Outside" tour, my initial reaction,
like many others, was utter disbelief. Then after a few minutes of
pondering this completely different, but remarkably similar pairing, I
began to realize the sense of it all. Both artists, and each is closer to
an artist than a musician, were leaders in their own way. Notice I said
leaders and not originators for I will not give the credit to either man for
discovering their craft, but rather for widening its audience and bringing it
to the mainstream. Simply put, Bowie was to glam as Trent was to industrial.
Driving into the parking lot of NJ's Meadowlands offered
up a disturbingly accurate cross section of the patrons of tonight's
techno-industrial fest. On the left there were the Bowie fans, hoping
see what could be for the last time, the man they once knew as Ziggy
Stardust. On the right, the Nine Inch Nails fans, mostly frat boys (and
girls) and those destined to be.
Prick opened the show precisely at 7:30, a sure sign that this
was a well structured event, to a half-filled arena of disinterested
concert-goers. Although they played well, impressing me with their raw
demure, they didn't seem to gel with the rest of the show. Taken out of
context, if they played CBGB's, Prick would have put on one hell of a
show. Here they were simply out classed and overlooked, acting as if it
was a club show by shouting constant mic checks and tuning their guitars
between songs. They simply didn't fit, and if it doesn't fit...
A surprisingly short intermission followed their set, applause
coming only form those paying attention to the unknown appetizer. With
the house lights still on, Nine Inch Nails casually walked on stage and
immediately brought the seated crowd to its feet and transformed the
Meadowlands dubbed "PIT" into a turbulent sea of white-faced, black-lipsticked
mayhem by opening with an electrically charged "Terrible Lies."
Trent overtook the stage, leather-clad, strutting back and forth
with a new found confidence. NIN knows how to work the stadium
crowd, now possessing post-Woodstock '94 experience. And Trent is
definitely not over his wet fixation. Every few songs, he would crawl to
his bottle of water, dump it on his head, then throw it into the crowd,
probably hitting some unsuspecting mosher in the head.
Their set list consisted of mainly songs off _The Downward
Spiral_, but surprisingly included rarer songs off _Pretty Hate Machine_
and _Broken_. When they played a remixed version of "Closer," the first
single off _The Downward Spiral_, the crowd got completely perplexed,
as if they didn't know what a remix was. A pit, which I assumed would
be entirely out of hand, was now filled with dumbfounded kids in black
asking themselves, "Is this it?"
After a lengthy Nine Inch Nails set, the figure of a gaunt man
was shown silhouetted behind the curtain, hands folded, staring at Trent
with one eye, and the crowd with the other. As David Bowie came closer
to view, he was welcomed by an non-receptive smathering of applause.
When Bowie and Trent sang their duets of Bowie's "Scary Monsters"
and NIN's "Hurt," it became apparent how similar these two artists are
by the emotion underlying each voice.
As Trent left the stage, and his band was replaced by Bowie's,
David broke into the opening track off his latest album, _Outside_, without
any preset chatter. He proceeded to play each song off _Outside_ in
uninterupted succession. Bowie had completely adapted his new sound into
that which blended well with the vibe Nine Inch Nails has left us with.
Again the crowd was puzzled as to how to react. Music that
could be labeled "Industrial" was coming out of the speakers, but it
was David Bowie leading the noise. What most couldn't understand is
that this is Bowie's new toy. He found a great potential for musical
experimentation hidden in techno-based music. Like an artist unveiling a
painting for the first time, this is what Bowie had come to the altar with,
and we were to be subjected to it.
Although most of the crowd didn't think so (at the end of the show
less than half of the crowd remained), Bowie performed remarkably. He
knew he was committing "commercial suicide." In a recent interview with
USA Today, he described how to accomplish this dangerous task, "You play
songs from an album that hasn't been released yet, and compliment it with
obscure songs from the past that you've never done on stage."
Bowie took us on a journey that night. Each song, sung from the
perspective of each character in The Diary of Nathan Adler, the non-linear
gothic drama on which Outside is based, brought with it it's own angle on
emotion and point of view. Ranging from melodic ambiance to techno-industrial,
the show volleyed between smoke enshrouded dancing colors and screaming
strobe lights, making it an experience of sight as well as sound.
Granted, many of the fans left disappointed, feeling that they were
short-changed on a "David Bowie Concert" because he neglected to play a
ny of his mass market favorites. What people didn't realize was that this
was not a rock concert but something closer to performance art. _Outside_
is a story-telling album and Bowie told us the story of an art detective and
the hunt for an art killer.
If more people would have stopped hoping to hear "Ziggy Stardust"
and "Let's Dance," and instead ingested the show for what it was, David
Bowie would have walked away that evening amidst overwhelming applause
instead of exiting quietly and leaving us without an encore. David Bowie is
by no means over, he is an artist and will continue to create art, even if
this unappreciative exhibit may prove to be his final one.
---
REVIEW: Indigo Girls, _1200 Curfews_ (Epic) /
Shawn Colvin, _Live '88_ (Plump)
- Bob Gajarsky
Does one genre of music *have* to continue to another generation?
That question presents itself to two performers who, at one time or another,
have been linked to the folk songs of days gone by: the Indigo Girls
and Shawn Colvin.
Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, the duo from Georgia known as the
Indigo Girls, have partially shed the folk tag. From the breakthrough
self-titled album (including the hit "Closer To Fine") and the opening
slot on R.E.M.'s tour as two women with guitars, the pair have expanded
their music to include drums, bass, and probably the premier cello player
for "alternative" music today, Jane Scarpantoni (R.E.M., Bob Mould).
Their latest release, _1200 Curfews_, consists of 26 live tracks
(and one studio track, a cover of Buffy Saint-Marie's "Bury My Heart At
Wounded Knee") recorded at various times over the last 13 years.
Fans of the duo will be instantly familiar with many of the
tracks, which include all their radio and commercial singles as well
as covers of Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up In Blue" and Gladys Knight & The
Pips' "Midnight Train To Georgia". The highlight for die-hard collectors
is probably the previously unreleased track, "Back Together Again",
which was recorded in Amy's basement in 1982. And, as someone
who saw them live back in 1989, at Madison Square Garden - and walked
away disappointed because the sound just didn't carry well in such
a huge setting - it's a pleasant surprise that the Indigo Girls have
produced such a solid live double CD.
While the Indigo Girls have graduated to mainstream success and
can guarantee a solid level of sales with each release, Shawn Colvin
still hasn't broken out of the "promising artist" level, despite
her 37 years of age. The former backup vocalist for Suzanne Vega has a
live reissue, _Live '88_, which was just released on Plump Records
(Email: plumprec@aol.com).
This eleven song compilation shows an even rawer side of Colvin
than most fans are familiar with. It's pure Shawn, on guitar, with what
appear to be very little remastering. Seven of these songs appeared
on 1989's _Steady On_, with two others showing up on 1992's _Fat City_.
A standard of Colvin's concerts is to include a couple cover
songs in each performance. A complete album of these appeared in
1994's _Cover Girl_, but on _Live '88_, Shawn offers up a beautiful
version of Simon & Garfunkel's "Kathy's Song".
The only quirk here is that three of the tracks - "Kathy's
Song", "Something To Believe In" and David Ball's "Don't You Think I
Feel It Too" - are actually taken from a 1990 show. However, they
still capture the feel of Ms. Colvin, live, in an intimate setting.
Jackson Browne expressed that "her singing and guitar playing...are
compelling and complete". I couldn't agree more.
If Colvin and the Indigo Girls are still considered 1960's folk,
those attaching the labels should take a harder look. Gather round
your friends, some coffee, and create the cafe' setting with either of
these CD's.
---
REVIEW: Menswe@r, _Nuisance_ (London)
- Jiji Johnson
Tropes, tropes, tropes! All within the English Pop/Rock canon, thank
you very much. _Nuisance_ opens up with "125 West Third Street," a cut with
all the riff-bravado of (and shameless thievery from) the Jesus and Mary
Chain, Teenage Fanclub, the Wonder Stuff, or R.E.M., and none of touring,
legwork, experience, or chronology, as Menswe@r has only been around about a
year or so.
The most distinguishable thing about these Pop/pastiche artisans is
their squeaky clean, fresh-from-grade-school collective countenance and
assembly-line retro vibe. Who DON'T they borrow from? These lads poach
from bands who already borrow from other bands such as Blur, Elastica
and Echobelly. A snotty, smartass vocal a la Bret
Anderson ("He's a superficial f*cker/has the girls one after the other" from
"Stardust"); an asexual, apathetic nonsensical witticism a la Blur ("Sex is
a secondary thing/doomed to come dumb and king" from "piece of me"),
unabashed vulnerability a la Morrissey ("I don't believe in being brave" from
"Being Brave")... and this segues into horns and grooves akin to those of The
Specials or The Jam, leading Anglophile Pop devotees helplessly around by the
nose, entertained if not a little disoriented.
Still, this Pop's alright, and the disorientation's not necessarily
unpleasant. Rather, _Nuisance_ simulates a lazy Sunday in which you flip
from song to song on your radio through stations--college stations and
commercial--that'll only play derivative Pop hits. Menswe@r's hard-to-peg
elasticity leaves one challenged: their first single, barely out
("Daydreamer"), does merit the current adulation and comparisons to Wire that
it has garnered thus far, but more so for its production quality than any
true experimentation.
Singer Johnny Dean sails from song to song, making up for his minimal
range with a truckload of charisma, changing incrementally, chameleon-like,
for the style that each song demands. And again, the Menswe@r lineup sounds
like they borrowed their names from old American B-movies or cowboy flicks:
Johnny Dean, Chris Gentry, Simon White, Stuart Black, Matt Everett...
What's brought these boys the most renown of late, most especially in
the U.K., is just plain hype and a bit of riding on their cohorts' coattails.
The hype is not unfounded, but an "indie-savant" image and smashing good
looks can only grant one so much street cred. Their "hidden track,"
combining circus music rhythms and wandering, lilting guitars, lyrics, and
effects, shows splendid promise, and one hopes that when these boys (sorry,
the youngest member's all of 18) hit their stride on their inevitable second
album, they'll bring that many more of the wild oats they're sure to have
sown by then to the table.
---
REVIEW: Echobelly, _On_ (550 Music/Epic)
- John Walker
Echobelly leader singer Sonia Aurora-Madan is a 90s kind of
female pop star: she's really got nothing to complain about, but, in
every interview I've seen with her, she seems to be intent on being
seen as _relevant_. Unfortunately , her confused socio-political
rhetoric often makes her come off as the very bubble-headed stereotype
she so vehemently decries. Aurora-Madan is the kind of girl Michael
Stipe could love (and indeed, he _does_ love her band): a sloganeering,
politically correct mouthpiece who spews hatred directed at all the
proper "isms" (race/sex and so on) but whose actual _commitment_ (besides
getting her name in the music press) is seemingly quite questionable.
I must admit, having read a lot of Aurora-Madan's interviews
before hearing her band, I was hoping to be able to totally write
Echobelly off as an entity as shallow as she often seems. Yet this album,
the follow-up to last year's UK Top 10 _Everybody's Got One_, does
contain its fair share of pleasing pop. At its best, this music that
makes you feel through sheer inspired _craft_: Aurora-Madan's affected
vocal style--while surely not for everyone--more often than not meshes
agreeably with the shimmering, gigantic riffing of Glen Johansson on
guitar. Even the clunkers usually have a redeeming, hum-alone feature
or two that elevates them above the merely mundane.
The album leads off in fine style with "Car Fiction," a fast-paced
number inspired by (according to Aurora-Madan) the work of Quentin
Tarantino - which at this point is surely a bit of bandwagon-hopping,
but at least it rocks. It's very early 80s new-wavy, with lost of
guitar-driven energy, and lyrics that are merely serviceable: "Run run
away / maybe we can run away". This is Echobelly at its best:
nothing profound, not trying for anything beyond its grasp. It's over
fast, and you'd like to play it again.
"King of the Kerb" is also mid-tempo hooky, with a vague lyric
seemingly berating young male hoodlums who hand out on street corners
and get mixed up with street crime. As is usual with Aurora-Madan's
lyrics when she tries to get all messagey, the result is both confused
and confusing. "They're the kings of the kerb / and everybody knows
what they're worth" is fine as a near-rhyme, but upon closer
inspection seems a bit smug and lacking in depth, somewhat like the
singer herself. In Aurora-Madan's utopian world-view, everyone would
be nicey-nice and lovey-dovey, but she seems at a loss to offer a
roadmap to this promised land, indicating that, as in her interviews,
she's tackling subject matter here which would be in her case better
left alone.
"Great Things," a UK hit, is Echobelly at its most chirpy and vapid.
"I wanna do great things / I don't wanna compromise" is at least as
heavy a sentiment as is usually offered up by that other great
philosopher, Belinda Carlisle; it's hard to afford Aurora-Madan
her oft-stated demand to be taken seriously when she comes up with
clunkers like this, an obvious attempt at a hit single and pop
"sooper-stardom" (even if it does sneak in a masturbation reference-
tres chic!). Believe me, Elastica this ain't. However, it may do for
those who think Rod McKuen is a poetic genius.
Happily, most of _On_ avoids the actuality of "Great Things," and
instead strives--if not always achieving-- for what that song
theoretically embraces. The record picks up steam as it winds through
tracks like the agreeably dramatic "Natural Animal," Aurora-Madan's
take on the nature vs nurture question in which she discards the
analysis and goes for the passion instead. "Go Away" veers a little
too close to the obvious, sappy territory of "Great Things," but
"Pantyhose and Roses" springs things back to life with a witty take on
bourgeois manners and the twisted passions that lie beneath (ok, it's
not original, but the quirky little reggaefied riff and Aurora-Madan's
feisty delivery save the day).
Frankly, what really keeps me listening here is the totally
_rockin'_ guitar that Johansson splatters all over tracks like "Four Letter
Word," forcing Aurora-Madan to sink or swim. "Nobody Like You" also
shakes a bit, but it may remind those familiar with glories of the
Smiths (to whom Echobelly is oft-compared) of a kind of B version of
the same. Johansson may be able to approriate Johnny Marr, but the
profundity and wit of Morrissey at his best is out of Aurora-Madan's
artistic reach.
Echobelly are thus at their best when they stay within the limits
of guitar-heavy pop with a slight twist; true _greatness_ will never be
theirs, even if the likes and Stipe and Courtney Love are now lining up to
court them, whiffing a possible breakthrough. As downright competent and
pleasing as it can sometimes be, _On_ won't be causing Justine Frischmann
any sleepless nights.
---
REVIEW: Peter Frampton, _Frampton Comes Alive II_ (El Dorado/I.R.S.)
-Linda Scott
If you were at least a preteen in 1976, you were around for the
Frampton phenomenon. Peter Frampton, the man with the mellow guitar
solos, shaggy curls and engaging stage prescence, released a two-disc
concert album, _Frampton Comes Alive_. The album claimed the No. 1 slot
for 10 weeks and went on to sell a record setting (for live albums) 16
million copies worldwide. Peter Frampton was the symbol of seventies
feel good rock. By 1977 Frampton's career had begun its downward slide
through a series of bad albums, legal hassles, an embarrassing role in
the Bee Gees' Sgt. Pepper film and a car accident. Last year's self-titled
album received a lukewarm if not cool reception. Frampton tries for semi-
annual albums so here is this year's comeback attempt, _Frampton Comes
Alive II_. If the same title and city (San Francisco) can make some
magic, Frampton has chosen well. But this reflection of the past is
also seen on the album tracks. Many of the tracks are retreads from
previous albums with some new songs inserted here and there as you might
expect at a live performance.
The artist of the best selling live album of all time might be
expected to let the comeback climb go and retire to his native England.
Given Frampton's past, that's unlikely. He is a working musician who played
in his first band at the age of 10. At 16 he was guitarist/vocalist in
The Herd which scored some British hits. In 1969 he formed Humble Pie
with ex-Small Faces guitarist/vocalist Steve Marriott. Humble Pie stayed
together through five albums, and in 1971 Frampton went solo releasing
four albums prior to _Frampton Comes Alive_. Three singles hit the Top
40, the album went multi-platinum and Frampton became an international
star. Time went on and Frampton tried harder to repeat his success but
as he says, he tried to write what would sell instead of what he felt.
He has sad memories of being the butt of a Frank Zappa cover of "I'm
In You", the ridicule received from Sgt. Pepper, and the gentle ribbing
of his album in the comedy _Wayne's World_. Frampton won't waste energy
on the bad times - he's too busy fighting his way back. When David Bowie
offered him the lead guitar position on the Glass Spider tour, Frampton
grabbed it as a chance to show he is a serious musician. Then came the
release of albums and the club tours. At this point, he has released
another eight albums since _Frampton Comes Alive_ and plays clubs as well
as ampitheaters. Frampton at 43 has a stronger, older voice and the
preceding twenty years have only honed his guitar playing. He knows
about making a live album sound great - audience noise limited, his own
patter clear as a bell and the music perfectly in balance. Although it's
hard to make a megahit out of what is basically a remade seventies album,
Frampton's fans will love this one as will followers of classic rock and
easy listening. To others the album may seem dated and dull. For
example, Frampton makes use of the trademark voice-box throughout almost
an entire track which really is annoying. A tour is being set up and
Frampton is at his best live, which is clearly the way to hear these
songs. Skip the concert t-shirt and buy yourself the album.
---
REVIEW: McCoy Tyner Trio, _Infinity_ (Impulse)
- Ali Sinclair
Impeccable, professional and perfectionist jazz from McCoy Tyner:
what else would you expect from the only pianist that John Coltrane wanted
to play with? Nine pieces, over an hour of music: six written by McCoy, one
"Good Morning Heartache" jazz standard, one "I Mean You" expounding a
Thelonious Monk theme...and "Impressions", written by the late-great
saxophonist John Coltrane.
There's not much to say about this CD apart from telling you that
it's good, sax-and-piano jazz from some great musicians. Energetic and
mellow, one and both and all at the same time: tunes that stay wrapped
around your earlobes all day long... just jazz. Good jazz. It's the real
McCoy!
---
REVIEW: _The History of Space Age Pop_ - Various (Vol. 1-3) (RCA)/
_Four Rooms, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ (Elektra) /
Combustible Edison (Elektra)
- Joe Silva
In the pre-Beatle days of the hi-fi era, when the average haircut
stayed at a marked distance from the average collar, the slightly
squarer bachelor had seemingly limited options while attempting to
create enough ambience to woo his Laura Petri look a like. Enter
Juan Garcia Esquivel and a slew of other less widely known
arranger/composers to dilate the boundaries of pop instrumental
music. They created a vanilla lounge sound that incorporated
rhythms and sounds that were soon to evaporate from the pop
arena. Latin rhumba flavours done up with cheesy Wurlitzer organ
flourishes, twangy surf guitars blended into melodies with perky
vibraphones and blaring trumpet salvos. It was a soul-free, faux jazz
aesthetic that eventually culminated into making the Pink Panther
theme a hip, mainstream platter du jour.
Eventually, however, the one two combination of the folk craze
and the Fab Four, caused this sort of sound to hibernate in the vaults
of the big labels and the handful of companies that used it as the
blueprint for musak. But now that we've seen musical trends like
punk and new wave (which have yet to acquire full blown rigor
mortis yet) unearthed and packaged neatly already, space age
lounge music was bound to see it's second coming shortly. Bands
like Love Jones musically espouse it's crushed velvet aura, while
Urge Overkill are busy bringing it's martini toting fashions to life
visually. The kicker to all this comes in a recent Rolling Stone,
which features a 20 question go 'round with the big daddy lounge
Lord himself, 78 year old Mexican arranger Juan Garcia Esquivel.
Now three volumes worth of most genres might be a little
difficult going down, and there's certainly a fair amount of fat in
RCA's collection. The trio works however if you can find the space
age groove and mentally gloss over the deep musak like moves of
things like Volume One's "Roller Coaster" by Henri Rene & His
Orchestra and Chorus and move straight into the high life cocktail
hour swing of pieces like "Why Wait" by Perez Prado or Volume
Two's "Caravan" by The Three Suns. For overall content, the nod
probably goes to Volume Three ("The Stereo Action Dimension"),
with it's quintessential moments like "Crazy Rhythm" by Guitars
Unlimited Plus 7.
The _Four Rooms_ Soundtrack plays differently in that it's a
sincere approximation of the original and on occasion shows it's
higher-fi and lower cheese factors. Combustible Edison (along with
a few genuine Esquivel moments tossed in), a New England five
piece normally under the Sub Pop banner, do the masters justice
and the shorter pieces actually maintain your interest afloat slipping
in and out of one another fairly seamlessly. Twenty nine tracks
from start to finish isn't a bad deal considering you get the honest
vibe without having to endure the celluloid that it accompanies in
the theatres.
Without a room full of already turned on devotees, you might
question the ability of this stuff to transcend even momentarily all
the rest that modern music has given us since it's hey day and garner
any sort of appreciation for it. But should you find yourself in an
out of the way motel room where the decor has yet to be updated in
the last few decades (as I did recently), you'll be sure to the
witness the space age validity of these discs as they light up the
deep olive coloured and slightly angular furnishings that may
surround you.
---
REVIEW: Joan Baez, _Ring Them Bells_ (Guardian Records)
- Ali Sinclair
A collection of crystal-clear, pure-folk gems from Joan Baez - and
friends. The blatantly anti-war "And the bank played Waltzing Matilda" is
bitter-sweet: pain and sorrow in the lyrics, Joan singing bright as a
summer stream... Dylan's"Ring Them Bells" (with Mary Black), and "Don't
Think Twice, It's Alright" (with the Indigo Girls)... Tim Hardin's "Don't
Make Promises You Can't Keep" great bluesy beat... Richard Farina' "Swallow
Song" (beautifully harmonised with Mimi; Richard's widow and Joan's sister)
and, my favourite, the heart-rending, sadly-hopeful "Jesse", with Janis Ian
together with the other songs on this CD, go to make the most memorable Joan
Baez collection I've ever heard.
The songs were recorded during a series of shows in the small-club
setting of the Bottom Line, giving an intimate and warm atmosphere. Well
over twenty-five years after she made her first commercial recording, Joan
Baez is still here: making music, singing sunshine and keeping the folk
thread spinning.
Regardless of how much--or how little--you know of Joan Baez and the
'60s protest-folk scene, give this one a listen--and don't forget to sing
along!
---
NEWS: > More bands and record companies on the World Wide Web!
Banco de Gaia: http://www.obsolete.com/banco/
Mammoth Records: http://www.mammoth.com
Rocket from the Crypt http://underground.net/Sdrocks/bin/rocket
Shirk Circus Web Site http://execpc.com/~jerk/shirk
Young Dubliners: http://www.aztech-cs.com/youngdubs
> AC/DC fans will have a chance to win prizes ranging
from posters, t-shirts, and guitar picks to their latest _Ballbreaker_
album, as well as the entire catalog. Web surfers need only visit
http://www.elektra.com/acdc-event/acdccontest.html/
(the Elektra Records Web site) before November 5 to enter.
> An Anthrax offshoot band, Du Husker, played Sunday night
at the Los Angeles club Dragonfly. The band, consisting of Anthrax
members Charlie Benante (drums) and Scott Ian (guitar), along with
Zach Ghrone on vocals and Jimmy Ilevio on bass, plays one-off shows
performing Husker Du covers. Other performances will occur, but
no dates are available at press time.
> New York area ambient fans should pay attention to Minimal,
at Babyland (81 Ave. A, between East 5th and 6th St.). During
the month of November, there is a release part for Astralwerks'
Excursions 4 (November 9), a release party of sm:)e communications
"Red" by Air Liquide (November 16), and Ben Neill playing supporting
his latest release, _Green Machine_ (November 30). All shows start
at 9:30 pm, and admissino is $5.
---
TOUR DATES
Ben Arnold
Nov. 8 Brookline, MA The Tam
Nov. 9 Manayunk, PA Grape Street Pub
Nov. 10 Albany, NY The Metro
Ash/China
Nov. 11 Los Angeles, CA Whisky
Nov. 12 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Nov. 14 Portland, OR Satyricon
Nov. 15 Seattle, WA Weathered Wall
Nov. 16 Vancouver, BC TBA
Nov. 19 Los Angeles, CA Dragonfly
Bjork
Nov. 3-4 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Nov. 7 Denver, CO Paramount
Nov. 9 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Boiled In Lead
Nov. 4 Berkeley CA Freight & Salvage (acoustic)
Nov. 5 San Francisco CA DNA Lounge
Nov. 7 Eugene OR John Henry's
Nov. 9 Portland OR East Avenue Tavern
Nov. 10 Seattle WA The Backstage
Candlebox
Nov. 3 Milwaukee, WI Mecca Arena
Nov. 4 Detroit, MI Palace
Nov. 7 Columbus, OH Ohio Center
Nov. 8 Kalamazoo, MI Wings Stadium
Nov. 9 Cleveland, OH Convocation Center
Combustible Edison
Nov. 4 Los Angeles, CA Exoticon '95 @the Park Plaza Hotel
Nov. 5 Los Angeles, CA The Viper Room
Nov. 9 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf
Nov. 10 Atlanta, GA The Point
Julian Cope (Acoustic Shows)
Nov. 3 Boston, MA Middle East
Nov. 5 Washington, DC Black Cat
Nov. 6 New York, NY Westbeth Music Hall
Dandelion
Nov. 3 Port Chester, NY 7 Willow Street
Nov. 4 Washington, D.C. 9:30 Club
Nov. 5 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Echobelly
Nov. 4 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy
Nov. 5 Riverside, CA House of Rock
Nov. 6 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Garden
Nov. 7 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's
Nov. 9 Seattle, WA Moe's
Nov. 10 Vancouver, BC Town Pub
Nov. 11 Portland, OR La Luna
Nov. 13 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Robben Ford & Blue Line Tour
Nov. 11 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
Green Magnet
Nov. 3 San Diego, CA Casbah (IMS)
Nov. 7 Los Angeles, CA Jabberjaw
Nov. 9 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Nov. 10 Portland, OR Satyricon
Kate Jacobs
Nov. 11 Chapel Hill, NC Crescent City Music Hall
Lizard Music
Nov. 6 Los Angeles, CA Hell's Gate
Nov. 7 Los Angeles, CA Martini Lounge
Nov. 8 Los Angeles, CA Largo Pub
Mana'
Nov. 3-5 Los Angeles, CA Universal Studios
Nov. 9-10 San Jose, CA Event Center
Nov. 12 Santa Barbara, CA Event Center
Nov. 17 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavillion
Nov. 18 Tucson, AZ Convention Center
Nov. 19 El Paso, TX UTEP
Plastic Mikey
Nov. 3 Arlington Heights, IL Vail Street Cafe
Nov. 4 Des Plaines, IL Java Junction
Nov. 10 Westmont, IL Brewed Awakening
Nov. 11 Batavia, IL Daily Grind
Nov. 17 Hinsdale, IL Burlington Espresso Co.
Poi Dog Pondering
Nov. 3 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Nov. 5 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Nov. 6 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Nov. 8 Boston, MA Paradise
Nov. 10 New York,NY Westbeth Theater
7 Mary 3
Nov. 3 Melbourne, FL Brevard County Fair
Nov. 4 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish
Nov. 10 Hollywood, CA Dragonfly
Sky Cries Mary
Nov. 3 Ellensburg, WA Central Wash. U-Sub Ballroom
Nov. 4 Tacoma, WA U Puget Sound Fieldhouse
Nov. 5 Portland, OR U Of Portland The Commons
Nov. 6 Eugene, OR U Of Oregon Emu Ballroom
Nov. 7 Cupertino, CA De Anza College- Flint Ctr.
Nov. 10 Visalia, CA Visalia Concert Ctr
Stanford Prison Experiment
Nov. 3 Santa Monica, CA Alligator Lounge
Stiffs, Inc.
Nov. 10 Austin, TX Emo's
Nov. 11 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
Nov. 12 Houston, TX Deep Fat
Nov. 13 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf
Tenderloin/Psyclone Rangers
Nov. 5 Kalamazoo, MI Club Soda
Nov. 6 Huntington, WV Drop Shop
Nov. 7 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy Malones
Nov. 8 Grand Rapids, MI Reptile House
Nov. 9 Toledo, OH Crowbar
Nov. 10 Cleveland Hts, OH Grog Shop
The Mother Hips
Nov. 3 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint
Nov. 4 New York, NY Tramps
Nov. 28 Monterey, CA Planet Gemini
Nov. 29 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Square
Nov. 30 Petaluma, CA Mystic Theatre
McCoy Tyner
Nov. 3-5 New York, NY Iridium
Urge Overkill (dates subject to change)
Nov. 11 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall
Nov. 12 Memphis ,TN New Daisy Theater
Nov. 13 Louisville, KY The Brewery
Nov. 15 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts or The Garage
Nov. 16 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Nov. 17 Cleveland, OH Odeon Concert Club or Agora Theater
Nov. 18 Detroit, MI State Theater
Nov. 20 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue or Emerson Hall
---
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===
