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Consumable Online Issue 181
== ISSUE 181 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [July 2, 1999]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J.
Baranowski, Tracey Bleile, Jason Cahill,
Matthew Carlin, Patrick Carmosino, John
Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin
Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So,
Chelsea Spear, Jon Steltenpohl, Michael Van
Gorden, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
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: Eminem - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Smash Mouth, _Astro Lounge_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Art of Noise, _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Red Hot Chili Peppers, _Californication_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Those Bastard Souls, _Debt & Departure_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Spin Doctors, _Here Comes The Bride_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Birdy, _Supernominal Paraphernalia_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Jake Andrews, _Time to Burn_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Clinic, _Clinic_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Colleen Coadic, _Scream Of Consciousness_ - Reto Koradi
NEWS: Emusic.com, Foo Fighters, listen.com, Rhino Handmade
TOUR DATES: Anti-Flag, R.L. BURNSIDE, Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Ani DiFranco / Maceo Parker, Down By Law, Ben Harper, Kula
Shaker / Splender, Alanis Morissette, Mike Ness, Pietasters,
Sheila Divine, Sonic Youth, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion,
Staind, Joe Strummer & Mescaleros, James Taylor, Sally Taylor,
Ten Foot Pole
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Eminem
- Lang Whitaker
His name is Slim Shady -- that's Eminem if you're nasty -- but
for Marshall Mathers, a talented rapper out of the slums of Detroit,
right now his name is platinum. Eminem's major label debut album, _The
Slim Shady LP_, has been thrashing around the top ten all spring,
thanks to the memorable lead single "My Name Is..." and a collection
of violent, humorous songs. With a blunted blessing from Dr. Dre,
Eminem appears to be ready to atone for the sins of previous white
rappers like Vanilla Ice.
CONSUMABLE ONLINE: Whassup, Em? You know, your record really
reminds me of South Park.
EMINEM: (laughs) Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remind myself of South
Park a little bit, just the political incorrectness of it.
CO: You revel in your political incorrectness; you celebrate that.
EMINEM: Yeah, I do. That's just my sense of humor, man. That's
how I am in everyday life. I never knew I was going to make money off
of this shit.
CO: I bet you were a handful growing up.
EMINEM: I was definitely different. I was the distant kid. You
know, real distant. The friends I did have knew me well, but I didn't
have a lot of friends. I was kind of the smart ass, too. Teachers always
gave me shit 'cause I never went to school. Then when I did show up,
they would fuck with me. They'd be like "Oh, Mr. Mathers decided to
join us today." That type of shit.
CO: So you dropped out of high school, and then you had a couple
of full-time jobs?
EMINEM: (laughs) I had a LOT of full-time jobs. I had a couple
of cook jobs, short order cook and shit; factory jobs, sweeping floors
and cleaning toilets and shit. Just shitty fucking bullshit jobs.
CO: Why'd you keep doing them? Because you had to make money
somehow?
EMINEM: Definitely. I had to. Plus, I had a little girl. She's
three years old, now.
CO: You talk about your daughter all the time in your music,
and you seem like you try very hard to be a good father to her. Why is
that?
EMINEM: It's got a little something to do with me not knowing
my father, so I try to fuckin' make it up a little bit. But I don't
think that's the only reason. I think parenthood comes naturally to
me. I mean, I raised my little brother. My little brother was born
when I was eleven years old, so I pretty much raised him from the
cradle. So I think when my daughter was born, it really came naturally.
CO: And from what I've read, you and your Mom don't have much
of a relationship now.
EMINEM: Nah, we don't. I talk to her every now and then, but I
talk to her as little as I can. She's got my little brother, so when
I do talk to her, it's really to talk to him. I really don't have a
reason to talk to my mother. My mother's done so much fucking fucked
up shit to me that's it's kind of like, you know, now that I don't
have to talk to her, I ain't gonna.
CO: Would you let your daughter listen to your music?
EMINEM: My daughter does listen to my music. She ain't really
old enough to understand it now, but when she does get old enough and
asks me "What does this and this and this mean?" I'll explain it to her.
I'll tell her what each thing means.
CO: Well, you know what's coming next. How do you explain your
song "97' Bonnie & Clyde," in which you kill your baby's mama and take
the baby along to throw the body in the ocean?
EMINEM: Well, when she's old enough I'll explain to her that
Mommy and Daddy are actually getting along.
CO: Yeah, but a lot of kids are buying your music, and I'm sure
you've gotta be catchin' flack from parental groups.
EMINEM: Fuck 'em, though. It's with any rap record, with any
fuckin' rap record. People act like Eminem is the first person to say
the shit that I do. Well, maybe I am the first person to say the shit
to this extreme, but all I do is say what's on my fuckin' mind, man.
You know, hip-hop is hip-hop and it's always been like this -- from
N.W.A. to Ice-T -- and anyone who said it was a bad influence on the
kids back then...I mean, look at me. I was listening to 2 Live Crew when
I was eleven years old.
CO: Exactly! People are going to say, "He listened to 2 Live
Crew when he was eleven, and now listen to the filth he's making now."
EMINEM: Yeah, but you know what? People ask me, "What would
you say to someone that wanted to grow up to be like you?" And I would
say not to do it. Don't grow up to be me. But, at the same time, is it
really a bad thing to grow up to be like me, to come from the fucking
gutter and then to become a fucking rap star? Is that neccessarily a
bad thing?
CO: Still, don't you worry about people taking what you say
the wrong way sometimes? Like people won't see the comedy in your music?
EMINEM: People who don't know shit about fucking hip-hop will
take it the wrong fucking way. It's like they refuse to see the fucking
comedy in it. To me that shows me that I'm hitting some soft spots, for
them to take my shit that seriously. It's like back then when they was
younger, they were doing this shit and they don't want to admit it now.
Everybody wants to fucking preach, man. "Don't do this and don't do
that!" Then they go home and they do it. They say, "Stop porn, stop
porn!" Then they go home and they beat off to a fucking porno mag under
their bed. They want everybody in the public eye to see that they're so
fucking righteous.
CO: And you don't give a shit.
EMINEM: No, I don't give a FUCK about them. I don't give a fuck
about them.
---
REVIEW: Smash Mouth, _Astro Lounge_ (Interscope)
- Jason Cahill
You've got to give them credit. Smash Mouth could have easily
modeled themselves after bands like Sugar Ray or the Goo Goo Dolls by
releasing an album solely created with commercial possibilities in mind.
Instead, Smash Mouth have followed up their breakout debut, _Fush Yu
Mang_, with an album as daring and original as it is good. _Astro
Lounge_ is a brave departure from Smash Mouth's debut, showcasing an
impressive maturity rare in today's ska/punk world. Credit returning
producer Eric Valentine, who seems to have challenged the band to
experiment and grow, both musically and lyrically. From the opening
notes of "Who's There," it becomes apparent that this is a band intent
on destroying the notion that they are nothing more than one-hit wonders
treading dangerously close to the end of their fifteen minutes of fame.
The musical styles on _Astro Lounge_ range everywhere from '60s
lounge to '80s Brit-pop, and everything in between. "Radio," the album's
true standout, is a full-on rocker with a nod to early-'80s Elvis
Costello. "Diggin' Your Scene" has a kind of beach party feel to it,
heavy on the keyboards and Beach Boys influences. "Waste" is a lush
piece of psychedelic splendor, "Fallen Horses" hauntingly beautiful.
Of course, the album has its share of Smash Mouth's playful
ska sounds, best represented by the album's first single, "All Star,"
which is quite possibly the band's catchiest tune and one of the year's
best singles.
Lyrically, guitarist Greg Camp, who wrote the majority of
material on _Astro Lounge_ as well as their first album, is in top-notch
form. Always a bit sardonic and clever (."..you pushed the reset button
on the counter of my heart"), Camp's lyrics have grown more vivid and
crystallized. Topics on _Astro Lounge_ range from troubled relationships
("Waste") to the power of addictions ("Diggin' Your Scene"), both
cautionary tales told with just a hint of sarcasm.
_Astro Lounge_ isn't perfect. It stalls at times, only to pick
up again a few songs later, and it has its share of throwaways ("Home"
immediately comes to mind). Yet listen closely, and you'll hear a band
in transition, striving to shed the image of one-hit wonders while
creating an album as diverse as their influences.
---
REVIEW: Art of Noise, _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_
(ZTT/Universal)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Take a dead composer, a deep voiced narrator, a rapper and a
few opera singers, and what do you have? Well, if you're Art of Noise,
you have _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_. Most of you know Art of
Noise through songs such as "Beat Box" and the Dragnet theme. Yet,
anyone who's gone beyond the singles and dived into the world of an
Art of Noise album has found themselves in a completely new world.
Now, after a 9-year absence, the band has reformed to create a new
soundscape based around their apparent love of the turn of the century
composer Claude Debussy.
These days, anyone with a computer can generate dance tracks
with the blink of an eye, and on the surface, Art of Noise doesn't
sound as remarkable today as they once did. But, technology doesn't
breed musical or artistic talent, and the vision of Art of Noise goes
beyond the simple satellite blips and deep bass of their peers. Their
impeccable judgment allows them to transcend the current vapid
"electronica" sound they helped to create. This is music first and
foremost. The dance beats and atmosphere are simply tools in Art of
Noise's arsenal.
Of course, any description of a band on paper that uses the
word "transcend" seems a bit elitist and abstract right off the bat.
Yet, unlike their counterparts in the world of abstract visual arts,
Art of Noise is high brow music for everyman. Even if you've never
heard of Debussy, you can appreciate the songs. Anyone who's been
drawn in by a song like "Moments in Love" realizes that Art of Noise
can create the beautiful out of the abstract. Consider "Dream in Colour"
from this album: The track is expansive. It ranges from operatic voices
to dreamy choruses to lush ambient dance to an engaging jungle beat
over the course of 8-and-a-half minutes. The deep sullen voice of John
Hurt narrates you through the songs. "Imagine," the narrator implores
you, "Debussy dreaming in colours." He pulls you in further into the
hypnotic mix and instructs as you fall "deeper into the color of a
dream." As the trance is completed, the narrator snaps his fingers, and
you begin the experience with the next track, "On Being Blue."
At the start of the song, the narrator guides you to consider
how music might be used to suggest colors. The song is a soft ode that
features a beautiful operatic voice, a quiet Spanish guitar, and
shimmering, mournful strings that create an incredibly stark, deep,
and sad atmosphere. It is like diving into a pool of cobalt blue --
which is exactly the song's intent.
Halfway through the album, another voice is added to the chorus,
the narrator and the opera singers. The voice is none other than the
rapper, Rakim. At first, this seems like a strange pairing, but given
Art of Noise's original classic "Beat Box" and the dance remixes included
with the re-release of Eric B. and Rakim's _Paid in Full_ album, a song
like "Megaforce" is entirely understandable. Musically, it works
remarkably well. Not only does Rakim have one of the purest voices in
rap, but Art of Noise assembles a beat as well as any DJ. It may not
exactly be the right style for pumping out of a lowrider, but it would
fit right in with US3 or Digable Planets.
All told, despite it's odd collaborations and obscure subject
matter, _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_ is simply a masterwork. Art
of Noise manages to maintain continuity throughout the entire album.
The tracks can be scrutinized note by note or played casually in the
background. It is doubtful if the stodgy world of orchestral music
could appreciate this album, but fans of the Art of Noise can embrace
_The Seduction of Claude Debussy_. However, unless you're into ambient
and electronic music, casual fans who remember the old Art of Noise hits
are better off picking up their excellent "Best of" collection before
jumping feet first into this new release.
---
REVIEW: Red Hot Chili Peppers, _Californication_ (Warner Bros.)
- Matthew Carlin
Like it or not, _Blood Sugar Sex Magic_ will go down in rock
and roll history as one of the most important albums of the '90s.
Between Rick Rubin's stripped down production, Flea's mind-blowing
yet tasteful bass playing and Anthony Kiedis's raw tales of drug
addiction and sexual bacchanalia, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 1991
opus really helped shape the musical landscape for the rest of the
decade. No less vital to the formula was John Frusciante, a brilliant,
eccentric guitar-playing musician. His departure from the band and
subsequent break-down was the stuff VH1 "Behind the Music" shows are
made of, and the seemingly-jinxed band's subsequent album, _One Hot
Minute_, suffered accordingly.
Now, as the end of the decade rapidly approaches, Frusciante
has rejoined his once-funky brothers -- a truly joyous event after
years of frustration for fans, band members and record company
executives. Which is what makes _Californication_ all the more
disappointing. While the new album starts off promising, after three
or four tunes the band's formula becomes all too clear. Basically,
the Chili Peppers 1999 have three gears: all-out rock bombast a la
most of the songs from _One Hot Minute_; mid-tempo, syncopated funk
fakery; and tuneful pop gems that sound like a cross between previous
hits "Under the Bridge" and "Soul to Squeeze."
The real shame of _Californication_ is that the gems really
are gems. The catchy first single, "Scar Tissue," is simply a great
radio song. Along with the tuneful chorus from "Around the World,"
the slow, sad, tenderness of "Porcelain," and the inventive, shifting
groove of "Emit Remmus," the Chili Peppers still have some creative
juices left when it comes to more melodic, emotional tunes. But
testosterone-soaked rackets like the athletic sixteenth-note work-out
"Parallel Universe" and the mung-headed "Get On Top" ("Get on Top! Get
on Top!/Hit me come get me I bite but she bit me.") are just a waste
of everybody's time.
Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers will never recapture the
funky brilliance of _Blood Sugar Sex Magic_, they still could put out
a solid album. "Scar Tissue" may sound a bit too much like the
aforementioned "Soul to Squeeze," but this is what the Chili Peppers
are good at now. The facts remain: Frusciante is a fantastically
natural, musical player; Flea can lay back and groove nicely with
drummer Chad Smith; Anthony Kiedis sings better with every album.
Even insipid lyrics like "Road trippin' with my two favorite allies/
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies / It's time to leave this town/
It's time to steal away" can't ruin the string-laden beauty of album
closer "Road Tripping." Yet some misguided force -- perhaps it's Rick
Rubin's past with Slayer or the band member's lingering desire to
live out their Iggy Pop fantasies -- compels the Chili Peppers to soil
their lovely pop album with frat-boy rock garbage they tried to shed
years ago.
---
REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ (Island)
- Linda Scott
Insane Clown Posse is one of those bands that critics, MTV and
big music magazines attack or ignore. ICP gets almost no airplay, but
their juggalo (fan) army snaps up their albums anyway. Enough albums
for _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ to debut in the #4 Billboard slot.
ICP received media attention when the Disney-owned Hollywood label put
out their previous album, _The Great Milenko_. After six hours on the
record shelves, the album was pulled for being out of line with the
Disney image. ICP took their album, their language and attitude to
Island records. Out of Detroit, ICP is two white gangsta rappers, hip
hoppers and thrash rappers with some rock thrown in. Last album had
them emphasizing rock with guests Alice Cooper, Slash and Steve Jones
(Sex Pistols). They were a raw, heavy act without polish and large
doses of swearing and obscenities. The Jeckel album is hooked on thrash
(or trash) rap and hip hop, and guests include Ol' Dirty Bastard, Snoop
Dogg, Twisted, and the Jerky Boys.
It's not mainstream, but it works. Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J
seem to have found their groove. If you don't like these guys, lighten
up! Shaggy and J are two funny guys with creativity to spare. They act
like lamebrain 20's Dropouts, but check their website and read the whole
story of the six cards and the dark clowns. Shaggy and J spin a
weird story. Then read the Q-and-A section and laugh your head off, or
the clowns will sever it for you.
The theatre part of the act, reminiscent of Alice Cooper's
shocking theatrics, sounds good and so does the music. Some highlights
are "Terrible," "F*ck the World," "I Want My Sh*t" and "Everybody Rize;"
hooky rhythms, cool lyrics -- they're great. ICP is raw, but they're
fresh and new and funny and talented. ICP is scheduled to tour in
support of _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ beginning in July. They'll
warm up in D.C. where they say they have only about 500 fans but they
love them. Then they move through the US and Canada. Get your clown
makeup on or your Ninja suit and head for the dark circus of Insane
Clown Posse. Get your album and visit their website for juggalos at
http://www.insaneclownposse.com
---
REVIEW: Those Bastard Souls, _Debt & Departure_ (V2 Records)
- Matthew Carlin
Those Bastard Souls are one of those mid-level all-star bands
that often crop up in the alterna-rock world. Leader David Shouse's
main gig is charging The Grifters, violinist Joan Wasser was in the
Dambuilders, bassist Matt Fields is from Red Red Meat, drummer Kevin
March was in Shudder to Think and The Rentals, and guitarist Michael
Tighe played with the late Jeff Buckley. The result is they are all
extremely capable, professional musicians. The problem is, that's what
they sound like. By paying too much attention to the high-quality
production and careful performance, much of the emotion is lost. For
much of _Debt & Departure_, the down-home feel sounds put on.
The Bastard's album starts off strong with the nifty, but
clumsily-titled first track, "The Last Thing I Ever Wanted Was To Show
Up And Blow Your Mind." A fine, medium-tempo rocker, the only weak point
is the lyrics -- which are pretty much summed up by the title. "Telegram"
follows suit with some nice interplay between the piano and Wasser's
violin and a nice, short guitar solo from Tighe, but ultimately goes
nowhere. Which is exactly where the remaining songs remain. Although
the tunes are delivered as if the focus is on the songwriting, the
songs aren't good enough to keep the listener fully engaged. And while
the players are indeed skilled, the performances likewise aren't
inspired enough to warrant a really close listen.
Perhaps the worst part of _Debt & Departure_ are Shouse's
lyrics. Muddled with trite metaphors, rock and roll clichés and worse
yet, images that just make no sense, Shouse's words are insipid at best,
and more often than not, just plain irritating. Case in point, from
"Curious State": "It's a curious state I'm in/ a curious state I'm in
(x3)/ You're the sun/ I'm the breeze/ I get warm beneath your fingers/
If I dose off in the trees/ you'll come and set fire to my pillow"
Shouse even puns on the title for the Fender Rhodes-driven
"Remembering Sophie Rhodes." After a shticky false start, the funky
swagger of this number is all but ruined by lyrics like "She burns in
my furnace/and melts away sadness" and "She works like a chemical/warm
and plentiful/her madness unraveled me slowly."
Reading Michael Tighe's name among the members of Those Bastard
Souls can't help but make one think about the tragic loss of Jeff
Buckley. And although the comparison is completely unfair, Shouse's
mediocre songs fail exactly where Buckley's soared. Never mind Buckley's
angelic voice, his songs were fearless and exciting, but always
approachable, commercial even-a model for current pop music. Shouse's
songs are indeed commercial, but in an overt, safe way that is best
suited as background music, more than likely in a big budget movie.
Without even turning to Buckley's legacy, there are so many great,
young songwriters like Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright and Elliott Smith
that make _Debt & Departure_ even less relevant.
---
REVIEW: Spin Doctors, _Here Comes The Bride_ (DAS/Universal)
- Jason Cahill
_Here Comes The Bride_, the latest release from the Spin Doctors,
is not the worst album I've ever heard (Scott Weiland's _12 Bar Blues_
still has that distinction), but it's pretty damn close. A disjointed
assortment of musical styles, the album fails on almost every level,
signifying the demise of a band long past its prime. While their debut
efforts were rooted in classic rock, the band always managed to build
upon the format and create a sound both contemporary and vibrant.
_Here Comes The Bride_, however, is proof that the Spin Doctors may
have gone to the creative well once too often.
In reality, the version of the band that exists today is quite
different from the band which crafted _Pocket Full of Kryptonite_, one
of the more memorable releases of the early 90's and certainly the
band's finest hour. Absent today are bassist Mark White and lead
guitarist Erik Schenkman, both of whom contributed heavily to the sound
that gave the Spin Doctors huge success, if only for a short while.
That they left the band soon after the success of _Pocket Full of
Kryptonite_ and immediately before the band's string of commercial
failures is a great example of blind luck, considering that once
upon a time it looked as though by leaving the band they were shooting
their respective careers in the foot. Enter guitarist Eran Tabib and
renowned keyboardist Ivan Neville, both of whom try admirably to plug
the holes in a sinking ship.
As an album, _Here Comes The Bride_ is music's version of running
fingernails down a blackboard. The title track begins with promise, but
soon implodes once the lyrics begin. That the song actually contains
the lyric "...something borrowed, something blue, something old,
something new..." exemplifies the paint-by-numbers aspect of the
album. What's next, appropriating lyrics from the birthday song?
"Vampires in the Sun" is the band's failed attempt at incorporating
Latin grooves with traditional rock rhythms, "Waiting For The Blow"
starts off nicely, but disintegrates once the almost indecipherable
chorus kicks in, and "The Man" seems heavily influenced by the funk/rap
style of classic Red Hot Chili Peppers, but without any of that band's
self propelled urgency or flavor. Perhaps the only songs of merit on
the album are "Siren Dress" and "The Bigger I Laugh, The Harder I Cry",
both well crafted gems reminiscent of early Grateful Dead with their
light, breezy arrangements.
_Here Comes The Bride_ is supposed to be the culmination of a
two-year musical odyssey taken by lead singer Chris Barron and drummer
Aaron Comess, during which time they discovered a handful of influences
including jazz, fusion and world beats. That the resulting album is as
disappointing as this says much for the state of the Spin Doctors.
Granted not all musical odyssey's turn out to be _Graceland_, but given
the bands' past efforts and diversified line-up, it would surely be
within reason to expect something better than this.
---
REVIEW: Birdy, _Supernominal Paraphernalia_ (Cropduster)
- Chris Hill
With nine songs totaling just under 35 minutes, Birdy's debut
is lean and lanky, with little superfluous matter to weigh down the
crunchy guitar pop which emanates from the speakers. Stephanie Seymour,
past member of both the Aquanettas and Psychic Penguin, steps from
behind the drumkit and onto center stage with Birdy, assuming lead
vocal duties for the first time in her musical career.
That she hasn't before is a surprise -- there's an honest
confidence in her voice and a power that plays against lyrics portraying
a sometimes lonely, sometimes vulnerable, sometimes uncertain protagonist,
at odds with herself and her world. Not to worry, this isn't an
angst-ridden, woe-is-me, alternative folk-singer record. The guitars
are plugged in and the drums shake, rattle, and roll.
Sunny, ebullient melodies and harmonies pervade, much like the
music of her influences: Crowded House/Split Enz, Elvis Costello, and
the Pretenders. The Bangles come to mind, as well, but that's an
automatic touchstone for a band with catchy guitar hooks and a strong
female vocal presence. (Backing vocals are provided by Seymour and her
male bandmates, though two songs get an assist from an old friend,
Aquanettas lead Debby Schwartz ("High as the Sun," "I See Faces").)
For lyrics, Seymour sprinkles physical imagery liberally: "I
wear you like my fingerprints," "My brave face is a front line soldier/
My brave face is a storm at sea," "Where am I going and what will I
become/Sometimes I'm looking in the mirror/And I don't see anyone." The
first-person style of writing gives her songs warmth and personality.
The most intimate, "Letter Never Sent," comes off as a sweet mash note
to a love stretched by time and distance. "Smell the paper, that's my
perfume/I know you like it/You said I smelled like springtime." A nice,
palpable description that's sure to trigger a listener's own memories
of a favorite scent.
The only song not to seem reflective of her own immediate
experience is "You Used to Shine." With lines like "It's the smile you
find when you'd rather resign, tell me/How fast does your star fall"
and "It's a free country, well that's what they tell me/But they took
back your key today" make it seem pertinent to the current U.S.
president rather than to a crash and burned friend, though it fits
either interpretation.
Birdy is one of several projects being released by the Cropduster
label, an independent cooperative effort (see Al Muzer's interview,
Consumable Online #180, 6/23/99). The slow country waltz number "One
Pretty Mess" is an oddity among the other uptempo pop numbers, as it
boxes the ears for attention and benefits from the indie release route.
With a chain of music execs to add their input, this might have been
left off a major label release as being disruptive to the flow or band
image. Another silver lining to find in the current cloudy label turmoil.
More info on Birdy and the Cropduster roster can be found at
http://www.cropduster.com
---
REVIEW: Jake Andrews, _Time to Burn_ (Jericho/Cello/Sire)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Young blues prodigys seem to be a dime a dozen these days.
Everywhere you look, little kids are fronting bands in bars where they
won't be legal for years. At 18, Jake Andrews is still 3 years away, but
at least he's the first of his generation to be able to vote. He's also
one of the first to release an album which catapults him to the forefront
of the blues world.
It's not so much that Andrews covers any new ground with _Time to
Burn_. After all, a guitar player fronting a bass and drum rhythm section
is hardly anything new. But, 3-piece blues done right is heaven, and if
the front man is an incredible axe man, it's almost nirvana. And even at
his young age, Jake Andrews is as close as anyone out there right now.
_Time to Burn_ starts with the booming chords of the title track,
the bass filling in the groove, and the drum kicking off the beat. It's
high octane rock and blues. Strains of Eric Clapton come through on it
and a few other tracks. "The Hard Way" features Andrews out-Clapton-ing
Clapton with a lonesome, ringing guitar with a backdrop of real choruses
and verses.
When an organ player sits in on "It All Passed Me By," there's
a little feel of The Black Crowes without the Crowes penchant for
cheese. Rhythmic tracks like "The Hard Way" remind the listener of the
"R" in R&B, and Andrews even takes a shot at swing blues with the
saxophone laden "The Hard Way." And of coarse, there's classic Austin
guitar blues played the hard way on "call and response" scorchers like
"Drivin' Wheel," "Cry Baby" and "Too Sorry."
While Stevie Ray Vaughan's name gets brought up in any discussion
involving Texas blues guitar, Andrews is more like Stevie's brother,
Jimmy. His great songwriting stands out in front with the incredible
licks being just part of his arsenal. _Time to Burn_ exposes a young
man who fills out the classic 3 piece electric blues band but can also
add keyboards or horns when the occassion calls for it.
Part of the choice sound must be credited to veteran producer
John Porter. While most alternative music fans know Porter as the
masterful producer of The Smiths, his true legacy has been the blues. His
work at the boards covers everyone from B.B. King to Taj Mahal, and
his endorsement of Andrews lets any serious blues fan know instantly the
kind talent we're dealing with.
Jake Andrews has blues in his blood. His sense of blues guitar
comes naturally and effortlessly. The sound is big and bold, yet it
carefully avoids egotism and allows the songs to find their balance.
It's an album for dyed in the wool blues fans, and those who've never
gone beyond a few Clapton and Thoroughgood albums. It's easy to forget
that this kid is just 18. _Time to Burn_ is simply a great album.
---
REVIEW: Clinic, _Clinic_ (Domino U.K.)
- Tim Kennedy
Clinic are a band from Liverpool and Manchester but they
sound more like Americans. Their influences seem to be the garage
punk explosion of the sixties but with flourishes borrowed from as
different sources as Phil Spector and Syd Barret era Floyd. The
band is eclectic to the bone and attempt everything from rockabilly
to ambient.
Live, they sometimes don surgical masks which puts a bizarre
spin on their otherwise minimal stage presence. The band are fairly
nondescript in the flesh, singer Ade Blackburn crouching at a
tiny seemingly homemade keyboard when not playing guitar.
The album is a compilation of the band's first few singles.
"IPC subeditors dictate our youth" sounds like sixties punks ? and
the Mysterians but with Phil Spector at the controls - the track
opens with the classic Hal Blaine drumbeat from the Ronettes' "Be
My Baby".
"Porno" begins with a sinister bassline akin to the Cure
in their darkest moments and vicious fuzz guitar. Spectoresque
drums give another dimension to this psych number.
"DP" is vintage 1977 UK punk with lyrics seemingly in French.
"Monkey on my back" displays a similar aggressive spirit albeit
with elements of 60s surf punk as played by early Jesus and Mary
Chain (if they had been able to play). "DT" is another crossover
of 60s and 70s punk styles, with the spirit of Iggy Pop in attendance.
"Evil bill" uses a beatbox in classic JAMC style, the guitar way
back in the mix, meandering gleefully and menacingly.
"Cement Mixer" uses a punk guitar assault straight out of
"Interstellar Overdrive" the classic psych punk track by Syd
Barrett's Floyd. The vocals are particularly rough leading the
listener to wonder at the cheap and nasty production values on this
music which paradoxically enhances its appeal.
"Kimberley" owes a lot to reggae genius Augustus Pablo whose
melodian style is borrowed throughout. The lyrics are again hard to
decipher but a dark sense of humour is here - "Like sister and
brother we come for each other" (borrowing from a cheesy 70s pop
record the author of which I have thankfully forgotten). The track
is not strictly reggae - more a hybrid of Velvets and King Tubby.
"Voot" continues the languid pace of its predecessor with an
instrumental, decorated by soaring guitar straight out of the Velvets.
This is music for music's sake, not for fashion. Clinic are
rough, very rough. This is punk music, but music made up of such
diverse elements that are combined with such eager and dark invention
that taken as a whole indicate a considerable talent at work.
---
REVIEW: Colleen Coadic, _Scream Of Consciousness_ (Independent)
- Reto Koradi
An increasing stream of interesting female artists have been one
of the dominating trends of music history for some years, and with this
release Colleen Coadic, hailing in from Alaska, makes a valid claim to
join the big leagues.
The most striking feature that sets _Scream Of Consciousness_
apart from most of the pack is Colleen Coadic's versatility. Her very
pleasant voice goes from fragile to powerful in a breeze, and the songs
encompass a remarkable array of music styles. Catchy midtempo numbers
("Wonder Years," "Mediocrity") are mixed with more laid back songs
like "My Adoring Glance," which often have a nice funky groove. She
gets more experimental with "Deep In The Pharmacy," which revokes
memories of Laurie Anderson.
While Coadic's voice takes centerstage, and her name is on the
cover, _Scream Of Consciousness_ is much more a band effort than most
releases in this genre. The performance of highly skilled musicians make
the consistently high quality songs even more enjoyable.
Your Consumable analyst rates _Scream Of Consciousness_ by Colleen
Coadic as a strong buy. For more information, check out
http://www.colleen.org
---
NEWS:
> Emusic.com has been busy lately, with a new MP3-only release
from They Might Be Giants, as well as a benefit album for Kosovo which
includes tracks from Guided By Voices, Superchunk, Creeper Lagoon and more.
Also, labels including Jetset and Parasol will be working with emusic.com.
Check out http://www.emusic.com for more information.
> The Foo Fighters have announced the departure of guitarist
Franz Stahl from the group. The core members of the Foos - David Grohl,
Nate Mendel and Taylor Hawkins - are working on the band's third album,
tentatively scheduled to be released later this year.
> Fans of downloadable music will want to take a look
at http://www.listen.com , who have launched the Internet's first
official site dedicated to a comprehensive directory of downloadable music.
> Rhino Handmade, a Web-only imprint of Rhino Entertainment, will
be offering limited-edition releases (some in quantities as small as 1,000
copies) of previously unheard or forgotten discs. For more information,
check out http://www.rhinohandmade.com
---
TOUR DATES:
Anti-Flag
Jul. 3 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Jul. 6 Portsmouth, NH Elvis Room
Jul. 8 New York, NY Coney Island High
Jul. 9 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church
R.L. BURNSIDE
Jul. 2 Portland, OR Werfront Blues Festival
Jul. 3 Seattle, WA Road Rash '99 NAF Studios
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Jul. 2 Savannah, GA Trustee Theatre
Jul. 3 Wilmington, NC Trask Coliseum
Jul. 4 Baltimore, MD Pier 6
Jul. 8 Robinsonville, MS Bluesville
Jul. 9 Springfield, MO Hammons Hall
Jul. 10 St. Louis, MO Fox Theatre
Jul. 11 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
Ani DiFranco / Maceo Parker
Jul. 2 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Jul. 3 Minneapolis, MN Midway Stadium
Jul. 5 Morrison, CO Red Rocks
Jul. 7 Park City, UT Deer Valley Amphitheatre
Jul. 9 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
Jul. 10 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheatre
Jul. 11 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Jul. 12 Fresno, CA Warnors Theatre
Down By Law
Jul. 7 New York, NY Coney Island High
Jul. 8 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill
Jul. 9 Bound Brook, NJ New Palace Performing Arts Center
Jul. 10 Baltimore, MD Fletchers
Ben Harper
Jul. 9 The Hague, Holland North Sea Jazz
Jul. 10 Milton Keynes, U.K. Big Day Out
Kula Shaker / Splender
Jul. 5 Toronto, ON The Opera House
Jul. 6 Pontiac, MI 7th House
Jul. 8 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Jul. 9 Boston, MA The Roxy
Jul. 10 Philadelphia, PA Theater Of The Living Arts
Jul. 12 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Alanis Morissette
Jul. 7 Newcastle, UK Telewest Arena
Jul. 8 Manchester, England Manchester News Arena
Jul. 9 Birmingham, England NEC
Jul. 11-12 Dublin, Ireland The Point
Mike Ness
Jul. 2 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
Jul. 3 Irvine, CA Oak Canyon Ranch
Jul. 4 Del Mar, CA Del Mar Fair
Pietasters
Jul. 4 Washington, DC Cd 101's Backyard Bbq
Sheila Divine
Jul. 6 New York, NY Brownie's
Jul. 7 Washington, DC Velvet Lounge
Jul. 8 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grille
Sonic Youth
Jul. 2 Berkeley, CA The Greek
Jul. 4 Irvine Lakes, CA Irvine Lakes
Jul. 7-8 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Jul. 10 Santa Fe, NM Site Santa Fe
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Jul. 3 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Jul. 4 New York, NY Central Park Summer Stage
Staind
Jul. 2 San Antonio, TX Sunken Garden
Jul. 3 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Jul. 5 Biloxi, MS MS Coast Coliseum
Jul. 6 Jacksonville, FL Coliseum
Jul. 7 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Jul. 9 Atlanta, GA International Ballroom
Jul. 10 Louisville, KY Louisville Gardens
Jul. 12 Minneapolis, MN Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Joe Strummer & Mescaleros
Jul. 3 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
Jul. 6 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Jul. 7 Los Angeles, CA The Palace
James Taylor
Jul. 3-4 Lenox, MA Tanglewood
Jul. 6 Darien Lake, NY Darien Amphitheater
Jul. 7 Hershey, PA Hershey Park
Jul. 9 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Jul. 10 Scranton, PA Montage Mountain
Sally Taylor
Jul. 7 Arcata, CA Cafe Tomo
Ten Foot Pole
Jul. 2 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy
Jul. 5 Ft. Collins, CO The Starlight
Jul. 6 Logan, UT Whittier Community Ctr.
---
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