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Consumable Online Issue 208
== ISSUE 208 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [May 1, 2000]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann D. Ball, Chris Hill, Bill
Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Jon Steltenpohl
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Paul Andersen, Christina
Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Jason Cahill,
Matthew Carlin, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan,
Matt Fink, Krisjanis Gale, Jade Hughes, Paul Hanson,
Scott Hudson, Jianda Johnson, Steve Kandell,
Dave Kemper, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes
Long, I.K. MacLeod, Al Muzer, Wilson Neate,
Mike Pfeiffer, Linda Scott, Don Share, Scott
Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, 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 Consumable
and their author(s).
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Neil Young, _Silver & Gold_ - Matt Fink
REVIEW: Built to Spill, _Live_ - Kerwin So
CONCERT REVIEW: Charlatans/Stereophonics, New York City - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: Elliott Smith, _Figure 8_ - Wes Long
REVIEW: Trembling Blue Stars, _Broken By Whispers_ - Niles Baranowski
REVIEW: Peter Murphy, _Wild Birds, 1985-1995: The Best of the Beggars
Banquet Years_ - John Davidson
REVIEW: Liquid Soul, _Here's The Deal_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Gimme Indie Rock, Vol. 1_ - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Bobby Gaylor. _Fuzzatonic Scream_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Ian Brown, _Golden Greats_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: The Lilys/Aspera Ad Astra, _The Lilys/Aspera Ad Astra_
- Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Various, _Songs for Summer_ - Jianda Johnson
REVIEW: Jungle Brothers, _V.I.P._ - Joann D. Ball
NEWS: Devo / Rhino Musical Aptitude Test
TOUR DATES: Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, Broadside Electric,
Ani DiFranco, Dismemberment Plan, Dope / Primer 65, Lifter Puller,
Mix Master Mike, Meshell Ndegeocello, Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers /
Foo Fighters / Muse, Elliott Smith, Splender, The The, Train / Gas
Giants, Union, Veruca Salt, Wire, Workhorse Movement / Kittie
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Neil Young, _Silver & Gold_ (Reprise)
- Matt Fink
It's a relatively rare rock phenomena to maintain lasting artistic
or commercial relevancy past the age of 50. No matter how great a
particular artist once was, it seems that by the second decade of a
career, there is usually very little left in the tank. The
original rockers like Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Fats Domino have
avoided this conundrum altogether by basically curtailing the artistic
end of their recording careers in the early 60's, leaving themselves to
tour endlessly and repackage re-recordings of their previous chart
toppers, thereby, leaving their legacy intact. The second generation
rockers have suffered a similar, albeit, altogether worse fate: that of
the supposed continuance of their artistic musings with fewer and fewer
rewarding breakthroughs with every album. Bob Dylan was in such a
creative rut that the Shakespeare of rock took to doing cover albums and
only released one collection of original material in the entire
90's. Paul McCartney may be responsible for some of the greatest songs
in the rock canon, but the muse has largely left him cold, with Sir Paul
being reduced to amateurish classical composing and cover albums, as
well. The Rolling Stones, Lou Reed and David Bowie have had their
moments over the last 25 years, but all have albums in their discography
that would probably been better left in the can. Then there is Neil
Young.
Having maintained a nearly unparalleled artistic consistency, he
has fared better than almost any other rocker who started a career in
the 60's. Over 30 years and 27 albums, Mr. Young has set himself up as
true rock royalty by always allowing himself to go in whatever direction
he wanted and not allowing himself to complacently live off the
royalties to _Harvest_ and _Rust Never Sleeps_ . Sure, this constant
reinvention has produced some baffling oddities, like the techno album
_Trans_ and the rockabilly set _Everybody's Rockin'_, but for those
who've been willing to tough out his artistic wanderings, it has been a
rewarding ride. Similar to Van Morrison and Tom Waits, what makes Young
able to maintain the ride on the artistic peak is an unquestionable
understanding of what his music is all about and an amazing ability to
consistently twist these intangibles into something new and vibrant.
Through all the characters he has played, from the love weary traveler
in _Harvest_ to the drunken ranter of _Tonight's the Night_, the core of
his music has always stayed intact. For all the times he has strayed
from center, he has seemingly been able to return to his musical
heartland at any time he wants.
It has been four years since Neil Young released his last album,
the solid yet somewhat underwhelming _Broken Arrow_, and rumors of a new,
stripped down successor in the vein of _Harvest_ and _Harvest Moon_ has
been rumored for some time. Four years is an uncharacteristically long
time between albums for Young, but being a bit of a perfectionist, he
continued to delay release until he thought _Silver & Gold_ was
fully realized. After working with Stephen Stills on the forthcoming
Buffalo Springfield retrospective, the album hit another revision as
Young gave Crosby, Stills and Nash free reign to pick whatever tracks
they liked off his project for inclusion on their reunion album _Looking
Forward_. Young ended up contributing four songs to the CSNY
collaboration and went back to the studio to finish up with what he had
left. And what was left is pretty darn good.
Young had intended to make this his first completely solo album,
but in the end found himself bringing in friends like Ben Keith, Spooner
Oldham and Donald "Duck" Dunn, to add pedal steel guitar, pump organ,
dobro, drums, and bass to go with his acoustic guitar, harmonica and
piano playing. Taking a break from his partners in dissonance, Crazy
Horse, has yielded more focused and polished results in the past,
making albums that were less spontaneous and ultimately less fun than
those collaborations, but more pensive and poignant, all the same. So
while there are no 8-minute guitar epics, you still get the feeling this
is the real Neil Young, stripped to the core and vulnerable, a little
less angry but every bit as sincere.
Young opens with the shuffling folk ballad "Good To See You,"
which sounds so much like a cousin to his classic "Comes A Time" that
you'd almost swear it was an outtake from those recording sessions. The
beautifully finger-picked title track, which was actually written around
1982 and has been performed live for years, is another great example of
Young's mastery of the love ballad, turning potentially trite sentiments
into the masterstrokes of a true troubadour. Touching on themes that
are all too universal nowadays, Young reflects on the good times before
his parents divorce in "Daddy Went Walkin'," which almost sounds too
lighthearted to be dealing with such a weighty topic. The potentially
maudlin "Buffalo Springfield Again," which honestly had the potential to
be a self-aggrandizing disaster, is one of the rare moments where Young
seems to be comfortably nostalgic about his tenure with the country-rock
pioneers. "The Great Divide" sounds a little more similar to the
quieter moments of his work from recent years, with the escapist themes
wrapped around underlying pump organ and sweeping pedal steel guitar
touches. Young introduces the latest in a long line of mythical
characters with "Horseshoe Man," a piano ballad dedicated to the one who
"fixes heartbreak everywhere." Linda Rondstadt and Emmylou Harris make
a cameo on the stark "Red Sun," which soaks up the rural landscape as a
satisfied ode to married life. The soaring pedal steel and lively
drumming of "Distant Camera" make for one of the more hummable tracks,
as there really aren't all that many toe-tappers here. Hypnotic
echoing drums and piano serve as perfect accompaniment for the hopeful
wanderer in "Razor Love," another track that Young wrote in the early
80's and had intended for his straightforward country opus _Old Ways_ ,
but instead was pulled from the closet for inclusion here. The
plaintive understated minor chord changes of "Without Rings" serves
as a fine coda for what is, all in all, one of the most satisfying and
focused Young albums of the last 20 years.
Had _Silver & Gold_ been released 10 years ago, instead of _Harvest
Moon_, it would have seemed like something of a revelation, but having
come off a relatively stable period in Young's recording career, he will
just have to be satisfied with it being his folkie statement for the new
millennium. Conversational but never morose, multi-textured but never
disorienting, in the end _Silver & Gold_ may be the more worthy
successor to 1972's _Harvest_, the album that made Young a household
name. As with all his greatest work, each listen reveals the nuances of
a true master working in a medium he all but created. Though _Silver &
Gold_ is nowhere near as sonically varied as _After the Goldrush_, _Rust
Never Sleeps_ , or _American Stars & Bars_, it makes up for any lack of
diversity with the impressive cohesion of the song cycle and the
magnitude of the quality of the songcraft. There might not be
anything here that a dedicated Young fan hasn't already heard, but
while the majority of his contemporaries are out on the road, rehashing
the brighter spots of their recording careers, Young is arguably still
at the summit of his. After all, Neil Young doesn't have to re-record
his, or anybody else's, hits. He knows the elements that make a great
Neil Young song, and when he wants a reminder of what one sounds like,
he can always sit down and write a few more.
---
REVIEW: Built to Spill, _Live_ (Warner Bros.)
- Kerwin So
Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch is arguably THE guitar
god of modern-day indie rock. While 1997's _Perfect from Now On_
demonstrated Martsch's infinite musical vision and majestic
melancholy, and last year's _Keep It Like a Secret_ bore the
glossy sheen of beautiful pop arrangements, there has not yet
been a suitable outlet for showcasing Martsch's sheer dexterity on
the fretboard. _Live_ steps in to fill this gap perfectly, offering
enough flexibility for six-string acrobatics as well as the odd cover
song.
Consisting of nine tracks that clock in at 72 minutes (you do
the math), _Live_ compiles an assortment of songs from last year's
performances in Denver, Seattle, and New York, all recorded by
longtime producer Phil Ek (a genius in his own right). Sequenced
to accurately resemble the set lists of that tour, this disc boasts an
excellent mix of material from the band's last two Warner Bros.
releases, plus the beloved ballad "Car" (from 1994's _There's
Nothing Wrong with Love_) and three cover songs.
And the solos -- oh the solos! Any fan of J Mascis or Neil
Young's Crazy Horse era should run out and grab this record for a
chance to experience Built to Spill's 20-minute plus cover of
"Cortez the Killer," which could well be the highlight of this disc.
Although Jim Roth from the Delusions helps out on guitar here (as
on all the tracks), the solo is all Doug, crossing oceans by way of
exploratory feedback and wandering delays. The kickoff track,
"The Plan," replaces the last verse of the studio version with a
piercing solo reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr's glory days. And the 20
minute noisefest of the finale "Broken Chairs" represents not so
much a kickass solo as a cacophonous playground, in which every
member of every band on that tour wound up on stage, swapping
instruments and pounding away mercilessly -- an experience better
seen than heard.
Although newcomers to Built to Spill will benefit from hearing
the rush that is the band's live presence, the true winners here are
the older fans, who will know nearly every song here. Classics like
"I Would Hurt a Fly" and "Stop the Show" hold up beautifully in the
live setting, flowing smoothly with surprises like a cover of Love as
Laughter's "Singing Sores Make Perfect Swords." Built to Spill's
new studio album is slated for release early next year -- this CD will
be more than enough to tide you over until then.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Charlatans/Stereophonics, New York City
- Wilson Neate
Although such a high caliber double-header is a rare enough
treat, this was an extra-special bill insofar as it brought together
representatives of two of the British "scenes" of the last decade or
so: late-'80s/early-'90s Madchester (Charlatans -- or Charlatans UK
for those of us in the US) and the currently happenin' Cool Cymru
(Stereophonics).
At the start of their North American tour, Stereophonics
guitarist/vocalist Kelly Jones commented, "I think we've got an
audience here, it just takes time to find it." And he certainly
found it last night at New York's Roseland where the hardest working
band in Britain -- as they've been dubbed -- delivered a spirited set
drawn largely from 1997's _Word Gets Around_ and last year's
_Performance and Cocktails_.
Before Stereophonics came on, the expectant crowd was primed
with the sounds of Jones' boyhood heroes AC/DC, which provided a
fitting overture for a band that reinvents both the anthemic highs
and the no-nonsense, formulaic graft of classic rock in a short-haired,
moderately alternative context.
While the simplicity of Stereophonics' music has prompted
unflattering assessments of their "meat and potatoes" approach, that
doesn't tell the whole story. The achievement of Stereophonics is
their comfortable translation of the commonplace and the quotidian
of Jones' lyrical vision into rock of epic proportions, without for
an instant losing any of the intimacy or straying into the arena of
the pompous.
Although the toils of Stuart Cable on drums and Richard Jones
on bass are key ingredients, crucial to the mix are Kelly Jones's
big, close-to-rasping, emotive vocals that almost single-handedly
pull off an effortless compromise between the local snap-shot and a
universal rock world-view in the Springsteen vein. Theirs is a kind
of fanfare for the common person approach that makes bands like Oasis,
who work on the same principle, sound very one-dimensional.
The fact that Black Crowes' frontman Chris Robinson was in
the crowd last night and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the set gives
some small indication of how convincingly Stereophonics reinvent the
stadium sensibility.
A shining example of the effectiveness of Stereophonics'
genre-blurring approach was last night's performance of "A Thousand
Trees." No less inspiring were sing-along inducing renditions of "I
Wouldn't Believe Your Radio" and, of course, "Local Boy in the
Photograph." During many of their songs you could just feel yourself
fumbling for a cigarette lighter to hold aloft in a moment of
unashamed, earnest rockism. And if there were still any concerns
over finding a US audience, "Just Looking," "Traffic," and "Hurry
Up and Wait" were -- like everything else -- instantly recognized
and greeted like already classic tunes.
Stereophonics topped off their evening with "I Stopped to
Fill My Car Up" complete with a final, epic guitar flourish that
bordered on the Zeppelin-esque. This provided a perfect segue into
the Charlatans' set, given that their guitarist Mark Collins isn't
himself averse to working in a few nods to Jimmy Page on occasion.
In addition to the friendly ghost of Zeppelin, other
Charlatans' coordinates were particularly pronounced in the live
context. The rendering of the Jon Lord/early Deep Purple organ
sound that Rob Collins left behind -- and which Tony Rogers has
rather ably made his own -- was especially noteworthy last night,
taking the lead on occasion and just bubbling under the surface on
others. But, like all of their musical citations, it's always
perfectly situated within an overall package that, while it might pay
homage to numerous others, is always uniquely the Charlatans.
The set was equally divided between tracks from 1999's _Us
and Us Only_ and from previous albums dating back to 1990's _Some
Friendly_. As the newer songs confirmed last night, _Us and Us Only_
continues the Charlatans'romance with the Stones of the early '70s,
thereby emphasizing an alternative lineage for contemporary Brit-rock
and pop -- Oasis' ongoing love affair with the Beatles notwithstanding.
The stand-outs from the new record last night were "My Beautiful
Friend" and "Impossible." While a respect for Dylan is articulated
throughout much of the Charlatans' work, Tim Burgess's burst of
harmonica on "Impossible" brilliantly crystallized, for a fleeting
instant, the deep affection for _Bringing It All Back Home_ through
_Blonde on Blonde_ period Dylan that permeates the latest album in
particular.
As a frontman Burgess is physically idiosyncratic yet
completely charismatic, albeit in an understated Liam Gallagher kind of
way. Like Gallagher he follows the zipped/buttoned-up-to-the-chin dress
code and is ungainly but totally cool. Unlike Gallagher he seems
wholly well-adjusted and genuinely touched by and receptive to the
overwhelming reaction his band gets. In the final analysis, whether
he was lumbering around the stage in simian fashion or just stooped
over playing what appeared to be one-handed air-guitar, Burgess was
totally compelling.
While the newer songs went down well, the real crowd-pleasers
were "Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over," "Just Lookin',"
"Weirdo," "One to Another" and the instrumental "Area 51," during
which Burgess graciously accepted a bunch of flowers -- gift
wrapped -- handed to him by an adoring fan. As the crowd response
confirmed, the Charlatans were most in their element on rousing
renditions of "North Country Boy," "How High," and "Tellin' Stories"
from the penultimate album.
For an encore they came back and wrapped things up with the
oldest song of the evening, "Sproston Green." It seemed unfortunately
low-key after some of the earlier highlights and you couldn't help
thinking that "The Only One I Know" might have worked better. Still,
mustn't grumble.
While this tour might be an attempt to break into the tricky
American market, Stereophonics and the Charlatans were clearly playing
to the converted last night.
---
REVIEW: Elliott Smith, _Figure 8_ (Dreamworks)
- Wes Long
Okay kids, if you haven't heard of Elliott Smith by now you
need to get off your collective assess and run out to your local,
hopefully independent, record store and have a listen to one of the
few artists whose work is actually sturdy enough to bare the weight
of the megaton heavy "next big thing" label.
In 1998, Elliott's "Hey Everybody - Look At Me!!" year, his
lovely "Miss Misery" was nominated for an Oscar (Good Will Hunting
soundtrack) and he released a sumptuously flawed bouquet of tunes
titled _XO_. Elliott's capable of creating Asian-flu catchy music
that's meticulously recorded and produced yet somehow maintains an
air of the musty garage and 4-track recorder which started him on
this journey when he was fourteen. This undeniably enviable trait
often conjures up the ghost of the Fab Four's early recordings,
seemingly simple songs teaming with life, and while it worked well
on _XO_ this has been perfected on his latest effort; _Figure 8_.
There's something about these new songs that I can't quite put
my finger on. They often remind me of bands that I've loved for years:
The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Jason Falkner, Jellyfish, Eric Matthews,
The Cavedogs, The Posies, bands of that ilk. Elliot has obviously
gone through a musical growth spurt in the last two years. Like all
the better artists of his genre he's able to take historical moments
of song and make them all his own. The Beatle influences abound, but
unlike the splendid yet saccharine-sweet Jellyfish, Smith coats the
beater with just enough frosting to keep the listener ever-hungry
for more.
_Figure 8_ reminds me somewhat of Elvis Costello's Imperial
Bedroom because it is a collection of brilliant (yes, brilliant)
fairly brief and ever moody tunes. He effortlessly lunges from the
urgency of up-tempo songs like "Son of Sam" and "LA," a rocker
seemingly constructed from an Eric Matthews blueprint, to the
stripped-down perfection of "Somebody That I Used To Know." The
taste of Friends/Wild Honey-era Beach Boy's piano and vocal
arrangements of "In The Lost And Found (Honky Bach)" are pop
perfection with just the right dash of dissonance. The irresistible
"Stupidity Tries" is the sort of tune that Jason Falkner excels in
writing; clever-as-it-gets pop which builds upon itself until it can't
go any further. "Everything Means Nothing To Me" is the track which
prompted the connection with Costello's 1982 classic, with its humble
piano and vocal intro which eventually careens into a droning
drum-heavy Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin-esqe release.
_Figure 8_ is as good as it gets.
---
REVIEW: Trembling Blue Stars, _Broken By Whispers_
(Shinkansen/Sub Pop)
- Niles Baranowski
Even if it had no musical merit, the release of _Broken By
Whispers_ would be an event to be celebrated for being the first proper
American release from a Field Mice member. The prickly, delicate songcraft
of Robert Wratten (who headed up both the Mice and Northern Picture
Library, in addition to his current Trembling Blue Stars work) has been
missing for far too long from the libraries of literate pop fans
nationwide. Anyone who credits Belle and Sebastian or Kindercore Records
with a rebirth of smart, sensitive and drowsy-catchy songcraft will be
surprised to learn that Wratten has been crafting subtle masterpieces in
the same vein for the last decade.
_Broken By Whispers_ is hardly Wratten's definitive opus (import
geeks are ordered to seek out _Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way?_, a
double disc of Field Mice favorites) but it does include some haunting,
shadowy balladry of the first order. "Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise"
has a harpsichord line that reverberates like fingers down your spine and
"To Leave It Now" is an elaborate origami construction of new wave
melancholy that comes within kissing distance of OMD's early
heartbreakers.
Like the Mice before them, the Stars are least precious when they
can branch out into different territory and while there's nothing as
adventurous as the former's effortless adventures in house or dub, there
are moments ("Ripples," "Fragile") when they can drown out the twee in a
wash of guitar that pours down from above. Wratten's trademark trebly
guitar sound is an apt vehicle for his songs' hurt sensitivity and still
keeps him head-and-shoulders above other doe-eyed tunesmiths who've
descended from his detiritus. Similarly, his lyrics cut deeper, like the
faultlines between pain and bitter emptiness. "The person you were/ I know
you're not her," he says sadly in his boxed-in choirboy whisper. There are
even moments when, with the help of producer Ian Catt (who brought the
same moody flow to St. Etienne's early work) he can summon up glittery
glumness that wouldn't be out of place on an early Cure record, like the
gothic escapism of "Sleep." But for all of his tricks to beef up his
sound, he trumps himself when he's stripped down to just the basics.
"Birthday Girl" is so simple--with just Wratten making his acoustic guitar
shimmer -- that the song's loneliness feels liberating, maybe even ideal.
_Whispers_ is a similar act of alchemy, crafting charm from a motherlode
of disaffection.
---
REVIEW: Peter Murphy, _Wild Birds, 1985-1995: The Best of the
Beggars Banquet Years_ (Beggars Banquet)
- John Davidson
At the very least, you probably know Peter Murphy's tectonic
baritone from "Cuts You Up," the atmospheric anthem that had a good
run on modern rock radio in 1990 and 1991. Or maybe you're among the
recovering Goths who knew him as the enigmatic frontman of Bauhaus in
the early 80s. But how many of you knew he had 16 great songs in the
90s? There's the rub. With any "best of" package, the best are
ultimately in the eyes of the beholder, and in the case of _Wild
Birds, 1985-1995: The Best of the Beggars Banquet Years_, the eyes
are Murphy's - a self-discerning assessment of his solo work that
weeds out the weaker compositions and reveals a decade of many good
songs.
The Bowie-esque swoon of "Cuts You Up" remains Murphy's
strongest moment, and the only other masses-aware track is probably
1992's sort of hit "The Sweetest Drop." From there, you're either a
knowledgeable fan or curious onlooker to his signature brooding pipes
and love-lost lyrics. "Deep Ocean Vast Sea" is typically elegant,
commanding attention with strong images and a booming background that
never loses control; "Subway" is a claustrophobic yet not overwhelming
street workout; his cover of Pere Ubu's "Final Solution" makes what was
once a confrontational song much more approachable; "Strange Kind of
Love" is a haunting ballad of sorts. His style could be summed by his
moody worldview pitted against an affinity for orchestral grandeur,
all propped by dancebeat leanings. Sweepingly romantic at his best,
Murphy is a bit overwrought at his worst.
Murphy relapsed in the past few years with Bauhaus, and _Wild
Birds_ is allegedly his last stab at the old stuff before he moves on
to more original material in the 90s. This collection is a perfect
summation of his work and a relevant bookmark to 90s rock before
Nirvana came alive. Even more, the guy proves he had more than just
one hit.
---
REVIEW: Liquid Soul, _Here's The Deal_ (Shanachie)
- Joann D. Ball
Chicago's very own Liquid Soul continues to drop major doses
of acid jazz on _Here's The Deal_ (Shanachie Records). On this third
studio release, band leader and saxophonist Mars Williams leads
Liquid Soul even further into the seldom explored adventureland of
jazz, funk, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and Latin sounds.
It's definitely all about fusion, flava and fun on _Here's
The Deal_"Sure Fire One" opens the record with a blistering freestyle
delivery from Windy City rapper MCB and the band lays down a surprising
Middle Eastern scale over the groove in the middle of the track. Nina
Simone's daughter Simone makes her recording debut with Liquid Soul on
the sultry invitational "Stop By Monie's" and on the deep sexy groove
number "Dysfunction." Liquid Soul's resident MC Dirty MF does the deed
once again on loose and fluid "Show Me."
Liquid Soul once again acknowledges its debt to the jazz greats,
with a live Y2K version of Miles Davis' "All Blues" and a tribute to
Dizzy Gillespie called "The Diz." And the twelve tracks are further
enhanced by DJ Ajax's innovative use of ambient sounds in addition
to the usual word and jazz samples that have always distinguished
Liquid Soul's progressive sound. On _Here's The Deal_, Liquid Soul
lays it all out for everyone to hear and feel. Whether in the studio
or performing the intensely energetic live shows for which they are
famous, Liquid Soul always delivers maximum quality with maximum style.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Gimme Indie Rock, Vol. 1_ (K-TEL)
- Kerwin So
In the hyper-consumer world of popular music, it's easy to lose
sight of the history and influences that shaped what we're listening
to at any given moment. Why, the Backstreet Boys are nothing
but a rehash of New Kids on the Block, who were themselves a
bastardization of the Jackson Five. Indie rockers tend to have a
slightly better grip on the seminal bands of yesteryear -- or at least
they think they do -- but if you need a refresher course, or just
some place to start mapping indie rock's sprawling history, you
could do much worse than checking out K-TEL's new double disc
compilation _Gimme Indie Rock, Vol. 1._
K-TEL? That's right, somebody has to catalog musical trends
of the time -- why not K-TEL? Last year's _Nowcore_ compilation
was a sturdy collection of songs from post-hardcore superstars like
Braid and the Promise Ring, and now K-TEL brings 30 tracks from
a who's who of indie rock icons that would leave any scenester
drooling: Half Japanese, Yo La Tengo, the Wedding Present, Giant
Sand, Flaming Lips, the Mekons -- the list is quite impressive.
Indeed, you'd have to be an _uber-scenester_ to own all the
records from which these songs are taken, particularly since some
of them are out of print (like Scrawl's _He's Drunk_, whose "I'm
Ready" is included here), or just plain hard to find (the saxophone
version of "Blue Thunder" from Galaxie 500).
Many of these selections hail from the mid-to-late 80s; hence,
pioneering underground labels like Homestead and SST are heavily
represented through bands like Big Dipper, the Meat Puppets,
Squirrel Bait, the Minutemen, and Black Flag. From the bands I
was familiar with (by no means all of them), it seems that a fair
amount of care was taken in selecting a signature track from each
artist. Husker Du's dark reflection on heroin addiction "Pink Turns
to Blue" (from their epic double LP _Zen Arcade_) gets things off to
a gloomy start, crashing headlong into Dinosaur Jr's monstrous
"Little Fury Things," from their beloved SST record _You're Living
All Over Me_. You'll feel Half Japanese's gleefully naive energy on
just one spin of "US Teens are Spoiled Bums," and be bowled over
by the car-crusher compactness of the Minutemen's song styles
and length (as evidenced in "Political Song for Michael Jackson to
Sing"). And, the song perhaps most credited for single-handedly
kickstarting the grunge tidal wave of the early 90s, Mudhoney's
"Touch Me I'm Sick," makes a welcome appearance here, as do
the former mentors to Kurt Cobain, the Melvins.
What's further impressive about this compilation is its
geographic and stylistic scope. Sure, you have the American
bands who drew heavily from hardcore punk, but you'll also
discover indie-pop favorites from the UK and New Zealand (the
Wedding Present and the Chills, respectively), as well as some
acts who defy boundaries altogether: the Mekons, who have
probably covered every conceivable musical category in their
twenty years of existence, or Savage Republic, who sounded like
aliens kidnapped Joy Division from 1979 Manchester and plunked
them down in the middle of the desert.
But beyond the trademark song selection and diversity of
songs and bands presented here, this compilation is ultimately
worthy for one core reason -- its sense of history. Chances are
you've never heard a Yo La Tengo song recorded before 1997, or
have only heard the names of bands like Eleventh Dream Day, the
Wipers, or the Vaselines (the last two often championed -- and
covered -- by Nirvana). Here's a great chance to sample some of
this for yourself without dropping a fortune. Allow me to share a
personal revelation: I have always heard of the band Squirrel Bait,
seeing as how this one band spawned acts like Rodan, Gastr del
Sol, and most notably Slint, indie rock legends in themselves who
continue to make history to this day as Tortoise. Being a long-time
devotee of the Replacements, I was pleasantly surprised to hear
how closely Squirrel Bait's lead singer Peter Searcy's voice
resembled that of Paul Westerberg in balls out, full-throttle mode.
So that's it: hearing Squirrel Bait's "Sun God" connected the
musical dots for me. As Rob from _High Fidelity" might say, the
Replacements to Tortoise in four moves. Pretty neat, huh?
Of course, speaking of the Replacements, they are
conspicuously absent from this collection, despite their enormous
influence on hundreds of songwriters still wearing their hearts on
their sleeves. I mean, how could you include Husker Du and the
Minutemen and leave out the Mats? But there's your typical indie
rock attitude, I guess -- any dyed-in-the-wool hipster could find
reasons to complain about this compilation (or anything for that
matter). For instance, where's Sonic Youth? Or Superchunk? Is
REM considered too mainstream to be included here? If this
compilation were truly indie rock, wouldn't it be vinyl-only? To
these critics, I have only this to say: there's always volume two.
---
REVIEW: Bobby Gaylor. _Fuzzatonic Scream_ (Atlantic)
- Bill Holmes
If you have had a radio on these past couple of months, you've
probably heard "Suicide", the arresting spoken-word track that has
polarized the listening audience. No, it's not a pro-suicide song,
although it wouldn't be the first time that dimwitted people have
rallied against a song or poem without comprehending it. But it does
cleverly begin with an off-the-cuff attitude that hooks your sick
sense of humor, before spinning on a dime midway through to head
towards its very anti-suicide coda -- "Hey, you were born - finish
what you started!" Whether it's the overwhelming majority of people
who are moved by the track or the 10% or so who are offended, the
phone lights up whenever the track airs.
Gaylor's phrasing and Boston accent will remind you of Denis
Leary, although his comic story style owes more to performers like Ed
Hamell and monologists like Eric Bogosian than any stand-up comic
(well, this side of Chris Rush, anyway.) His skewed reality is not so
different from ours, but few people have the ability to tell as
colorful of a story while still remaining believable. If you have that
one friend who can make any situation or story sound funny, or scary,
or important, well, that's Bobby Gaylor in a nutshell.
What is unusual is the musical accompaniment; one is more used
to hearing laughter or silence rather than music. Occasionally it works
wonders -- "Suicide" plays like an alternative folk song, "Animals"
would play well on The Discovery Channel, and "Tommy The Frog Killer"
has a pulsing Euro-sound rolling underneath like an independent film.
Which makes sense of course, since soundtrack composer and
musician/engineer Marc Bonilla provide the "score" to Gaylor's tales.
Not all stories are funny -- although "Hit A Guy With My Car" is
morbidly hilarious -- but they're all compelling with or without the
music. Masturbation, families, animals, violence, and the artlessness
of smelt fishing all get a turn under his microscope.
"Suicide" will no doubt grab your attention, and may indeed
change your life, but Gaylor is no one-trick pony. And for those who
can't handle the truth, yes, the radio-edit version of "Suicide" is
included as well as the full blown rant. (Visit the Atlantic Records
website as well as Gaylor's own domain at http://www.bobbygaylor.com ).
---
REVIEW: Ian Brown, _Golden Greats_ (Interscope)
- Tim Kennedy
Ian Brown, former vocalist with the late and widely lamented
UK baggy guitar gods The Stone Roses returned to the fray at the end
of 1999 with this his second solo album, having spent some time
previously in prison after a controversial 'air rage' conviction.
_Golden Greats_ is a hybrid of rock guitar and techno with
the former taking the driving seat, and never more so than in the
first track, "Gettin' High". The intro of glistening chinese music
is thrust aside by bombastic riffing whilst Ian's voice is at least
as strong as it was back in 1989. The guitar riffing is subverted by
a slightly trippy feel on "Gettin' High".
By contrast, "Love Like A Fountain" is very much in the vein
of Primal Scream's glorious _Screamadelica_ album from the early 90s,
with techno flourishes and a quick, loping beat which is in striking
contrast to its predecessor. The sexual metaphor of the lyric is a
little obvious but musically this is a triumphant highpoint of the album.
"Free My Way" harkens back to the intro of "We Love You" by
the Stones with a flourish of keys and other prison sounds, "Jingle
jangle/goes the jailer/heaven is a place right here on earth" Ian's
lyrics show acceptance of fate, and a philosophical bent not evident
in his previous works. Sombre strings provide the riffs in "Free My
Way", whilst moody keyboards add to the sombre atmospherics. This
is one of the most memorable songs he has ever written, comparable
to his gloriously moody single of early 1999 "Be There".
"Set My Baby Free" continues in the same lyrical prison theme,
though this time Ian uses a retro late sixties keyboard riff, the sort
of pattern that The Nice might have used. The hypnotic Hammond organ
is a particular highlight of the album.
"So Many Soldiers" lyrically gives away little, and is based
around a lovely acoustic guitar loop, which is then wonderfully
embellished by keyboard playing borrowed straight from French popsters
Air. Ian's vocal lopes cheerfully along leaping disconnectedly between
for example waking up feeling good, babies crying at night and being
'so selective with the company I keep.'
"Golden Gaze" starts with a gorgeous guitar intro which recalls
the heights of Love's 1967 classic psychedelic guitar album _Forever
Changes_ Then unexpectedly it launches into heavy metal guitar a la
Zeppelin's "Kashmir". This rather incongruous switch is eased by
ambient synths in the background. The song doesn't ultimately live up
to the promise of its wonderful intro as it is too urgent and grating
for these ears.
"Dolphins Were Monkeys" starts with a moody synth sound
reminiscent of Bowie and Eno's landmark late 70s album _Low_ and the
second side of _Heroes_. The song advances a somewhat dodgy
palaeontological theory that dolphins descended from monkeys that
preferred swimming to tree climbing. However the song is a swaggering
heavy metal keyboards and guitar masterpiece reminiscent at times of
"Trampled Underfoot" by Led Zeppelin. The Zep influences on the last
Stone Roses album were said to stem from guitarist Squire's fascination
with the seminal foursome but clearly Ian was strongly influenced too,
and certainly by their double masterpiece _Physical Graffitti_.
"Neptune" withdraws into inner space, with ambient keyboards
as Ian conducts us on a tour of the solar system, a relaxing trip
after the rock histrionics of the previous two tracks.
"First World" airs the hope that 'the light of the first
world' doesn't damage the chances of the third world. A pretty vain
hope that. The tune is based around a slick elastic bassline, but
doesn't really get off the ground. Lyrically and melodically it
actually bears a strong resemblance to the 1990 Stone Roses single
"One Love" although it is nowhere near as inspiring as the original.
"Babasonicos" is performed with Argentinian musicians from the
band of the same name and is another low key number, with a draggy
reggae bass and drums and a creepy 50s film noir melody. Ian intones
rather detachedly about a 'lady who got no soul'. This kind of Led
Zep influence we could do without, but otherwise this is another
example of the impressive breadth of scope of Ian's vision. He has
recently expressed the desire to perform in Spanish language and tour
South America - his partner is an American of latin extraction.
Whilst as a vocalist he has taken some criticism, Ian acquits
himself well here within the limits of his range. He sings best on the
less metallic of the songs here, expressing the emotions behind his
lyrics perfectly, especially on "Free My Way".
This is an eclectic album and yet more evidence of the talent
and great musical imagination of Ian Brown. While plenty of artists
are using synths and samples, and mixing styles to achieve new sounds -
Ian displays a great feel for the music and there is a sincere message
of love from beyond the bars that confined him so unjustly.
---
REVIEW: The Lilys/Aspera Ad Astra, _The Lilys/Aspera Ad
Astra_ (Tiger Style)
- Christina Apeles
The Lilys made quite an impression when they first released _In
the Presence of Nothing_ in '92 on SpinArt followed by _A Brief History
of Amazing Letdowns_ in 1994, establishing themselves as America's answer
to shoegazer rock . Their album _Zero Population Growth_ on Darla last
year, confirmed frontman Kurt Heasley's musical development in the past
decade, shifting away from the heavenly into ambient and psychedelic.
Sharing this release with fellow indie band Aspera Ad Astra, The Lilys
memorable sound of the past is revived with dreamy harmonies and lush
guitar solos on this eight-song lp. With Aspera Ad Astra contributing
their modern, ornamented tunes, this collection meshes the nostalgic
sound of yesteryear with the future sound of pop.
The Lilys tracks greet listeners with recordings from 93-94, when
they were still grounded in music of the time from bands like My Bloody
Valentine and the Pale Saints demonstrated in "Timber" with its mellow
pace and repetitive guitar structure. "Hymn" is as pretty as it gets,
with soft, hushed vocals, coupled with guitar riffs; hypnotic,
comforting and mysterious sinking into a layered landscape of ethereal
distortion. If 4AD sounds were all you craved for during the nineties,
these songs are for you.
Aspera Ad Astra's "Good Beat Down" initiates their impressive
portion of the release. It is a creative mix of spaceage noise, timely
breaks, and the occassional rockin' segments, where all instruments are
let loose. Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips would surely approve. Aspera Ad
Astra are about building momentum in their music, incorporating unique
instrumentation to create songs like "Feed the Fantasy" and "Bring Back
the Walls," which rock with a dramatic fervor and beauty all their own.
The Lilys and Aspera Ad Astra's meeting on this disc is a pleasant
exploration of the tender and sonorous sounds of past indie pop into the
fresh, experimental appeal of the new.
---
REVIEW: Various, _Songs for Summer_ (Oglio)
- Jianda Johnson
_Songs for Summer_ is an exuberant and melancholic release if
ever there was one. Dedicated to the memory of Summer Brannnin -- whose
life was claimed by kidney cancer at the age of 21--this list of
stalwart indie/Alternative artists warms the heart, and not only
because of their selfless donation of new, rare and renowned music
to Adam Gimbel (Adam was Summer's boyfriend). Allowing us a small
window into their lives in his liner notes, Gimbel's choice of songs
provides a tender, joyful glimpse at a couple whose lives were enriched
with a soundtrack of soulful, eclectic tunes.
From Soul Coughing's mischievous live version of "True Dreams
of Wichita" to Jonathan Richman's wistful "That Summer Feeling," each
eccentric, gem has all the elements of a mix tape from one lover to
another -- or, one artist to another for that matter.
While over half of the songs contain the word "summer" in the
title, indie collectors and Alterna-heads need not be aware of the
backstory to enjoy and adore it. Delectable cuts: "Where's Summer B?"
by Ben Folds Five, the B52's "Summer of Love," Babacar's jangly and
indelible "Midsummer," Pansy Division's "The Summer You Let Your Hair
Grow Out (live)" and G. Love's funky, early demo of "Rhyme for the
Summertime." Two tracks were written specifically for the release, and
a portion of the proceeds go towards LA-based charity Free Arts for
Abused Children.
For more information about the release or the project, visit
http://www.oglio.com/summer
---
REVIEW: Jungle Brothers, _V.I.P._ (Gee Street/V2)
- Joann D. Ball
The Jungle Brothers aren't kidding when they boast "you wanna
get with us because we got it goin' on!" They offer the invitation
on the title track of their new release _V.I.P._, and it's one that
is too enticing to pass up.
Jungle Brothers Afrika (Nathaniel Hall) and Mike G. (Michael
Small) have always recognized the global reach and appeal of their
New York City grown hip-hop. They were the first rap artists to
record with a house music producer and long ago recognized the kindred
spirit and potential of British drum'n'bass music. A central force
within the Native Tongues posse of like-minded progressive rappers
(including De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and others), the JBeez
dropped their groundbreaking debut _Straight Out The Jungle_ in 1988
and backed it up with _Done By The Forces of Nature_ the following
year. The overlooked and underappreciated _JBeez Wit Da Remedy_ and
the experimental _Raw Deluxe_ round out the Jungle Brothers' impressive
catalog which now enhanced by the equally innovative _V.I.P._.
The adventurous Jungle Brothers are still doing what they have
always done, pushing the boundaries of hip-hop. Their creative,
hybrid-laden approach to the genre is center stage on the Brothers'
funky fresh fifth record which was produced by big beat master Alex
Gifford of the Propellerheads. The very important party opens with
the inviting title track which samples the "I Dream of Genie" theme.
It is followed by the retrospective "I Remember" which features the
Holmes Brothers and details the duo's inspirations, contributions and
continued dedication to the craft. Meanwhile "Get Down" lays out a
serious house music vibe while "Early Morning" manages to mix elements
of Zapp, George Clinton and James Brown into a bouncin' party jam.
On "Down With The JBeez," The Jungle Brothers are joined by the Black
Eyed Peas, Sense Live and producer Alex G. and take turns showcasing
mic skills over old school flavored rhythms, loops and drops. "Sexy
Body" is a raw, erotic tell-all that seems inspired by Cameo and the
class, style and guitar licks of Prince's dirtiest moments, while
"Playing For Keeps" borrows from jazz and low down dirty blues. And
where "Freakin' You" is by far the best party anthem on _V.I.P._.,
the Jungle Brothers speak their minds and throw out to the streets
the rap history lesson and roll call "Strictly Dedicated."
With a running time of 75-minutes and thirteen tracks,
including a revived and revamped "Jungle Brother (True Blue) (Urban
Takeover Remix)" as the bonus final cut,_V.I.P._. is without a doubt
a very important party thrown by some very important people. Welcome
to the Jungle, brothers gonna work it out!
---
NEWS: > Devo will be hosting the fourth annual Rhino Musical
Aptitude Test at its Los Angeles incarnation on Wednesday,
May 17. The test is also slated to be held at locations
in Chicago, Nashville, Philadelphia, Seattle, overseas
in London, Tokyo, Toronto, Dublin and Buenos Aires, and
finally, on the Internet. For further information on the
contest, check out http://www.rhino.com .
---
TOUR DATES:
Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise
May 7 Nashville, TN River Stage
Broadside Electric
May 7 West Chester, PA SPCA Music Festival
Ani DiFranco
May 1 Colorado Springs, CO Pikes Peak Center
May 3 Kansas City, KS Uptown Theatre
May 4 Columbia, MO Missouri Theatre
May 6 New Orleans, LA Municipal Auditorium
May 7 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest
Dismemberment Plan
May 1 Burlington, VT U of V
May 2 New York, NY Thompson Center
May 4 Ottawa, ON Molly McGuires
May 5 Toronto, ON Ted's Yard
May 6 Flint, MI Flint Local 432
Dope / Primer 65
May 1 Albuquerque, NM Launch Pad
May 2 Lubbock, TX Liquid 2000 with Staind
May 4 Houston, TX Fitzgerald's with Staind:
May 5 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live with Staind:
May 6 Austin, TX Stubb's BBQ with Staind:
May 7 Oklahoma City. OK Diamond Ballroom with Staind:
May 9 St. Louis, MO Side Door
May 10 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Lifter Puller
May 3 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl
May 4 Louisville, KY Rudyard Kipling
May 6 Dubuque, IA One Flight Up
Mix Master Mike
May 1 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Meshell Ndegeocello
May 4 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
May 5 Atlanta, GA Music Midtown Festival
May 6 Nashville, TN River Stages Festival
May 8 Asheville, NC Diana Morgan Theatre
Oasis
May 1 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 3 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center
May 4 Charlotte, NC Owens Auditorium
May 5 Atlanta, GA Music Midtown Festival
May 8 Mexico City, MX Sports Palace
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse
May 1 Little Rock, AR Barton Arena
May 2 Austin, TX Erwin Center
May 5 Pensacola, FL Civic Center
May 7 Greenville, SC Bi-Lo Center
Elliott Smith
May 5 Dallas, TX Trees
May 6 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
May 8 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
May 10 Raleigh, NC Ritz Theatre
Splender
May 6 Atlanta, GA Music Midtown Festival
May 7 Nashville, TN River Stages
The The
May 1 Toronto, ON The Guvernment
May 2 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo
May 4 Chicago, IL The Metro
May 6 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
May 7 St. Louis, MO Firehouse
May 9 Denver, CO Ogden Theater
May 10 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Train / Gas Giants
May 6 Rochester, NY RIT
May 7 Washington, DC 930 Club
May 9 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
May 10 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Union
May 6 Watertown, NY Raceway
Veruca Salt
May 2 Indianapolis, IN The Patio
May 4 Detroit, MI Shelter
May 5 Cleveland, OH The Odeon
May 6 Pittsburgh, OH Club Laga
May 9 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
Wire
May 2 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
May 3 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
May 4 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theater
May 6 Seattle, WA Showbox
May 10 Chicago, IL Metro
Workhorse Movement / Kittie
May 9 Chicago, IL House of Blues
May 10 Detroit, MI Harpo's
---
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