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Consumable Online Issue 162
== ISSUE 162 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [November 19, 1998]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean
Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva,
Lang Whitaker
Correspondents: Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey
Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Jason Cahill, Patrick
Carmosino, Krisjanis Gale, Emma Green, Paul Hanson,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Steve Kandell, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott,
Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon
Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, 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.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Portishead, _PNYC - Portishead Live_ - Simon West
INTERVIEW: Kent - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Yo La Tengo featuring Jad Fair, _Strange But True_ - Chelsea Spear
REVIEW: Mercury Rev, _Deserter's Songs_ - Niles Baranowski
REVIEW: Grooverider, _Mysteries Of Funk_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Velvet Goldmine_ - Patrick Carmosino
REVIEW: Grace Jones, _Private Life - The Compass Point
Sessions_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Sepultura, _Against_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Mogwai, _Kicking A Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs Remixed_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Matthew Good Band, _Underdogs_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Frontline Assembly, _Monument_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Various, _In Their Eyes: '90s Teen Bands Vs. '80's Teen
Movies_ - Chris Candreva
REVIEW: Motley Crue, _Greatest Hits_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Bare Jr., _Boo-Tay_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: The SunKings, _Adios_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Seam, _The Pace is Glacial_ - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Ultrababyfat, _Silver Tones Smile_ - Christina Apeles
ERRATA
TOUR DATES: Better Than Ezra / Bic Runga, Buffalo Tom / Goo Goo
Dolls, Cracker, Deftones / Pitchshifter / Quicksand, Evelyn
Forever, Everlast, Irving Plaza, Marilyn Manson, Miles, Motley
Crue, Offspring, Rev. Horton Heat / Amazing Crowns, Tricky /
Whale, Underworld
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Portishead, _PNYC - Portishead Live_ (London)
- Simon West
Portishead kicked off the 1997 tour in support of their
self-titled second album with a now legendary one-off concert at
the Roseland Ballroom, New York City, backed with a 30 piece
orchestra. The show has now been released on a videocassette and,
in edited form, on _PNYC_.
A couple of songs on the album were taken from concerts
later in the tour, notably "Sour Times." Grittier and slower here
than in its original format, it prowls around for four minutes
like the soundtrack to some otherworldly Western before exploding
into a faster approximation of the studio version, Gibbons' voice
wailing and growling above the guitar. Great stuff.
For the most part, the 11 songs presented here stay
pretty true to the original versions - the orchestra does a fine
job of emulating the studio tape loops and beyond, adding a new
layer of atmospherics to the band's haunting songs.
On top form as expected is Beth Gibbons. Possessed with
a truly astonishing voice, she does full justice to these songs
live, rising from a whisper to a scream, and all points along the
way, clenching the microphone and puffing endless cigarettes.
The crowd is enthusiastic and knows the material, but
lets itself down occasionally - the people responsible for the
clapalong during the magnificent "Roads" should have been shown
the door immediately.
Portishead fans will want to snap this up, but the video
is obviously a much better souvenir of the actual Roseland concert,
providing the unexpurgated set and also the accompanying visuals.
If anyone at London is listening, this concert would be absolutely
perfect for release on the DVD format, so that both sound and
vision can do justice to this most unique of bands. Meanwhile, the
album is highly recommended to fans of the first two albums, and
the video is essential. A surprisingly great live band.
---
INTERVIEW: Kent
- Tim Mohr
Instead of fending off the darkness of the long winters in their
native Sweden, Kent embrace it and usurp its power for use in their
dramatically emotive songs. Kent produce a guitar-based sensation of
longing, similar in feel to Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, or Geneva.
Consumable quizzed the band about their music during the recent CMJ
festival in New York.
Unlike many prominent Swedish bands such as the Cardigans or
Wannadies, Kent play music that, due to certain perceptions of Sweden,
seems more appropriate. Is the rest of the world stuck with a false image
of Sweden--high rates of alcoholism and suicide, months of sub-zero
temperatures and near-darkness--or is the blissed-out faction of Swedish
pop music just compensating for genuinely depressing conditions?
"The other bands are lying. The people who say they're going to
have a party--you know, 'throw you're hands in the air...'--they're the
ones who are really depressed. The ones most likely to commit suicide. And
we, who are always singing about killing ourselves ["Not really," they
chuckle], the moody ones...we are the opposite."
So popular perceptions of Sweden are true?
"I don't really know if Swedes are that moody. I mean, I know
everyone says that it's depressing, and that Sweden is *the* suicide
country. But it isn't actually true...because the Finns commit suicide
more often than we do."
And some people rather like darkness...
"But for eight months?"
Both the sound and the lyrical themes on _Isola_ have such depth
and genuine emotion. How did your style develop, how did you muster the
confidence to sound so different from other successful bands?
"We've got our own way of playing songs. I think it's also that
the Wannadies come from a power-pop background--they play distorted pop
music--and the Cardigans come from jazz. Jazz and classical music...well,
and heavy metal."
"We come from...the Cure. The depressing side of 80s music:
Depeche Mode, Cure, Joy Division, the Smiths..."
Kent's recent European tour demonstrated that _Isola_ has already
garnered a loyal following: Kent sold-out four nights in a row in London,
as well as most of their continental appearances.
But that's nothing compared to the reverence they inspire at home.
Some Swedish indie-kids told Consumable that Kent are as important to the
contemporary Swedish scene as the Smiths were to England in the 80s.
"That's impossible to say--but that's one of the best compliments
we've ever gotten."
So you want to be that big elsewhere?
"We would just like to hear one of our songs on the radio while
riding in a taxi here. It happened in London, and it was a great feeling."
---
REVIEW: Yo La Tengo featuring Jad Fair, _Strange But True_ (Matador)
- Chelsea Spear
It was a fine idea at the time. Inventive indie icons Yo La
Tengo were to work with Jad Fair, whose playful work with the bands the
Residents and Half-Japanese had influenced legions of detuned
avant-rockers to not take themselves so damn seriously. On this
proposed outing, Yo La would provide a kalidescopic sonic background
to support Fair's bizarre stories, with titles taken directly from the
pages of the _Weekly World News_ and other tabloids. The track
"Ultra-Powerful Shortwave Radio Picks Up Music from Venus" has already
become a classic on mix tapes, after being included in the odds-and-sods
collection _Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo_.
Unfortunately, to quote the rest of Elvis Costello's famed
lyric, now that _Strange But True_ has shipped to stores, it can be
regarded as a brilliant mistake. The song titles are hysterical, and
Yo La's musical accompaniment provides some intriguing textures to the
twisted tales with names like "Helpful Monkey Wallpapers Entire House"
and "Dedicated Thespian Pulls Teeth to Play Newborn in High-School
Play". However, after listening to one or two tracks, you get a
general idea of what the songs are going to sound like, and after a
while they start to blend together. A collaboration between Hoboken's
favourite musical children and the guy behind Half-Japanese certainly
suggests a musical equivalent to the two great tastes that taste great
together found in every Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, but the results
leave much to be desired. For best results, read the song titles in
the store, or wait for someone to include a snippet or two on a mix
tape. This disappointing collection is intended for completists only.
---
REVIEW: Mercury Rev, _Deserter's Songs_ (V2)
- Niles Baranowski
At once panoramic and claustrophobic, Mercury Rev's fourth
album is a slap in the face to anyone who dismissed them after lead
singer David Baker left the band. Equal parts symphony, psychedelia
and pop, the band has managed to anchor its disorienting soundscapes
in the conventional and rather than compromising them, it has made
them even dreamier and more seductive.
Most astonishingly, the band has even managed to turn out
three fantastic future hit singles (astonishing for a band once
considered the pinnacle of inaccesibility); "Opus 40", which is the
ballad to end all ballads; a sexy Roxy Music-esque number (complete
with slick saxophone solos) about riding the rails called "Hudson
Line" and best of all, the jaunty "Cat's in the Cradle"-esque
"Goddess on a Hiway," all of which are probably better than anything
you heard while driving to work.
Any of these songs would be great enough done by anyone, but
Mercury Rev brings a gentle, rather than a bludgeoning, touch to them
that's particularly welcome. Vocalist Jonathan Donahue's falsetto is
the opposite of, say, Richard Ashcroft's preachiness or Noel
Gallagher's begging; rather, it's the sound of a young boy afraid to
talk macho to the girl he's wooing because he's doing all this for
the first time.
Similarly, Suzanne Thorpe's flute and Jimy Chambers's
harpsichord are slight and shy, hiding in the shadows only to emerge
briefly as on "Endlessly," which has a few bars of "Silent Night"
thrown in to make it even more bleak and pure-sounding. Even though
_Deserter's Songs_ as a whole shares this bleak, virginal feeling,
it's hardly an unwelcome one. Even so, the few upbeat tracks present
here are needed to keep focus. "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp" could
pass for a more old-fashioned (dig that harpsichord!) Charlatans
playing a hoedown at the world's end. And veteran guitarist Sean
"Grasshopper" Mackiowiak's lead vocals on "Hudson Line" are all
about motion, with each line being clipped as if jetting off into
the horizon. "Gonna leave the city/ gonna hop a train tonight" he
promises, restless and full of hope.
A few of the grouchier longtime Mercury Rev fans may feel
slightly cheated about most of the 12 tracks on _Deserter's Songs_,
grumbling about "sell-outs" and the like. But there's only so long
that you can stay true to an abstract ideal, like noise, before the
loneliness begins to eat at you (as it seemed to on 1995's _See You
On the Other Side_) and the desire to connect with someone else (like
your listeners) takes over, be it through hooks or humor (there's a
lot of unself-conscious mockery here, like in the Dali-esque "Moles").
For the first time, Mercury Rev sound like they give a damn and it
makes _Deserter's Songs_ one of the warmest, most artful and alluring
records you'll hear this year.
---
REVIEW: Grooverider, _Mysteries Of Funk_ (Higher
Ground/Columbia)
- Simon West
The man they call The Godfather of drum & bass
finally gets around to putting his own album out. Grooverider
has been part of the DJ scene for a dozen years, including a
four year stint spinning discs at London's Heaven on Rage
night and heading up Goldie's Metalheadz nights. Name-checked
by all, from protege Goldie to minimalist master Photek,
Grooverider is credited by many as the inventor of drum &
bass. The expectations for _Mysteries Of Funk_ are rather
high then, given the history and reputation.
Unfortunately, what we get is rather less than
expected. _Mysteries Of Funk_ is by no means a bad album, it's
simply less inspired than you might have hoped - the bar has
been cleared, but not raised. First off, it's too long by
half. This is not uncommon with the drum & bass set, or indeed
albums as a whole these days, but someone's got to realize
eventually that less can indeed be more.
Second, and substantially more importantly, there's
not a lot here that's truly revolutionary. The usual ingredients
are thrown into the pot - brass samples, science fiction
soundbites, the odd ethereal vocal. It's all been heard before
for the most part. There are moments of greatness - the
aggressiveness of "Where's Jack The Ripper?" brings to mind
Photek's clean, savage beats, with a touch more instrumentation,
"560 Degrees" drops the jazz noodlings in favor of a hard beat
and an industrial feel, and "Time & Space" has a cool jazz feel
and clean beat to it.
Not a bad album, and drum & bass fans will doubtless
want to pick it up in order to hear the master at work. Ultimately,
however, _Mysteries Of Funk_ sounds like the teacher has spent a
little too much time listening to his students. An unfortunately
unadventurous album, in this most adventurous of musical genres.
---
REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Velvet Goldmine_ (London)
- Patrick Carmosino
Let me preface things by saying that it would be
difficult for this soundtrack to be as woefully disappointing
as the self-indulgent wankfest that the film it came from was.
However, if there is a use for it besides having on record
Radiohead vocalist Thom Yorke's rather nifty Bryan Ferry
impersonation and an astonishing new Pulp track - well, I
somehow fail to see it.
Quite like the film, this 70's Glam exploration
gets off to such a promising start with Brian Eno's anthemic
"Needle In The Camel's Eye". It is this track that fuels the
opening Hard Day's Night/Trainspotting-ripoff fan chase
sequence. After that, soundtrack and film alike flounder into,
yes, an authentic 70's hedonistic haze of overwroughtness and
dreck. Along with Eno's opener, it is the occasional appearance
of originals from Roxy Music (of which there is 1 versus 4
covers!?!?!), T-Rex, Lou Reed and Steve Harley that make most
every other track: cover version and new 'period piece' alike
pointless.
As far as covers go, it is fair from a marketing standpoint
to appeal to the 'alternative' fan by bringing in the likes of
Yorke and his guitarist Jonny Greenwood, Bernard Butler (whose
former band Suede, would be quite capable of making grand
contributions to this), Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Steve
Shelley, Mike Watt, Mudhoney's Mark Arm, Gumball's Don Fleming,
former Stooge Ron Asheton, Placebo, Teenage Fanclub and Elastica's
Donna Matthews. But to put these people together and just have
them do note-by-note versions as opposed to just using the original
tunes is futile. These artists have gotten where they are by virtue
of their uniqueness, so why not have them present the songs in their
own context? Fleming, Moore and Shelley as well as A&R god/wanna-be
rock star extraordinaire Jim Dunbar have already proven this formula
to fail via the _Backbeat_ soundtrack. Ultimately, the most
noteworthy things here are the above mentioned Bryan Ferry
impersonation by Yorke on such poignant pieces such as the Humphrey
Bogart-elegy "2HB" and "Bitter's End" (which as perhaps intended,
has this writer taking a closer look at Roxy Music's pre-"Love Is
The Drug" catalog) as well as Teenage Fanclub's take on the New York
Dolls' "Personality Crisis" with Matthews on vocals. Ultimate
lowlight: Ewan McGregor's heavily produced shriek of a vocal on the
Stooges "T.V. Eye" which sounds only less awful than the sight of
him as a way too chubby Iggy Pop character performing it in the film.
Think of David Bowie and T-Rex having their own versions
of the Rutles and you have the essence of the 'period pieces'
written for the film by Shudder To Think and Grant Lee Buffalo - no
more, no less. All have that dramatic, string-enhanced, dry 70's
production. If you have to compare, then pit S.T.T.'s "Ballad Of
Maxwell Demon" against Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust". Here, Shudder To
Think miss a bit of the feel by using none of the anthemic
sensibilities that made "Ziggy" the classic it is, whereas Grant
Lee's "The Whole Shebang" has a vibe that is pretty reminiscent of
"Oh! You Pretty Things" and tunes like that. Though it is through
efforts like these, that you realize how badly this presentation is
missing genuine Bowie tunes from the period. Pulp rise so far above
this lot with "We Are The Boys"; an absolute corker that finds
singer Jarvis Cocker losing his cool croon and whisper for some full
throttle vocalizations. Mix his voice with an overdriven, compressed
mix of fat horn and buzzing guitar and you get an idea of perhaps
what the album and the film meant to get across in the first place:
that underlying the fashions and new sexuality of the time was a
driving sound.
Sadly enough, "Velvet Goldmine" will not do for resurgent
interests in Glam Rock what "Austin Powers" did for 60's Lounge Kitsch.
---
REVIEW: Grace Jones, _Private Life - The Compass Point
Sessions_ (Island/Chronicles)
- Joann D. Ball
Shocking, exotic, bizarre, strange, striking and incredible.
Singer and vision thing Grace Jones was all of that and more. Eddie
Murphy brilliantly captured the extremes of Jones' public image in
the brilliant but overlooked 1992 film "Boomerang." And now _Private
Life: The Compass Point Sessions_ features the best of Jones' genre
busting musical output. With sixteen tracks and a running time of
two-and-a-half hours, the release is the definitive Grace Jones
collection. With but one exception, the selections included here
are from Jones's short but electric heyday of 1980 to 1982. In that
post-disco, early new wave period, the Jamaican born model, actress,
performance artist, and dancefloor dominitrix defied the
conventional and flaunted the outrageous both in the studio and on
the concert stage.
With Jamaican reggae riddim twins Sly Dunbar on drums and
Robbie Shakespeare on bass backing her in the studio, Grace Jones
generated a number of club favorites and a few chart hits.
"Private Life" was a U.K. hit while the single "Pull Up to the
Bumper" from the album _Nightclubbing_ marked Jones' Stateside
debut. An R&B Top 5 hit, "Bumper" never achieved much crossover
success at pop/rock radio. In general, Jones' sound defied
categorization. It was neither Black nor White and it was as
international as Jones herself, drawing on American soul and R&B
as well as British rock, Jamaican reggae, world music, and more.
As the tracks on _Private Live_ reveal, Grace Jones was
not afraid to tackle any artist or any musical sound. She had an
uncanny ability to reinterpret a song and make it her own. Her
cover of the Pretenders' "Private Life," a favorite of songwriter
Chrissie Hynde, captures the reggae vibe that the Akron native
and her English band couldn't quite pin down. Jones also put
her unique brand on such diverse selections as the Smokey
Robinson-penned "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game," Roxy
Music's "Love is the Drug," the Police's "Demolition Man" and
Joy Division's "She's Lost Control." But the most unusual song
ever covered by Jones has to be Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."
Fortunately, the unreleased demo version of the classic is
included here along with long versions of the previously mentioned
songs.
While Grace Jones may have been too far ahead of her time
in the early 1980s, _Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions_ is
proof that she was always great at whatever she did. Although
her productive prime was nearly twenty years ago, she continues
to influence popular culture and music. Her visual antics have
influenced other artists and video producers while her pre-techno
grooves are frequently dropped into house and electronica records.
Rap artists have paid tribute to Jones since the very beginning
of the music form, starting with The Mean Machine's sampling of
"Pull Up to the Bumper" for the 1981 Sugarhill Records cut "Disco
Dream." More recently, Patra did a steamy rap cover of "My
Jamaican Guy" and L.L. Cool J sampled the Jones original for his
blockbuster hit "Doin' It." Despite of the samples and covers,
Grace Jones herself has remained outside the musical limelight.
Perhaps the renewed interest in her cutting edge back catalogue
will lay the groundwork for an eagerly awaited return.
TRACK LISTING--Disc One: Private Life (long and dub versions);
Love Is The Drug (long version); Breakdown; Warm Leatherette
(long version); The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game (long
version); I've Done It Again, Pars (long version); Use Me (long
version); She's Lost Control (long and dub versions).
TRACK LISTING--Disc Two: Walking in the Rain; Cry Now, Laugh
Later; Nightclubbing; The Apple Stretching; Nipple to the Bottle
(12" version); My Jamaican Guy (12" version); Feel Up; I've Seen
That Face Before (Libertango); Demolition Man (long version);
Unlimited Capacity For Love; "Ring Of Fire (demo); Man Around
The House; Living My Life (7" version); Slave To The Rhythm (Hot
Blooded version)
---
REVIEW: Sepultura, _Against_ (Roadrunner)
- Linda Scott
In 1996 Sepultura frontman and co-founder, Max Cavalera
left the band over business management disagreements (the
remaining band had fired its business manager who happened to
be Cavalera's wife). In the scheme of things, that could have
been the end of Sepultura; or two, weaker bands formed from the
halves. Against the odds, the Brazilian thrash metalists on
either side of this public feud have strong entries on the metal
charts. Previously reviewed was Max Cavalera's self-titled
_Soulfly_ which debuted to metal community raves earlier this
year. Sepultura shows off new, bellowing, American vocalist,
Derrick Green, on _Against_ - and both bands seem to be on their
ways again.
Sepultura, post-Cavalera, shows some progression and
experimentation, but their metal base is as solid as ever.
Influenced by Metallica, Motorhead, and Slayer, Sepultura is
a ferocious band that began as almost pure death metal but
quickly moved to songs about rage, frustration and violence.
Rage Against The Machine would be challenged by lyrics inspired
by governmental destruction of entire peoples and the environment.
Songs that reflect the poverty and pain of living unknown in a
Third World country have become Sepultura's hallmark. And now
the band moves into experimenting with world music touches that
soften some of the speed metal tracks.
_Against_ is make or break for lead vocalist Derrick
Green. Can an American from Cleveland really understand and
express where the Brazilians and the band are coming from? Green
says he is not a Cavalera clone, but his style is nearly perfect
and he has the right, roaring vocals for this band. In some cases
the vocals seem to be mixed low so that they are only occasionally
intelligible, but the overall effect is blasting rage.
Metallica fans will be blown away by guesting bassist
Jason Newstead's track, "Hatred Aside". Newstead shows off his
hardcore roots and makes you wish Metallica would do a track like
this to end those sellout rumors. Other solid tracks on _Against_
are the title song and "Choke". These are real Sepultura roots
songs as opposed to the four instrumental tracks in the second
half of the album and songs like "Kamartachi" recorded in Japan
with bizarre whistles and Koto drumming. Tracks like "Kamartachi"
show the band stretching to be more than just thrash metalists
known round the world. Produced by the band and Howard Benson
(Motorhead), _Against_ is Sepultura's Brazilian war cry. Their
name may mean "grave" in Portugese, but Sepultura is alive and
blowing the lid off on _Against_ .
---
REVIEW: Mogwai, _Kicking A Dead Pig - Mogwai Songs
Remixed_ (includes "Mogwai Fear Satan" e.p.)
(Jetset)
- Tim Mohr
This is an incredible package: a double CD (or limited-edition,
triple, colored vinyl) containing stellar remixes of Mogwai by a dozen
different mixers including names like Alec Empire, u-ziq, Kid Loco, and
My Bloody Valentine.
Scotland's Mogwai craft dramatic, wind-swept instrumentals,
often building from a light, single-instrument-breeze to a full,
wind-tunnel-guitar-howl over the course of a song. Their music mimics
the structure of life, metaphorically juxtaposing experiences of
revealed beauty with moments of personal anguish, finding quiet
resolutions amidst the noise of anxiety and depression.
Though Mogwai songs have a sense of inevitability, the
addition of beats (along with a host of other effects used by
the remixers) gives immediacy to the progression of their songs.
Take the remix of "Tracy" by France's Kid Loco. An understated
atmosphere of sorrow still envelops the track, but Kid Loco's slow,
trippy percussions offer a buoy in a sea of sadness--even as his dubby
echo-effects emphasize the watery surroundings. This is remixing at
its best.
The Hood remix of "Like Herod" loops a spooky keyboard line
to create a feel similar to the haunted dancehall of Witchman. Max
Tundra reverses the structure of "Helicon 2" by starting with a burst
of white noise and then moving into what had been the long introductory
phase of the original.
"Summer" gets a drum'n'bass rework in Klute's "Weird Winter
Remix." The remix sticks to the minimalist school of drum'n'bass but
gains immeasurably from the interesting pieces of Mogwai material
inserted between the drums and the bass.
Some of the songs have been more seriously altered, also with
excellent results: Surgeon makes of "Mogwai Fear Satan" a six-minute,
single-note, mock symphony, substituting the whir of a hundred warped
computers for the crescendo of an orchestra.
Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine takes liberties as well.
MBV are often credited (by critics) as the most significant influence
on Mogwai--and this seems to be reinforced both by the way Kevin
Shields understands the structural and logical extremities of "Fear
Satan" and by the way he takes the song to these outer limits with
such a deft touch. The My Bloody Valentine remix is a sixteen minute
voyage to hell and back: Shields lets the tension of the song build
for five minutes, releases a barrage of noise, then--just as the
noise threatens to overwhelm--creates a quiet denouement. Then he
repeats the cycle a second time but this time leaves the listener
craving a final resolution.
Fellow Glasgow residents Arab Strap put together a Stars On
45-style medley of Mogwai songs, running through several distinct
musical genres in the process. They start with a fairly Big,
complicated, David Holmes-esque beat, segue into dark house, and
fade into jumpy hi-hat patterns borrowed from drum'n'bass.
Of all the remixers, only u-ziq proves incapable of not
sounding too much like himself. His signature distorted percussions
deprive his mix of "Fear Satan" of any Mogwai personality. Even Alec
Empire--not exactly "Mr. Subtlety"--manages to add his (also
trademark) frenetic, scatter-fire breakbeats and retain something
of a Mogwai atmosphere.
_Kicking A Dead Pig_ succeeds in a way that similar recent
projects from High Llamas (_Lollo Rosso_), Low (_owL_) or even Primal
Scream (_Echodek_) do not. Granted, the cinematic soundscapes of
Mogwai make excellent foundations for remixes due to their sprawling,
a-traditional structures and hold-your-breath sense of timing and
dynamics. But the success of _Kicking A Dead Pig_ is not limited to
remixers who only managed not to screw up the original songs too
much. On the contrary: with few exceptions, the remixers have altered
the songs in significant ways, put them in completely different
contexts, or drastically changed arrangements in a manner that
should be interesting to fans of Mogwai and to fans of the remix
artists.
---
REVIEW: Matthew Good Band, _Underdogs_ (Mercury)
- Daniel Aloi
Compromise. Any band with a major label deal knows it well.
And it's what I hear a lot of in the new Matthew Good Band album, their
U.S. debut. When I saw the MGB play a North By Northeast showcase in
Toronto in June 1997, what impressed me was the obvious debt their
sound owed to other meaningful Canadian bands like 54-40 and The
Tragically Hip.
Now, though, that sound has been almost entirely scrubbed of
its Canadianness. The Vancouver-based band now more closely resembles
the Tonics and Matchbox 20s of the American FM world than anything
like 54-40... not a bad thing, if you're fans of those two bands (I'm
not). Good now says he hates "people who emulate bands." There remains
a lingering, sublimated echo of The Hip, particularly in Good's vocals,
but that's about it for any connection with his band's past. Onward
into the saturated American radio market, with a stab at commerciality.
It seems a little too calculated, but...
The album is very powerful-sounding, interminably edgy, and
the songs are largely emotionally driven. I actually could bring myself
to like the premise of "Middle Class Gangsters" and "Look Happy, It's
the End of the World," sounding like some great social commentary of
old from the likes of the Manic Street Preachers or Pure. In the lyrics,
there's a lot of cynicism about material values, in songs like the
single "Indestructible," the existential "The Inescapable Us" and
"Everything is Automatic."
Chalk one up for artistic integrity.
With other influences including the Pixies and Afghan Whigs,
and that aforementioned Tonic/20 sound, the MGB should now have no
problem fitting in (and being forgotten) on American radio. But at what
cost? It's kind of a shame, really. There are plenty of Vancouver and
Canadian modern-rock bands who deserve a shot at success and still plow
their own course, from Odds to Pure. Maybe given a little growth, and a
chance to experience what U.S. success really smells like, the Matthew
Good Band may become nostalgic for its days as a platinum independent
Canadian act.
---
REVIEW: Frontline Assembly, _Monument_ (Roadrunner)
- Lee Graham Bridges
From rattling, pounding drum machines to the distinct sound of
the sawtooth waveform emanating from the synthesizer - some of the
most widely known early conventions of the electro-industrial-dance
genre were designed, implemented, and delivered by Frontline Assembly.
The band formed in 1986 by Bill Leeb, FLA represented a new and
different sort of industrial from earlier, staple bands of the scene
like Einsturzende Neubauten and Throbbing Gristle. Bands like Front
242, Skinny Puppy, and FLA brought an '80s new wave flavor to a dynamic
type of music that, nonetheless, seemed very rigid and straightforward
at the time.
_Monument_, while not delivering a comprehensive history of
the band, tries to sum up the band's style with twelve remixes and
rare/b-side tracks from the band, mostly during their productive early
'90s era. For better or worse, the songs comprise a fairly uniform
package; the same tempo, synthbass lines, and menacing vocals (reverbed
and heavily distorted, of course) can, to the uninitiated listener,
sound tired by the end of the disc.
Strangely, however, such constant reiteration is exactly the
point of _Monument_ - the album's tracks are not meant to represent
the band's full repertoire. As the title hints at, the album is a
celebration of FLA's classic style, and the songs selected are meant
to demonstrate that style to new listeners. "Re-Animate" sports some
catchy vocals, while remixes of "Virus", "Big Money", and "Resist"
reinforce the nostalgia factor for FLA fans and, at the same time,
put a unique spin on classic FLA tracks.
The sad truth is this: electro-industrial is slowly being edged
out by oh-so-"sophisticated" breakbeats, jungle, and pure electronica
(many Front 242 fans were recently disappointed in just such a way by
the band's _Reboot: Live '98_). With the hope of fans everywhere
riding on the revival of the genre, it seems that _Monument_ is just
as likely as anything to repopularize the unique style of music FLA
constructs.
---
REVIEW: Various, _In Their Eyes: '90s Teen Bands Vs. '80's
Teen Movies_ (Rhino)
- Chris Candreva
An interesting idea to launch their new "Cheap Date" records,
this Rhino release features teen bands of the '90s covering songs from
teen movies of the '80s. You remember the John Hughes era: Pretty In
Pink, The Breakfast Club, Fast Times, Ferris Bueller, etc.
It's an interesting idea that could be a win for all involved.
The nostalgia value of the songs is likely to pique the interest of
many, in the process giving visibility to the new label, and hopefully
at least some of the young artists on the album. I'm just not sure
they've succeeded.
What came immediately to mind when I first played this album
was a fraternity basement in college. A bunch of us would get
together with our instruments, in the basement of the house where the
guy with the drums lived. We'd have a few beers, think of songs
someone knew the chords to, show everyone else, then play really
loud just the rhythm part, while someone sang into a mike.
You know - a cover band.
A good number of the tracks sound basically like an average
frat house cover band. Given the average age of the musicians is 16
(some are as young as 9), this may actually be a compliment. The live
feel is refreshing, especially on these songs which started life
fairly processed. These kids have energy.
Some of the tracks, though, sounds very much like some people
who just got together to jam out some chords. You don't, however,
come away with a feeling for what style, in any, the band has.
You know - a cover band.
There are a few notable exceptions. "Bring on the Dancing
Horses" by Round House stands out in its arrangement of chords and
harmony vocals. F.O.N puts a Mighty Mighty Bostones' spin on The
Cars' "You Might Think", resulting in a tune might just get me into
a mosh pit one more time.
It's a neat concept, but what we really end up with is a
disc of tracks by high school cover bands. It could be worth buying
as a novelty, but don't expect to find a lot of musical depth.
TRACK LISTING: Pretty In Pink - The Grown-Ups; Don't You (Forget
About Me) - The Godjits; A Million Miles Away - Dyslexic Church;
Somebody's Baby - Phantom Planet; If You Were Here - Ben Lee and
Spitoon; Bring On The Dancing Horses - Round House; Oh Yeah - Crazy
Glue; You Might Think - F.O.N.; I Melt With You - The Rondelles; In
Your Eyes - The Stinky Puffs; If You Leave - Marigold; Weird
Science - The English League; Raised On The Radio - Slimer;
Johnny, Are You Queer ? - The Knock-Ups; School's Out - The Donnas
---
REVIEW: Motley Crue, _Greatest Hits_ (Motley Records/Beyond)
- Linda Scott
Motley Crue, together for 17 years with 35 million records
sold and 25 million concert attendance, needs no long introduction.
These guys live their professional and private lives in the media.
In the turmoil, let's not lose track of the fact that these guys
have made some terrific music together. Their rock style is more
Kiss and Aerosmith than the hard rock, in-your-face image. And just
like Aerosmith, amazingly, some of their best music has been their
sweetest soft rock ballads.
_Greatest Hits_ is one for Crue fans and first time Crue
album buyers. The hardcore fans will find two new tracks, "Bitter
Pill" and "Enslaved" leading off the album. Both are solid Crue,
but they are overshadowed by the monsters behind them. The
selection and track arrangement are excellent.
Songs from the best selling albums _Dr. Feelgood_, _Girls
Girls Girls_, _Shout At The Devil_, _Theater of Pain_, and the first
hits collection _Decade of Decadence_ are all here. Consider this
track list: "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Same Ol' Situation", "Wild Side",
"Glitter", "Dr. Feelgood", "Kickstart My Heart", "Home Sweet Home",
"Afraid", "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)", "Without You",
"Smokin' In The Boys Room", "Primal Scream", "Too Fast For Love",
"Looks That Kill", "Shout At The Devil". They're all here making
this one album the one for new to Crue shoppers to try. A couple
of personal favorites didn't make it ("Angela" and "You're All I
Need") but there are none that should be discarded. With what the
Crue has given us here, let's not quibble over one or two more tracks.
_Greatest Hits_ is the first album on the Crue's new label;
17 great tracks that rock hard and soft. Their latest tour (in
support of this album) is happening now - and with the band's interest
in the Internet, their site (http://www.motley.com) is updated frequently.
---
REVIEW: Bare Jr., _Boo-Tay_ (Epic/Immortal)
- Jon Steltenpohl
When people think of Nashville music, they usually assume that
you're talking straight ahead country music a la George Jones. Bobby
Bare, Jr., son of the semi-famous country singer, has recently emerged
with his twisted vision of how music really should be. The result is
a band called simply "Bare Jr." and a debut album entitled _Boo-Tay_
(as in, shake that...). Where most of Nashville seems to be just fine
with making light rock with twang, Bare Jr. sounds a little country
and a lot punk.
And they do it right. Like relative unknowns such as Killbilly
and Slobberbone, Bare Jr.'s takes classic country, injects a little
humor back in it, and puts it in the garage. While Wilco and Son Volt
seem content to look back with a quiet gaze on the backroads of the
heartland, Bare Jr. tears it up at the roadhouse bar. With titles
like "Tobacco Spit" and "I Hate Myself", you don't have to worry about
things getting too serious here despite some heavy lyrics. Bobby Bare,
Jr. and his father are friends with Shel Silverstein (writer of "A Boy
Named Sue") which should tell you something about this album. The
guitarist's nickname is "Grimey", and the band's featured instrument
is a distorted dulcimer played by one Tracy Hackney.
The nice thing about Bare Jr. is that they never sound like
they're trying to be goofy as a gimmick. This is genuine music that's
just slightly twisted. Imagine Green Day and the Georgia Satellites
sharing the same stage, and you'll start to get the picture. Their
producer, Peter Collins, has such diverse credits as Queensryche,
Indigo Girls, Suicidal Tendencies, and Jewel, and at times you hear
everything from Faith No More to Lynyrd Skynyrd floating around _Boo-Tay_.
Songs like "Tobacco Spit" and "Give Nothing Away" are melancholy
rockers that recall Buffalo Tom. On "You Blew Me Off", Bare Jr. finds
the energy of free spirited pop-punk of bands like the The Offspring.
The shout out chorus trades "You blew me off" with the revelation that
"It turned me on!". Both the acoustic and electric Dylan are
represented with "Soggy Daisy" and "Naked Albino" respectively, and
the album closes with "Why Won't You Love Me". It's a crazy, frantic
romp filled with delicious anguished screams and even a completely
unnecessary drum solo thrown in for good measure.
It's easy to see exactly why a group like Bare Jr. got signed
to a major label like Epic. They're quirky, have a great pop sense,
and they rock. The best song on the album is a track called "Love-less".
It's got crunching guitars, a sing-along chorus, a mournful harmonica,
and a country flavored double meaning on the title. Despite the
potential pitfalls of their country pedigree, Bare Jr. ditches any
cliches at the door and seems satisfied with just delivering great
music. _Boo-Tay_ is a fun album that deserves to be played loud.
---
REVIEW: The SunKings, _Adios_ (San Jacinto)
- Chris Hill
Abhor the mass marketing of Hootie and the Blowfish all
you want, a pleasurable honesty permeates their music. The same
magic is captured in the SunKings' _Adios_. This is ideal bar
band music, with tequila-laced guitar, powerful vocals, and
smooth drumming, something to pull the Friday drinking crowd
up to the stage in awed appreciation. If you listen close,
the smoke-filled bar room atmosphere springs to life.
Robert Pounds' raspy voice draws immediate attention as
"Hey Hey" kicks off the eleven songs on _Adios_. Rough at the
edges, his voice elongates notes or cuts them off with a bluesy
yelp. Backed by Greg Galbraith and Dave Gwinn on guitars and
Trey Wheeler on drums, the SunKings form a tight, weathered
unit, with songs of simple subjects: life and love, to which we
we can all relate. "Brand new life with a brand new face/but
the same old song in another place ... Now it's coming around
again/Spread the truth that you like to bend" from "Believe" is
a nice example of taking familiar themes and infusing them with
heart and soul.
The structures and singing on _Adios_ urge comparisons
to Hootie, the Black Crowes, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
All are musicians who take pleasure in classic songwriting:
guitar solos, sharp fills, and clever hooks crashing against
emotion-laden lyrics. Yet each has their individual flairs
which comprise a unique identity.
_Adios_ is produced by the band and San Jacinto label-
mate Rich Hopkins with few frills. Hopkins also steps in with a
guitar lead on "Believe", a sound immediately recognizable to
fans of Rich's music, either with the Sand Rubies or his other
band, Rich Hopkins & Luminarios.
Hopkins and the band are a good match. They focus on
what they do best - belting out Southwestern music with a
passion. The only hiccup is a "hidden" track following the last
track, "Never Sent": Pounds, singing unaccompanied what sounds
like a vocal track they decided not to include on the final
product, and rightfully so. A jarring note is not the way to
close up such a comfortable album. However, if that's the door
charge, it's a small one for such gems as "Turnaround" (with
Thomasina Jones adding wonderful backing vocals), "Rain's Gonna
Fall", and "Find a Reason".
Online availability at http://www.contingency.com
---
REVIEW: Seam, _The Pace is Glacial_ (Touch & Go)
- Kerwin So
Three long years have transpired since Chicago's venerable kings
of indie rock, Seam, have released any new songs to satiate fans hooked
by 1995's critically acclaimed _Are You Driving Me Crazy?_ Has it
been worth the wait? In a word, yes!
Seam's fourth and long-awaited LP, appropriately titled _The Pace
is Glacial_, offers another satisfying platter of solid, moody and complex
songs for the Seam-starved masses, along with a few forays into
stretching the band's sound.
The album opens with up-tempo rockers (a la "Kernel) that will
make you swing your skinny mod hips, notwithstanding the elegant
intermission of "Wig". "Kanawha" finds Seam testing out some new
effects on both guitar and drum treatment: a delayed guitar wash,
heavy reverb on the snare, and a poignant E-bow solo offset
Sooyoung Park's trademark whispered vocals, leaving the listener
enthralled and meditative. The brooding continues into "Nisei Fight
Song", a heavy, controlled number featuring some of the dynamics
we've come to love about Seam, including an unusually aggressive
Sooyoung shouting, "I cannot remember/ My history reflected/ I
haven't said anything/ That's the glaring omission." The song's
plaintive ending refrain builds and fades on itself until you realize
you're no longer in the same place you were when the song began. At
this point the new version of the Mariachi-inspired "The Prizefighters"
snaps you from your reverie. I think this version sounds more inspired
than the one found on the Lounge Ax Defense and Relocation CD.
Then, _The Pace is Glacial_ reaches a fascinating contrast
between the only Seam song that I don't like-- the awkward, unSeamly
chant- along "In the Sun" - and the album's standout track, the magnificent
"Inching Towards Juarez." While there isn't exactly a smooth
transition after "In the Sun", the closing tracks on this record will
remind you how great Seam are. The pristine, expansive beauty of
"Juarez" will make you stop whatever you happen to be doing at the
time, only to be drawn in by the precise guitar work, brooding bass
lines, delicate drumrolls like desert breezes, and the subtly painful
lines, "Rub out your eyes/ This ship is sinking."
"Pale Marble Movie" opens similarly to one of my favorite
songs, "Rainy Season": a lone guitar dryly strumming a melancholy,
descending progression. Universal relationship rule #343: "I could be
there for you, better to you/ But you make it harder, harder, harder."
By the time you've finished absorbing the "autopilot"-esque spiritual
instrumental "Aloha Spirit", you'll have to summon the effort to get up
off your back and scramble for the repeat button.
As it should be. Seam, notorious homebodies, are currently
planning a sprinkling of December and January shows on both East and West
coasts. Be sure to catch them now lest ye have to wait
another eternity.
---
REVIEW: Ultrababyfat, _Silver Tones Smile_ (Velvel)
- Christina Apeles
I was a bit skeptical of this release after viewing the less
desirable artwork, which isn't fair, but then I listened to _Silver
Tones Smile_ and even if I could get over the cover of the album, the
music couldn't keep me interested. Just as I would've passed over the
release in the stacks at a music store just due to its packaging, I
wouldn't have given Ultrababyfat a second thought if I heard their
song on the radio.
Within fifteen seconds of the opening track "Trick," one band
came to mind: Veruca Salt. This release consists of quirky melodies,
girly concerns, and mostly nondescript pop rock. The vocals of
founding members, Shonali Bhowmik and Michelle DuBois, were raspy at
times with harmonized out of key choruses, but without the aggressive
punch of female-headed rock bands like Sleater-Kinney or raw charm of
the Breeders/Amps.
Ultrababyfat is close to the Amps in terms of musicality on
"Stupid" and "Bent On," meaning simple guitar chords with plenty of
distortion, but lacking the highs and lows in the vocals or timely
breaks in the music, that makes the Amps worth listening to -- being
creative within limits. On "TCBA," Ultrababyfat did hook me with
their opening "Doot, doot, doot's," groovy bass line and lively
drumming, with poppy vocals layered on top of one another, but that
was the only song in that genre. This is a vocal-heavy release and
if you don't like their voices in the first song, it's likely you
won't be able to stand listening to their rants in the tracks that
followed. Such was the case with me, where I could never really get
into Bhowmik and DuBois' singing, and the music rarely offering much
relief, without any quality guitar solos or long intros for me just
to appreciate the sounds of Ultrababyfat sans vocals.
---
ERRATA: > Reader Arush K. pointed out that B.B. King and U2
collaborated on "When Love Comes To Town", not "Angel Of
Harlem" as stated in the review of U2's _Best Of_.
---
TOUR DATES:
Better Than Ezra / Bic Runga
Nov. 21 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at The Hard Rock Cafe
Nov. 23 Santa Cruz, CA Palookaville
Nov. 24 Sacramento, CA Crest Theatre
Nov. 25 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Nov. 27 Portland, OR La Luna
Nov. 28 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
Buffalo Tom / Goo Goo Dolls
Nov. 21 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
Nov. 22 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Nov. 24 Denver, CO Ogden
Nov. 27 Boise, ID Doubletree Ballroom
Nov. 28 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
Nov. 29 Portland, OR La Luna
Cracker
Nov. 21 Columbus, OH Mekka
Nov. 22 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo
Deftones / Pitchshifter / Quicksand
Nov. 21 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Nov. 22 Worcester, MA Palladium
Nov. 23 Providence, RI Lupos
Nov. 24 Montreal, PQ Metropolis
Nov. 25 Toronto, ONT Arrow Hall
Nov. 27 Rochester, NY The Dome
Nov. 28 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Nov. 29 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Evelyn Forever
Nov. 21 Providence, RI Century Lounge
Nov. 27 Long Branch, NJ Smart Bar
Everlast
Nov. 21 Lafayette, LA Grant St. Dance Hall
Nov. 23 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Nov. 24 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre
Nov. 25 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Irving Plaza (New York City Concert Hall)
Nov. 20-21 Saw Doctors
Nov. 25 Cowboy Mouth
Nov. 27 Holly Cole
Marilyn Manson
Nov. 21 Poughkeepsie, NY Civic Center
Nov. 22 Boston, MA Tsongas Arena
Nov. 23 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Miles
Nov. 21 Zuerich, Switzerland Luv
Nov. 22 Ulm, Germany Cat Cafe
Nov. 23 Augsburg, Germany Kerosin
Nov. 24 Erlangen, Germany E-Werk
Nov. 25 Muenchen, Germany Atomic Cafe
Nov. 26 Innsbruck, Austria Utopia
Nov. 27 Wien, Austria Flex
Nov. 28 Schaerding, Austria Gasthof zur Alm
Nov. 29 Feldkirch, Austria Sonderbar
Motley Crue
Nov. 21 Kansas City, MO Memorial Hall
Nov. 22 St. Louis, MO Fox Theatre
Nov. 24 Fargo, ND Civic Memorial Auditorium
Nov. 25 Duluth, MN DECC
Nov. 27 Evanston, IN Victory Theatre
Nov. 28 Springfield, MO Shrine Mosque
Nov. 29 Tulsa, OK Brady Theatre
Offspring
Nov. 21 Pomona, CA The Glass House
Nov. 22-23 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Nov. 24 Reno, NV Rodeo Rock
Nov. 25 San Francisco, CA Maritime Hall
Nov. 28 Denver, CO Ogden
Rev. Horton Heat / Amazing Crowns
Nov. 21 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Nov. 23 Indianapolis, IN Vogue
Nov. 24 Memphis, TN 616 Club
Nov. 27 Fayetteville, NC JR's Ballroom
Nov. 28 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Nov. 29 Chicago, IL Cabaret Metro
Nov. 30 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Dec. 2 Milwaukee, WI Rave Ballroom
Tricky / Whale
Nov. 21 Cincinnati, OH Annie's
Nov. 22 Detroit, MI St. Andrews
Nov. 24 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
Nov. 25 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Nov. 26 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Nov. 27 Omaha, NE Sokol Hall
Nov. 29 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Underworld
Nov. 20 Montreal, QC Metropolis
Nov. 21 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Nov. 23 Los Angeles, CA The Mayan
Nov. 25 New York, NY Hammerstein
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> I saw ? And The Mysterians with the Fuzztones at Los
Angeles' Space Lounge earlier this year and yes they still rock
live, thirty years on. - Chris R., Australia
---
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