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Consumable Online Issue 168
== ISSUE 168 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [February 15, 1999]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, 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, Paul Hanson, Chris Hill,
Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin Johnson, Steve
Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott,
Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon
Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Sebadoh, _The Sebadoh_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Sparklehorse, _Good Morning Spider_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Marvelous 3, _Hey! Album_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Cassius, _1999_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Nancy Wilson, _Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Various Artists, _United States of Punk_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Mucho Macho, _The Limehouse Link_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Reich Remixed_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Cesar Rosas, _Soul Disguise_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Plastico, _Boomerang_ - Chris Candreva
CONCERT REVIEW: Fuzzbubble - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Oleander, _February Son_ - Jason Cahill
NEWS: Boo Radleys
TOUR DATES: Absinthe, Afghan Whigs, Babe The Blue Ox /
Trinket / Interpreters, Joan Baez / Hank Dogs, Better Than
Ezra / Jude, Candlebox, Cardigans / Kent, Eve 6 / Marvelous 3,
50 Tons of Black Terror / Groop Dogdrill, Flys, King Missile,
Kodo, Local H, Alanis Morrissette, Offspring, Plastic People
of the Universe, Rusted Root, Samples, Sepultura / One Minute
Silence / Biohazard, Sloan, Ten Foot Pole, Waco Brothers, Josh Wink
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Sebadoh, _The Sebadoh_ (Sub Pop / Sire)
- Steve Kandell
In an interview with The Big Takeover around the time of
Harmacy's 1996 release, Sebadoh's Lou Barlow lamented that he felt
he was destined to become the next Paul Westerberg, which is not the
compliment it used to be. By this, he meant that he felt himself
making the ugly transition from fussy post-punk icon to cuddly easy
listening drone. The please-play-me-on-the-radio sheen that marked
that album's singles "Willing to Wait" and "Ocean," showed an eagerness
to usher in that mainstream acceptance sooner rather than later. In
his apologetic mission statement on the band's official website,
Barlow now distances himself from that album and its bald-faced grab
for the brass ring. Three years and one drummer later - newcomer Russ
Pollard is actually the band's third, supplanting Bob Fay, who replaced
founding member Eric Gaffney - Sebadoh has reemerged with the new,
sort of eponymous The Sebadoh, an album of fifteen songs that neither
break new ground nor hint at Billboard glory. And that, Barlow seems
to be saying, is just fine.
For the better part of the 90's Barlow has ranked among the
elite songwriters in rock. The odd thing is, he might not even be the
best songwriter in his own band. Some of Sebadoh's most memorable
songs have actually come from bassist Jason Loewenstein, a fact that
often gets overlooked because his and Barlow's voices and styles tend
to be pretty similar. It's easy to imagine the plaintive "Happily
Divided" (from 1993's Bubble and Scrape) or "License to Confuse" (from
1994's Bakesale) coming from Barlow, but they don't. On the new
album's "Decide" and "Bird in the Hand," Loewenstein actually sounds
more like Mudhoney's Mark Arm than he does his own bandmate, and he
continues to carve himself a reputation as being anything but Barlow's
subordinate. Barlow might be the more high-profile member, even
scoring an unlikely Top 40 hit with "Natural One" from the Kids
soundtrack, but without Loewenstein's solid contributions, this album
would be nothing more than a middling EP.
With the exception of Barlow's glossy ballad "Love is Stronger,"
The Sebadoh largely consists of mid-tempo rock tunes. Like Guided by
Voices, Sebadoh has managed to successfully trade the gleefully low-fi
hiss of their early four-track recordings for a big-studio sound
without turning into The Smashing Pumpkins. Only Barlow's "Tree"
sounds like it could have been recorded in a bedroom. "Sorry" sounds
expressly written for Bob Fay, who was unceremoniously dismissed from
the band after the last tour, and is thanked no less than eight times
in the liner notes. But to paraphrase a band from a generation ago,
the songwriting, pretty much all of which deals with some sort of
relationship-fueled angst, remains the same. Love songs, nothing but
love songs.
Ironically, the album's new wavey first single, "Flame," has
more commercial potential than anything on the last album. Undeniably
catchy pop that goes a long way with a four-note riff, it could wind
up being the exact sort of crossover hit that the band claims to not
care about having. Sebadoh's latest may not be the commercial
breakthrough that 1996's _Harmacy_ tried to but failed to become, nor
may it boast the highs of their best album, _Bakesale_, but it does go a
long way in establishing the band as more than a one-weapon arsenal.
---
REVIEW: Sparklehorse, _Good Morning Spider_ (Capitol)
- Chris Hill
_Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot_, the first album by
Sparklehorse, is a bluebook exam in musical guise, years of
study consolidated in a brief space. An accumulation of moods
and tempos, the 16 songs reintroduce themselves over time: one
day, it's the plodding guitar of "Cow" that appeals, the next
day, the footstomping "Rainmaker" strikes your fancy, and the
day after that, the in-your-face "Someday I Will Treat You Good"
is the song du jour.
_Viva..._ enjoyed success overseas while Sparklehorse's
native America remained indifferent, perhaps offput by the
dream-inspired title and a sound that evaded categorization.
While on a U.K. tour for the album, Mark Linkous (who
essentially *is* Sparklehorse, while in the studio) accidentally
overdosed on prescription medication, and awkwardly collapsed in
his hotel room in such a way that prevented circulation to his
legs. Discovered hours later, Linkous was rushed to a hospital,
where doctors worked to save his legs. His heart stopped during
the operation. Revived on the table, he spent three months in
the hospital, and endured numerous operations to save his legs.
After a long rehab and a year in a wheelchair, he's now back on
his feet and out on tour.
A blackly humorous NME review of _Viva..._, lauding
Mark's bleak-yet-beautiful songwriting, ended with "Mark Linkous
is now in a wheelchair. Bad karma or what? The next
Sparklehorse record's gonna be so great!" Very precognitive.
Mark's misfortune set the stage for _Good Morning Spider_. On
his second full-length, the glimpses into his experience and new
outlook make for a frankly confessional album of bared nerves
and pain, couched in a musical balm, aided by a cast of musical
friends, that included members of Cracker. (Sadly, good friend
Vic Chesnutt doesn't play on the record, but his voice appears,
explaining his absence to Mark's phone on "Sunshine".)
References to his injuries abound: "I want a new body
that's strong/I'm a butchered cow" ("Pig"), "My bones wish to
escape/...to sleep, oh to sleep" ("Box of Stars (Part One)"), or
"blanket me, sweet nurse/...In the bloody elevator/Going to the
bright theater now" (the heartbreaking "Saint Mary"). At times,
the feeling is claustrophobic.
Balancing the weight of the words is a musical jigsaw
puzzle, ranging from distorted glam to country lullaby to sugar
pop to instrumental, all connected by their disconnection.
"Maria's Little Elbows" is a beautiful country ballad, straight
and true with acoustic guitar, cello, and drums. "Cruel Sun",
against a squalling vocal and driving electric guitar, spits
words dart-like, terse and short. "Come On In" uses vibraphone,
cello, organ, and piano to provide a gentle, comforting musical
pillow to an "if I die before I wake" entreaty. And the gentle
lilt of "Painbirds" counters the despair of its lyrics, which
evoke a Van Gogh sky of crows, black wings bringing their burden
of hurt closer, beat by beat.
Linkous' worldview CAN be grim. Note the cover graphic
of a sparrow in flight and consider the wry food chain titular
humor. "It's a hard world for little things", he sings. Or a
second interpretation - the attraction of the sparrow in flight
to a wheelchair-bound man. Much like the album, there's no
easy answer.
Linkous is easily pictured in bed, enduring and stewing,
fermenting the album while recovering. In _Good Morning Spider_,
he's pieced bits of experience and environment together into a
diary of a trip to the other side of the mountain and back. For
more of the guidebook - http://www.parlophone.co.uk/sparklehorse/
---
REVIEW: Marvelous 3, _Hey! Album_ (Elektra)
- Bill Holmes
Now we're talking! If you ever need to define the epitome of
power pop to someone, all you're going to need is a copy of _Hey!
Album_ and a loud stereo. The three piece Atlanta band is well
schooled in the college of Cheap Trick, Rubinoos, The Sweet, and
The Cars, as well as lesser known purveyors like The Beat Angels
and Shazam. In other words, great harmonies, sharp drumming, a solid
bottom, big guitar and hook after hook after hook. Get those mopey
shoe-gazers off the stage, because power pop rules again!
"Freak Of The Week" seems to have grabbed the initial headlines
with its Cars-like riff, but "You're So Yesterday" is equally strong,
handclaps and doo-doo-doo background vocals that should make listeners
run to turn up the volume. "Write It On Your Hand" is a major player,
pulsating beat leading to a call-and-response chorus worthy of the
Knack, or The Jags, or Jellyfish ... damn, there I go again. But it
doesn't matter if it's the psychedelic "Lemonade", the bouncy "Mrs.
Jackson" or any other track - each of the twelve songs is bursting
with energy and personality. Guitarist/songwriter Butch Walker,
bassist Jayce Fincher and "Slug" the drummer pack a wallop and nail
three part harmonies throughout the record.
Every power pop record comes complete with the big slow-dance
anthem, and that's "Let Me Go" - an arena ballad with sweeping falsetto
vocals. I can see the Bic lighters and the swaying crowd already. My
favorite is the irresistible "Vampires In Love", which mixes clever
but goofy lyrics with an absolute killer hook that you'll be singing
in your sleep.
Last year pop bands like Fastball and Semisonic got an opening
and exploded onto the charts. It stands to reason that some programmer
won't need the Homer Simpson head-slap to realize that there's an
audience for energetic, exciting music. If this record isn't a bonafide
smash, bleeding out of radios four tracks deep, something is very,
very wrong.
---
REVIEW: Cassius, _1999_ (Astralwerks)
- Christina Apeles
What do any of us really have to look forward to in 1999?
Well, Cassius proposes their brand of electronica with credits
galore to back them up. This production team has worked with MC
Solaar and remixed the likes of Daft Punk, Depeche Mode, Air, and
Bjork -- now that is something to write home about. Bringing in a
blend of hip hop beats, underground sensibility, and house grooves
plus a bit of funk, Cassius' _1999_ appeals to the clubgoer of
varied tastes along with vocal samplings to singalong to.
The mellow, slow tempos of "Crazy Legs" and all-about-the-bass
track, "Chase," commingle with the funkier, fast-paced rhythms of "La
Mouche" and disco-tinged, house stylings of "Foxxy" in this sixteen
track release. Consisting of Parisians' Boombass and Philippe Zdar,
this pairing create tunes that are generally free of the anxiety that
the year 1999 promises in anticipation of the new millenium. Their
use of technology has a lithium effect on the aural senses rather
than feeding into the paranoia the mass media has already wrought.
The _1999_ that Cassius offers is one that many will welcome.
---
REVIEW: Nancy Wilson, _Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop_ (Epic)
- Bill Holmes
John Hiatt was reborn in this intimate setting over a decade
ago, a performance which led to the classic _Bring The Family_ record
that finally brought him commercial success and widespread critical
raves. No such metamorphosis is going to occur to Nancy Wilson as a
result of this record, but then again she's already got a well documented
history with Heart. Instead, this record is a signpost in her career - a
true treat for her fans, and a notice to skeptics that her talents
don't require a stack of Marshall amps.
Opening without introduction, the familiar lines of "Even It
Out" kick in, until the first verse is launched by her strong vocal.
Playful and emotive, she sounds as good as her sister did on the
original. She follows that with a solid rendition of "Kathy's Song",
which reminded me how long it has been since Paul Simon wrote simple,
poignant, classic songs. Switching to mandolin, she then introduces
"Half Moon", her first original on the record. Nancy plays the
mandolin as well as the guitar, but every acoustic mandolin song by
either Wilson sister sounds remarkably like Led Zeppelin's "Battle Of
Evermore" (which the sisters covered on the _Singles_ soundtrack with
their side project, The Lovemongers). Of her other originals, "Ground
Zero" had the most appeal to me - a dark, brooding Richard Thompson
feel that seemed further removed from the usual Heart material.
I don't need to hear another version of "In Your Eyes" - every
acoustic troubadour does that one, thanks - but her pipes shine on
Joni Mitchell's "A Case Of You", and a less bombastic version of "These
Dreams" is a plus. (Although it seems to follow the Heart blueprint,
"Dreams" is a cover - Bernie Taupin and Martin Page wrote the song.)
The sound of the record is crystal clear, as if she were in
your living room. Wilson clearly enjoys her performance, giggling on
occasion and joking about the missing campfire. For those who get lost
in such atmosphere, _Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop_ is a pleasant way
to spend the evening. Of course, "Kumbaya" is optional.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _United States of Punk_ (Music Club)
- Steve Kandell
This mid-priced collection of American punk classics and
rarities gets off to a strange start, with a live version of the New
York Dolls' "Personality Crisis" that sounds so muffled it would barely
qualify as bootleg-caliber. There's no denying the energy of the
performance or the quality of the song itself, but I can't help but
wonder why it sounds like David Johansen is singing in a club across the
street from the rest of his band. But then again, defying sonic
expectations was what these early punk bands were all about, so why not?
In addition to showcasing legendary bands like the Dolls, Dead
Kennedys and The Ramones (represented here by a demo version of "Judy
Is a Punk"), lesser-known bands such as Boston's DMZ are also featured
on this disk. The word "punk" is too easily associated with fast songs
and snarling lyrics, but there is a lot of room for variety in the
genre as far as styles are concerned. Songs like "Wimp" by Southern
California's Weirdos and The Real Kids' "Do the Boob" are also slower,
and even playful. "Rocket USA," from New York's Suicide, is droning,
minimalist synth pop, but it's still somehow no less "punk" than Jello
Biafra's angry ranting.
Thing is, if you already appreciate this mid-to-late-70's
proto-punk, then you probably have most of these songs in other, more
sonically strident versions. In fact, the included versions of the
Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" and Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia"
don't appear to be outtakes at all. A notable exception is Devo's
four-track basement recording of "Mongoloid," Ohio lo-fi that predates
Guided By Voices by well over a decade. These alternate tracks are
not without their curiosity value to the punk completist, but they are
hardly revelations. There is simply not that much difference, musically
speaking, between a Ramones demo and a final version - hell, there's
not even much difference between individual Ramones songs at all - but
that's exactly the appeal of this music. At its inception, punk was a
direct reaction to the canned theatrics of prog-rock, and the whole
point was that the records were all demos, raw and of the moment rather
than produced and nuanced.
On the other hand, if a sampler like this is your introduction
to most of these seminal American bands, you would do well to go down to
your local used shop and trade in those Green Day and Offspring CD's for
as many early Ramones and Dolls albums as you can. But if you must,
this compilation is an inexpensive way to start.
---
REVIEW: Mucho Macho, _The Limehouse Link_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Christina Apeles
If you're among those that long for the dance music of
yesteryear, when acid house music ruled the undergrounds and techno
only began to make its way into everyone's vocabulary, _The Limehouse
Link_ may be the answer to your prayers. You'd have to rummage
through deejay tapes at the onset of this decade to find a mix like
this, because if old school dance is what you want, Mucho Macho delivers.
When I say old school, I'm referring to that time in the
underground scene before ravers treated the speakers like gods,
surrendering themselves to that space closest to the altars of sound,
gyrating to the music because the music was too monotonous or too
fast -- in short, not danceable. Mucho Macho's Tim Punter and Neil
Dunford have been DJing since the mid 80s and their expertise is evident
with a release that takes you back out onto the dancefloor with tracks
that make you just want to move with familiar breakbeats, synthesizer
progressions, and sounds that can take you well into the a.m. hour.
With a keen bass line, seriously groovy beats, and timely
breaks versus the typical repetitive nature of recent techno, "Rap
Is Really Changing" has the ups and downs that keeps you entertained.
Followed by "The Airport Freeze" and "Rockley Sands" which any 808
State fan would scream, 'Rip offs!' I treat these songs as more of
Mucho Machos way of paying homage to one of the masters of electronic
music. Not just another lofty dance mix, _The Limehouse Link_ is a
non-stop hip-shaking, sweat-dripping collection of tracks. And if you
can't take my word for it, consider this: Guess who the Beastie Boys
invited to play their launch party for Grand Royal Records in the
U.K.? If anyone in this world knows what fun music is all about, the
Beasties do, and they chose Mucho Macho.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Reich Remixed_ (Nonesuch)
- Chris Hill
A gem in a sonic landscape littered with ill conceived
or executed tribute projects, _Reich Remixed_ is a quality
effort on all counts: the subject is honor-worthy, the artists
chosen are uniformly at the top of their fields, and the redone
pieces are aesthetically superb.
Named as one of the most important composers in the
latter half of the 20th century, Steve Reich is a vanguard in
the minimalist tradition, a position he holds alongside Philip
Glass, Terry Riley, and LaMonte Young.
The minimalist form, composed of ideas examined in
minute, repetitive detail, is unlike traditional Western
classical structure, which is directional, guiding a piece
towards a climax. Minimalism is directionless, and cyclical
or static in design. The form lends itself to attentive
listening - the changes occur gradually, audibly, like a tide
moving in and out.
Reich pioneered "phasing" while experimenting with two
spoken word tape loops playing in tandem. He delayed one
incrementally, pulling it out of phase with the second, until
it eventually returned to sync, but one beat behind, creating a
tactile aural vibration in the process. This technique guided
many of his early works, first using spoken word manipulation
for structural clay, then moving to acoustic instruments like
violin, piano and organ.
"Drumming", composed after a three month study under
a Ghanian master drummer, expanded upon his phasing style, by
playing with subtactile beats - the spaces between the tactile,
heard beats. Rests are substituted for beats over time, then
reintroduced, creating a negative space as apparent as the
positive. Much like a 3D poster, relaxed concentration inverts
the rhythm, bringing the background to the foreground.
His later works move from strict minimalism, wedding
orchestral elements to his penchant for recording and sampling
everyday sounds of the cityscape.
Track listing: "Music for 18 Musicians (Coldcut remix)",
"Eight Lines (Howie B remix)", "The Four Sections (Andrea Parker
remix)", "Megamix (Tranquility Bass remix)", "Drumming
(Mantronik - Maximum Drum Formula)", "Proverb (DJ Takemura
remix)", "Piano Phase (D*Note's Phased and Konfused Mix)", "City
Life (DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid (Open Circuit))", and "Come
Out (Ken Ishii remix)".
Each version is faithful to the original, while artists
seamlessly blend in elements of their individual areas of
strength (turntablism, house, trip- and hip-hop, ambient house,
techno, and more).
Particularly wonderful are the palate cleansing
"Megamix", a sinuous assortment of the various themes and ideas
found on Reich's resume, including 1966's "Come Out" and 1996's
"City Life" (found further on the stack), and "Piano Phase" - a
well chosen combination of artist and selection. Ideal for
experimental dance act D*Note, the co-mingling of synthesizers,
percussion, and piano evolves over five minutes into an ideal
modern dance accompaniment.
"Come Out", remixed by techno artist Ken Ishii is yet
another standout. Backed by simple rhythmic instrumentation,
the phrase "I had to, like, open the blues up, and let some of
the blues blood come out to show them" is dissected, repeated,
and phased: tape manipulation from 1966 that predates hip-hop
sampling by decades.
Granted, this is only a cursory overview - exhaustive
essays and information are available on the web, both on Reich
and the artists involved, which makes for fascinating reading,
and a true picture of Reich's impressive influence on music.
Begin with http://www.slis.keio.ac.jp/~ohba/srhome.html and
http://atlantic-records.com/steve_reich for Reich.
---
REVIEW: Cesar Rosas, _Soul Disguise_ (Rykodisc)
- Tracey Bleile
The next step in a long, industrious career as a member of
a well-known band (or many bands) can sometimes be the solo effort.
You've already got the fan base, now you gotta see if they want to
hear you on your own. In the case of Cesar Rosas, a founding part
of Los Lobos, a Latin Playboy, and most recently the California/Texas
supergroup Los Super Seven, his release _Soul Disguise_, is a prime
candidate to reach said fans and so many more. _Soul Disguise_ serves
to deliver this extension of Rosas and what he has brought to these
projects all these years in fine solo-artist form. Besides, it's
just plain fun to be in charge for once, and he takes full advantage.
This disc is a return to the pre-_Kiko_ Los Lobos sound, lots
more stripped-down and tight blues ("Tough To Handle"), and that
unique blend of Nortena (featuring The Man Flaco Jimenez on accordion)
and roots rock (that all-important title track) that took Rosas and
his bandmates from a Latin/Mexican-American audience to encompass any
red-blooded dancin' fool who comes along. "Shack and Shambles" has
enough soulful sax groove and overheated Hammond to transport you
instantaneously to that dark smoky club that lives for your ears, not
your wallet. "Treat Me Right" and "Racing The Moon" might as well be
the backdrop to a basement dance party that ends sometime around the
wee hours of the morning in time to drive your baby home to the disc's
slow burnin' ender, "E. Los Ballad #13".
The only place _Disguise_ suffers a bit is the dual-role Rosas
played as producer. It's a bit too thick and thumpy in spots, even
for the blues, and there are some definite flattened spots that could
have used some push in the mixing phase. But for doing it all himself,
and having a great many excellent musician friends around him, Cesar
Rosas is hiding nothing in _Soul Disguise_. This is open, honest
enjoyable music showing the staying power of the combination of classic
American influence and a classy musician at work.
---
REVIEW: Plastico, _Boomerang_ (Epic Import)
- Chris Candreva
I'm going to cut to the chase on this one: Buy this album.
_Boomerang_ marks the second release from the Swedish group
Plastico. While their self-titled debut album is available only as
an import, Plastico's stateside appearance can't come soon enough;
I'm tired of only playing old music at my parties.
Juding from the links on their web site (located at
http://www.cabal.se/mnw/mnwlabel/plastico/index.html ), Plastico
seems to call themselves a glam band, citing the 70s influences
of Abba, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Gary Glitter and Sweet.
On this one album though I hear a multitude of styles; they owe as
much to Blondie, Berlin, and Joan Jett as any glam rocker. A few
tracks almost even have a Nine Inch Nails flavor. Rather than just
another "Retro" band, what we end up with is a Glam / Pop / New Wave /
Rock / Techno fusion that may be one of the only truly unique sounds
to come out recently.
The driving force behind Plastico's sound is the duo of Peter
Guzz on keyboards and guitar, and Penny on guitar, percussion, and
CD-ROM design the lead vocals, both individual and as duets. Guzz is
also the main composer and producer of their work. A host of other
musicians provide other instruments and vocals, resulting in the full
and varied sound we hear on the album.
_Boomerang_ opens with "I Fade Away", a driving techno-rhythm
with vaguely sexual lyrics that, though slightly unclear, make you
want to pull the love of your life out on to the dance floor. "(I
Wanna Get Into Your) Heart" is a moderate up-tempo rock number whose
name should be self-explanatory. "Waste of Time" is the closest the
album comes to a downer. Though it's a song about getting out of a
relationship, it's a pretty acoustic ballad otherwise.
We pick right up with other musical references including "The
Bump" (apparently a cover about doing - you guessed it - The Bump),
"Going Down" (where Penny harkens to Joan Jett singing "Black Leather"),
"Resist" (about how you can't), "How We Try" (with a drum-beat ala Gary
Glitter), and "Voulez Vous" (which manages to mix Blondie with The
Runaways while completely avoiding the Abba song of the same name).
If you like Pop, Glam, or music about going out and having
fun instead of sitting around and complaining in flannel, then
Plastico is exactly what you have been waiting for.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Fuzzbubble, Asbury Park, New Jersey
- Al Muzer
Featuring one of the best rock 'n' roll vocalists to stand
and deliver since Lennon left most of his tonsils in Abbey Road's
Studio Two laying down tracks for Anytime At All, New York's Fuzzbubble
are one of the best selling bands you've heard, but never heard of, before.
With a track ("Bliss") featured on a Bad Boy/Footlocker
compilation; the same tune on the _Hell City Hell_ indie collection;
another song ("Out There") prominently placed on the five million (and
counting) sold Godzilla soundtrack disc; another track ("Nowhere To
Run") on South Park's Chef Aid album that is actually Old Dirty Bastard,
DMX and Ozzy Osbourne backed by Fuzzbubble; a guest appearance on Puff
Daddy & The Family's "It's All About The Benjamins" rock remix; and
camera time in Puffy's video for "Rock Benjamins" that won an MTV
Viewer's Choice Award - Fuzzbubble are already about nine million
records ahead of most bands with, technically, nothing more than a
four-song advance and a slew of local gigs to their name.
A pop-perfect four-piece that'd be golden even without the
golden touch of Sean 'Puffy' Combs and his Bad Boy Records, vocalist /
guitarist Mark DiCarlo, guitarist/vocalist Jim Bacchi, drummer/vocalist
Jason Camiolo and bassist Brett Rothfield kicked off their first
official East Coast mini-tour under the Bad Boy umbrella with an
engaging, arena-ready blast of Beatle-esque three-part harmonies and
solid Gibson chime undercut by walloping drums and a powerful,
strut-stepping guitar crunch that had Asbury Park's (N.J.) The Saint
respectable, if not exactly packed, Tuesday night crowd hooked in no time.
Anchoring the neck-snapping, jet-engine blast (and one of those
things so many other bands seem to leave out these days) were
genuinely-memorable pop songs sportin' big-ass hooks made brilliant by
playful, occasionally sly, nods in the direction of legends such as
George Harrison ("Isn't It A Pity" on "Real World"), Paul McCartney
("Rock Show" and "Jet" during soundcheck), Golden Earring, the Who and
Cheap Trick.
Proudly inspired by influences ranging from Kiss, Cheap Trick,
the Raspberries, Beatles, Badfinger and Big Star to Jellyfish, Best
Kissers In The World, Matthew Sweet, Husker Du and The Pursuit Of
Happiness; Fuzzbubble pack enough sugar into each three-minute wonder
to make you wanna sing (loudly) along - and just enough snarl into their
buzzed-out crunch-pop to push em right over the top.
---
REVIEW: Oleander, _February Son_ (Republic)
- Jason Cahill
The opening chords of "Why I'm Here", the opening track on
_February Son_, are so alarmingly reminiscent of Nirvana that I thought
I had mistakenly cued up _In Utero_ . In retrospect, I wish I had.
_February Son_, the major label debut from Sacramento's Oleander is,
at its best, the backwash at the bottom of the soda can that was grunge
music. Instead of allowing that genre its dignified demise, Oleander
seem intent on reminding us of the good old days when plaids were
fashion and bands like Sponge were the flavor of the minute.
One of the few bands who have successfully maintained the
so-called grunge sound and built upon the foundation laid by bands like
Nirvana is Local H. Odd when you consider that Steven Haigler, the
producer behind Local H's early masterpiece Ham Fisted, is also produces
_February Son_. With Local H and Fuel, Haigler managed to capture a
raw energy while still sculpting a cohesive rock landscape. _February
Son_, by comparison, sounds stale and processed with relatively few
elements of raw energy. Haigler's fault? Possible, but improbable
when you consider his track record. Sometimes you just can't get blood
from a stone.
In terms of the album's actual sound, it's something of a
conglomeration of varied styles. Think Soundgarden meets White Lion.
Traditional hard rock coupled with the occasional metal ballad thrown
in for good measure. None of what is heard on _February Son_ is
either cutting or original; some of it works, most of it doesn't.
"Why I'm Here", the album's first single, takes the opening riff of
Nirvana's "Rape Me", but fails to borrow any of that song's edge or
originality. "How Could I?" is slow, very slow and contains lyrics
like "..how could I be so blind that I could not see...". Well doesn't
that just go without saying?
Oleander does show signs of life in "I Walk Alone", which
could just as easily have been a Third Eye Blind single, and "Lost
Cause", a fun rocker which manages to do something most of the other
songs on the album don't - it rocks. One of the album's better
moments comes in the form of a cover of The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry".
While the vocals don't begin to even approach the stylistic and emotive
wails of Cure frontman Robert Smith, the cover does have its charm.
Then again, it may just have been a welcomed respite from Oleander's
tiresome originals. Imagine a mediocre opening band finally playing
something other than songs from their soon to be released album - you'd
still rather they just left the stage, but if they absolutely must stay,
they might as well play something you know.
The centerpiece of _February Son_ is "Never Again", a song
which borrows lyrics from, of all bands, Reo Speedwagon. Enough said.
---
NEWS: > The Boo Radleys, after being together for the past
ten years, have split up. Songwriter Martin Carr, who has
been working in his home studio, plans to pursue solo
projects.
---
TOUR DATES:
Absinthe
Feb. 18 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
Feb. 19 Arlington, VA IOTA
Feb. 20 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac
Feb. 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Feb. 23 Providence, RI Met
Feb. 24 Boston, MA Lansdowne St. Playhouse
Afghan Whigs
Feb. 17 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Feb. 18-20 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Feb. 21 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Feb. 23 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill Nightclub
Feb. 24 Baltimore, MD Bohager's
Babe The Blue Ox / Trinket / Interpreters
Feb. 16 Columbia, SC University of South Carolina
Feb. 17 Durham, NC Page Auditorium
Feb. 18 Blacksburg, VA Sheraton
Feb. 19 Charlotte, NC Cone Center
Feb. 20 Raleigh, NC Ballroom
Feb. 22 Clemson, SC Edgar's
Feb. 23 Atlanta, GA Smith's Old Bar
Feb. 24 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Joan Baez / Hank Dogs
Feb. 16 Albuquerque, NM Popejoy Hall
Feb. 17 Phoenix, AZ Orpheum Theater
Feb. 19-20 Fort Worth, TX Caravan of Dreams
Feb. 23 Austin, TX Paramount Theater
Feb. 24 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Better Than Ezra / Jude
Feb. 19 Jackson, MS Rodeo's
Feb. 20 Birmingham, AL 5 Points South Music
Feb. 23 Fort Lauderdale, FL Chili Pepper
Feb. 24 Tampa, FL Rubb
Candlebox
Feb. 19 Missoula, MT UM Theatre
Feb. 20 Pocatello, ID Rock
Feb. 21 Bozeman, MT Cat's Paw
Feb. 22 Billings, MT Shrine Auditorium
Cardigans / Kent
Feb. 17 Seattle, WA King Cat
Feb. 18 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Feb. 20 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Feb. 22 Los Angeles, CA Palace
Feb. 23 San Diego, CA SOMA
Eve 6 / Marvelous 3
Feb. 16 Virginia Beach, VA The Abyss
Feb. 17 Charlottesville, VA Trax
Feb. 18 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf
Feb. 19 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Feb. 20 Baltimore, MD Bohager's
Feb. 21 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance Theater
Feb. 23 Concord, NH Chantilly's
Feb. 24 Boston, MA Paradise
50 Tons of Black Terror / Groop Dogdrill
Feb. 16 Washington, DC Phantasmagoria
Feb. 19 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge
Flys
Feb. 18 Greenville, NC Attic
Feb. 19 Nashville, TN 328 Performance
King Missile
Feb. 19 Carrboro, NC The Temple
Feb. 20 Columbia, SC New Brookland Tavern
Feb. 21 Atlanta, GA Point
Feb. 22 Orlando, FL Sapphire Supper Club
Feb. 23 Tallahasse, FL Cow Haus
Feb. 24 Baton Rouge, LA Bayou
Kodo
Feb. 17 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre
Feb. 18 Madison, WI Union Theatre
Feb. 20 Chicago, IL Medina Temple
Feb. 23-25 Ann Arbor, MI Power Center
Local H
Feb. 16 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater
Feb. 17 Jacksonville, FL Choices
Feb. 18 Atlanta, GA Roxy
Feb. 19 Birmingham, AL 5 Pts. Music Hall
Feb. 20 Fayetteville, AR JR Dickson St. Ballroom
Alanis Morrissette
Feb. 16 Cincinnati, OH Crowne Center
Feb. 18 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum
Feb. 19 East Rutherford, NJ Continental Arena
Feb. 21 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center
Feb. 22 Boston, MA Fleet Center
Offspring
Feb. 24 Cleveland, OH CSU Convention Center
Plastic People of the Universe
Feb. 23 Boston, MA Middle East
Feb. 24 Montreal PQ Foufounes
Rusted Root
Feb. 16 Wayne, NJ William Paterson University
Feb. 17 New Haven, CT Palace
Feb. 19 Worcester, MA Palladium
Feb. 20 Providence, RI PAC
Feb. 21 Portland, ME Expo Center
Feb. 23 Albany, NY Suny Albany
Samples
Feb. 16 Killington, VT Pickle Barrel
Feb. 17 Providence, RI Lupo's
Feb. 18 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Feb. 19 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Feb. 20 Saratoga Springs, NY Skidmore College
Feb. 24 Manchester, NH Chantilly's
Sepultura / One Minute Silence / Biohazard
Feb. 16 San Francisco, CA Maritime Hall
Feb. 18 Seattle, WA Fenix Underground
Feb. 19 Everett, WA Jimmy Z's
Feb. 20 Vancouver, BC Croatian Cult Centre
Feb. 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
Feb. 23 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theatre
Sloan
Feb. 16 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
Feb. 17 Toledo, OH Main Event
Feb. 18 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
Feb. 19 Buffalo, NY Tralf
Feb. 20 East Lansing, MI Erickson Kiva
Ten Foot Pole
Feb. 19 San Francisco, CA Cocodrie
Feb. 20 Sacramento, CA Bojangles
Feb. 21 Reno, NV Del Mar Station
Feb. 22 Boise, ID Bogie's
Feb. 23 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 Basement
Feb. 24 Denver, CO Aztlan Theater
Waco Brothers
Feb. 18 Lexington, KY Lyngagh's
Feb. 19 Newport, KY Southgate House
Josh Wink
Feb. 20 London, England The End Nightclub
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> Hi! I've been enjoying Consumable Online a lot
over the past few months. Can you recommend any good music
email-discussion lists? Thanks! - Pat L.
(Ed. Note - Can any readers suggest any? We'll publish a
list of the most popular ones in a future issue of Consumable).
---
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