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Consumable Online Issue 204
== ISSUE 204 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [March 26, 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,
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).
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins, _Machina The Machines of God_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Goldfinger, _Stomping Ground_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes, _Live At The Greek_ - Wes Long
INTERVIEW: Angie Aparo - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Melvins, _The Crybaby_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Josh Rouse, _Home_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Yo La Tengo, _And Then Nothing Turned Itself
Inside-Out_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: Fishbone, _The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Catatonia, _Equally Cursed and Blessed_ - Niles Baranowski
REVIEW: Bloodhound Gang, _Hooray For Boobies_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Sparklehorse _Good Morning Spider_ / _Disorted Horse_
- Christina Apeles
CONCERT REVIEW: The Mekons - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: Handsome Family, _In the Air_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Don Dixon, _The Invisible Man_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Seely, _Winter Birds_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Rick Derringer, _Live At The Paradise Theater_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Spring Heel Jack, _Treader_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: New Americans, _New Americans_ - Bill Holmes
TOUR DATES: Beck, Charlatans / Stereophonics, Ani DiFranco, Filter /
Chevelle, Goldie, Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals, Incubus,
Kelis, Korn, Tara MacLean, Ian Moore, Neko Case & Her Boyfriends,
No Doubt / Suicide Machines, Oasis, Ginny Owens, Papas Fritas,
Podunk, Red Hot Chili Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse, Tonic / Third
Eye Blind, Union
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins, _Machina The Machines of God_ (Virgin)
- Steve Kandell
If pretentiousness could be measured in pounds, the new Smashing
Pumpkins album would be too heavy to carry home from the record store,
much less fit into your hi-fi. But this is nothing new, as the Pumpkins
have always seeked to infuse their heavy brand of Sabbath riff rock with
an air of posed artiness. Look no further than your song or album titles.
"The Crying Tree of Mercury?" The Smashing Pumpkins are a
throwback to a time when bands were supposed to put out double albums, so
you could separate your stems and seeds on the gatefold. But it goes
past that, to an unabashed sense of entitlement that Corgan et. al. exude
with every note. That alone angers people because rock bands aren't
supposed to want to be Big and Important anymore, so much of the
self-aggrandizement just seems silly. And there's no shortage of
silliness to be found here.
When Bonhamesque drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was booted out of the
band a couple of years ago for a much-documented opium-related incident,
the remaining Pumpkins decided not to replace the master skinsmith with
another, inferior human drummer, but rather with a digital machine.
Though said machine probably took a far smaller cut of the publishing
residuals, its presence resulted in _Adore_, an ill-conceived and poorly
received stab at techno-cherub rock. Corgan's soundtrack work for _Lost
Highway_ and _Stigmata_ went even further in this automated direction.
With the return of the exiled Chamberlin to the fold, much has been made
of the band's return to the bombast of old, but this may be overselling
the point.
The immersion into all things electronic is still very much in
evidence on _Machina_, and not just in the album title. Leadoff
track and single "The Everlasting Gaze" indeed recalls the sonic hugeness
of days past, but is so awash in bells and whistles that the song lacks
shape and doesn't stick in the craw like their best work can. And this
is to say nothing of the "fickle fascination of an everlasting god"
nonsense in the lyrics. Much of the album follows this overdriven
trend -- not metal so much as metallic, like _Siamese Dream_ dipped in
liquid silver. Or wrapped tin foil.
Clocking in at ten minutes, "Glass and the Ghost Children" has
a mid-song interlude in which Corgan ruminates on his place in the
universe with all the depth and insight of a hungover frosh in a
Philosophy 101 class. The tape of his voice speeds up and slows down,
maybe to mask the identity of the speaker, maybe to couch the sermon in
an air of artiness. Though you can't blame a guy for trying, there is
a direct negative correlation between the level of pretention and the
quality of the results.
The record isn't all embarrassing enormo-rock, however. "I of
the Mourning" and "Stand Inside Your Love" are classic Pumpkins,
blending thunderous acoustics with a pop sensibility in the way that
they're so good at, when they put their mind to it.
---
REVIEW: Goldfinger, _Stomping Ground_ (Mojo/Universal)
- Scott Hudson
For most, March Madness means NCAA hoops and lots of it. For
Goldfinger fans, the term takes on an entirely different meaning, the much
anticipated release of the band's new record _Stomping Ground_.
Goldfinger's path to this record is not without precedent. In the
early '70s, a then-underground band called Kansas toured relentlessly off
the beaten path, bringing their progressive overtures to seedy juke joints
and cowboy bars. This hard work paid off in the form of a loyal fanbase
which supported their first 3 albums until their breakthrough album,
_Leftoverture_, after which Kansas became a household name.
Similarly, Goldfinger's incessant touring schedule is legendary (385
shows in 365 days in 1996-97) and as a result, the band has garnered quite
a loyal underground following of their own. With two studio releases, a
live album and appearances on numerous soundtracks ("The Waterboy,"
"BASEketball," "Dead Man On Campus," "American Pie," "Kingpin") the band
has chiseled out a sound that demands to be heard.
_Stomping Ground_ is Goldfinger's first studio record in three years
and by far their strongest, most inspired effort to date. However, that may
be putting mildly. _Stomping Ground_ will be the record that elevates
Goldfinger from underground stalwart to mainstream heavyweight.
On _Stomping Ground_, the band clings ever-so-tightly to their punk
roots churning out high velocity tunes tinged with just enough pop flavor
to attract a much broader audience. The record captures the energy of the
band's live performance coupled their penchant for writing catchy,
hook-laden power-punk.
"Don't Say Goodbye," "Think It's A Joke" and "San Simeon" are
full-tilt, pedal-to-the-metal rockers while "I'm Down," "Pick A Fight"
and "End Of The Day" are fueled by Charlie Paulson's crunchy rhythms and
John Feldmann's emotionally-charged vocals.
"Carry On," "Don't Say Goodbye" and the band's first single
"Counting The Days" are among the finest tunes you'll find in the punk
idiom.
To disregard adding _Stomping Ground_ to your collection would be
a huge mistake. After all, this record is 13 tracks of essential listening
for those familiar with the genre. Goldfinger fans will soon find this out.
Then it will be up to everyone else play catch up.
---
REVIEW: Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes, _Live At The Greek_
(Musicmaker.com)
- Wes Long
One common element in big-time rock bands like the Black Crowes,
and the millions of bands that weren't able to kick down the garage door
and make the scene, is that they all probably honed their chops on Led
Zeppelin tunes. Zeppelin was one of the more influential bands in the
history of rock, easily mentioned in the same breath as the Beatles and
the Stones, and a big reason for that is the inventive guitar talent
known as Jimmy Page. In June of 1999 Page contacted the Crowes,
requesting that they back him at a benefit concert in Paris. Four months
later they played six magical gigs which have somehow already entered
into the arena of rock legend. The last two dates of that mini-tour were
at the Los Angeles Greek Theatre, and they were recorded.
The Black Crowes, more so than any band I can think of, are a
perfect fit for Page's fingerings. The southern-dipped style oozing
from their amps embodies all the old-school aesthetics of the ass-kickin'
rock band. Crowes singer Chris Robinson's whiskey and nicotine drenched
voice swims effortlessly amidst a sea of deftly executed grooves created
by his tighter-than-tight backing band. While the majority of the tunes
captured here are Zeppelin covers, the Crowes add a great deal of their
own special spice to the mix. "It's not just a Zeppelin thing," says
Chris Robinson, we bring the way we play to it also. We stick to the meat
of the matter, but I just have a different sort of (singing) style. Mine
is more like if Tina Turner was in Led Zeppelin."
Page's playing seems fresh and invigorated as the result of time
spent with his exuberant young band-mates, and rumors abound of a 2000
tour. Until then you can get your fix with this excellent live recording
available only, that is ONLY, online. Musicmaker.com,
http://musicmaker.com/ , offers you the opportunity to download as much
or as little of the 19 digitally recorded tracks as you like, and in the
order you like. "Giving the fans the ability to select songs makes them
part of the creative process, " offers Page. Chris Robinson adds: "It's
always difficult to sequence the songs on an album. We thought we'd give
that problem to the fans."
It's somehow fitting that Page, the man who pushed the hell out
of the rock-guitar envelope during his reign with Zeppelin, is now a
part of a movement that threatens to forever change the manner in which
music is packaged, marketed and sold.
---
INTERVIEW: Angie Aparo
- Bob Gajarsky
Angie Aparo hasn't been declared the future of rock and roll,
the American savior, or a poet laureate. But with the poignancy,
storytelling, and sheer intelligent rock and roll present on his
major label debut _The American_ (Melisma/Arista), he may soon
receive some of those accolades.
Limiting Angie's music and lyrics to one genre is not only
be impossible, but would misrepresent the artist. A refreshing
voice that is a cross between James Taylor and Ireland's Saw
Doctors, landing somewhere near Jeff Buckley, this part-folkie,
part-rocker hybrid truly defies simple categorization.
"My influences have always been singer / songwriters who
have been 'plugged in'," Aparo states. "Bruce Springsteen and
David Bowie are two of them, and as far as bands, U2 was a big
influence."
That influence comes through most clearly on a track such
as "Green Into Gold", which could have been come out of a _Joshua
Tree_ era cut. And while first single "Spaceship" might have
been culled from a poppier Jeff Buckley cut and other tracks
including "Hush", "Free Man", and some other dark moody tracks
bring to mind old Toad the Wet Sprocket, the most redeeming
quality of _The American_ is its ever-changing musical landscape.
Part of this was brought to fruition by producer Matt
Serletic, who has worked with artists such as Matchbox 20,
Collective Soul, Aerosmith and Santana, yet cut back some of
his production time to work with newcomer Aparo.
"A great producer magnifies the artist's vision and I
think also contributes greatly to the sonic interpretation of
the lyrics - and Matt is all that," expresses Aparo in obvious
respect for Serletic's contributions. "Having the immense
resources of Matt's ability, money and time {the latter two
from Arista}, I was able to get to a place that was more than
a document. I love _Out of the Everywhere_, but I definitely
didn't have the luxury of any of those resources."
_Out of the Everywhere_ was Aparo's independent project
which generated a fan-based buzz. Although only one track
("Wonderland") surfaced on _The American_, its indie success
helped pave the way to this major-label debut.
Aparo honed his trade around Atlanta and on the road,
including the various "Writers in the Round" series that have
started to permeate certain major cities.
"I love performing there {in the 'rounds'} because
they're part living-room, part jam, and part laboratory," Aparo
enthusiastically explains.
He also hosted one of a "pretty successful" round in
Atlanta a couple of years ago, but since then "I haven't had the
time while in pursuit of this record and the subsequent band."
While opening for artists such as Matchbox 20 and Edwin
McCain, fans continued to wonder when a 'new' release would
surface. Songs which appeared here were first premiered at
some of these concerts, and one thing which has garnered Aparo's
growing legion of fans in the Southeast is his liberal
concert taping policy. And landing on a major hasn't changed
Aparo's view of the tape trees which helped cultivate the
popularity of bands from the Grateful Dead, Spin Doctors and the
Dave Matthews Band.
"I could still support that {taping of the live
concerts} - the notion of a live experience belongs to everyone
{who attends}. But I can't speak for the label!," laughs Aparo.
It's OK, Angie. If the music-buying public has half a brain,
I have a feeling that the subsequent sales of _The American_ will
alleviate the fears of any bean counters at your label.
---
REVIEW: The Melvins, _The Crybaby_ (Ipecac)
- Matthew Carlin
There is something distinctly off-putting about the Melvins.
The slow tempos, the unintelligible lyrics, the
not-giving-a-shit-what-even-their-fans-think aesthetic. It's like Buzz &
co. purposely make it hard to like them. Yet there is a solid underground
of freaks and weirdoes who love the Melvins.
Regardless, _The Crybaby_ is perhaps the most brilliant concept
album (the last installment in a trio of concept albums no less) ever.
With guest vocalists and musicians from a completely haphazard and
unlikely array of sources, the Melvins prove themselves to be the most
clever, even if still the most annoying, band in rock.
The shear audacity of recording "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with 70s
has-been Leif Garrett on lead vocals is funny enough in theory. His
earnest, straight rock, multi-tracked treatment of it casts the '90s punk
anthem in an entirely new light. Of course, it's too bizarre to even try
to dissect or analyze.
The logical combination of the Melvins and Jesus Lizard yelper
David Yow on a couple of tracks and the dirgy 11-minute "The Man With
the Laughing Hand is Dead," with female singer Bliss Blood, will probably
sate regular Melvins fans. Then again, the country ditties with Hank
Williams III on vocals and Helmet's Henry Bogdan on pedal steel make
just as much sense in some perverse way.
More interesting is "Divorced," a surprisingly cohesive, though
sprawling and atmospheric, pairing with Tool. "Spineless" is by far the
Melvins' catchiest ditty, with N.Y. electro-popsters Skeleton Key --
another surprising combination. A brooding mood piece with J.G. (Foetus)
Thurwell and a semi-disappointing track with Ipecac co-honcho and former
Faith No More man Mike Patton round out the collection. The audio
equivalent of a slightly nauseating, but entirely intriguing spectacle,
the novelty of this album will certainly entertain even folks who can't
normally stomach the Melvins.
---
REVIEW: Josh Rouse, _Home_ (Slow River/Rykodisc)
- Chris Hill
Rouse's _Dressed Up Like Nebraska_ is a perfect debut album: one
of those rare creations that lingers in the psyche throughout the day,
tugging at the mind with an embarrassing wealth of great lyrics and music.
"I could help you open and unfurl," "miscommunication/turns into a
fight/and all the years you been frustrated/they finally subside/and
now you walk away/to face your day alone," "it's the being in the dark
that makes me so paranoid" -- the album's jammed with words that bubble
up from the subconscious at the oddest moments.
Rouse avoided the sophomore jinx by joining Lambchop's
singer/guitarist Kurt Wagner for 1999's splendid EP, _Chester_, with
Wagner writing the lyrics, and Rouse, the music. The combo proved
brilliant: five songs that displayed Wagner's sparkling verbal wit and
Rouse's knack for producing hooks out of his magician's hat.
Fans will be pleased to know that _Home_, Rouse's full-length
follow-up, again showcases the ex-Nebraska (and current Nashville)
resident to perfection with ten songs, nicely divided between
energetically upbeat and quietly introspective offerings. Strings,
guitar, brass and keyboards combine for haunting melodies of friends
and lovers tested by time and distance, and of a man coalescing from
indecision into solid determination.
Rouse's lyrics are impressionistic portraits of people and their
relationships: country vistas viewed from a speeding car, seen for a
blurry moment, briefly distinct, then left behind in the distance. "100m
Backstroke" is a Byronic ode of beauty walking: "Watch the way you
backstroke across the room/Arms out, floating/It consumes me/You haunt in
your trail." Rouse then switches from passive, affected observer to
involved participant with "In Between," describing a self-created limbo
("When the secrets aren't worth fighting for/people stay in between/and in
between you'll stay") and a lover that is left sadly behind as her depths
are plumbed and found shallow.
Whether planned with confidence or uncertainty, defining the future
is another pervasive theme on _Home_. The rousing leadoff "Laughter" ("Now
I watch what I say/and I watch what I do.../Think I got it all figured
out/I think my plan is safe/from laughter") and the choppy waters of
"Afraid to Fail" ("It's time I made myself clear.../Not that I don't want
to/I'm just afraid to fail") both advance into a brave, new world.
On "Hey Porcupine," he addresses the distance that separates
friends over time as priorities shift and goals change. "I don't call you
anymore/It's a difference in our taste." The song plays as a sequel to
the rollicking "Directions," where he berates someone for their aimless
squandering of time. Rouse understands that drifting with life's current
takes you someplace regardless of if you swim or not.
For me, the heart of _Home_ is "Parts and Accessories," a blushing,
adorational track ("As you walked in/ the room became a glow"). This
person is idolized in his eyes with a memorable chorus: "So don't let
on/don't let go/You should know/It's just parts of who you are." Ned
Henry's violin plays at the edges of the song, adding an irresistible
emotional undercurrent.
With members of Lambchop guesting, _Home_ has a gentler, more
soulful presence than his debut. Paul Birch's vibes add a piquant kiss
to Rouse's heart-tugging vocals on "100m Backstroke" and Dennis Cronin's
trumpet is the baited hook of "Laughter." After recent viewings of
Lambchop's tour with Yo La Tengo, perhaps I'm sensitized to their
contributions, because Rouse allows all his supporting cast moments in
the spotlight. This unselfishness is just part of his charm.
The closer "Little Know It All" conveys his willingness to go the
distance. When he sings "be on the lookout for me," he finds no argument
here; http://www.joshrouse.com for more information.
---
REVIEW: Yo La Tengo, _And Then Nothing Turned Itself
Inside-Out_ (Matador)
- Andrew Duncan
For 13 years, Yo La Tengo has been pop's most aspiring band. Georgia
Hubley, Ira Kaplan and James McNew has developed a technique that combines
sweet melody with decadent distortion; a sound only Yo La Tengo can
intimately pull off in such a peculiar way that combines quirky abstract
definition and dark angst. After listening to a Yo La Tengo song, there is
a feeling of discovery.
Going on their tenth release, their lacking desire to change but
constant redevelopment as a band allows them to create the best music
being played today, and their new release demonstrates that their music
can simply be described as music only Yo La Tengo can make.
_And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out_ is the calm before the
storm when a summer breeze dims to a still rage of confusion and beauty.
The album begins with the experimental and dreary opener,
"Everyday." As the bass line creeps up and down a scale and a strange
percussive drum pounds out a minimalist pattern, Kaplan sings a distant
melody of coffee-shop lyrics, coordinated with the mysterious hum of an
organ and underpowered by a weeping guitar that rarely makes its play.
Like many of their songs, "Everyday" forms a complete painting of cloudy
textures.
"Our Way To Fall" is the song that bids welcome into the album
with a Simon and Garfunkel, "Feelin' Groovy" walkabout.
"Let's Save Tony Orlando's House," one of the band's funnier song
titles, is Hubley's vocal introduction into the album, as she delicately
comes across comparing to Karen Carpenter or a sedate Mamas and Papas
B-side, later disseminating into the soft strums of "The Last Days of
Disco" and "The Crying Of Lot G."
The band lights up on the George McRae tune "You Can Have It All,"
turning the disco hit into a hummable pop song.
The band ends as they began, on a quiet note, with "Night Falls On
Hoboken," the city where they reside. Even though Hoboken rests 2 miles
west of bustling New York City, Yo La Tengo musically describes Hoboken
like a small, humble town in the middle of nowhere that fades into a
vertigo of sounds swirling into nothing.
The three-year time lapse between this release and _I Can Hear
the Heart Beating As One_ was well worth the style and structure of each
note placed into what could easily be one of the best albums to be
released this year.
---
REVIEW: Fishbone, _The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx_ (Hollywood)
- Paul Andersen
The frenetic, ever-mutating musical gumbo that is at the core of
the veteran L.A.-based ska/funk/whathaveyou band known as Fishbone makes
itself known once again on their Hollywood debut, _The Psychotic Friends
Nuttwerx_, proving that while some bands lose their sight along the way,
others only get better as they get grayer. Fishbone not only belong to the
latter category, they are poster children for the Organization of Musical
Futurists Now. The grooves contained within this recording will still be
fresh two millenniums from now. I guarantee it.
Like any band that has been around for more than 20 years, Fishbone
has seen a number of changes over time. Down to a core trio of Angelo
Moore, Norwood Fisher and Dirty Walt' Kibby II from the old days, they
have reincarnated themselves by grafting fresh players into spots that most
other bands would have folded over, becoming even stronger in the process.
Add in a guest list of musicians ranging from George Clinton, Flea, Gwen
Stefani and Blowfly to Jeff Skunk' Baxter and Donnie Osmond -- yeah, you
read that right -- and you come up with a potent mix that will blow your
speakers clean out of the brackets (this is great music to cruise with).
If Clinton is the master of P-Funk, then Fishbone is a both a
branch of that family tree and a fresh synthesis of the essence of what
funk is all about. More than any other band currently playing, they know
that funk is not just a style of music, but a life force all its own.
Come get the juices flowing, baby, and immerse yourself in the joy that
is Fishbone.
---
REVIEW: Catatonia, _Equally Cursed and Blessed_ (Atlantic)
- Niles Baranowski
Catatonia lead singer Cerys Matthews is blessed with the sort of
versatile, show-stopping voice that the Alanises of the world would kill
for. She can soothe and seethe with equal facility and her earthy groan
sounds as confident and forceful as it does sexual. When she hisses "Joan
of Arc can kiss my arse,"the gravelly sass in her voice is worth the price
of admission, an attitude that you could fall in love with.
The curse in Catatonia's third album, then, is the rest of her band,
who can at best underscore her vocals and at worse can undercut them; they
don't seem to have enough of their own will to create any counterpoint. On
their last album, _International Velvet_, that wasn't the problem it is
here since the songs were, on the whole, straightforward rave-ups that
went down free of complication. The two top-selling singles from that
album are represented here: "Road Rage" and "Mulder and Scully," a pair of
rockers so anthemic that you may find yourself humming the latter as the
credits to the _X-Files_ roll. They display succinctly the force that is
missing from _Equally Cursed and Blessed_, modern rock at its cathartic,
lusty best.
_Cursed_ is a more subdued affair, its volume middling and its songs
usually confining themselves to a single dynamic level. There are a few
sappy tracks where Matthews feels overwhelmed by canned violins. "Bulimic
Beats" gets gummed up in a wall of strings that makes one long for the
minimalism of Phil Spector. "Dead From the Waste Down" is a lyrically
interesting bedroom plea (think Summer of Love meets the old adage "make
hay while the sun shines") that has no musical force, just a sort of lazy
prettiness. Even a bouncing tune like "Karaoke Queen" is bland and grating
when performed by the dull rhythm section of bassist Paul Jones and
drummer Dafydd Iuean.
"Karaoke Queen" used to be the sort of sprightly, innocuous single
candidate that Catatonia excelled at back in the days of _Way Beyond Blue_
but Matthews is maturing too much as a singer to be contented with mere
pop now. Her best tracks take on the strength of performance pieces;
they're like hysteric monologues set to music. On "Shoot the Messenger,"
she plots drunken revenge and it sounds like seduction. Her coarse coyness
makes comparisons to Tom Waits hardly unlikely. And when she can unleash
her force against something specific, the results are dynamite, like the
snide "Londinium" ("London doesn't sleep, it just sucks"). "Post Script"
is the most fully-shaped story here, Matthews talking about how she gave
her girlhood to a slick-talking shyster and there's not a word of regret
here because "if you live a lie, you die a liar." No prissy little-girl
romanticism, just a mess of lip-smacking attitude.
Finally, if you want your daily requirement of Cerys without
worrying about even the vaguest requirements of song form, you may be
interested in "Storm the Palace," two minutes of Cerys whipping a crowd
into a castle-torching frenzy. There's no verse, no break, no chorus,
just the moment where drunkenness becomes revolutionary fervor -- all
distilled into distortion. As the middle ground between the gonzo acid
kool-aid of the Super Furry Animals and the brash, brainy "dad rock" of
the Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia are far from the most revolutionary
band on the Welsh music scene. Don't be surprised if you start following
Cerys Matthews with a near-revolutionary fervor, though.
---
REVIEW: Bloodhound Gang, _Hooray For Boobies_ (Geffen)
- Bob Gajarsky
The Bloodhound Gang can retire now.
Thanks to the huge international smash of "Bad Touch",
the Bloodhound Gang must have enough money to move out of the
beer-chugging, no-chicks environment which they've espoused in
songs such as "I Wish I was Queer So I Could Get Chicks".
And while the Pennsylvania-based group that took the
Beasties' fight for your right to party to new extremes recorded
their new album _Hooray For Boobies_ , somehow, a totally
irresistible synthpop beat over a white boy rapping about
"doing it like they do on the Discovery Channel" achieved #1
status in five European countries, and top 20 status in another eight.
"It's shocking to open pop-culture magazines there
and see poster inserts of Star Wars, Metallica and the Bloodhound
Gang," says Jimmy Pop Ali. "We just knocked out Oasis out of the
#1 spot in Spain. We're as big as the Backstreet Boys, but the
difference is we like girls - and we don't have their bad shaving
habits."
Not bad for a band that wouldn't get booked in nearby
Philadelphia for fear that no one would show up. Or, as the
lyrics to "The Ballad of Chasey Lain" and "Yummy Down On This"
summarize, unlikely to get laid.
"We're just happy that girls will talk to us now," bassist
Evil Jared Hasselhoff states in the off-hand, never totally
serious fashion that pervades all the Bloodhound Gang's
conversations and lyrics. "My day-job fixing lawnmores wasn't
much of an aphrodisiac."
Fans of the 'old' Bloodhound Gang needn't worry that
the success of "Bad Touch" will change the sound of _Boobies_.
"Mope" takes wonderfully warped lyrics and melds them with Frankie's
"Relax" for a nonsensical song which alternately irritates and
fascinates, while additional themes on _Boobies_ include
rhyming words with vagina ("Three Point One Four"),
sampling Metallica ("Long Way Home"), spliff ("Along Comes Mary"),
and lap dancers with personal problems ("A Lap Dance Is So
Much Better When The Stripper Is Crying".
People looking for 12 copies of "Bad Touch" might want
to look elsewhere. So should anyone searching for the answer to
the mysteries of life. _Hooray For Boobies_ is obviously infantile,
but if you were expecting anything else out of the Bloodhound Gang,
shame on you.
---
REVIEW: Sparklehorse _Good Morning Spider_ (Capitol) /
_Disorted Horse EP_ (Odeon)
- Christina Apeles
Less somber than 1995 debut release
_Vivadixiesmarinetransmissionplot_, lauded by critics and
peers though largely ignored by consumers, _Good Morning
Spider_ and _Distorted House_ prove that Mark Linkous is one of
the most talented songwriters of his generation. Linkous' appeal
resides in a dimly-lit milieu filled with poetic lyricism,
pensive tempos fraught with quandary and revelation. What some
may term as dismal, the tone of these releases vary from
relentless noise to stripped down ballads, with evocative
verse ever present.
On _Good Morning Spider_, "Sick of Goodbyes" may be
the radio-friendly track any label could hope for with its
catchy chorus and rock for everyone feel, it is an inspiring,
folk-influenced track that anyone can enjoy. Then there's the
epic feel of "Chaos of The Galaxy/Happy Man" with one song
proceeding into the next, that is lo-fi rock grandeur. Like
most of the ballads on this release, Hey Joe is sparse in
instrumentation, with acoustic guitar and piano backing the
dreary vocals of "Linkous" expressing his brand of optimism:
There's a happy man, there's a star for you, while "Ghost of
His Smile" exhibits Linkous' Guided By Voices musical
sensibility with true pop fervor. There's a raw element to each
song, whether it be static, reverb, or cracking vocals, adding
an engaging aspect to the album, sounding more in line with a
live show than studio-produced release.
Meanwhile, _Distorted House_ furnishes listeners with
actual live tracks of the acoustic, wintry "Gasoline Horseys"
and the energetic mood of "Happy Pig." An additional treat is
Daniel Johnston's piano playing sampled for a guitar heavy
cover of Johnston's "My Yoke is Heavy," recognizing one of
Linkous' biggest influences. In both releases, vocals and
instruments tend to move from rants to murmurs falling then
into silence, shifting back into an earful of sonic distortion
in signature Sparklehorse fashion, fitting nicely between records
by Vic Chesnutt and recent Tom Waits; with _Good Morning Spider_
also rewarding in your CD-rom drive, offering videos suited to
the music: drab colors, out of focus shots, rarely static --
yet all of it dazzling.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: The Mekons
- Wilson Neate
The Mekons opened their account at the Bowery Ballroom with a
rousing rendition of "I'm Not Here (1967)," the title of which proved
oddly prescient as vocalist Sally Timms certainly wasn't quite all there
last night. After the first song an ailing Timms described, in detail,
how (and how much) she'd just vomited. She went on to inform the crowd
that, since there was a real danger of her doing so again in the near
future, she might have to leave the stage at any moment.
Jon Langford -- looking like an alternative James Doohan (circa
1990) with an ill-advised mustache -- wasn't having any of it,
sympathetically encouraging her to just throw up on the crowd and not
bother with the bathroom. Not only would the lucky punters at the front
lap it up (metaphorically speaking), he argued, they'd also eagerly
preserve Mekons chunder in vials as the perfect souvenir of an evening
of chunk/punk rock.
Despite being a little older and -- with the exception of Tommy
Greenhalgh -- larger in the trouser department, the Mekons proved that
while it might have been a little unwell last night, punk is certainly not
dead. With the classic line-up almost completely reassembled -- Langford,
Timms and Greenhalgh being joined by Steve Goulding on drums and Rico Bell
on accordion and harmonica -- the Mekons served up their singular brand of
thinking/drinking person's folk/punk.
Even between songs, the Mekons are always entertaining. While
Bell's dashing orange-and-white polka-dot blouse seemed to indicate that
he was on a bold one-man crusade for the reintroduction of the gypsy or
perhaps pirate look, Langford informed us that Rico's attire was in fact
punishment for alcohol-related infractions committed the previous evening
in Cambridge, Mass. Although Langford was the first to admit that his own
shirt was equally hideous, and pajama-like to boot, he declined to
disclose the details of his own peccadilloes.
A strident version of "Heaven and Back" saw Greenhalgh taking care
of primary vocal duties and engaging in some of the first Elvis kicks of
the evening. Then, although "Gin Palace" from _Honky Tonkin'_ took us back
to the unsavory decade horribilis of Thatcher's casino economy, its waltzy,
sea-shanty, bar-room flavor soon washed the bitter taste out of our mouths.
Not surprisingly, a fair bit of last night's material was drawn from
the new album _Journey to the End of the Night_ (Quarterstick), the title
of which sends a rather erudite shout out to Cline and his 1932 novel of
Bardamu's odyssey from WWI European battlefields, to West Africa, on to
New York and Detroit and finally back to a French lunatic asylum. But
there's more than a superficial reference at stake here on the new outing.
The hallmarks of Cline's aesthetic -- lyricism, black humor,
irreverence and idealism -- are the very tropes that characterize the
Mekons' approach on _Journey_. Dark and elusive, bleak yet ultimately
hopeful and shot through with jagged moments of humor, this album leads
the listener on a subjective, nocturnal journey through the urban ruins
of capitalism.
If the title sets a tone of literary tourism, then "Myth" runs with
the idea. Backed with some fine harmonies and violin, Tommy Greenhalgh
takes us on a doleful cultural excursion of sorts, appearing to map
classical mythology and the travails of Heracles onto the contemporary
cityscape of New York.
On "Out in the Night," Langford sings a brooding, woeful ballad;
"The Last Weeks of the War" is a similarly melancholy number on which he
and Timms square off, albeit in a subdued fashion. Like many of the tracks
on the album, this distinctly unhappy, downbeat and fragile song is subtly
held together by Susie Honeyman's beautifully lilting, country-tinged
violin (unfortunately absent from last night's performance).
"Tina" is the first of three tracks on this album that are
characterized by a distinctly '80s white UK/punk/pop reggae
guitar-signature, and it finds Langford disillusioned, at the end of
his political and ideological tether and yet still ultimately optimistic.
In a similar vein musically, "Ordinary Night" has Greenhalgh at the vocal
helm again. On "Neglect" -- probably the most successful of the trilogy --
Bell's accordion adds a welcome layer beyond the vaguely anachronistic
skank-lite sound. Interestingly, the live performance of the latter two
really foregrounded the songs' comic side that remains understated on
record.
"Powers and Horror," a virtually a cappella number with a
smattering of piano and accordion, deepens the intertextuality of the
album by alluding to Julia Kristeva's _Powers of Horror_, itself a dense
reflection on Cline's work. But lest that sound weighty and pretentious,
in performance this is another track that the Mekons manage to re-signify
with a marked degree of humor. On _Journey_, it's lyrically abstruse and
rather grim but live, the Mekons' barbershop quartet -- hands clasped and
looking decidedly ironic -- brings a disarming element of levity to the
track.
"Cast No Shadows" is a pumping sing-a-long with great guitar and
filled with yet more dark nocturnal imagery. Lyrically, it charts a
pessimistic unending trek but vocally, its sound is completely uplifting,
courtesy largely of Sally Timms.
Among the new tracks that the Mekons unfortunately glossed over last
night was "City of London," another dark one made extra-special by Timms'
breathy intimate vocals that graft various levels of loss, demise and
death onto the geography of London and, indeed, onto the Empire itself.
Also conspicuous by its absence was the more familiarly Mekons' number
"Last Night on Earth" which, against the grain of its miserable lyrics
that chronicle things falling apart as the witching hour draws close,
paradoxically manages to pull off a cheery sing along.
But meanwhile back at the Bowery Ballroom...the Mekons also served
up fine versions of "Orpheus," "Poxy Lips" and "When Darkness Falls." The
latter was a particular winner. Langford ironically dedicated it to the
very same "Big A&M Herb," immortalized by the greatest living Englishman
Mark E. Smith, and Sally Timms proceeded to sing rather beautifully about
wishing horrible physical torments on someone.
Having been the consummate trooper, however, a poorly Timms finally
gave up the ghost toward the end of the evening and made for the bathroom.
This was Langford's cue to inform the crowd that the boys (and bassist
Sarah Corina) would now take advantage of her absence, rub liniment into
their legs and play some rugby. Luckily, Langford didn't make good on
that threat but, rather, the Mekons played a ripping version of "Fancy"
by the Kinks.
They finished things off with a great set of encores. For a frenetic
version of "Where Were You," they inevitably enlisted the assistance of
roadie Mitch (complete with appropriate yellow hair). There was more Elvis
kicking, writhing on the floor and an enforced stage dive for Mitch,
courtesy of a shove in the back from Langford. Equally excellent versions
of "Memphis Egypt," "Prince of Darkness," and "Lost Highway" provided the
final touches.
A great time was had by all. Downbeat country-folk balladry, upbeat
punk rock, driving guitars and classic Mekons wit and charm. How much longer
can they keep this up?
---
REVIEW: Handsome Family, _In the Air_ (Carrot Top)
- Chris Hill
The Handsome Family, consisting of modern American Gothic couple
Rennie Sparks, Edgar Allen Poetess of death and madness, and Brett Sparks,
bi-polar, baritone singer, have returned from the shadowlands with more
rich, erudite folk songs fit for urban nihilists and backwoods moonshiners
alike.
Fans of their last, _Through the Trees_, will be pleased to note
that Rennie's song writing skills continue to awe. She captures brief
instants in time and fills them with astonishing detail, endowing
characters with tragic flaws and scenes with tangible reality, making
the inevitable tragedies all the more poignant.
_In the Air_ contains the dire stories fans have come to expect
and love: an Edward Gorey picture of a woman spurned by her lover, then
devoured by crows ("Poor, Poor Lenore"); a murder ballad of possessive,
obsessive love ("My Beautiful Bride"); a watery suicide ("Lie Down");
alcoholic, chaotic madness ("So Much Wine"); fratricide ("Up Falling
Rock Hill"); Sunny beach music, this isn't.
Several rays of light do manage to pierce the lyrical dark. "Don't
Be Scared" is an angelic tune of a fearful man finding reassurance in his
dreams: "Whenever Paul thinks of snow/soft winds blow/round his head/and
his phone rings just once late at night-/like a bird calling out, 'Wake
up, Paul./ Don't be scared./Don't believe you're all alone.'" And
"Grandmother Waits For You," a track carried over from the Handsome
Family's 1997 vinyl-only EP _Invisible Hands_ paints a serene picture of
heaven, as infirmities are left behind with the body: "The hills are
scattered with empty wheelchairs/and hearing aids thrown to the ground/The
long night is over/The shadow has passed/and farewells forever are done."
Brett's solemn, rootsy vocals treat each song seriously -- one
might say gravely -- rolling under and over the words with obvious relish.
Brett also pens the music that backs his wife's visual lyrics; tunes that
include a three-step waltz ("The Sad Milkman"), finger-pickin' hobo
guitar ("In the Air"), and violin- and guitar-infused melancholy ("Up
Falling Rock Hill").
In the same way that grandfather could read about a wicked wolf
devouring a helpless grandmother, these grim songs are somehow strangely
comforting. While you're held safe on an ample lap, pipe tobacco, Old
Spice cologne and warm arms around you, the world's terrors, still only
imagined, are held easily at bay. Brett's voice conveys that same
heartening feeling of security -- the dawn's not far away, no matter
how dark it is now.
_In The Air_ also includes a video from the band's _Milk and
Scissors_ cd: the affecting "Amelia Earhart vs. the Dancing Bear," a
song of the images that flash through the aviatrix's mind as her plane
crashes and burns.
For your exploration: http://www.carrottoprecords.com/ and
http://handsomefamily.home.mindspring.com/ -- label and band site.
---
REVIEW: Don Dixon, _The Invisible Man_ (Gadfly)
- Bill Holmes
"Invisible Man" would be a good nickname for someone whose recording
career seemed to slam on the brakes in 1995, but Don Dixon's production
and session work for some of music's brighter lights has kept him very
busy. And it's not like radio is screaming for a literate, funny writer
with a knack for hooks and a raspy but soulful voice. _The Invisible Man_
certainly won't qualify him for stadium tour status, but it's a solid
collection of songs presented through the guise of a song cycle, albeit a
scattered one. Usually thematic pieces are presented in order; but Dixon's
life observations are ordered more by musical structure. What do you want
from a producer?
The first three songs are presented from the viewpoint of a man in
the prime of his life, and the music is appropriately confident and upbeat.
"Invisible & Free" (which you will think is called "Kara" until you look
at the track list) is an upbeat song that plays with the lyrics
effectively, a typical Dixon maneuver. "Do So Well" is probably the
closest to his prior solo work -- soulful Southern rock and R&B -- while
the lively "Tax The Churches" could best be described as Memphis surf
music, a kissing cousin to "Praying Mantis." But two songs later, the
stark and frail "All I Wanted" is narrated by an 85 year old man
recounting a life of wasted opportunity. The vocal is a drop dead Elvis
Costello intonation as a single, rhythmic acoustic guitar ticks away what
little time remains.
"Digging A Grave" and "Then I Woke Up" are sung as the ruminations
of a man in late middle age, and despite the characters' mortality
questions, are also strong musically. The oddest piece, "High Night For
The Tide," juxtaposes island rhythms and a sound not unlike Mike
Oldfield's Tubular Bells. The somber island percussion reappears on the
closing song "Why Do Children Have To Die?," whose placement on the record
is as odd as its title. I know Dixon is not going for a hit record here,
but I'm not sure that's the taste he wanted to leave in my ear as I
depart, either.
Dixon fans may dive into this redemptive opera wholeheartedly,
or they may opt to dip in only for the songs that tickle their fancy. If
anyone on Americana or (gasp!) pop radio ever hears these tunes, they'll
be one at a time, so buying into the concept won't be as critical. And
that's vintage Dixon -- putting his wares out on that table and letting
you find the gems for yourself. Welcome back. (http://www.gadflyrecords.com)
---
REVIEW: Seely, _Winter Birds_ (Koch)
- Chris Hill
The oft-mentioned comparisons to ex-Too Pure label mates
Stereolab are justifiable. Seely's music is fraught with retro synth
ambience and Euro continental flair. But allow Seely to escape from
under a namedrop, and they charm all on their own.
Their latest kicks off with a "lonely road" song, "El Cajon." Steven
Satterfield's sultry voice, sounding like a drag Garbo of Scandanavian
poise and smoky impenetrability, breathily complains "It's a long way from
home/engines drone, we roam/why am I alone." The misery's easily
counterbalanced by screeching bits of static samples and drums that slip
and carom around the keyboard runs. The song's a lovely opener for their
fourth LP (or third, if you consider that their second album _Julie Only_
was essentially a reworking of the _Parentha See_ first release).
Satterfield and bassist Joy Waters split Seely's vocal duties,
giving the band a chocolate and vanilla ice cream swirl sweetness. Neither
impart edge to the sometimes sharply pointed lyrics, except on the catty
"Sister Total Emptiness," a spearing of a model whose outer beauty
subverts her inner soul.
With Waters' dreamy voice trading lead and backing vocals with
Satterfield's, the venom of "Altamaha," a song inspired by the band's
dissolved partnership with the Too Pure label, ("you should have just come
clean at first/time hides and finds your reserve broken/by and by/lies
will be spoken") is neutralized - a poison pen letter with perfumed
stationery. Another track prompted by personal loss, "Alias Grace," lays
bare the hurt of Waters' divorce, brought into focus when she hears her
ex's song on the radio. The lushness of her voice and the murmuring of the
keyboards play against the harsh sting of her memories.
"Sunsites" heads down the same dark lyrical path, as water, a
medium traditionally symbolic of life and rebirth, instead evokes
untimely death: "Take me to the river's end/throw me in the water/let me
see if he's down below." Again, the synths pasteurize the bacterial
sadness, and Waters' voice floats above the sorrow, touched, yet not
consumed. But on the final track, Waters dives deep. "Sandy," a poignant
"loved and lost" nightclub ballad ("Sandy, can you hear me/you're a wild
thing/and I miss your softness") was penned for Waters' deceased dog. The
loss is conveyed with finesse by Waters' heartfelt delivery of lines like
"You made it hard to let you be/with somebody else but me."
My favorite track seems the only song unaffected by the labor
pains of _Winter Birds_. "Planes Circle Do" lists off a series of cities
in a Gaudi mosaic of stream of consciousness images and impressions.
Waters' graceful, fizzy vocals guide the tune along dizzily - "Lagos,
Rio, coming in low/altostratus, nimbostratus/people getting skinny/smokers,
eaters, tiny/planes must circle/Cape Town, Dakkar, Seattle..." - until it
dwindles in the distance, a delectable ride of 7:32.
_Winter Birds_ also includes two instrumental tracks that show
concert jam potential: the energetic "Sapelo Sound" and the palpitating
"The Kangaroo Communique."
Out of context, a lyric seems appropriate here: "when I listened
to your song on the radio/couldn't help but make me want to go and say
hey." http://www.seelymusic.com/ -- go say "hey."
---
REVIEW: Rick Derringer, _Live At The Paradise Theater_ (Phoenix Gems)
- Bill Holmes
He may not be in Cleveland's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but Rick
Derringer was enshrined in mine years ago. From teen idol to third Winter
Brother to guitar god to pop guy to blues man, Derringer has strapped on
that guitar, hit the stage and kicked ass. Unfortunately, previous concert
documents have not effectively captured what live audiences have enjoyed
for so long. _Derringer Live_ was good but spotty, and the King Biscuit
release featured his last, weakest band lineup and too many guest stars.
Only the radio promo _Live In Cleveland_ (there's irony for you!) came
close, but if the legitimate release has never made it to CD, don't hold
your breath for the promotional disc. A travesty.
Now that's changed, thanks to Phoenix Media Group. With thousands
of hours of live music tapes and radio broadcasts at their disposal, the
Phoenix Gems imprint will be used to get some classic (and in some cases,
unheard) concerts out to the public. The first four releases feature The
Tubes, Omar And The Howlers, Spirit, and this Derringer concert from late
1998 in Boston. _Live At The Paradise Theater_ was the same show (and
perhaps the same master tape) that was supposed to be released in 1998
under the Archive Alive label, but was shelved when the King Biscuit disc
hit the market two months before. The sound quality is phenomenal, and if
all Phoenix Media's shows are this crisp and clear, the market for live
concerts just changed dramatically.
The first Derringer band, with axe whiz Danny Johnson, was more
riff and jam oriented. After Johnson left, Derringer kept bassist Kenny
Aaronson and brought in drummer Myron Grombacher. Recording as a trio
(with some help from old pal Dan Hartman), _If I Weren't So Romantic, I'd
Shoot You_ found Rick steering his band towards shorter, single oriented
material. Needing a second guitarist for the road, he selected Neil
Geraldo (who, with Grombacher, would anchor Pat Benatar's band for years
afterwards). Although the band was only together briefly, Geraldo plays
some great barrelhouse piano and trades leads on guitar, Grombacher is
tireless, and Aaronson is an inventive, fluid anchor on bass. Sure,
there's the requisite speed-noodling on "Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo" and
"Beyond The Universe," and this talented group kept up with Derringer
step for step. What makes this disc really special are the moments when
they absolutely rip through Derringer's best mid-career songs. "Teenage
Love Affair," "Let Me In" (always Derringer's best vocal) and the
Chinn-Chapman hit "It Ain't Funny" are on fire, while the finale of
"Roll With Me," "Back In The U.S.A." and "Long Tall Sally" contain
Derringer's best work since the _Roadwork_ album with Edgar Winter. The
band was hot that night
Rick Derringer shows no signs of slowing down after over 35 years
of rocking the world. Let this CD hold you over until he rocks your town
again. (http://www.radiophoenix.com)
---
REVIEW: Spring Heel Jack, _Treader_ (Thirsty Ear)
- Andrew Duncan
Drum and bass, or jungle, whichever you prefer, has come a long
way, transcending into an art form that goes beyond the powerful drum
samples that jackhammer beats per minute faster than the brain can
register. Times have changed and musicians are using drum and bass as a
tool to create intelligent music. Talvin Singh turned drum and bass into
an international experience while LTJ Bukem made jungle intergalactic.
However, it is Spring Heel Jack, comprised of John Coxon and Ashley Wales,
that use orchestration as a blueprint to transform the dance music into an
intellectual piece of modern art.
_Treader_ has a slow beginning, but there is plenty of time for the
album to unfold with nearly 75 minutes of play time. "Is" begins with
screeching strings that quickly bounce into a sultry accompaniment that
would sound perfect in a James Bond film. "Winter" has the same effect,
incorporating blasts of burlesque horn samples that are dragged out too
long.
Coxon and Wales turn up the knobs with "Blackwater." The song makes
excellent use of computer sound effects embedded in a canopy of beats that
ping-pong back and forth. The music becomes more intense as the CD
progresses. "Eyepa," the high point of the album, creates science-fiction
textures with more paranoid loops that leak hints of industrialism. "More
Stuff No One Saw" breaks free from the true definitions of drum and bass
and looks at the music in the same fashion as Miles Davis did to jazz --
limitless.
The band really shines best when they break free of traditional
drum and bass and explore new terrain like that of Phillip Glass or John
Zorn. "Toledo" and "1st Piece for La Monte Young" begins as ambient
texture that eventually fall into a sequence of mathematical beats and
humming basslines.
Coxon and Wales end _Treader_ with two bonus songs from _The Sound
of Music EP_, which covers Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things"
and "Climb Every Mountain." The two are such purists when it comes to the
remixes that most fans of Rodgers & Hammerstein's work will truly
appreciate.
Spring Heel Jack create respectable music that is intelligent and
diverse. Not every song is easily accepted, but the music proves that drum
and bass is still ahead of its time.
---
REVIEW: New Americans, _New Americans_ (Fufkin)
- Bill Holmes
The cover photo is a dead ringer for the cover of Simon and
Garfunkel's _Bookends_ album, which is a pretty ballsy statement for
any duo to make. Fortunately, the liner notes quickly tell you that Dan
Touhy and Casey Fundaro are merely guys who were tremendously influenced
by classic pop songwriters like Simon, Bacharach, Brian Wilson and Gram
Parsons. They also admire contemporary artists like Jeff Tweedy, Bill
Lloyd, and Matthew Sweet. While that's admirable, Touhy and Fundaro are
not playing in that league. However, they do write gentle pop melodies
that call to mind bands like America, Bread and The Carpenters. Lyrically,
they're smack dab into that introspective era, with eight songs about
lost love, found love, and the search for meaning in one's life.
That's not to say this is a coffeehouse special. Occasionally
there's a nice burst -- "Lookin' Down" is given life by Neil Young-ish
guitar and harmonica; "So Alone" has the "Chestnut Mare" chord
progression as the skeleton of its chorus, and "Comin' To An End" also
mines Byrds territory. The leadoff track, "Anna," might be just perky
enough to be a hit in better hands. But despite the light arrangements,
the lead vocals rarely rise above coffeehouse level, and that's just not
enough to make anything here truly special. (http://www.fufkin.com)
---
TOUR DATES:
Beck
Mar. 27 Den Hague, Holland Congresgebouw
Mar. 28 Brussels, Belgium Halles De Schaarbeeck
Mar. 29 Paris, France Le Zenith
Charlatans / Stereophonics
Mar. 27 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Mar. 28 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Mar. 30 Seattle, WA Showbox
Mar. 31 Vancouver, BC Commodore
Apr. 3 Minneapolis, MN The Quest
Apr. 4 Chicago, IL The Vic
Apr. 5 Toronto, ON The Warehouse
Ani DiFranco
Apr. 3 Missoula, MT Adams Center
Apr. 4 Banff, AB Eric Harvie Theatre
Apr. 5 Edmonton, AB Jubilee Auditorium
Filter / Chevelle
Mar. 27 Houston, TX Aerial Theatre
Mar. 29 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues
Mar. 30 Fort Lauderdale, FL Chili Pepper
Mar. 31 Tampa, FL University of Sou Florida
Goldie
Apr. 1 Detroit, MI Motor
Apr. 3 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Apr. 4 Denver, CO Trinity La Rumba
Apr. 5 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club
Apr. 6 New York, NY Roxy
Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals
Mar. 27 Strasbourg, France Hall Rhenus
Mar. 28 Lyon, France Palais Des Sport
Mar. 29 Grenoble, France Summum
Mar. 31 Marseille, France Le Dome
Apr. 1 Milan, Italy Palalido
Apr. 3 Modena, Italy Palasport
Apr. 5-6 Rome, Italy Palacisalfa
Incubus
Mar. 27 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
Mar. 30 San Diego, CA Cane's
Kelis
Mar. 29 Chicago, IL Double Door
Mar. 30 Ann Arbor, MI University of Michigan w/Wyclef Jean
Apr. 1 Cincinnati, OH Xavier University w/Wyclef Jean
Apr. 2 Carlisle, PA Dickenson College w/Wyclef Jean
Apr. 4 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's
Apr. 6 Los Angeles, CA El Rey
Korn
Mar. 30 Worcester, MA Centrum
Apr. 1 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Arena
Apr. 3 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
Apr. 5 Columbus, OH Shottenstein Center
Tara MacLean
Mar. 27 Boston, MA TT The Bear
Mar. 30 Chicago, IL Park West
Mar. 31 Cleveland, OH Shooters
Apr. 1 Akron, OH Borders
Apr. 2 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Ian Moore
Mar. 31 Denton, TX Rick's
Apr. 1 Fayetteville, AR Dave's On Dixon
Apr. 4 Kansas City, MO Grand Emporium
Apr. 5 Columbia, MO Mojo's
Apr. 6 St. Louis, MO Sidedoor
Neko Case & Her Boyfriends
Mar. 28 Saskatoon, SK Amigo's
Mar. 29 Edmonton, AB Black Dog
Mar. 30 Calgary, AB Republik
Mar. 31 Vancouver, BC Richard On Richards
Apr. 1 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
No Doubt / Suicide Machines
Mar. 27 Toronto, ON Guvernment
Mar. 29 Boston, MA Avalon
Mar. 30 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 1 Atlanta, GA Roxy
Apr. 3 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Apr. 5 Washington, DC 930 Club
Apr. 6 New York, NY Roseland
Oasis
Apr. 5 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
Apr. 6 Portland, OR Scnitzer Auditorium
Ginny Owens
Mar. 28 Nashville, TN The People's Church
Mar. 30 Charleston, SC Charleston Southern University
Mar. 31 Atlanta, GA Six Flags Over Georgia
Apr. 1 Jefferson City, TN Carson Newman College
Apr. 4 Tulsa, OK First Christian Church
Apr. 5 Waco, TX Ferrell Center
Papas Fritas
Mar. 27 Portland, OR Satyricon
Mar. 28 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe w/ Sunset Valley
Mar. 30 Salt Lake City Kilby Court
Mar. 31 Denver, CO 15 Street Tavern
Apr. 1 Boulder, CO Tulagi's
Apr. 3 Iowa City, IA Gabe's Oasis w/ The Hang Ups
Apr. 4 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue w/ The Hang Ups
Apr. 6 Chicago, IL Schuba's w/ The Hang Ups
Podunk
Mar. 31 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Red Hot Chili Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse
Mar. 27 Carbondale, IL SIU Arena
Mar. 28 Champaign, IL Assembly Arena
Mar. 30 Dayton, OH Nutter Center
Mar. 31 Columbus, OH Value City Arena
Apr. 2 Amherst, MA Mullins Center
Apr. 3 Albany, NY Pepsi Center
Apr. 5 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Arena
Apr. 6 Roanoke, VA Civic Center
Tonic
Mar. 28 Harrisonburg, VA PC Ballroom
Mar. 29 Clarion, PA Tippin Gym
Mar. 31 Atlantic City, NJ Trump Marina
Tonic / Third Eye Blind
Apr. 1 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 2 Poughkeepsie, NY Marist College
Apr. 3 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Apr. 4 Newark, DE Carpenter Center
Apr. 6 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
Union
Mar. 28 Lincoln, NE Royal Groove
Mar. 29 Cloud, MN Red Carpet
Mar. 31 Sauget Ill. Pops Annex
Apr. 2 Omaha, NE Holiday Inn
Apr. 4 Kansas City, Mo. Hurricane
Apr. 5 Peoria, IL Infirmary
Apr. 6 Decatur, IL Twisters
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