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Consumable Online Issue 134
==== ISSUE 134 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [February 2, 1998]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gaj@westnet.com
Sr. Correspondents: Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren,
Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Tracey Bleile, Lee
Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Patrick Carmosino,
Krisjanis Gale, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim
Hulsizer, Robin Lapid, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller,
Linda Scott, Rainier Simoneaux, Scott Slonaker,
Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West,
Lang Whitaker
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
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Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Pearl Jam, _Yield_ - Scott Slonaker
REPORT: MP3 Music Files and the Internet - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Goldie, _Saturnzreturn_ - Tim Hulsizer
REVIEW: Mary Lou Lord, _Got No Shadow_ - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Various Artists, _The Bridge School Concerts Vol. One_
- Joann D. Ball
SINGLE REVIEW: Ian Brown, "My Star" - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Stubborn All Stars, _Back With A New Batch_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Billie Myers, _Growing Pains_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Trip To The Andes_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Thunderclap Newman, _Hollywood Dream_ - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Boy Wonder, _Wonder-Wear_ - Daniel Aloi
NEWS: Doors, Kinks / Dave Davies, L.A. Live / Mary Lou
Lord, Sand Rubies, Volatile Music
TOUR DATES: Apples In Stereo, Blue Mountain, Bouncing
Souls, DJ Acucrack, John Flansburgh's Mono Puff
Syndicate, Guster, Jimbo Mathus & His Knockdown
Society, Oasis, Sister Hazel / Alana Davis, Old 97s,
Luke Slater, Third Eye Blind / Smash Mouth
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Pearl Jam, _Yield_ (Epic)
- Scott Slonaker
Fans of the most popular band of the first half of this
decade, rejoice.
Pearl Jam has remembered you.
After making an album for themselves (1996's uneven, murky
_No Code_), Seattle's sole survivors of That Thing return with
a fine album that mines all their strengths and pleases the crowd
without any need for pandering. New drummer Jack Irons has hit
his stride, with his fat-bottomed tubthumping helping the band
rediscover the stomperous clatter that made _Vs._ (1993) and
_Vitalogy_ (1994) keepers. Let's face it, folks - the polished
sheen of _Ten_ is not coming back.
Opening with the brawling "Brain of J" (slightly reminiscent
of "State of Love and Trust", from the _Singles_ soundtrack), _Yield_
is heavy on rave-ups and limits the balladry (the stars of _No Code_,
no less) to the second half. "Wishlist" is a simple, heart-on-
sleeve love song. "Do the Evolution", which begins with a scary
doglike howl from singer Eddie Vedder, happens to be one of the
better Iggy and the Stooges impressions to come along in awhile.
"Given to Fly", the first single, is a casually winning, fittingly
soaring marriage of Led Zeppelin's "Going to California" and PJ's
own "Go". It also features Vedder's most gripping vocal
performance since _Vitalogy_'s "Better Man".
Vedder's voice seems to be slightly higher and warblier in
general throughout _Yield_. While Pearl Jam have always taken cues
from the Who, Vedder's strangled cries seem to evoke Roger Daltrey
more than ever. With Irons' tangled Keith Moon-like pounding, the
resemblance is only strengthened. Still, no one is going to mistake
these tunes for anyone besides Pearl Jam.
Lyrically, Pearl Jam is continuing the trend towards lighter
topics and less angst. "I'm not trying to make a difference, no way,"
declares Vedder in "No Way". Eddie seems much more relaxed and less
self-obsessed than previous efforts, and he has learned how to cut
loose without venturing into such territory. While the lyrics may
indeed be less weighty in general, Vedder is an expert at making them
*sound* important, which is the essential factor.
The later tunes on _Yield_ are mostly pleasant side trips.
The easygoing "Low Light" (penned by bassist Jeff Ament) features some
graceful, swaying backing vocals. "Push Me, Pull Me" is deadpan,
clanking beat poetry with an unexpectedly airy chorus. And the
closing tune (there is an obligatory hidden track, of course),
guitarist Stone Gossard's "All Those Yesterdays", is utterly
beautiful.
_Yield_ is an easy return to form for Pearl Jam, and another
blow struck for good, old-fashioned rock 'n roll in the face of the
myriad of beeps, bloops, yodels, Spices, and thefts plaguing modern
music today.
---
REPORT: MP3 Music Files and the Internet
- Bob Gajarsky
Imagine sitting at home in your easy chair, and
wanting to hear some different Pearl Jam songs. No, not
"Alive"...but their live cover of the Who's "The Kids Are
Alright".
In the past, the only way to hear such a song was
to catch one of the local radio stations obtaining a
promotional copy of the concert, and being fortunate enough
to listen at the time they played the track. However,
with the advent of high speed modems, web sites with
gigabytes of space, and an Internet account, a fan can
listen to that song, any time they want.
Real Audio - in which your computer is turned into
a 'radio', enabling you to hear the song in realtime - is one
way to hear these files. However, the controversy over
songs on the web doesn't center so much around files in RA,
as they are known, but around files in WAV and MP3 format.
The wave (WAV) file is the actual bits and bytes of
a song. A four minute song takes up approximately 50
megabytes worth of space - more than a user's disk quota
on many Internet accounts.
A compression technique can be applied to these
WAV files - with a minimal loss of quality, by removing
'inaudible' information - to produce an MP3 file. With
this technique, a four minute song can be stored on a hard
drive with 5 megabytes of space. And because of these
compression techniques, music fans are taking to the web
to share and exchange their MP3 files - of songs available
in stores, and those that aren't available elsewhere.
A quick search on the web yielded full MP3 songs
from Duran Duran including many of their classic hits
( "View To A Kill", "Rio", "Girls On Film", "Save a Prayer",
"Wild Boys", "Reflex", "All She Wants Is", "Hungry Like The
Wolf") and some of their more recent singles ("Come Undone",
"Ordinary World", "Out Of My Mind", "Electric Barbarella").
With a little time and perseverance, a Duran fan could
create their own greatest hits disc for free, instead of
purchasing _Decade_ or any of the other Duran Duran discs.
One employee of BMG Music - a former musician - is
worried about the ripple effects that MP3 copying could have
within the music industry. "My fears about MP3s are twofold,"
begins the employee. "The illegal transfer of music through MP3s
directly cut into albums sales which, in turn, directly cut
into a label's profits meaning large scale cutbacks and layoffs.
I also see it as a major blow to struggling musicians who
depend on every dollar they make from royalties and album
sales. It also cuts into the creativity fold where music is
treated like a commodity and not as art. By transferring music
as 'just a file', it takes away from the human aspect of music
as art, not as product. To strip it (the song) down to a
computer file is to ignore the concept of the CD as a
functional and recreational work of art."
The editor of the premier MP3 newsletter on the Internet,
and webmaster of Dimension Music ( http://www.dimensionmusic.com )
goes by the alias 'Spyed'. His newsletter has increased in size
over the last few months to include more than 4,000 subscribers,
and the website offers links to numerous MP3 sites on the 'net.
He offers an alternate view to the MP3 controversy.
"Artists, many of them, love music, not money; they
like millions to listen to their music, and a true artist wants
their music heard," explains Spyed. "If you ask me, MP3's
aren't putting a dent in anything; they aren't doing anything
other than promoting GOOD music. A good CD will always be
bought; MP3 files just give us the opportunity to listen to
(other) tracks that are on a CD we want to buy."
One area which has industry executives even more worried
than the wholesale uploading of MP3s to the net is outright
piracy of artist's music. It is fairly common knowledge that
there are certain 'spies' on the Usenet newsgroups who seek out
music pirates by pretending to be interested consumers. Postings
in Usenet during the last few months only serve to reinforce
the executives' fears.
A recent disc offered for sale from a dealer in Hong Kong
offered 14 complete albums - including the Backstreet Boys, 'Love
Songs', and in the ultimate theft, a copy of Elton John's charity
single, "Candle In The Wind 97", for $15 postpaid. And one
company with a U.S. toll-free number, offered a similar deal as
the Hong Kong company (but this time, with 'your favorite type of
music') by spamming the Internet with their proud claim that they
will sell you 10 hours of music on one disc. In the same breath,
they state that "the record companies and major labels do not want
you to know about this. It could ruin their big push for DVD in
the next six months (or whenever they get off their ass), not to
mention the fact that it could spawn rampant trading and copying
of music, just as software is traded and copied today." In this
case, of course, the omission of the word 'illegal' is quite
noticable - but makes one wonder if these pirates have heard of
the software busts which have garnered national press attention.
MP3s are also being used by loyal fans to share rare and
live recordings of their favorite artists. Tracks which were
previously only available by travelling to a major city and
purchasing discs stored under the counter are now being shared
for free across the Internet.
For every Tears For Fears or Pet Shop Boys that issue a
B-sides compilation filled with out-of-print tracks, there are
artists including Bruce Springsteen, Erasure, and Morrissey
whose fans would kill for a 'legitimate', comprehensive, B-sides
project - and if they want one, have to shell out big bucks in
the black market. And even an R.E.M. - whose _Dead Letter
Office_ was a flashback at most of their B-sides during the
I.R.S. years - have dozens of tracks which haven't seen the
commercial light of day in America.
A representative of a major independent label sees the
potential benefits and hindrances of releasing rare tracks on
the Internet. "MP3s could both held and hurt sales of bands'
records. As a means of getting music into the hands of people
who might not necessarily had the opportunity to come across an
otherwise obscure band, MP3s could spur new sales of a band.
And if the Internet supplied alternate versions of songs that
were otherwise unavailable to the public (i.e. radio edits, club
versions, demos and alternate takes), MP3s would be a blessing.
In this capacity, they would not be interfering with the sale of
a band's album and might in fact spike sales of the record if
people like what they heard."
Some fans are already bootlegging the bootleggers.
The Oasis bootleg disc _The Untold Story_ consists primarily
of pre-Creation/Sony Oasis recordings, where the band sounds
like a cross between the Stone Roses, Charlatans, and Inspiral
Carpets - or similar to 90% of the British unsigned bands of the
time. The part of the disc with these unreleased tracks has
been actively copied across the net by fans who feel the music
should be available for free, and not putting money into the
pockets of the bootleggers. But will this hurt those who
sell live and rare music?
One New York retailer who specializes in audio
releases not available in regular stores doesn't think so.
"Although people can get these songs from the Internet,
it shouldn't hurt my business," believes this merchant.
"How many people want to spend hours downloading the files,
spending the money on buying a recorder, and learning how to
handle the process? They'd rather spend $20, get the same
stuff, and pop it immediately in their CD player."
The record companies aren't pleased over these
turn of events with MP3s. Sony / Creation sent a cease and desist
letter to numerous Oasis-related sites last summer,
threatening legal action if the sites didn't remove copyrighted
materials (read: pictures and sounds) from their web pages.
This sparked the beginning of a grass-roots groundswell, and
an "Oasis Webmasters for Internet freedom" web page, which cites
'35 closed or missing sites' as a result of the legal threats.
One of those people whose site was closed had posted songs
from _Be Here Now_ , prior to its release. This person claimed
that he had obtained the song files from Sony's Brazil web
pages.
This isn't the first time in which songs from an album
appeared on the Web before its release in the stores. Depeche
Mode's _Ultra_ appeared on European web sites several months before
its release (as reported in the February 27, 1997 Consumable)
and Pearl Jam's _Yield_ also surfaced well before its February 2
commercial release. Actions such as these usually draw the
most attention from the record companies.
While the controversy over MP3 rages, in some circles,
technophiles are eagerly awaiting the next step of compression;
Advanced Audio Compression. Combining high bit rates and the used
of MMX technology, AAC files offer a faster rate of compression,
better sound quality, and takes up 2/3 the space of MP3 files.
For now, however, the method of choice of music
compression on the Internet is MP3s. And this new technology has
opened up a Pandora's box of opinions of its legality, and what
the future of music will look like.
---
REVIEW: Goldie, _Saturnzreturn_ (FFRR)
- Tim Hulsizer
With Goldie's 1995 debut _Timeless_ having sold only
in the tens of thousands in the U.S., it hardly seems accurate
to say that this is his "long-awaited" followup. However,
somehow this IS an event, and the music only tells half the
story. Goldie himself has become something of a celebrity;
dating models, DJing high-profile clubs, and sounding off on
a variety of subjects. He is larger than life, with a rock
solid physique and gem-encrusted gold teeth. It's no secret
that he had a troubled childhood before breaking into graffiti
art and music, and he deals with a lot of these issues on his
new double-disc release.
Disc one, entitled "Mother", is dominated by the
60-minute(!) title track, a sprawling orchestral piece that
deals with his feelings about mom from pre-birth to present
day. Goldie went into the studio and laid down hundreds of
channels of sound, worked with dozens of musicians, and let
his imagination run wild to produce this track. An hour is a
long time to listen to almost anything, but by the time he
unloads a beat around the 25-minute mark, it all falls into
place. It's certainly an impressive accomplishment, even
though I might not listen to it again in its entirety very
soon.
The other tune on the first disc is "Truth", a 15-minute
song with outlandish David Bowie vocals. I found it pretty
enjoyable, though I've always been a fan of Bowie anyway. The
"Mother" disc is Goldie's latest sound laboratory, and he makes
full use of the opportunity. He assembled several technicians,
told them what he wanted, and ended up with a surprisingly
solid result. Some people have criticized Goldie for being
less of a "knob-twiddler" himself and more of an overseer in
the studio. But as he put it recently, the blueprint is always
there in his head, and the truth is that he puts forth tunes
that the technicians themselves would never have thought to
create. As far as I'm concerned, his music is certainly as
valid as (and often better than) anyone else's stuff in the
electronic arena.
If the first disc is Goldie's lab, then the second one,
"Saturn", is his playground. He really cuts loose here and
unleashes some of his hardest-hitting tunes to date. One of
his best traits is his willingness to experiment with songs,
and that is quite evident right out of the box. The first
song "Temper Temper" is an inferno, with Noel Gallagher of
Oasis grinding out guitar noise while Goldie snarls lyrics of
fury. The second track is even better, a landmark song called
"Digital" that features rapper KRS-One on vocals. Unbelievably
cool, this track will hopefully convince more than one
high-profile rap act to experiment with drum'n'bass beats.
It's a perfect fit, and KRS-One has no trouble keeping up with
Goldie's instrumentals.
On some parts of the album Goldie gets a little more
personal, and as with "Mother" these can be a little hard to
take at times. He likes use a soulful sound sometimes, with
muted horns and vocals by Diane Charlamagne. This pops up on
cuts like "Believe" (which is nice and funky) and the beat-less
track "Letter of Fate", in which Goldie reads and old suicide
note. These are actually pretty good tracks which serve to
break up the album and give it some variety. However, I can
see where people could be put off by them.
Still, there are more than enough reasons to keep
listening. Songs like "Dragonfly" and "Crystal Clear" mix up
the soul sounds with excellent grooves, drawing the listener
in before they know what's hit them. Not only that, but when
Goldie cuts loose for the dancefloors, no one else alive can
keep up. "Chico-Death of a Rockstar" mixes distorted guitar
samples with a No U-Turn-style beat to spin something crazy
that still retains a very Metalheadz sound.
"I'll Be There For You" almost has an older sound,
reminding me of mid-90's instrumentals. It employs a "magic
shuffle" and wind chimes, and it's almost ethereal at times.
"Fury-The Origin" and "Demonz" are pure, punishing house
rockers that should please just about any drum'n'bass fan.
I'll spare you all of the latest bullshit terminology
("tech-step", "dark-step", etc.). Suffice to say, these
tracks deliver the goods.
The bottom line on Goldie's latest release? There's
only good things to say about _Saturnzreturn_. Admittedly,
his longer, "artsy" tracks are less accessible than his dance
tracks, but I think that's a good thing. How many other
artists in the drum'n'bass genre would include tracks like
these? What other artist would create and release a cut like
"Mother"? Few or none, most likely. Goldie is more than just
hype. He is an artist that does not compromise, and an
individual in a world of cookie-cutter junglists. Highly
recommended.
---
REVIEW: Mary Lou Lord, _Got No Shadow_ (WORK)
- Al Muzer
As much a showcase for the brilliant songwriting (seven
credits) and distinctive guitar buzz of Bevis Frond frontman Nick
Saloman as it is for the London-born, Boston-bred subway busker and
occasional Courtney Love hate object that is its namesake; Mary Lou
Lord's long-awaited major label debut is not only a truly great
record sure to turn up on more than a few rockcritic's year-end
"best of" lists, it also proves that top-notch tunes (in addition
to Saloman's contributions, Lord wrote or co-wrote seven tracks and
turns in definitive versions of "Shake Sugaree" and Freedy
Johnston's "Lucky-One") played with heart and earnest conviction can
rise above even the glossiest (layered on by Tom Rothrock and Rob
Schnapf) of production sheens.
Although a bit of the joy, vibrancy and wide-eyed innocence
of their prior incarnations is diluted in the updates presented
here, the previously-released "Lights Are Changing," "Western Union
Desperate" and "Some Jingle Jangle Morning" are still potential
sing-along hits just waiting for their chance to hook you; while
"His Latest Flame," "Lucky-One," "She Had You," "Two Boats" and
(especially) "Supergun" are thoughtful, folk-fueled, jangle-centric,
irresistibly-catchy contenders for major chart action as well.
Requiring at least four listens before it becomes an
essential addition to your CD collection, _Got No Shadow_ is a
star-studded effort that features inspired guest appearances from
Saloman, Elliot Smith, Nels Cline, Money Mark, Will Goldsmith, Jon
Brion, long-time MLL inspiration Shawn Colvin and 12-string
guitarist, Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Famer and former Byrds frontman
Roger McGuinn.
If you enjoyed Mary Lou Lord's first full-length CD, _Got
No Shadow_ , you're bound to appreciate these still available blasts
from her past:
Various Artists, _Shreds - The Best of Underground American
Rock_ (Shredder, 1994). Worth whatever this thing costs for the
Mary Lou Lord ["Some Jingle Jangle Morning" - her first appearance
on CD] and Karl Hendricks Trio tunes alone; tracks from the likes
of Corduroy, Moist, Parasites, The Odd Numbers, The Mr. T
Experience, Stink, Prisonshake and Tugboat Annie make this a
rollicking, high energy, totally enjoyable sampling of some of
the best independent singles released last year.
Mary Lou Lord, _Mary Lou Lord_ (Kill Rock Stars, 1995).
Destined for the big time even without the high profile battles
with Ms. Cobain, Mary Lou Lord's wistful, longing, winesomely
melodic voice shines on seven acoustic tracks and one cut,
Bevis Frond's electrified "Lights Are Changing", that would be
nominated for song of the year if this disc had any money
behind it.
Mary Lou Lord, "Martian Saints" single (Kill Rock
Stars, 1997). A repackaging of her final KRS seven-inch
coupled with acoustic versions of Pete Droge's "Sunspot
Stopwatch" and Pete Laughner's "Cinderella Backstreet"; the
title track [yet another Nick Saloman tune] is a more-than-worthy
successor to the joyous jangle of "Lights Are Changing" while
"Salem '76", Lord's sole writing credit on the CD, is
suspiciously similar to her own "Some Jingle Jangle Morning."
A stripped-down rendition of Elliot Smith's "I Figured You Out"
is the surprise highlight.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _The Bridge School Concerts Vol.
One_ (Reprise)
- Joann D. Ball
Rock and roll artists and activists have long recognized the
power of music to create awareness and support for worthwhile causes and
campaigns. For more than a decade, Neil Young has organized concerts
in the San Francisco Bay area as a way to support and publicize the
Bridge School. A cause very dear to Neil and his wife Pegi, the Bridge
School was founded in 1987 as a unique educational program for children
with severe speech and physical impairments.
Throughout the fifteen tracks on _The Bridge School Concerts
Vol. One_ , it is clear that the children are the inspiration for the
performances. The release features some of the most dynamic artists in
popular music, and all of them sing and play from the heart. The crowd
responses captured on the CD reveal that these efforts were
enthusiastically received, making the benefit concerts successful and
memorable events.
Neil Young opens _The Bridge School Concerts Vol. One_ with
a tender version of "I Am A Child" from the 1986 concert. He dedicates
the song to the children of the Bridge School and to children
everywhere, a defining theme of this live acoustic record. Young's
opening declaration is followed by Tom Petty's stirring solo version
of "Shadow Of A Doubt (A Complex Kid)," also from 1986. While the
smooth transition between these two artists is not surprising, _The
Bridge School Concerts Vol. One_ manages to maintain such a peaceful,
even flow and sincerity throughout the hour-long set. Thus, "Sense of
Purpose" by the Pretenders with the Duke Quartet moves right into Beck's
stripped down and direct "It's All In Your Mind." And Bonnie Raitt's
upbeat and bluesy "The Road's My Middle Name" rolls right into Don
Henley's cover of the Beatles' "Yes It Is."
The real surprise here, though, is Ministry's perfect take on
the Grateful Dead's "Friend Of The Devil." Ministry leader Al Jourgensen
reveals his tender side, and captures the sweet essence of Jerry Garcia's
tale of life on the run. Other outstanding contributions here include
David Bowie's "Heroes," Simon & Garfunkel's touching "America" from the
1993 concert and "Nothingman" from Neil Young's pals Pearl Jam.
Lovemongers, also known as Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, offer a
simple yet amazing cover Led Zepplin's "Battle of Evermore." And Patti
Smith and her band bring _The Bridge School Concerts Vol. One_ to a
close with a rousing "People Have The Power" from a 1996 performance.
_The Bridge School Concerts Vol. One_ is an extremely enjoyable
collection which features great live acoustic versions of some rock
classics and soon-to-be classics. The record's brilliant production
captures the sound and spirit of the performances, making it the next
best thing to being in the audience. But most importantly, the CD
benefits a much needed and well-deserving program. Proceeds from the
_The Bridge School Concerts Vol. One_ benefit the Bridge School and its
students, some of whom are pictured on the pages of the CD jacket. So,
enjoy the music and support the effort. Visit the Bridge School's
website at http://www.bridgeschool.org
---
SINGLE REVIEW: Ian Brown, "My Star" (Polydor UK)
- Tim Kennedy
The return of the singer from the notorious
Stone Roses comes in the form of a curious
but welcome offering.
Lead track "My Star" opens with astronauts
chatting, and then bursts into a riff which
immediately recalls "Dear Prudence" from the
Beatles _White Album_, though more the Banshees'
cover than the original. The lyric is a madcap
excursion into NASA Mars shots, and seems to
allude to military purposes and conspiracy theory.
"I'll see you in my star", croons Ian mysteriously.
The guitar, supplied by the ill-fated replacement
Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, is excellent, his
solo exquisite. Marvellous stuff. The drumming
is excellent and above all the singing is of
sound quality, accepting that Brown is no Robert
Plant.
Second track "See The Dawn" is psychedelia in the
vein of such obscure '60s nuggets as "My White
Bicycle" by Tomorrow (Who? What do you mean who??)
Ian indulges in a little freeform 'rapping' towards
the end of this trippy number, cryptically
muttering along. The musical references are very
tasteful and once again this is a fine song, well
played and well sung.
The third, "Fourteen" is a drum 'n' bass - or rather
just drum - experiment, which may or may not appeal
to those who appreciate such things. It speeds up
and slows down rather worryingly.
This is a great taster for the soon-to-be-released
opus _Unfinished Monkey Business_.
---
REVIEW: Stubborn All Stars, _Back With A New Batch_ (Triple Crown)
- Daniel Aloi
Young ska-punks could take a musical lesson or two from the
Stubborn All-Stars, who go entirely old-school on their second
full-length album. With members of The Toasters, Skinnerbox, The
Pietasters, The Slackers and Metro Stylee, the All-Stars represent
the cream of New York City's ska scene, which has kept the spirit of
first-wave and Two-Tone ska going for more than a decade.
I first discovered the All-Stars when their horn section
played with Rancid on Lollapalooza '96, and while there I picked up
the entire Stubborn Records ethic with the compilation "Roots,
Branches and Stem" -- original music based on the influential
groundwork laid by earlier reggae, first-wave ska and classic R&B
artists.
_Back With a New Batch_ continues the mission, with such
thoughtful and positive '70s reggae replications as "One Glimmer of
Hope" paying major respect to Robert Nesta Marley. Likewise, "Pick
Yourself Up" carries the message forward, and features the members
of Rancid and Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones on
background vocals.
But the album is still a very giddy piece of work, covering the
Jamaican musical map (Lee "Scratch" Perry, Skatalites, et al.) with
authority. "I Can't Touch You" is a soulful, tender ballad; that and
the jump blues of "Because of You" serves as a reminder of the
influence of '50s R&B on the earliest ska and reggae artists.
"Struggling Version" brings it up-to-date (to, say, 1978) with
upfront toasting by Jack Ruby Jr.
This is like the Cliff Notes version of a comprehensive
history of ska and reggae, all rolled up into one 11-song CD. It
serves its purpose, informing with concise accuracy, but it makes you
want to learn more.
---
REVIEW: Billie Myers, _Growing Pains_ (Universal)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Billie Myers' debut, _Growing, Pains_, sounds disarmingly
like the second coming of Cher backed by Richard Marx's band.
"Kiss the Rain", the first single, is an all-out, power ballad
tailored keenly for the VH-1 and Top-40 crowd. Lonely and
separated from her lover, Myers finds herself hearing voices in
the background of a phone call. And so she pleads, "Kiss the
rain, whenever you need me / Kiss the rain, whenever I'm gone /
If your lips feel lonely and thirsty / kiss the rain and wait
for the dawn...".
Sappy? Sure.
Pitiful? Possibly.
A Casey Casem long distance dedication? Without a doubt.
To be honest, _Growing, Pains_ is the type of album that
reviewers of cool, hip, alternative publications aren't supposed
to like. Littered througout _Growing, Pains_ are the crunching
guitars, generic drum beats, and echoed vocals that typified late
80's pop music before "alternative" and "grunge" took over the
airwaves. Accordingly, "Kiss the Rain" is a fair representation
of the entire album. The lyrics are emotionally and sexually
charged, and the music features a lot of power chords. The
sound's been updated a bit to include a little Alanis Morrissette
crunch to it, but you can't help but wondering if Myer's was the
lead singer for 4 Non Blondes.
There are a few hidden surprises. The liner notes include
poem versions of the songs which are more powerful than the most
of the song's lyrics. Only the last track of the album breaks
from the Top-40 mold. "Much Change Too Soon" is a quiet surprise
that finds Myers comfortably slipping into a smokey diva mode.
There are no backup singers and no percussion. All you'll find
are a rhythm guitar, strings, and what sounds like a jazzy,
melancholy trumpet. This track and the poems included on the
liner notes hint at a deeper Billie Myers than we see on this
debut. Given Tori Amos' debut experiment as guitar goddess, it's
easy to imagine that there's more to Myers than a VH-1-abee.
Still, set the hints of future greatness aside, and
there's still something to be said for _Growing, Pains_. Desmond
Child's production skills are simply phenomenal, and within all
of his layers, you find that each song has a decent, memorable
melody. Myers' wailing vocals steal too much of their style from
Cher, yet she belts out each song with an unwavering conviction
that renders the comparison irrelevant. And while certain surly
reviewers might demur, Cher has sold a ton albums, and there are
certainly fans of the "Kiss the Rain" single out there who will
love and cherish this album also.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Trip To The Andes_ (ARK21)
- Joe Silva
There's probably not much virgin territory left in
the world beat realm, but techno-mancers are bound to
gravitate to that end of their palette as long as they can
continue to spike their tracks with enough exotica to breed
a bit of distinction into their work.
This collection, which focuses on samples lifted from
the Inca Quena (TUMI) LP, lets loose a gang of remix artists
into the pre-Spanish Peruvian terrain of pan pipes and other
ancient gear. The challenge here being, of course, that those
involved can make the trip and effectively re-transmit the
vibe back to the listener. The question posed therefore, is
twelve tracks later, do we see/feel the crumbling pyramids,
thick rainforests, and the undisturbed groove of a lost
people? Hmmmm...
T-Power's lead off bid, "The Inti Raymi Remix" offers
up twittering bird noises and spooky flute flourishes, but
the fretless bass drone employed throughout leaves you feeling
blissed in a semi-sterile New Age fashion some eight minutes
later. From there though, things brighten a touch.
The Bristol contingent, Hidden Chipsters, picks up the
pace somewhat ("New Day"), but things don't quite begin to
become engaging until Gavin King (aka Aphrodite) makes his
spacey entrance with "Q-Flutes." Done up in regulation
jungle-vision, King winds up turning in the first credible
balance of modern rhythm and pagan resonance. But King's a
virtual under-achiever alongside the crusty likes of Youth.
His "Half Moon," with its head lodged in old world hedonism and
its heart in classic house, quickly becomes one of the disc's
high watermarks. From known previous efforts, The Trans-Global
Underground contribution ("Cazares Mix") doesn't quite meet up
to expectations by playing a bit too far on the more monotonous
side of ambient. And although the majority of remaining names
(Fun-da-mental, Astralasia, Finitribe) tend to lose themselves
in the theme at hand, u-ZIQ's Mike Paradinas maintains the
essential elements of his striking personality while he's off
probing the essence of his assignment. While initially setting
out in an organic mode like his other colleagues here, his
eventual exchange of the mystic for the mechanized is an
artfully executed and welcome deviation by disc's end.
While never truly approaching the primitive, this
assortment provides a mildly intriguing mix of jungle-isms,
ambient, and cosmic fiddling. But beyond the few key
moments mentioned, the buyer may be submitting to the
danger that of good number of these twelve "postcards" from
the Andes might resemble one another a might too closely
to warrant the expense.
---
REVIEW: Thunderclap Newman, _Hollywood Dream_ (Track/Touchwood)
- Al Muzer
A studio outfit put together by producer Pete Townshend
more or less as a way of thanking John "Speedy" Keen for his
1967 contribution ("Aremenia City In The Sky") to _The Who Sell
Out_ ; Thunderclap Newman's odd-man-in lineup featured 16
year-old future wings guitarist/eventual suicide victim Jimmy
McCulloch, an unaccredited Townshend (listed as Bijou Drains) on
bass, vocalist/drummer/songwriter/former John Mayall roadie
Keen (whose nose rivaled the prominence of his mentor's) and
former postman/traditional jazz keyboardist/woodwind player Andy
Newsman.
A reminder of the Summer Of Love some two years later
or, perhaps, a _Tommy_ outtake deemed somehow inappropriate for
that particular album, "Something In The Air" was a brilliant AM
radio single as well as a dead-ringer for classic Who and, as a
result, spent two weeks in the lower rungs of the American Top
40 in the latter half of 1969.
That, however, proved to be it for Thunderclap Newman.
Despite a couple of potential singles, a touch of Traffic-like jazz,
Small Faces psychedelia, a few hints at Badfinger-style pop,
McCulloch's wonderful "Hollywood Dream (Instrumental)," a nine
minute bit of existential spaceout and Speedy's _Who Came First_
Pete Townshend-ish vocals and songwriting ability; nothing else
on _Hollywood Dream_ managed to catch radio's attention quite like
"Something In The Air" and the band self-destructed while on tour
in 1970.
A "must have" for Who fans, the reissue of this
semi-operatic (indeed, _Hollywood Dream_ fits quite nicely between
_Tommy_ parts one and two) album includes the single versions of
"Something In The Air," "Accidents" and "The Reason," as well as
two strange slabs of Bix Beiderbecke beerhall jazz penned by Newman
and another slice of tasty period pop by McCulloch.
---
REVIEW: Boy Wonder, _Wonder-Wear_ (Cherry Disc/Roadrunner)
- Daniel Aloi
Boston band Boy Wonder plays power pop with killer
harmonies, sharp lyrics and tight musicianship, and their arrangements
are so well thought-out you'd think they had Eric Carmen and Phil
Spector tied up in the basement. Singer-guitarist Paula Kelley's
(ex-Drop Nineteens, Hot Rod) lyrics seem to rail at the superficial
idealism suggested by the cover's '50s advertising graphics,
depicting perfection and happiness. Her issues are real and
personal, her comments pointed.
After three tracks of Kelley's relationship diatribe ("Mission
to destroy/you're a boy/and I'll do anything/it takes to make your
black heart sting"), the band's other singer-guitarist, Jake Zavracky,
gets a turn with "I Would," a nice ballad that could have been a hit
for the Raspberries in 1974.
Zavracky came to the band along with bassist-singer Paul Natale
from Dancer 13; together they add layered harmonies and skilled playing.
Drummer Bruce Caporal is equally proficient, keeping both the mood and
the beat with ease. Zavracky's "Liar Baby" employs the punchy,
color-coded New Wave chords of The Cars, and the album-closing
Wham!-meets-Wonder Stuff dance track, "Gone," could make them huge
in France.
Sure, there are other references aplenty -- Zavracky throws in
Rolling Stones guitar riffs as well as the aforementioned Cars chords,
there's some of Nick Lowe's sardonic pure-pop glory, and Kelley's
teen-queen vocals will remind you of Juliana Hatfield -- but mostly
that's just their Boston (the city, stupid) and '70s rock influences
showing. The band has so much going for it, they could channel the
Partridge Family and still do no wrong. Recommended, if you like Eve's
Plum, The Muffs, or any good girl-power pop for that matter.
---
NEWS: > The Doors Box set has recently been certified gold.
> This year promises to be a busy one for Dave Davies of
The Kinks. In February, the "younger" Davies celebrates his 51st
birthday with the release of his autobiography "KINK," published
by Hyperion (US) and Boxtree (UK). And in the next few months,
Davies will follow-up last fall's successful East Coast concert
tour with some shows west of the Mississippi River. At the club
dates, Davies' has been selling his new CD _Unfinished Business_
(Velvel). The eleven-track release includes new songs as well as
underappreciated gems from his three early 1980s solo records.
Available domestically for the first time on CD are the original
versions of the stellar "Imagination's Real" from _AFL1-3603_
and "World Of Our Own" from _Glamour_, and a new version of "Love
Gets You" from _Chosen People_. Dave Davies' management promises
a retail version of "Unfinished Business" with some different
kuts later this year. Also, Velel Records is scheduled
to re-release the Kinks' 1970s catalogue on CD this year.
> L.A. Live (http://www.lalive.com) will present Mary
Lou Lord live from the Troubadour on February 3.
> The Sand Rubies have put the finishing touches
on their newest recordings and are currently shopping the
record to certain major labels. For further information
on its status, check out http://www.contingency.com
> Volatile Music has taken 'creating your own CD' to
the Web. At their Web site ( http://www.ezcd.com ), users can
create their own disc with 10 songs for $14.99 + $3 shipping
and handling.
---
TOUR DATES:
Apples In Stereo
Feb. 5 San Diego, CA Gavin
Feb. 6 Chicago, IL Metro
Feb. 7 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Feb. 8 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Feb. 9 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Feb. 10 Buffalo, NY Show Place
Feb. 12 Providence, RI The Call
Feb. 13 New York, NY Knitting Factory
Feb. 14 Storrs, CT University of Conn.
Feb. 15 Baltimore, MD Fletcher's
Feb. 17 Louisville, KY Toy Tiger
Blue Mountain
Feb. 6 Hattiesburg, MS Blues Alley
Feb. 14 Lexington, KY Lynagh's
Feb. 16 Cleveland Hts, OH Grog Shop
Bouncing Souls
Feb. 5 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga
Feb. 8 Long Island, NY Deja One
DJ Acucrack
Feb. 3 Austin, TX Atomic Cafe
Feb. 5 Scotsdale, AZ Atomic Cafe
Feb. 6 San Diego, CA Therapy
Feb. 8 Hollywood, CA Coven 13
John Flansburgh's Mono Puff Syndicate
Feb. 5 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Guster
Feb. 2 New York, NY Bottom Line
Feb. 4 Greenville, SC Handlebar
Feb. 5 Augusta, GA Red Lion Pub
Feb. 6 Atlanta, GA Point
Feb. 7 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's
Feb. 10 Columbia, SC Elbow Room
Feb. 11 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle
Feb. 12 Richmond, VA Alley Katz
Feb. 13 Charlottesville, VA Traxx
Feb. 14 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Jimbo Mathus & His Knockdown Society
Feb. 2 Oxford, MS Proud Larry's
Oasis
Feb. 5 West Palm Beach, FL West Palm Audit.
Feb. 6 Orlando, FL UCF Arena
Feb. 8 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
Sister Hazel / Alana Davis
Feb. 3 Spokane, WA Met Theater
Feb. 4 Seattle, WA Showbox
Feb. 6 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr Club
Old 97s
Feb. 3 Lubbock, TX The Depot
Feb. 4 Albuquerque, NM Dingo Bar
Feb. 5 Tempe, AZ Gibson's
Feb. 6 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Feb. 7 San, Francisco, CA Great, American, Music, Hall
Feb. 10 Berkeley, CA Starry Plough
Feb. 12 Eugene, OR John Henry's
Feb. 13 Portland, OR Berbati's Pan
Feb. 14 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
Feb. 15 Vancouver, BC Starfish Room
Luke Slater
Feb. 5 Toronto, ON Denial
Feb. 6 Montreal, QC Club Sona
Feb. 7 Detroit, MI Club Majestic
Feb. 8 Milwaukee, WI Matisse
Feb. 12 Chicago, IL The Tunnel
Feb. 13 New York, NY Twilo
Third Eye Blind / Smash Mouth
Feb. 2 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Feb. 3 Salt Lake City, UT Univ. of Utah - Ballroom
Feb. 5 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Feb. 6 Boulder, CO Univ. of CO - CU Field House
Feb. 7 Kansas City, MO Performance Hall
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
> A couple of comments on your Ben Folds Five _Naked
Baby Photos_ review:
You didn't directly imply that "Eddie Walker" on
NBP is taken from the b-side of the 7", but to clarify - the
track on NBP is one that was recorded for the first album
but not included, as was "Emaline". "Tom & Mary" is from the
same session but was in fact included on the Japanese release
of the CD. And "Video Killed the Radio Star" was supposedly
recorded for a compilation of covers that never came out,
so it may be that whoever was putting that together holds the
rights to release that track.
There is still a wealth of old material that the band
noodled around with before they signed with Caroline,
including some stuff that Ben brought over from Majosha, like
Kalamazoo and Rocky, that I'd like to hear updated. Maybe on
the next album, if we're lucky.
- Frank Maynard, Novi, Michigan
Moderator: The Magical Armchair, the Ben Folds Five Mailing List
http://oeonline.com/bff/
---
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