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Consumable Online Issue 182
== ISSUE 182 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [July 18, 1999]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J.
Baranowski, Mike Bederka, Tracey Bleile, Jason
Cahill, Matthew Carlin, Patrick Carmosino, John
Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin
Lapid, Linda Scott, Don Share, Scott Slonaker,
Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Jon Steltenpohl, Michael
Van Gorden, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
Also Contributing: Rey Roldan
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Luscious Jackson, _Electric Honey_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Fountains of Wayne, _Utopia Parkway_ - Mike Bederka
REVIEW: Kula Shaker, _Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts_ - Scott Slonaker
REVIEW: Apples In Stereo, _Her Wallpaper Reverie_ / Of
Montreal, _The Gay Parade_ - Chelsea Spear
CONCERT REVIEW: The Brian Setzer Orchestra / BR5-49 - Al Muzer
The second and third nights of the Brian Setzer/ BR5-49
REVIEW: Missing Persons, _Late Nights Early Days_ - Rey Roldan
REVIEW: Boom Boom Satellites, _Out Loud_ - Tim Mohr
INTERVIEW: Zakk Wylde - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Bevis Frond, _Vavona Burr_ - Don Share
REVIEW: Sam Phillips, _Zero Zero Zero_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Splendid, _Have You Got a Name For It_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Set 'Em Up Joe, _Set 'Em Up Joe_ - Franklin Johnson
NEWS: Insound.com, Manic Street Preachers, Ramones, Robbie Williams
Y2K time capsule
TOUR DATES: Add N To (X), Alec Empire, Anti-Flag, Atari Teenage Riot,
Buffalo Daughter, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Cravin' Melon, Ani
DiFranco / Maceo Parker, Down By Law, Duraluxe, Ben Harper, Live,
Luscious Jackson, Pietasters, Pretenders, Staind, James Taylor,
Sally Taylor, Ultimate Fakebook, Weird Al Yankovic
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Luscious Jackson, _Electric Honey_ (Capitol)
- David Landgren
A friend introduced me to Luscious Jackson sometime in '95, just
after _Natural Ingredients_, their first album, had been released. I
flipped out. Later that year, _Fever In, Fever Out_ was released and
for me it was a revelation. Such a delicious album full of poppy tunes,
combined with lyrics honed with a scapel and delivered with an subtle,
understated sense of humour could only be a product of the U.K. pop
scene. I was wrong.
Luscious Jackson, named after Lucious Jackson, a pro basketballer
in the late '60s, is an all-girl line-up, hailing from New York City. They
used to four; Vivian Trimble went her separate way early last year. This
year Jill Cunniff (bass), Gabrielle Glaser (guitar) and Kate Schellenbach
(drums) teamed up with a number of other people, to bring _Electric Honey_
to fruition.
Fans of Garbage, Suzanne Vega, Laika will appreciate this
material. And there's a certain Go Gos or Bangles feeling here too. It's
also more overtly American in sound, and the cynic in me can't help
feeling that the group has sharpened the album like an arrow, aimed to
burst into the Top Ten. And I can't help thinking that somewhere along
the way, something has been compromised.
The band are still able to lay down really gorgeous melodies;
songs that wrap around your brainstem and don't let go. But the lyrics
aren't what they used to be. Where are the songs that tell of the joy
and pain that two people together can do to each other?
For instance, "Nervous Breakthrough", with its pumped-up nightclub
mix, sinks its hooks in and doesn't let go. I've been humming it myself
for days. Humming, not singing, because I can't bring myself to mumble
"Thanks to you, I had a nervous breakthrough..."
In a similar vein, "Alien Lover" also displays a really addictive
chorus, but once again I find myself annoyed by mindless verses like "Fly
me first class, Over to your pad"... hello? This, from the band that
brought us such classic lines as "Wearing nothing is divine/Naked is a
state of mind".
With "Summer Daze" there's no mistaking it -- they're aiming for
the Top 40. "Lying around with you, I never thought a feeling could feel
so good, I gotta be closer to you" or "got my glasses all fogged up, my
body's aching for your love." Yes, teen-agers around the world are going
to love this up a storm. And the thing is, it works; it's really catchy.
The only truly unfortunate track of all is the eminently
forgettable "Fantastic Fabulous", featuring Debbie Harry on vocals. Bear
in mind that I was a teenager when _Eat to the Beat_ and _Parallel Lines_
were released, and I was a big fan of Blondie. But what has gone on since
then, well, it just makes me sad.
Smart girls, they know exactly what they're doing. They chose a
path, and are getting where they want to be. And so this is where we
part. That's OK, you gave us two really brilliant albums and one that's
not too bad.
---
REVIEW: Fountains of Wayne, _Utopia Parkway_ (Atlantic)
- Mike Bederka
Welcome to the ranks of another pop band with another typical
pop album. Nothing special. Nothing horrible. Fountains of Wayne is
back on the scene after a few-year hiatus with its latest, _Utopia
Parkway._ And in an attempt to follow its critically acclaimed
self-titled debut, FOW continues the trend of its three-minute rock
about nothing in particular. "I'm just a hat and feet / that's all
that's left of me," sings Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger on
"Hat and Feet."
For the most part, the 45-minute disc lacks the drive to make
it resemble its 1996 predecessor. But that doesn't mean there aren't
any standout numbers on the 14-track album. "Denise," the two-and-a-half
minute ode to a cold-hearted travel agent, breaks the mold and turns up
the guitars and distortion a bit. And "Go, Hippie" scores some points
for it quality lyrics. "Some days you get so tired of hanging / trying
to deep-fry all your boredom." Fountains of Wayne may have found it to
be smooth sailing on the pop parkway, but to call it Utopia would be
pretty ridiculous.
---
REVIEW: Kula Shaker, _Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts_ (Columbia)
- Scott Slonaker
It seems that every new band these days needs some sort of
gimmick to get noticed these days, and back in 1996, Kula Shaker rode
theirs, the Sanskrit-nonsense-chant-and-Beatles-pastiche "Tattva",
onto American modern rock radio. The band's debut album, _K_, proved
to be entertaining enough, and with legendary (Pink Floyd, Kiss, Peter
Gabriel) producer Bob Ezrin at the helm, Crispian Mills and Co. have
followed up with _Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts_.
British bands, in general, seem to be more interested in
one-upping themselves "artistically" than the more American tradition
of following the formula and giving people what they want unless forced
otherwise (blame Berry Gordy?). Kula Shaker fit squarely into their
home country's aesthetic; to say this new album is a tad ambitious is
an understatement. _Peasants_ is a truly scrumptious palette sonically,
evoking almost every single major Woodstock act (except maybe Sha Na
Na...no, wait a second) at some point. Lyrically, however, the record's
squarely in the Oasis camp-how a word or phrase sounds is much more
important than what it says. "You're a wizard in a blizzard of mystical
machine gun" is not exactly Elvis Costello.
The opener, "Great Hosannah", builds slowly over six minutes
to a gospel-like crescendo of female backing singers and pulsating organ.
Massed vocals on "Mystical Machine Gun" and "108 Battles" call to mind
none so much as an amped-up Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. "Shower
Your Love" eschews rock thunder for the White Album's glossier pop
contours. (One of the refrain lines, if I'm hearing it correctly, is
"I'm not even half the way there/ I'm just a stupid dickhead".)
"Radhe Radhe" sounds like it was dropped in from another genre
entirely - a tribal rhythm sung by a female singer, colliding with a
brass band that just happens to be marching by. Right afterwards,
frontman Mills drops in the brief acoustic interlude "I'm Still Here"
in an attempt to reassert the humanity lost in the monster-movie
splatter of influences around it. Perhaps the best overall track is
"Sound of Drums", which is a relatively straightforward stomp highlighted
by a great garage-rock organ line (in other words, kinda like their
bang-up cover of Deep Purple's cover of Joe South's "Hush" on the _I
Know What You Did Last Summer_ soundtrack). Oh, and lest we forget,
Mills does lapse back into Sanskrit at the end of the record- give
thanks for that trusty "program" button on the CD player.
_Peasants_ is aural candy of the highest order- varied and
richly textured. But don't expect Lennonite parables or Jagger-Richards
hard-knock-life anthems- sometimes, the riffs you take are equal to the
riffs you make.
---
REVIEW: Apples In Stereo, _Her Wallpaper Reverie_ (Spin Art) /
Of Montreal, _The Gay Parade_ (Bar/None)
- Chelsea Spear
In a blindfolded taste test, one might be surprised to learn
that the Apples in Stereo co-founded the Elephant 6 Recording Company,
that modern-day musical equivalent to the Bloomsbury literary salon
of the 1920s. While their glucose-fueled power pop can prove highly
addictive on repeat listens, their cheery vocals and catchy melodies
sound drab and generic compared to the cinematic innovation of Olivia
Tremor Control, or Neutral Milk Hotel's raw, absorbing hootenanny.
After a few fine album's worth of twentysomething's symphonies to God,
the Apples bid adieu to the indiepop world with their last indie album,
_Her Wallpaper Reverie_, a thoroughly decent concept album.
On its own, _Wallpaper_ has a great deal going for it. After
the cheery, bite-sized pop delectables found on the band's previous
efforts, it's great to hear them work with one idea for the duration
of an album. The opening track, "Anything", signifies a further
departure for the band with its drony textures, slow pace, and gloomy
lyrics ("I would do anything to be anywhere else"). The
musique-concrete collages that hold the album together are created in
an intriguing and musical way, which allows them to hold up to repeat
listens in a way that the Olivia Tremor Control's don't.
While the band try new ways of expressing their musical ideas,
longtime fans will not be alienated by this album. Big, ringing power
pop tunes punctuate the more experimental tracks -- the la-la
inflected "Ruby" would not sound out of place on the AM radio charts
of a different era, and Hillarie Sidney comes out from behind her
drumset for an infectious vocal on "Pictures of the Moon".
If all these signs are positive, what keeps this reviewer
from 100% wholeheartedly recommending _Wallpaper_ to her readership?
Well, perhaps I've been spoiled by the Elephant 6 Recording Company.
In the past few years, E6 bands have been reinventing pop in intriguing
and beautiful new ways, and after the twin masterpieces of _Aeroplane_
and this year's _Black Foliage_, it's hard in some ways to fully
accept an Elephant 6 band that merely writes good pop songs with the
occasional (mildly) experimental flourish. Additionally, the Apples
have always seemed like the kind of band that aren't working to the
best of their abilities, or aren't sure what those are yet. The
band's heart and instincts slowly move into the right direction with
_Wallpaper_ .
Meanwhile, back in Athens, Of Montreal bridge the gap between
the Apples' sugar highs and the baroque psychedelia of the Olivias
with their third long-player, _The Gay Parade_. The bright sonic
colors, giddy melodies, and out-and-out strangeness make this the
ideal children's album for adults who wore out their copy of the
soundtrack to _There's Something About Mary_. While _The Gay Parade_
is too much of a good thing all at once (I felt exhausted and dizzy
after my first full listen to the album), repeat spins reveal some
beautiful pop tunes, like the commitment-happy "Neat Little Domestic
Life" and the historically-accurate "My Favourite Boxer". The
theatricality of "The Ballad of Nickee Coco" and "The March of the
Gay Parade" make for infectious listens, though they too get a bit
overbearing at times. Worth a listen for fans of Os Mutantes or
Jonathan Richman.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: The Brian Setzer Orchestra / BR5-49
- Al Muzer
The second and third nights of the Brian Setzer/ BR5-49
"Let's Live It Up" tour found Nashville's favorite five-piece
loose, relaxed, reckless and improvising freely during their 40
minutes on stage, while Setzer and his crack 16-member orchestra
delivered the goods with a professional aplomb that didn't disappoint
either sell out crowd.
While the much practiced finger-snapping, well-worn between
song patter, by-the-numbers horn choreography and the fact that he's
been on the road in support of his multi-Grammy winning Interscope
Records release, _The Dirty Boogie_, almost constantly since it hit
the racks last year may've sucked some of the spontaneity from his
set, there's no denying that Setzer's performance is still one of the
most audience-pleasing displays of sight, sound, solos, schmaltz and
swing-based soul to hit the stage since Frank was in his prime and
Louis Prima ruled radio.
Traveling at breakneck speed through solid, showy, colorful,
blaringly unsubtle versions of "This Cat's on a Hot Tin Roof," "Let
The Good Times Roll," Santo & Johnny's "Sleepwalk," "Mack The Knife,"
"Mala Guéna," the Cadillacs' "Gloria," "Let's Live It Up," "Brand New
Cadillac," "Rock This Town," Prima's "Jump Jive An' Wail," "Rumble In
Brighton" and the well-received "Stray Cat Strut;" a glitter-bedecked
Setzer prowled the stage energetically during his hour-plus set and
made several occasionally successful attempts to get the crowd up and
moving.
Having absolutely no problem getting Setzer's fans to clap,
sing, dance and, most importantly, smile broadly as they tapped their
feet to the twangin' honky tonk beat, BR5-49 took advantage of the
brilliant acoustics in both venues and turned in tough, gritty,
good-time performances that won over more of the audience than the
group (or the audience, for that matter) seemed to expect.
Looking and sounding like Hank senior's band on an East Coast
tour circa-1949, BR5-49 quickly earned the applause of both crowds thanks
to sets that mixed outstanding country-based winners like "You Are Never
Nice To Me," "Out Of Habit," "My Name Is Mudd," "Little Ramona (Gone
Hillbilly Nuts)" and "Change The Way I Look" with rollicking roadhouse
rockers such as "18 Wheels And A Crowbar," "Wild One," "Six Days On The
Road," "Cherokee Boogie," "Seven Nights To Rock" and "I Ain't Never."
---
REVIEW: Missing Persons, _Late Nights Early Days_ (Designer Fruit)
- Rey Roldan
As one of the progenitors of the budding New Wave music scene,
Missing Persons (along with likeminded A Flock of Seagulls and Devo)
ushered a new sci-fi sensibility in the punk and pop music world. With
their space age look and futuristic synth flourishes, Missing Persons
combined the music and image into a perfect MTV-friendly package. While
dressing like a Martian harlot (with her pink and platinum hair, plastic
bowl bras and TV screen shorts), vocalist Dale Bozzio hiccuped her way
through some of the finest 80s New Wave.
_Late Nights Early Days_ captures the band live, prior to their
signing to Capitol, with eleven tracks that encapsulate most of their
studio debut _Spring Session M_. A previously unreleased track, the
rather lackluster but no less interesting "Action Reaction", leads
off what proves to be a surprisingly good glimpse of the band on their
own terms. "Words", their anti-paean to communication in the technology
age, carries a formidable punch with Bozzio's nasal delivery wavering
alongside Chuck Wild's bloops and bleeps, outshining its studio
version. "Destination Unknown" is almost identical to its album
counterpart, adding as a testament to the band's easy transition from
studio to stage. The main weak link on this record comes with a cover
of The Doors' "Hello I Love You," turning its swirly sex-addled vibe
to a pre-programmed mess of misguided synths and futuristic schmaltz.
While not a must-have album since much of this album appears on
_Spring Session M_ in studio versions, _Late Nights Early Days_ adds
welcome insight into one of New Wave's largely forgotten heroes. And
as far as live albums go, this collection ranks up there with the
best of them (U2's _Under a Blood Red Sky_, Talking Heads' _Stop
Making Sense_).
---
REVIEW: Boom Boom Satellites, _Out Loud_ (Epic)
- Tim Mohr
The Boom Boom sound, beyond the obvious boom, is thick and
dirty like the Lo Fidelity Allstars. Strangulated vocal snippets swirl
in and out of a mix based on chugging basslines and Big Beat drum
patterns.
"Batter The Jam No. 3" brings in jazz elements, including a
lilting flute and a muted trumpet. The emphasis is still on scratching
and bass, though, even as a fusion feel threatens to stall the track.
"Limbo" is rockier, vocoderized vocals and Led Zeppelinesque breaks
adding up to a beefy version of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky." The Satellites
throw in lots of seemingly disparate elements. The arrangements include
dub echoes, vintage synth blips, guitars, jazz breaks, and horns.
Some of the tracks, like "Oneness," are a mess. They sound as
if Urban Dance Squad had lost its sense of melody and professionalism.
Others, like "Scatterin' Monkey" are fun, frantic breakbeat runs
livened up with neat effects and a sense of zany enthusiasm. "Def"
could be from an unreleased Lo Fidelity e.p., deftly combining rolling
beats, rock elements, and nearly intelligible vocals.
_Out Loud_ closes strong with three barnstormers. The woozy
bassline in "Dub Me Crazy" sounds like the delicious sliding sample in
Digital Underground's decade-old hit, "The Humpty Dance." But instead
of Shock-G's camp rap, the Boom Booms lay on huge beats, filtered
industrial mumblings, and technoid noises. "Dub Me Crazy" shows what
the Boom Boom Satellites can really do - shake down a dancefloor - but
which they seem reluctant to do elsewhere on the album.
---
INTERVIEW: Zakk Wylde
- Al Muzer
Spewin' a fast-food-barrage of beer-swillin' Jack-guzzlin'
can-crushin' joke-crackin' titty-feelin' law-breakin' keg-tappin'
speed trap-blowin' bravado as if the road of life had no posted
limit, rock stars still had more fun than regular people and a
republican still ruled the White House, Zakk Wylde, band leader,
guitar monster, solo artist, Ozzy insider, Guns 'n' Roses 10-minute
member, one-time Allman Brother (for about as long as he was with G'n'R)
and long-ago axe slinger for several long-forgotten New Jersey bands
will never be accused of holding back when it comes to they way he
feels about things.
On his discovery: "I was playing in this little shithole with
this crap band that was going nowhere fast when a guy came up to me and
asked me about auditioning for Ozzy."
On his audition for Ozzy: "Being a Black Sabbath freak, I shit
myself when I plugged in and looked over to my right and there was Ozzy!"
On a short stint with the Allman Brothers Band as a fill in for
guitarist Dickie Betts: "[I] thought I fit in really well with my 20
minute guitar solos. I guess not."
On his initial impression of fellow Garden State guitarist,
Bruce Springsteen: "'I can't hear any fucking guitar in any of these
songs! There's nothing!' I'm going, like, 'Where's the fucking fiddle?'
And my friends'd be like, pointing it [Springsteen's guitar] out for me.
Well, hell ... if you gotta point out where the fucking fiddle is [in a
song], then there ain't none in it!"
On the inspiration for "Born To Lose," a track on the recently
released _Sonic Brew_ (Spitfire Records): "Is it [just] me, or have you
noticed the endless stream of fucking idiots that keep jumping through
the television screen?"
On the blistering "Sweet Leaf" riff that torches "Peddlers of
Death": "Which one? [slams into a brief, full-volume assault of the
song's semi-familiar riff on a guitar cranked to "shred" and sure to
rattle windows in his hotel room] That one? Man, that is the fucking
greatest riff of all fucking time! [overcome by the accidental genius
of Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Zakk blasts out a few minutes worth of "Sweet
Leaf" before returning to earth.]
Addressing himself as he mulls the thoughtful lyrics, mournful
acoustic guitar and obvious heartbreak that make "Spoke In The Wheel"
such a moving coda for _Sonic Brew_: "...quite feeling sorry for
yourself, fuckface."
On the songwriting and creative process that went into _Sonic
Brew_ -- "I didn't approach this any differently than when I do an Ozzy
record. I sit around and I ... well ... I gotta write a riff that makes
my fuckin' dick hard first. After I find the riff, the rest is easy."
On the music he and drinking partner/drummer Phil Ondich, with
the assistance of producers Ron and Howard Albert (the Black Label
Society) created for _Sonic Brew_, Zakk's third solo effort: "I hate
fucking comparisons, fucking 'genres' and fucking 'labels,' so I
pre-labeled my music for ya, it's called 'Alcohol Fueled Brewtality for
the next millennium.'"
All things considered, that's not a bad description for the
tremendously powerful blasts of hair-swirling, neck-snapping, metal-edged
devil-hum that makes _Sonic Brew_ such a surprisingly accessible 14-track
treat. Built on solid songs with well-written choruses, genius riffs,
better vocals than you're probably imagining, subtle, well-placed guitar
heroics, the good sense to mellow out in a few key spots, and a slew of
genuinely memorable hooks, _Sonic Brew_ sounds a little like Monster
Magnet with a heavier Black Sabbath jones, a much better guitarist, a
genius bassist, access to all the free booze the band wanted in the
studio, and an Alice In Chains cassette glued in the tour bus tape deck.
Despite the lack of 30-minute guitar wanks and the ego-driven
chest-thumping you expect on a "guitarist's" solo album, Wylde is only
too happy to remind you of his six-string pedigree every now and then
by taking his "fiddle" (as he calls it) to lofty heights, screaming
dives and churning power mulch-fuzz depths not many guitarists would
survive, let alone attempt, all within the semi-structured confines of
14 outstanding new tunes that define a brand new direction for metal.
On the guitar as a way of life: "If I was never playing with
Ozzy or I never got my deal, I'd still be as deep into it [music] as
I am now. I mean, I did construction for a bit and had a few other
jobs but, I was like, Fuck this! If I don't have a fuckin' 'fiddle' in
my hand, then I'm not doin' what I'm meant to be doin'... what I'm
supposed to be doin.'"
Go to http://www.spitfirerecords.com or http://www.zakkwylde.com/
for more information on Zakk Wylde and the Black Label Society's _Sonic
Brew_.
---
REVIEW: Bevis Frond, _Vavona Burr_ (Flydaddy)
- Don Share
Hating hippies has a long, silly history which goes back
to our 1960's hardhat past, but it endures today in neo-punk bands
and, even, arguably, in the recent spectre of Austin Powers. To
a neutral observer, i.e., someone from Mars, there would be little
comprehensible difference between someone who shaves all his hair
off and someone who never cuts it, but of such stuff cultural and
political niches are made.
Playing punk in the '90's is arguably just as regressive
as being a psychedelic revivalist, but let's not be too harsh:
there's nothing wrong with liking old Iggy and Sex Pistols, on
the one tatooed hand, or Hendrix and Fairport Convention on another
ringed one. Nick Saloman definitely leans toward the acid- and
folk-rock end of the spectrum, but don't run away: he is no relic
or throwback. His is a lucid, not fuzzy, logic; his music, like
his wit, is pummelling. He pays no sludgy, slogan-infested
homage to peace, love, or understanding - he just thinks those
things are preferable to kicking someone's head in. And if he
likes melody to go along with his amazing guitar soloing, he's
less nostalgic for all that than Paul McCartney was when crooning
about how his mother should know. As Saloman sings in "National
Drag" on his new album, _Vavona Burr_, "You can blow your mind, IF
you wanna get left behind."
Saloman knows all about the '60's, to be sure. He's
old enough to have been there, if not quite old enough to have
forgotten it all. As publisher of Ptolemaic Terrascope, he can
set history straight without trying to simulate it in his music,
which comes to us under the name, The Bevis Frond, and has for
more than a dozen remarkable albums, every single one of which is
worth hearing. Last year's _North Circular_, and before that,
_Son of Walter_, were albums that almost put him on the map - but
it may be that his sponsorship of the Terrastock music festivals,
which highlighted bands like Olivia Tremor Control, and a recent
collaboration with Mary Lou Lord, have brought him more attention
than his own nostalgia-demolishing work.
Any signs of the Woodstock era are defaced in the
album's opening "Frond Cheer," featuring, of all people,
Country Joe himself; but the F-word here is, F-R-O-N-D,
and the album never glances back again. If the Frond owes
anything to the 60's, it's in those wig-raising guitar
solos, but with _Vavona Burr_, Saloman at last achieves a
good balance of short and long songs. The short songs are
a welcome innovation. "Bulldozer" is a twisted little nursery
rhyme: "Bulldozer, Bulldozer, when shall we meet? / When I come
up to London and flatten your street."
The similarly self-explanatory "Couldn't Care Less,"
far from being a summery of love, is a kiss-off: "I don't want
her latest photos, I don't want her new address / I don't want
to know her reasons, I couldn't care less." The concision
really underscores Saloman's wit.
The long songs are no less effective - they're great
Boleros of excrutiating crescendos. The exasperation of "Begging
Bowl," and the slashing slide-guitar of "National Drag" stand
out, as does the Riders On the Storm Doorsiness of "Don Lang"
and the arch, aggravated lyrics of "One Leg Sand Dance."
Long songs or short, Saloman suffers no fools. "Coming Down
On You" is typically castigating ("As usual, you've been suffering
from self-inflicted pain") but best of all is "In Her Eyes:" "She
wakes up with a headache and a self-obsessive creep..." Best,
because along with the invective, there's the great humanity that
comes with fine alertness: "the people from her office seem to
matter more and more..."
Someday years from now, amidst phony nostalgia for our age of
greatly simluated rage and indifference, they'll wonder why The Bevis
Frond wasn't better appreciated. It will be a sign that, almost
uniquely, this music needs no hype, and the labels don't stick.
---
REVIEW: Sam Phillips, _Zero Zero Zero_ (Virgin)
- Daniel Aloi
For the uninitiated, this 15-song set is an O.K. introduction
to singer-songwriter Sam Phillips, collecting (and reworking) tracks
from her four excellent Virgin albums in the '90s _Cruel Inventions_,
_The Indescribable Wow_, 1994's Grammy-nominated _Martinis and Bikinis_
and 1996's esoteric _Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop)_.
Five of the catalog items are remixes or alternate mixes (and
there's a new version of "Holding on to the Earth"), and three previously
unreleased songs are the bait for established Phillips fans who own all
of her records. With all production by her husband, T-Bone (J. Henry)
Burnett, this retrospective holds together well, and the value-added
tracks (including the all-new "Disappearing Act" and "You Lost My Mind")
signal new directions. "Ribot Tripping Over Gravity" briefly revisits a
_Cruel Inventions_ track with a soundscape painted by frequent sideman
Marc Ribot's guitar.
Always philosophical in affairs of the heart, Phillips has made
a career of the anything-but-straightforward pop song. A former
Contemporary Christian singer (Virgin re-released the transitional
Leslie Phillips album "The Turning" in 1996), she remains grounded in
her spirituality. "I Need Love" stands as her best statement of requiring
both passion and God in her life. On _Omnipop_'s circuslike "Animals on
Wheels," she grapples with fame, greed and ambition, from an idealist's
viewpoint.
And that song is the most telling about her own career. Although
her music is accessible and intelligent, Phillips has never been too
commercially viable. She tours only sporadically, and never really leapt
to success after media exposure on "Melrose Place" and a number of hip
movie soundtracks. (One quibble: Why no attempt to include her
hard-to-find soundtrack covers of "A Midnight Clear" and "These Boots
Were Made For Walking"?) This collection smacks of contractual
obligation, but it is strong and worth owning, even with its nearly
unreadable song credits. Instead, it may just hold the fans' interest
(and earn Phillips some new devotees) until the next full studio release.
---
REVIEW: Splendid, _Have You Got a Name For It_ (Mammoth)
- Chris Hill
Frente fans, rejoice! Angie Hart's reappearance on the musical
map is worth the wait. To those who weren't hooked by _Marvin: The
Album_'s retooling of New Order's _Bizarre Love Triangle_, you're in
for a discovery. Splendid's CD is just that -- a breezy, wonderful,
cavorting, summer romp of a record. From the opening drum machine beats
of "I'm No Better" to the closing moments of the de rigueur hidden
track, _Have You Got a Name for It_ soars and swoops around, playful,
mischievous and thoroughly delightful.
This praise results from the coupling of two people: Ms. Hart,
ex-Frente singer, and Jesse Tobias, ex-guitarist for Alanis Morissette.
Hart and Tobias turned their personal relationship into a professional
partnership, forming Splendid. The product is an airy combination, with
Hart's voice, all breathy Australian Ariel with a hangover and a history,
and Tobias' guitarwork (both acoustic and electric) uniting in
unapologetic pop pleasure.
They've managed to capture the delight of their love, nailing the
moments of painful and passionate discovery with spot-on lyrics and
bubbling, colorful music. There's the morning light illuminating your
lover's face: "While I eat and you sleep in/I make a wish and breathe
in/By the time I count to ten, you're awake/And you look so, so fresh
from the pillow/And the blood hasn't reached your cheeks yet/Hello,
baby." There's the feeling of love where every nerve screams to shout
your happiness from the rooftops: "How I try to be quiet/I'm bursting
with my love for you/If I tell you, will it change the day?" (both from
the rollicking "Hello Dear")
There's the testing that encourages growth (the rumple-tum-tum,
jaunty beat-filled "Work Cut Out for You"): "You push me, I can't ignore
it/Then I find I'm better for it." There's the doubt and insecurity (the
Jane Siberry-ish "Living"): "I feel a little strange with myself/I
wasn't watching as I became/I'm attractive, I suppose." Along with
the highs come the lows, too: "I'm jumbled up and mixed around/Feels
like a crowd in a small town/When only poison comes out/Can't drink it
away/Can't argue it off/But I can cry" (the gentle, softly-voiced
"Cry"). But those moments are the bitter that makes the sweet more tasty.
Parthenon Huxley pens a cut, "Come Clean," the only one not
written all or in part by the couple, but the tune fits perfectly with
the love theme. A loopy confessional, the song describes the urge for
honesty when taking a relationship to another level: "I'm going to tell
him everything/I'm gonna say I slept around/And when I finally tell him
everything/There might be nothing left between us/...The truth and
nothing but the truth/I'm gonna come clean." (Huxley merits a mention
of his own -- he's a stellar talent, deserving of greater recognition:
see http://www.elopart2.demon.co.uk/huxbio.html )
Hart and Tobias make a winning couple. After the ink on their
pair of tattoos fades (she, "Jesse," he, "Angie," and the subject of
the hidden track), this record will remain an enduring snapshot of how
they feel now. As she sings on the final listed track, "You and Me,"
"You make me see/why I should love me/I look at you/In love with me/We
made this about/You and me." For two people sucking the marrow from
life's moments and sharing their experiences, what more to ask for?
---
REVIEW: Set 'Em Up Joe, _Set 'Em Up Joe_ (Daddy-O/Royalty)
- Franklin Johnson
The latest band to take advantage of the swing revival is
New York City's Set 'Em Up Joe. This five-piece unit from the Big
Apple offer up all the energy of a 1940s swing party with the
professionalism needed to rise above the slew of imitators riding
the latest craze.
With a name clipped from a popular phrase from 50 years
ago, it's no surprise that these sharp dressers want to have a good
time. Songs such as "Zoot Suit" can be a riot, even if the Cherry
Poppin' Daddies have claimed all associations of the 'Z' word with
today's teenagers. Understated horns are a welcome relief from
others' over-the-top, bombastic efforts. Instead, Matt Hughes' bass
takes center stage. Vocalist Greg Mangus doesn't emulate Ol' Blue
Eyes, but instead comes off more in the image of Dean Martin.
Subtle differences, true, but all important in the end.
Even if Set 'Em Up Joe doesn't find the key to radio
airplay (hint: get "Zoot Suit" in a commercial), these guys can
clearly put on a show. Definitely worth a listen the next time
you pass through the record store.
---
NEWS: > Fans of independent music may want to check out
http://www.insound.com which offers chats with bands such as
Promise Ring and Komeda, information on their tours and
will soon be offering MP3s.
> The Manic Street Preachers have postponed their
three-week American tour with Remy Zero due to a serious
illness within the family. It is expected to be rescheduled
later in 1999.
> The Ramones will be signing autographs at the Union Square
Virgin Megastore in New York City on Tuesday, July 20 at 7 pm. The
band will sign copies of their new release, _Hey Ho Let's Go! The
Ramones Anthology_ (Rhino), which covers tracks from their 20 years
together.
> Robbie Williams fans will be able to download a
previously unreleased track - "John Gay" - exclusively at
http://www.virginmega.com . The track will expire 30 days
after being downloaded. However, those people who purchase
his disc _The Ego Has Landed_ from the Virgin retail site
will receive a license allowing them to play the new
track permanently.
> A Year 2000 time capsule will be created by some of
the world's leading electronic bands - Orbital, Crystal
Method, Lo Fidelity All Stars, and DJ John Kelley. Fans of
the artists involved can go to the tour's official website,
at http://www.communityservicetour.com and make suggestions
of memorabilia to be included in the capsule.
---
TOUR DATES:
Add N To (X)
Jul. 18 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Jul. 19 New York City, NY Bowery Ballroom
Jul. 21 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Jul. 22 Chicago, IL Metro
Jul. 24 Seattle, WA RCKNDY
Jul. 26 San Francisco, CA Great American
Alec Empire
Jul. 20 New York, NY Cooler
Anti-Flag
Jul. 20 Raleigh, NC The Brewery
Jul. 23 West Palm Beach, FL Home
Jul. 24 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Jul. 25 Jacksonville, FL Milk Bar
Jul. 27 Richmond, VA Twisters
Atari Teenage Riot
Jul. 21 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Jul. 22 Chicago, IL Metro
Jul. 24 Seattle, WA Rkcndy
Jul. 26 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
Buffalo Daughter
Jul. 23 San Francisco, CA Bimbos
Jul. 24 San Francisco, CA El Rey Theatre
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Jul. 21 Cleveland, OH Palace
Jul. 22 Schenectady, NY Proctor's Theatre
Jul. 23 Boston, MA Harbor Lights
Jul. 24 Holmdel, NJ PNC Center
Cravin' Melon
Jul. 23 Asheville, NC Bell Chere' Festival
Jul. 24 Isle Of Palms, SC Windjammer
Ani DiFranco / Maceo Parker
Jul. 18 Seattle, WA Snoqualmie Winery
Down By Law
Jul. 18 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Jul. 19 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern
Jul. 20 Columbus, OH Little Brothers
Jul. 21 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Jul. 22 Richmond, VA Twisters
Duraluxe
Jul. 18 Lawrence, KS Replay Lounge
Jul. 19 St. Louis, MO Rocket Bar
Jul. 22 Evansville, IN The Office
Jul. 29 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint
Jul. 23 Evansville, IN Bullocks
Jul. 24 Pittsburgh, PA Bloomfield Bridge Tavern
Ben Harper
Jul. 18 Carhaix Plouguer, France Festival des Vieilles
Jul. 21 Nyon, Switzerland Paleo Festival Nyon
Jul. 23 Dublin, Ireland Guinness Blues Festival
Live
Jul. 20 New York, NY Tramps
Luscious Jackson
Jul. 20 Austin, TX South Park Meadows
Jul. 21 Dallas, TX Starplex
Jul. 23 Columbia, MO Blue Note
Jul. 24 Chicago , IL Vic Theatre
Jul. 25 Minneapolis, MN First Ave
Pietasters
Jul. 23 Ledyard, CT Red Show @ Mohegan Sun Resort
Jul. 25 Washington, DC Carter Barron Amph.
Pretenders
Jul. 19 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel
Jul. 24 Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues
Staind
Jul. 19 Washington, DC Nation
Jul. 20 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Jul. 22 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Jul. 23 Lowell, MA Tsongas Arena
James Taylor
Jul. 18 Perugia Giardini del frontone
Jul. 19 Pescara Teatro D'annunzio
Jul. 22 Brescia Piazza della Loggia
Jul. 25 Torino Piazza Vittorio Veneto
Sally Taylor
Jul. 25 Carbondale, CO Carbondale Mountain Fair
Ultimate Fakebook
Jul. 21 St Louis, MO Side Door
Jul. 24 Athens, GA Tasty World
Jul. 25 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Jul. 26 Arlington, VA Galaxy Hut
Weird Al Yankovic
Jul. 19 Green Bay, WI Oneida Casino
Jul. 21 Costa Mesa, CA Orange County Fair
Jul. 22 Redding, CA Redding Convention Center
Jul. 23 Central Point, OR Jackson County Fair/Expo
Jul. 25 Beverly, MA North Shore Music Theatre
---
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