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Consumable Online Issue 178
== ISSUE 178 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [May 27, 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, 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, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So,
Chelsea Spear, Jon Steltenpohl, Michael Van
Gorden, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
Also Contributing: Dan Birchall
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: The Cranberries, _Bury the Hatchet_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Ron Sexsmith, _Whereabouts_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Fish, _Raingods With Zippos_ - Dan Birchall
REVIEW: Backsliders, _Southern Lines_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: The Old 97s, _Fight Songs_ - John Davidson
REVIEW: Lit, _A Place in the Sun_ / Citizen King, _Mobile
Estates_ - Scott Slonaker
INTERVIEW: Sally Taylor - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Sponge, _New Pop Sunday_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Kreidler, _Appearance and The Park_ - David Landgren
REVIEW: Colin Hay, _Transcendental Highway_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Mary Chapin Carpenter, _Party Doll and Other
Favorites_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Moa, _Universal_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Graham Parker, _The Mona Lisa's Sister_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Whistler, _Whistler_ - Chris Hill
ERRATA: Rick Springfield
NEWS: New York City's Z-100 "Zootopia"
TOUR DATES: Beastie Boys, Black Crowes / Lenny Kravitz / Everlast,
Candy Butchers, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chapter In Verse, Floraline,
Ben Harper, Alanis Morissette, Van Morrison, Beth Orton, Pinetop
Seven, Rammstein, 764-HERO, Skunk Anansie, Sonic Youth,
Sparklehorse / Mercury Rev, Sally Taylor, George Thorogood /
Jake Andrews, Those Bastard Souls, UB40, Verve Pipe / Papa Vegas
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: The Cranberries, _Bury the Hatchet_ (Island)
- Jon Steltenpohl
For Cranberries fans, _Bury the Hatchet_ has been worth the
wait. O'Riordan and crew are back, and the only changes are those small,
incremental improvements that result in an instantly familiar album that
will completely satisfy the faithful. You'll get the trademark soulful
Delores O'Riordan backed appropriately by either scathing guitar or
ethereal atmosphere. O'Riordan can either deliver a breathless lullaby
or howlingly mad banshee, and the band keeps up with every step.
There is not tendency by the band to add in the proverbial
kitchen sink, yet the arrangements are neither lacking nor sparse.
It's just that they fit the songs perfectly. It's a remarkable show
of skill and restraint. In "Copycat", there's shimmering guitar bubbles
that lash out, a driving acoustic guitar that keeps the beat, and
blossoming cymbals. The guitar solo is a slight, Cure inspired line
that keeps repeating over and over. It's a driving, pulsing song with
O'Riordan's vocals supported at every twist and turn. A song later, on
"What's on My Mind", features a simple formula -- take simple guitar,
strings, and straightforward drums on a plain song with O'Riordan's
expressive voice skirting around the edges.
The Cranberries do their thing so effortlessly on _Bury the
Hatchet_ that it is easy to forget the skill involved in making an
album that is so instantaneously accessible. In one or two listens,
you begin cherishing the melodies. You sing along as if the album has
been a favorite for years, and you fail to see how you will ever get
tired of it. Songs go by and transition from harsh to quiet and scathing
to touching without a single pause or interruption. _Bury the Hatchet_
is an album that you can listen to as an experience rather than a
collection of singles.
In a way, The Cranberries have fulfilled the promises of another
"O", the early Sinead O'Connor. On her debut, _The Lion and The Cobra_,
O'Connor found a way to be both ruthless and tender, shy and sinister.
But, after only one more album, O'Connor's life became a side show,
and her music faded. The Cranberries have had some of the same
distractions, but O'Riordan and company give the listener what they
want... passion and conviction. Whether it's the personal lyrics of
songs like "Promises" or "Animal Instinct" or the provocative lyrics
of tracks like the anti-molestation tune "Fee Fi Fo", The Cranberries
communicate to the listener directly and intensely. O'Riordan is still
showing us her underbelly, and she's making us feel what she feels.
Her lyrics are consistently direct and rather simple. "Dying
in the Sun" is a sad little song of frailty and regret that closes the
album. O'Riordan's voice is layered in counterpoint harmonies with a
simply piano background. Sing's O'Riordan "I wanted to be so perfect
you see, I wanted to be so perfect." The pain and remorse in her voice
is touching and tearful. By the fourth album, many bands give up on
such honesty.
Without question, The Cranberries have proved themselves to be
one of the best bands of the 90's. _Bury the Hatchet_ simply is the
final chapter in the first decade of The Cranberries. They might not
be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who have fallen in love with
The Cranberries, it is hard to find another band that has so steadfastly
stuck to their own sound and produced consistently compelling albums.
_Bury the Hatchet_ is, thankfully, just what you'd expect from a band
as good as The Cranberries.
---
REVIEW: Ron Sexsmith, _Whereabouts_ (Interscope)
- Matthew Carlin
Just about every reference point with which to describe Ron
Sexsmith's music comes from a time most whipper-snappers these days know
nothing about. The golden age of the singer/songwriter - a fecund time
for unshaven guys with long hair and acoustic guitars - started in the
late-60s and all but disappeared a decade later. Sexsmith himself
wistfully recounts his formative days in the early-90s playing Neil
Young covers to unreceptive bar patrons in his native Canada. Now, after
punk rock has been fully co-opted and indie rock has retreated into its
collegiate cave, discerning music consumers are again buying well-crafted
pop songs.
Lying somewhere between the grandiose musical extravaganzas
of Rufus Wainwright and the straightforward strumming of Elliott Smith,
_Whereabouts_ boasts a full battalion of horns, strings and vintage
keyboards, but never sounds cluttered. Although the instrumentation on
_Whereabouts_ is more involved than that of Sexsmith's last release,
_Other Songs,_ the production of the new tunes somehow seems a bit more
focused. Yet the overall effect still feels loose and organic. Whereas
the horns on "Clown in Broad Daylight" from _Other Songs_ seem to jump
out and announce their arrival, the abundant brass and reeds on the new
platter tastefully slink their way in and out of arrangements, remaining
supportive rather than overpowering.
On the soulful, organ-driven "Right About Now," Sexsmith starts
with a laid back groove and slowly builds to a gentle string part that
complements the final lines of the song quite nicely: "So my pen's
writing this song,/but tonight the words are coming out wrong./I think
I'll just let my heart speak./I sure could use your love/right about
now./Oh, I need your love,/wish I could feel your love."
Thanks in large part to uber-producers Mitchell Froom and Tchad
Blake, _Whereabouts_ is a rare gem of an album in which the actual
sounds used match each song perfectly. Despite an impressive cast of
musicians - which includes downtown New York jazzers like bassist Brad
Jones, cellist Jane Scarpantoni, reed player Chris Speed and trumpeter
Cuong Vu, among others - Sexsmith, Froom and Blake present a carefully
orchestrated pop album that never lets any one player stand out above
each song as a whole.
It's hard not to lapse into cliched critic jargon and use words
like "tunesmith" and "craftsman" when describing Sexsmith's music. Which
isn't a bad thing at all. And while the spin doctors at his label like
to play up the fact that Elvis Costello is a fan of Sexsmith ("I've been
playing it all year and could listen to it for another 20," said the
bespectacled Brit of Sexsmith's first album, if you must know), what
really matters here is the songs. Sexsmith offsets somber ditties like
"Riverbed" and "In a Flash" with more upbeat tracks like the rocking
"Beautiful View" and the Sgt. Peppers-style march of "One Grey Morning,"
the end result being a great album well worth many listens.
---
REVIEW: Fish, _Raingods With Zippos_ (Roadrunner)
- Dan Birchall
Fresh on the heels of the _Kettle of Fish_ compilation
celebrating the first decade of his solo career, former Marillion
frontman Fish has returned with "Raingods With Zippos," featuring
diverse songs that let him make good use of the vocal range fans
love.
The album begins with "Tumbledown," sandwiching a driving
rock song between opening and closing piano solos. "Mission Statement"
rocks just as hard and features great lyrics, aiming to make the world
a better place - even if it means not getting some work done. Fish
duets with Elisabeth Antwi on "Incomplete," a very pretty song about
lost love.
"Tilted Cross" features slightly more cryptic lyrics, but
is every bit as pretty musically. "Faith Healer" is harder, with
a fairly straightforward subject, and music that would have fit
easily into Queensryche's "Rage for Order" in 1986. The individual
songs draw to a close with another slow song of lost love, "Rites of
Passage" - but the album's not over yet.
Like many progressive artists, Fish has a penchant for the
occasional multi-song conceptual work. In this case, the second
half of the album consists of "Plague of Ghosts," a twenty-five
minute piece in six parts about love, loss and rebirth. Spanning
the musical spectrum from ambient sound and spoken word to up-tempo
pop, this should leave no doubt that Fish still has as much talent
as ever.
---
REVIEW: Backsliders, _Southern Lines_ (Mammoth)
- Tracey Bleile
Not all that long ago, Chip Robinson, singer and principal
songwriter of Raleigh, N.C.'s Backsliders found himself living out
the extreme end of a country song cliche, and it wasn't just a girl
who left him or a truck that broke down. More like the defection of
most of his band, just as the Backsliders were coming off the success
of their first alt.country release, _Throwing Rocks At The Moon_ and
halfway into the recording of their new effort for Mammoth, _Southern
Lines_. Robinson lost his foil when his co-writer and singer Steve
Howell had a parting of the ways with Robinson musically, and, finally,
emotionally.
_Southern Lines_ is in more ways than one then a nod to memories
and regrets. The songs are filled with bluesy sentiment and hard knocks.
The simpler country feel of Howell's songs remain in sharp contrast to
Robinson's more aggressive barroom rock. The songs that showcase the last
of their collaboration is of course, a magical blend of the two, the sad
shuffle of "It Rained On Monday" follows the boozy snarl of "Don't Ask
Me Why." The regret can truly be found in that the sound is far more
developed and emotionally deep than _Throwing Rocks_. There are touches
of many influences, but mostly a meeting of the ways once again of
Chapel Hill jangle, southern rock grit and a voice that speaks weary
volumes, nasal twang and all (shades of Neil Young, it's true),
revealing one of the better-developed acts of the genre.
Original lineup guitarist Brad Rice returned to help finish the
album, and with the addition of a new crew of Backsliders, _Southern
Lines_ did indeed see the brightening gray light of day. Like the last
album, _Southern_ struts up out of the shadows and up to the bar in a
swingin' blaze of cockiness with the opener (and first single) "Abe
Lincoln," or takes you on a two-step around the room with a number like
"Burning Bed," then slumps down in a chair, telling a sad story to
anyone who will listen in "Two Candles."
Honesty, faith, warmth, hope lost and hope found are Chip
Robinson's touchstones. May those feelings never become cliches only
found in a country song. The Backsliders succeed in making you believe
it could be true.
---
REVIEW: The Old 97s, _Fight Songs_ (Elektra)
- John Davidson
What's happening to the alt.country thing? Uncle Tupelo
disappeared in 1994. The Jayhawks' _Sound Of Lies_ in '97 was a
brilliant love letter to Big Star. This year, Wilco culminated
their indifference towards anything country with the magnificent
_Summer Teeth_. With beacons of "No Depression" seeking such lush
pop fields, it's not much of a surprise to see another one of their
kin, the Old 97s, wandering in a similar direction on _Fight Songs_.
That's not to say that the scorched bluegrass flavorings
and old-school country heartbreak have disappeared on _Fight Songs_;
they've merely become influences, instead of foundations for song
structure. The rugged backbeat on "Jagged," the twinkling banjo on
"Lonely Holiday," even the fuzztone lead over the bouncy 2/2 in
"Crash On the Barrelhead" showcase the band's ability to borrow
country elements without bowing down to the Grand Ole Opry. Better
still, when the Old 97s dive into pop, they step over the edge and
don't look back. "Oppenheimer" gleams on a rootsy guitar and bell
tones. "Nineteen" is a pretty straight forward rock song, and the
first single "Murder (Or A Heart Attack)" could fit on any modern
rock playlist. The Old 97s are adept at knowing when to twang a
steel guitar and when to cruise on a sugary pop idea.
If anything, _Fight Songs_ could use a dash of edgy intensity.
Although the feisty Bloodshot label years are gone, there's still
nothing here like "Time Bomb," the blistering lead-off from 1997's
_Too Far To Care_. Songs seem a little less urgent, a little less
willing to transcend the smart lyrics of singer/songwriter Rhett
Miller. The result is that lines such as "It's a lonely, lonely
feeling when your valentine was wrong" (from "Valentine") lose some
ache in the laid back delivery. The passion seems content to hide
behind the words, afraid to become vulnerable in the context of the
love-hurt stories.
So, maybe it's because they're getting older, or maybe it's
just the need to artistically mutate. At any rate, the cowpunk days
of the Old 97s are fading, but the mellowing of their tone offers
maturity in place of fire and brimstone. _Fight Songs_ wraps a smooth
pop blanket around country loneliness and hopes for another chance at
happiness. While drifting from their roots, the Old 97s don't seem too
worried about what musical category they land in. They simply made a
great album of songs from the heart, and beckon their past to follow.
---
REVIEW: Lit, _A Place in the Sun_ (RCA) /
Citizen King, _Mobile Estates_ (Warner Bros.)
- Scott Slonaker
Every so often, radio gets its infusion of new blood. And
naturally, a good deal of the new kids in town distinctly recall
their airwave-hogging predecessors. Orange County's Lit do just that
with their brand of power-pop. _A Place in the Sun_, the four-piece
band's major-label debut, is a lot like Weezer reinterpreted by the
high school football team, or Everclear as a party band who sings
about girls instead of drugs -- in other words, a lot more slickly
clean, straightforward '90s rock-radio guitars and rah-rah rhythms,
and a lot less of the muffle 'n squeak of the ex-alternative nation.
Lit's hit single "My Own Worst Enemy" spins a leftover AC/DC
riff into a stoopid-happy pogothon about getting drunk and screwing
people and things up. Voila! An anthem. The best of the rest of the
album include the semi-power ballad "Miserable" ("You make me come/
You make me complete/ You make me completely miserable") and the
punky bounce of "No Big Thing," which, more than anything, shows off
the band's skate-punk roots.
Milwaukee's Citizen King fits squarely with its predecessors
as well: the Sugar Ray "he's-the-DJ-I'm-the-rocker" hybrid, Beck's
cut-and-paste pop (the opening track, "Under the Influence," is quite
aptly named). The quintet's debut album, _Mobile Estates_, is carefully
calculated to sound off-the-cuff, like some sort of block-party mix
tape. The hit single, "Better Days (And the Bottom Drops Out)," is
somewhat of a "Ramblin' Man" for hip-hop reared suburbanites -- streaked
with a good shot of Sublime and catchy as heck.
Most of the rest of _Mobile Estates_ is solid late-nineties
beatbox alterna-pop, when it's not stealing too many rhythms ("Safety
Pin" seems taken wholesale from "The New Pollution"). Actually, the
band shows themselves to be quite the vinyl aficionados, as evidenced
by the long list of obscure samples in the album credits. The
old-school hip-hop sound of "Basement Show" is enough of a winner on
its own, but the boys work in a Fear sample and make it rock. Another
standout is the singalong, twangy chorus of "Long Walk Home."
Both _A Place in the Sun_ and _Mobile Estates_ are brimming
with savory pop songs and maintain a good level of consistency from
beginning to end. But, will that be enough to make a career? Neither
act are former drug addicts who sing about their scars. Neither act
has frontmen who are teen dreams or dead. Can solid craftsmanship and
production stand in for personality and interview "hooks?" We'll know
in a couple of years, won't we?
---
INTERVIEW: Sally Taylor
- Joann D. Ball
Sally Taylor is an extremely gifted singer/songwriter who is
poised to rejuvenate and update a folk-rock musical genre and style
that enjoyed its heyday before she was born. Musically and spiritually
she is connected to that earlier singer/songwriter scene, and it's
evident on her self-released debut, _Tomboy Bride_ (Blue Elbow).
Whether introspective or outward looking, Taylor's twelve songs
(including a hidden track) on _Tomboy Bride_ exude an inspired,
passionate, positive spirit.
Taylor is also literally connected to Seventies folk-rock, as
her musical roots include an extended family of singers and musicians.
And then, of course, there are her parents. A dad who loves his work,
and was so inspired by a beaming young Sally that he wrote the hit song
"Your Smiling Face." (Yep, James Taylor.) And a mom, who in the 1980s
occasionally featured Taylor's backing vocals on album tracks like
"Coming Around Again/Itsy Bitsy Spider." For good reason, Sally Taylor
is extremely proud of this very rich musical heritage. So much so, that
she's chosen the Taylor family tattoo (which she herself sports) as her
band's logo.
But what makes Sally Taylor a rising star is not where she's
from, but where she's going. Consumable Online caught up with Sally
Taylor earlier this spring, before the first show on a short West Coast
tour in support of _Tomboy Bride_.
Taylor and band members bassist Kenny Castro, drummer Brian
McRae, and lead guitarist Chris Soucy, were clearly excited about their
first extended series of dates outside of their home base of Colorado.
With sound guy Chris Delucchi and two close friends providing support,
the Sally Taylor Band quickly loaded their equipment into the intimate
San Diego, California niteclub The Casbah.
Taylor was sincerely apologetic for arriving late, but
amazingly positive despite the minor things that have delayed her and
the band and eliminated the possibility of a soundcheck. It soon
became clear, though, that this attitude is reflective of Taylor's
general take on life -- things happen, so you just make the most of it.
In spite of the delay, Taylor was happy and eager to talk with
Consumable about how it's possible to follow your heart and succeed.
"Tomboy Bride is my role model. She's my hero, the heroine in
my life story. She's who I want to model my life after," Taylor said of
the book character from which she lifted the album and song titles.
I asked her to explain further why she was inspired by the
story of a very independent 19th century frontier woman making a life
for herself in the Wild West.
"That character's motto is 'be scared and do it anyway,' and
that's the gist of that song and that storyline. It's about dealing
with new environments constantly and putting yourself in uncomfortable
situations that will stimulate you, inspire you and make you grow," she
detailed. "And fly, soar, if you will," she added, in reference to the
airplanes flying noisily overhead en route to nearby Lindbergh Field.
Not too long ago, Sally Taylor herself packed up and left behind
family and friends on the East Coast in order to start a new life in
Colorado, settling finally in Boulder. So the uncharted adventures of
the book's heroine hits close to home.
"Tomboy Bride is somebody who I identify with," Taylor continued,
"because I have moved out to Colorado and I have forged this little
niche for myself. But it's also about somebody I hope to become in the
future."
It isn't clear to what extent music figured in the life of
Tomboy Bride, but writing and playing music has certainly become a
major part of Sally Taylor's life out West.
"The CD came about completely unintentionally," she explained.
"I started out just thinking I'd put some songs down on some quality
tape that would withstand the elements. I didn't have a band. I just
wanted it to be acoustic and vocal, and it ended up being a lot more.
And that I'm producing it and manufacturing it is really exciting to me."
And it just so happened that she found herself in the ideal
place in which to do her own musical thing.
"I think that Boulder and Denver are amazing environments for
musicians, because the musicians are so supportive of each other. It's
really not about ego, as much as it is about helping each other create
art. Everybody's really in it for the freedom of it all instead of the
competitiveness, and that's really inspiring," Taylor said. "Especially
since the ego thing really grosses me out," she added quickly.
Sally Taylor says she considers herself "a tadpole," content
and happy to play in the calmer, safer waters of small venues and clubs
at this point in her developing career. And she's extremely excited
about making her way across the country with her band.
"It feels great, I mean, I wouldn't have it any other way!" she
exclaimed. "I really, really enjoy the realness of it. There's seven of
us in this band, and it's this tiny space because we have to put seven
people and all of the instruments into the van. But these guys that I'm
traveling with are just incredibly great. I love the way it feels to be
on the road with these people and to be supported by these people and
to be doing my own thing, singing."
In addition to performing live with her band, Taylor admited to
being especially thrilled about the closeness that characterizes the
small venues she has played.
"I really like being able to see audiences a lot," she
explained. "I like being able to see audiences' faces, and be able to
talk to people who come to the show and to talk people who buy my CD,
and get feedback from those people."
And given the power of songs like the honest and revealing lead
track "The Complaint," the emotion-filled, jazz influenced "The Good
Bye," and the soft and sweet bossa nova flavored "When We're Together,"
Taylor will probably receive nothing but praises from appreciative fans
after the shows.
_Tomboy Bride_ is a rich collection of songs about life and
love, of which Taylor is especially proud. And she is eager to share
her songs with others because they reflect such a natural part of the
human experience.
"I guess it's mood music. I get put in a mood, and then I write
from that mood. The notes put words in my mouth," she explained.
The one important, reoccurring mood on the record is the joy and
pleasure of independence. It is celebrated on the tender title track,
recorded at a live show and featuring only Taylor and her acoustic
guitar. And it surfaces again on the bright, bouncy confessional song
entitled simply, "Happy Now."
Among all of these gems, though, it is "Sign of Rain" which
stands out as the best song. With carefully chosen words and wonderfully
textured instrumentation, the song tells a simple story which unfolds
on her beloved Martha's Vineyard. Taylor paints such a vivid picture of
local characters going about their way under overcast skies, that one
can actually see the scenes and feel the coming storm of which she
sings. And chances are pretty good that the Jamey mentioned in the song
is a certain JT who considers "Sign of Rain" his favorite song, and who
contributed his distinct guitar sound to the hidden track "Unsung Dance"
that closes the CD.
And Sally Taylor's favorite track on her impressive debut?
"Definitely "Tomboy Bride," she confessed with a big smile.
That's no surprise, given the parallels between her own life and
that of her role model and the frontier spirit that they both embody.
After all, to borrow the title of song by a certain Carly
Simon, both stories are "the stuff that dreams are made of."
The Sally Taylor Band is now undertaking an extensive U.S, summer
tour that will hit major Eastern cities before returning to the West Coast
in late June. For tour dates and details about the band's activities,
including Sally Taylor's online tour diary entries, check her website
at http://www.sallytaylor.com
---
REVIEW: Sponge, _New Pop Sunday_ (Beyond/BMG)
- Bill Holmes
I get the pun, but if I didn't, the cartoon illustration on
the cover would make it plain enough - sugar sweet music with an
explosive edge. That Sponge goes pop is not surprising, they've
certainly flashed the chops before. What is a bit of a shock is that
they've toned down their edge as well, letting the guitars play second
fiddle and making vocalist Vinnie Dombrowski the lead instrument. To
say that his vocals on this record are mannered would be an
understatement - he preens, seduces, drawls and doe-eyes his way
through a collection of mostly shorter, simpler tracks. When it
works, it works well, nailing a sound that most alterna-bands can
only hope to catch once before the budget runs dry. But when it's
off - and it sometimes is - it sounds like INXS trying to pretend
they're a Midwestern rock band. That is not a good thing.
On the positive side, though, guitarists Mike Cross and Joey
Mazzola churn out taut lines throughout the record. "Polyanna"
features staccato playing reminiscent of U2's Edge, as does the
two-stroke rhythm on "All American World" and the more manic "When
You're On Fire Baby, Roll". Although the pulsating "Live Her Without
You" is getting the single push from the label and radio, "Planet
Girls" is the hands down winner. Scraping up every Ziggy-era Bowie
lick and propelling it with trash can drumming, "Girls" is the best
Mick Ronson nod I've heard in years. Sure it's lyrically silly, but
who cares? Sometimes you just gotta rock. Sponge has finally
(thankfully) shaken off the last of the grunge poseur posture and
seem to be stepping towards a straight-ahead rock and roll sound,
which should be a requirement or any Detroit band.
Dombrowski writes about unrequited love and lost love and
dead love just like everybody else, but is never to convoluted nor
too simplistic. Neither is the music, which pretty much keeps it to
the bare essentials - solid rock, fairly repetitive but not
annoyingly so, and the occasional flourish like the horns on
"Disconnected" or the mandolin on "Lucky" . It's no coincidence that
those two songs, which close the record, are among the strongest.
Aside from "Planet Girls", there's nothing here that has the radio
immediacy of "Wax Ecstatic", but there's certainly enough of a
commitment to a newer direction so that listeners can easily decide
whether to get on or off the Sponge bandwagon. (Note to fans - the
title track might sound familiar if you own the Japanese version of
_Wax Ecstatic_, albeit under a different name.)
Sponge has been able to get some radio play and decent sales
from their two previous records, and _New Pop Sunday_ should continue
that trend. But with radio as fickle as it is, don't be surprised if
these simpler, compact songs are destined to serve primarily as a
launching pad for a more dynamic (read: LIVE) presentation. Sometimes
radio just doesn't "get it" until it's too late. Don't let that stop you.
---
REVIEW: Kreidler, _Appearance and The Park_ (Mute)
- David Landgren
From Tangerine Dream to Kraftwerk and Connie Plank to Blixa
Bargeld, there has never been a shortage in Germany of musicians,
offering the world a rich source of innovation and experimentation in
music. Kriedler, a four piece band formed in Dusseldorf in 1994, are the
latest incarnation of this ongoing exploration. The album is, with the
exception of one track ("Coldness"), entirely instrumental. It is
constructed with an extraordinary rigour and attention to detail, yet
never falls into the trap of being too arty or pretentious.
The overall feeling is one of understatement. Everything is
held under control and yet at the same time, and this is where the group
deserves credit, there is never a feeling of constraint. Like a Japanese
garden, everything is in its rightful place. A single clash of cymbal to
punctuate a song.
Then there is the absence of samples: there are no voices or
animals, or anything from the real world: the synthesisers emit purely...
synthetic sounds. But then, as a counterpoint, a real bass guitar and a
real drum-kit add a human vibrancy. With this, you never lose sight of
the fact that you are listening to a group of musicians playing together.
The album starts out with "Tuesday", a shuffling burble of
bleeps, like a demented dolphin caught in an oscilloscope. And then the
song begins to take shape, soft warblings from a synthesiser, a subtle
drum & cymbal backing, bass guitar picking out a simple melody. Nothing
dramatic, but curiously effective; a definite case of the whole being
greater than the sum of the parts.
While this may sound a bit boring (like, what does that leave
behind?) it does also lead to some amazing pieces of work, such as the
unconditionally brilliant "Au-Pair", that starts out in the middle of
nowhere, soars to glorious heights (check out the bassline), and comes
down to land with effortless grace.
A common affliction that strikes much electronica is the
layering approach, whereby a song is built up by adding layer upon layer
of instruments, loops and other oddments until the song reaches its full
crescendo. The problem is, of course, how to end the juggernaut from
rolling ever onward. "Au-Pair" deals with this in an extraordinarily
successful way, and I find myself repeating the song over and over
again, seeking clues as to how they do it, and why it works so well.
It comes as a bit of a shock, when on the tenth track
"Coldness", vocals make an unexpected appearance. But yeah, it more or
less works. The problem is that they make a timid appearance in the
middle of the song, as if courage was lacking to break the silence.
Over the album, rare are the lapses into sonic mayhem as
happens with, say, The Orb. Yet just when one starts to wish things were
a little more... chaotic, they loosen the reins on the machines for
"Venetian Blind" and segue into the shimmering, mesmerising "Cube". The
latter song is built on a most outrageous electronic loop, a pummelling
shoop-shoop-shoop of a virtual reality helicopter. People familiar with
Ciccone Youth's _Whitey Album_ will see a parallel. Placed at the end
of the album, the impact of these two tracks is all the more dramatic.
I hope they continue in this direction in the future.
The album closes with a remix of "Coldness", playing up on
the eighties neu-wave sound. It's probably a better version. The vocals
are bolder, more affirmed, and the singer really sings this time.
All in all, an album that is immediately listenable on the
first hearing, and reveals more details upon repeated listening. Not
as bizarre or pompous as Tangerine Dream, and not as unabashedly pop as
Kraftwerk can be, Kreidler walk somewhere in between. I'd say that on
the strength of this album I'll be buying their next one with my eyes
closed. It's a sure bet.
---
REVIEW: Colin Hay, _Transcendental Highway_ (Farren Music)
- Chris Hill
Two Australians (Hay and the recently C.O.-reviewed Rick
Springfield) present an interesting contrast, if their recent and
future Seattle engagements are compared. Hay, who played the
smallish Tractor Tavern 5/20, with an $8 ticket price, offered an
intimate glimpse at the man behind the once-inescapable hits
"Down Under" and "Who Can It Be Now?". Springfield, with a
similar history of ubiquitous hits, has booked the Showbox, an
800+ capacity venue, 6/18, and priced tickets at $27.50.
Evidence of two performers with different estimations of their
audience, their status, and their musical goals. Is one trying
to relive the glory days, while the other reconnects with an
audience?
Hay addresses his past fame on "My Brilliant Feat": "Once
upon a time, I could do no wrong/though the candle flickers, the
flame is never gone/To my brilliant feat/They all pay heed/I hear
the crowds roar oh so loudly". It's not envy at the success and
adulation he once had that's now enjoyed by others. Rather it's
an understanding that nothing's permanent ("The world it won't
wait for you/It's got its own things to do") and a fond look back
at his moments in the sun.
With this album, Hay continues down the balladeer path of
previous, post-Men at Work releases with simply written, romantic
vignettes centered around his acoustic guitar, though his backing
band provides him ample support. Twelve songs long, the only
hollow note comes with "Death Row Conversation", possibly written
at 3 a.m. in a lonely hotel room while "Dead Man Walking" played
on pay-per-view. While affecting, it treads old ground, or
ground perhaps better left to his brilliant countryman Paul
Kelly.
That criticism out of the way, it's the exception on the
record, which is fortunate for us, as this is his first non-
Australian release since 1990. "If I Go" will bring back all the
summer memories for which _Business As Usual_ served as the
soundtrack. Musically co-written with Bobby Z, it glistens. An
immediate attention-getter. The hopeful, hearty "I'll Leave the
Light On" and the wind-blown instrumental "Cactus" are similarly
potent. Stretching, the Scotland born-and-raised Hay pulls in
bagpipes and a snare drum for the inspirational "Freedom Calling"
and takes the spoken-lyric path for the title track, a subtly
humorous look at the interconnection the internet's provided the
world.
But it's truly on the quieter acoustic numbers like "I
Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You" where Hay's voice
practices its familiar magic with hypnotic wonder.
A gentle snippet of a song hides at the close, with Hay
singing "And no matter where we go/And no matter what we do/You
hold on to me/And I'll hold on to you". An unfinished song or a
promise? Either/or, it's a nice sentiment.
---
REVIEW: Mary Chapin Carpenter, _Party Doll and Other
Favorites_ (Columbia)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Although she's had a number of big country hits, it's hard to
just lump Mary Chapin Carpenter in with the shameless new country
drones who are more schtick than substance. Not so with Mary Chapin
Carpenter. She has remained an independent singer songwriter who
writes and performs great music. Since her debut, _Hometown Girl_, to
hits like "I Feel Lucky" and "Shut Up and Kiss Me," Carpenter has
been able to sound like true country while making serious music.
Now, 12 years since her first release, it's time for her to
release a greatest hits album. Now, this isn't any old greatest hits
compilation. Instead, not only do you get the required hits, but you
get 6 live tracks, 2 new songs, and "Party Doll," a cover of a Mick
Jagger song. The rest of the album is topped off with a few fan
favorites like "This Shirt" and rarities like "Grow Old With Me" from
the John Lennon tribute album, "Dreamland" from the _Til Their Eyes
Shine_ compilation, and "10,000 Miles" from the _Fly Away Home_
soundtrack. Absent are any songs from her latest album, _A Place In
The World_.
At 17 tracks and 72 minutes, it's a great collection, and
_Party Doll_ is just about perfect. All of the songs are relevant and
a joy to listen to, and many are not available anywhere else. If
anything, the live versions of some songs are so good that they
outshine some of the slightly overproduced songs from her earlier days.
"I Take My Chances" from _Come On, Come On_ was recorded live
in November of 1998. It has joyous piano and acoustic guitar, full
harmonies, and a crowd that eats it up. A live version of "Stones in
the Road" features Carpenter's voice up front before an acoustic
background of guitars, bass, and piano. And while it's understandable
to keep the original versions of the hits like "Passionate Kisses,"
"Down At the Twist and Shout" is the one hit with a well deserved live
version. It's from Super Bowl XXXI and features Beausoleil playing
live with Carpenter. It's a real treat despite the slightly reduced
sound quality. A missing live track is the acoustic version of "This
Shirt" that was included on a Columbia sampler series sent to radio
stations. Still, including the original of "This Shirt" was a wise choice.
The new songs, "Almost Home" and "Wherever You Are," are just
what you'd expect from Mary Chapin Carpenter. They aren't as free
spirited or silly as her biggest hits, but they will please the fans
who know her more reflective side. Similarly, the new cover of Mick
Jagger's "Party Doll" is soft and melancholy. Carpenter's voice, a
slightly countrified breeze that is thankfully free of twang, is full
of expression. Her acoustic guitar keeps beat while an electric guitar
with a steel guitar voice adds counterpoint melody. There are slight
breathless moments and regret in every corner. It's a beautiful rendition.
Being a greatest hits album, _Party Doll and Other Favorites_
might be a no brainer. But, Mary Chapin Carpenter had other plans for
her greatest hits package. As she succinctly puts it, "I thought, why
not also collect all those songs out there that were part of special
projects, soundtracks, live recordings, different versions, benefit
tapes, whatever might give this album a broader perspective than
what's usually delivered... and include that new song or two. So that
is what I proudly believe we have done." And indeed, _Party Doll and
Other Favorites_ is an album she can certainly be proud of.
Track Listing: 1-"Can't Take Love for Granted (Live from
Letterman Show in London," 2-"Wherever You Are (new)," 3-"Down at the
Twist and Shout (Super Bowl Version featuring Beausoleil)," 4-"I Feel
Lucky," 5-"Dreamland (Til Their Eyes Shine Compilation)," 6-"Passionate
Kisses," 7-"Quittin Time (Live, 1994)," 8-"This Shirt," 9-"Grow Old
With Me (Working Class Hero/John Lennon Tribute)," 10-"He Thinks He'll
Keep Her," 11-"I Take My Chances (Live, 1998)," 12-"Shut Up and Kiss
Me," 13-"The Hard Way (Live)," 14-"10,000 Miles (_Fly Away Home_
soundtrack), 15-"Stones in the Road (Live, 1994)," 16-"Almost Home
(new)," 17-"Party Doll (new cover)"
---
REVIEW: Moa, _Universal_ (Tommy Boy/Spor)
- Tracey Bleile
Hmmm, let's see what we have here...pixie-type from Iceland with
unusual looks, a crazy musical hook, and a co-writer/producer/musician
"soulmate." Oh, no, wait a minute...it's not who you think, honest! One
of the fine new acts to grace these shores from the apparently magic
princess-infested country of Iceland is solo artist Moa (with an acute
accent over the "o," darn HTML anyway, and *don't* ask me how to
pronounce it) and she verges on the same sort of infectiousness as a
certain predecessor with her release _Universal_.
Moa has a voice like Lena Horne inhaling a touch of helium singing
cabaret, and the electronica jazz/drum 'n bass that makes up _Universal_
is something you'd find in a dimly-lit nightclub straight out of a Ridley
Scott film. If anything, there's not a lot of variance in the beat or song
structure, so it's happy techno with a singer or Massive Attack-inspired
dreaminess. The foamy synth and programming backdrop is provided by Eythor
Arnalds (who was indeed previously in a band with Bjork) and produced by
Phil Chill and Brian New (most recently finished work was with Neneh
Cherry). Soap-bubble fun and games don't last long, but are very enjoyable
in the moment.
Even with the potential to burn out too quickly in what could be
perceived as a trend-following album (and at the trailing end of it for
that matter), _Universal_ is certainly something you could slip into
rotation at just about any place there's dancing, and someone will most
surely ask "who *is* this?" And there won't be any mistaking her for
anyone else.
---
REVIEW: Graham Parker, _The Mona Lisa's Sister_ (Buddha)
- Bill Holmes
The amount of Graham Parker releases over the past three years
has been absolutely staggering, especially when you consider that just
about all of them anthologize older material. Buddha Records (yes, the
spelling is different than it used to be) has nabbed one of Parker's
pivotal records from the mid-80s and offers the listener an exciting
remastered version complete with original artwork, new liner notes and
a bonus track ("Ordinary Girl"). I say exciting because as anyone
knows, most "remastered" releases differ little from their original
counterparts unless the prior version sounds like it was recorded
underwater. The sound quality on the original was very good, but here
it's stunning. The bass line on "Under The Mask Of Happiness" is so
pronounced it's as if you are playing along with the record. The
acoustic guitars ring, drums snap, and Parker's vocals are bright and
full.
After some early success with pub rock r&b and the unfortunate
albatross of being lumped together with Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson
as "angry young men" from the UK, Parker hit his commercial zenith with
_Squeezing Out Sparks_ and the smash hit "Local Girls". Afterwards,
though, US fame waned, despite the occasional radio play ("Wake Up
Next To You") and even a duet with the then red-hot Boss. Fans remained
loyal, however, and without his backing band to fill out the sound,
Parker became a much better guitar player and emotive vocalist.
_Sister_ features nods to his new directions with reggae ("The Girl
Isn't Ready"), Americana folk ("Blue Highways") and even inspired
covers ("Cupid", a song he currently performs acapella, thanks to the
day his accompanist left a recent songwriters tour). "Get Started
(Start A Fire)", a fine acoustic driven pop song, even had some
moderate radio success. From this release on, Parker seemed to reinvent
himself as a musician as forceful alone with a guitar as he was with
his stellar backing band from the salad days.
Graham Parker may not be an angry young man anymore, but his
acerbic wit is as sharp as ever. This advance did not contain his newly
penned liner notes, but if they are anything like his frequent diatribes
on his web site ( http://www.punkhart.com/gparker/ ), fans are in for a
real treat. As an added incentive, Buddha's Original Masters Series are
available at a reduced price. So what are you waiting for?
( http://www.buddharecords.com )
---
REVIEW: Whistler, _Whistler_ (Wiija Records)
- Chris Hill
Whistler, formed by vocalist Kerry Shaw, ex-EMF guitarist
Ian Dench, and James Topham on viola, played small shows around
London in its gestative state, establishing a buzz and a fan
base, keeping the limelight low and the attention on a riveting
live show. After a time, they self-released the drolly titled
_First EP_, which resulted in a gushing Melody Maker review.
Signed to Wiija Records, Whistler then dropped three singles on
the unsuspecting British public.
"Rare American Shoes", the first single to precede their
debut album, is utter brilliance condensed into three minutes,
seven seconds. From the opening notes that spring from a Jew's-
harp, it's obvious something new is moving under the sun.
Joined by a melodious viola, a chug-chug-chug acoustic guitar,
lip-smacking drums, and Shaw's sweet, clinical British tones that
ride the line between singing and speaking, it's a head-turner of
a song, a "Am I really hearing this?" double take that imparts a
blissful sense of justified purchase and inspires proselytizing
messages to friends.
It might not be the best song on the record. The second
single, "If I Give You a Smile", earned a Melody Maker "Single of
the Week" nomination from Arab Strap, while the third single,
"Don't Jump In Front of My Train", attained that honor in NME.
And either of these *still* might not be the best song on the
record.
"The End" pits a waspish electric guitar against both an
acoustic and a bass guitar. As they battle, a viola plays
against the rise and fall of the vocals, descending capriciously
into a snarl, bow scraping against the strings, while drums and
cymbals add to the chaos. Only the bass guitar remains standing,
near the end. "Closing Time" tumbles an acoustic guitar about
the room, until it finally crashes into strings that start at the
base of the spinal cord, grip it securely, and run up the
vertebrae with an piquant, orgasmic thrum. Two other wonderful
songs, on a disc that, at less than thirty-seven minutes, leaves
one hungry for more.
Molding the _Whistler_ vibe, Shaw's voice is coy yet
powerful, a gamine with muscles, whether venomously delivering
the poison pen letter of "Emily", bubbling with mirth while
skewering a sanctimonious twit on "Heaven Help Me", or taking the
cavalier path on "Please Don't Love Me Any More" ("sorry if you
feel/I've wasted your time/I wouldn't say/that you'd wasted mine/
We live and learn/That's what it's for/Please don't love me any
more"). Her voice lends a delicacy to the tracks that the viola
and acoustic guitar reinforce.
Add a cajon (Afro-Peruvian wooden percussive box, don't
you know), harmonica, wood blocks, drums, and bass, and it makes
for quite the heady concoction of Silverado and London acoustica.
---
ERRATA: As noted by reader Kurt T., Rick Springfield
released a European album _Sahara Snow_ (MTM) several
years back, which has a "funk/pop sound; not as mature
feeling as {his latest release} _Karma_ ".
---
NEWS: > New York City's Z-100 "Zootopia", an all-star concert at
East Rutherford's Continental Airlines Arena, sold out in 28 minutes.
In addition to the standard teeny-bop idols of the day (Britney
Spears, former New Kidders Joey McIntyre / Jordan Knight, 98 Degrees),
the show will feature Sugar Ray, UB40 and Sixpence None The Richer.
The radio station will give away more than 250 pairs of tickets to
its listeners; Profits from the June 4 concert will go towards the
purchase of computers for public schools in the New York City
metropolitan area.
---
TOUR DATES:
Beastie Boys
May 27 Tasmania, Aus Town Hall
May 29 Auckland, Aus Northshore Events Centre
May 30 Wellington, Aus Queens Wharf
Black Crowes / Lenny Kravitz / Everlast
May 28 Boston, MA Great Woods
May 29 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Amphitheatre
May 30 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Candy Butchers
Jun. 1 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Jun. 3 Atlanta, GA The Cotton Club
Jun. 4 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall
Jun. 5 Cleveland, OH Wilberts
Mary Chapin Carpenter
May 27 Princeton, NJ Princeton University
May 28-29 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
Jun. 3 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Center
Jun. 4 San Diego, CA Humphrey's
Jun. 5 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Chapter In Verse
Jun. 4 Nashua, NH Martha's Exchange
Floraline
May 29 New York, NY Coney Island High
May 30 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
May 31 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint
Jun. 2 Cambridge, MA TT The Bears
Jun. 5 Cleveland, OH The Grog Shop
Ben Harper
May 29 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
May 30 Angels Camp, CA Mountain Aire '99
Jun. 1 Medford, OR Medford Armory
Jun. 4 Eureka, CA Eureka, Municipal
Jun. 5 San Francisco, CA The Fleadh Festival
Alanis Morissette
May 27 Oberhaussen, Germany Arena
May 28 Hanover, Germany Stadionsortshall
May 30 Copenhagen, Denmark The Forum
May 31 Oslo, Norway The Spektrum
Jun. 2 Helsinki, Finland Hartwall Arena
Jun. 4 Gothenburg, Sweden Scandinavium
Jun. 5 Stockholm, Sweden The Globe
Van Morrison
Jun. 3 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Jun. 4 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheater
Jun. 5 San Francisco, CA Fleadh Festival
Beth Orton
May 29 Baltimore, MD WHFS Fest @ Ravens Stadium
Jun. 2 Washington DC 9:30 Club
Jun. 3 New York, NY Roseland
Jun. 4 Philadelphia, PA Theater of the Living Arts
Pinetop Seven
May 27 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
May 28 Boston, MA Middle East Upstairs
May 29 Montreal, QC The Jailhouse Rock Cafe
May 30 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Jun. 1 London, ON Call the Office
Jun. 2 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Jun. 3 Chicago, IL Metro
Jun. 4 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Jun. 5 Nashville, TN The End
Rammstein
Jun. 1 Washington, DC Nation Ballroom
Jun. 2 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Jun. 4 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Jun. 5 Worcester, MA Worcester Palladium
764-HERO
Jun. 3 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Jun. 4 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl
Jun. 5 Louisville, KY Mercory Paw
Skunk Anansie
Jun. 1 Washington, DC Nation
Jun. 2 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Jun. 4 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Jun. 5 Worcester, MA Palladium
Sonic Youth
Jul. 2 Berkeley, CA The Greek
Jul. 4 Irvine Lakes, CA Irvine Lakes
Sparklehorse / Mercury Rev
Jun. 2 Chicago, IL Metro
Jun. 3 Columbus, OH Mekka
Jun. 5 Atlanta, GA Cotton Club
Sally Taylor
May 28 Destin, FL Harbor Docks
Jun. 1 Nags Nead, NC Port O' Call
Jun. 3 Arlington, VA Iota Club & Cafe
Jun. 4 Baltimore, MD Recher Theater
Jun. 5 Ocean City, MD Mellow Beach Sunset Bar
George Thorogood / Jake Andrews
Jun. 2 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theater
Jun. 3 Toledo, OH Promenade Park
Jun. 4 Peoria, IL Madison Theater
Jun. 5 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Jun. 6 St. Louis, MO Fox Theater
Those Bastard Souls
May 27 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge
May 28 Nashville, TN End
May 29 Memphis, TN Hi Tone
May 30 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill
May 31 Champaign, IL Mike and Molly's
Jun. 2 Iowa City, IA Gabe's
Jun. 3 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Jun. 4 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Jun. 5 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
UB40
Jun. 4 East Rutherford, NJ The Meadowlands
Jun. 5 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Verve Pipe / Papa Vegas
May 27 Green Bay, WI Riverside Ballroom
May 28 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line
May 31 Denver, CO Bluebird
Jun. 3 Seattle, WA Showbox Theatre
Jun. 4 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
---
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