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Consumable Online Issue 190
== ISSUE 190 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [October 21, 1999]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J.
Baranowski, Mike Bederka, Jason
Cahill, Matthew Carlin, Patrick Carmosino, John
Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale, Paul
Hanson, Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Scott Hudson,
Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes
Long, Iain Kenneth MacLeod, 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
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: Nine Inch Nails, _The Fragile_ - Krisjanis P. Gale
REVIEW: XTC, _Homespun_ - Wes Long
REVIEW: Gomez, _Liquid Skin_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Indigo Girls, _Come On Now Social_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Smithereens, _God Save the Smithereens_ - Don Share
REVIEW: Stereophonics, _Performance and Cocktails_ - Scott Slonaker
REVIEW: Everything but the Girl, _Temperamental_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Saturday Night Live The Musical Performances
Vols. 1 & 2_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Johnny Cash, _At Folsom Prison_ - John Davidson
REVIEW: ZZ Top, _XXX_ - Don Share
REVIEW: The Innocence Mission, _birds of my neighborhood_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Long Beach Dub Allstars, _Right Back_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Pennywise, _Straight Ahead_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Sloan, _Between the Bridges_ - Iain Kenneth MacLeod
REVIEW: Archer Prewitt, _White Sky_ - Chelsea Spear
NEWS: Jimmy Page / Black Crowes
TOUR DATES: ABC, Agnostic Front, Anti Flag / Dropkick Murphys,
Ben Folds Five / Fleming & John, Broadside Electric, Buzzcocks /
Lunachicks / Down By Law, Danzig, Del The Funky Homosapien &
Casual, Ani DiFranco, DJ Shadow, Johnny Dowd, Fastbacks, Ben
Harper, Indigo Girls, Ladybug Transistor, Ben Lee, Leftfield,
Len / Styles of Beyond, Live, Luscious Jackson, Magnetic Fields,
Minders, Moby, Alanis Morissette, Pietasters / Pilfers / Spring
Heeled Jack, Smash Palace, Sonia Dada, Stereo Total, Superchunk,
Sally Taylor, Richard Thompson, Tonic / Goo Goo Dolls, Type O
Negative, Watsonville Patio, Robbie Williams, Josh Wink
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Nine Inch Nails, _The Fragile_ (Nothing / Interscope)
- Krisjanis P. Gale
After a long period of musical silence, and a fair amount of
personal strife, Trent Reznor is back with a vengeance. During his
absence, fans ellicited numerous requests to "save rock and roll,"
and with his work on _The Fragile,_ it may well be said that he has
come pretty close.
More so than his previous efforts, this seems to be a definitive
rock album, with some genuine straight-ahead traditional guitar work
screaming along with the synths, metallic percussion, and raw distortion.
Also, like never before, Trent's lyrics are actually coherent and
audible beyond his thickly, deliberately constructed walls of sound.
More expressive than his previous work, _The Fragile_ goes further than
mere angst, dipping into Trent's own tattered psyche, and pulling out
shards of musical mirrors.
Although Trent will deny any resemblence of this album to his
debut outing _Pretty Hate Machine_ and the frightfully bizarre
_Downward Spiral," it is undeniable that he's gotten back to his old
tricks, refining and expanding them.
It's all here. All the bits and pieces that make NIN what it
is are all present and accounted for: clever synth-work, strange
electronically assembled choirs, traveling percussion, distorted
syncopation, wandering and funky basslines, and high-pitched
piano-esque leads that arrive without warning to punch through the mix
only to leave just as abruptly. And let's not forget that Trent's been
rapping in that deep deadpan "don't care worth a damn" voice ever
since "Down In It" first hit the airwaves.
There is the the time-tested formula of brutal, punishing
verses of ascending screams and fuzzy guitar work, climaxing to absolute
insanity, breaking down to near silence, and building up to another
explosion of noise. And there are the exceptions to the rule: the
slow, soulful groove-centric songs aching with beautiful emotional
oblivion.
Fortunately, perhaps taking a tip from the critics, or (most
likely) following his own desire to always expand his horizons, Trent's
taken the signature sound in new directions, going so far as to add
echoes of spaghetti-Western guitar twang, funky synth-bass, and hints
of trip-hop and jungle.
The only real downside to _The Fragile_ are the songs that are
par for the course, but are lost among the songs that shine with
brilliance, technical prowess, and fine execution. Trent could have
middled the 2-CD, 23-song set down to one disc - but would a white
quartz shine as brightly if not the the grey stones around it? I
think not.
The noteworthy tunes are really quite remarkable. "The Day
the World Went Away" is a big, fat rock epic which, in parts, has all
the groove and soul of Faith No More's "Edge of the World" (and other
assorted bits of "The Real Thing"). "The Frail" is an edgy ambient
tune which leads quite cleanly into "The Wretched," a track which
sounds like a fitting sequel to "Sanctified," from _Pretty Hate Machine,_
with a pounding drumline, and a deep,haunting piano line.
The title track, "The Fragile," has a slow, heavy rhythm, and
a chorus that'll remind you of "Piggy," from _Downward Spiral._ At
minute 2, second 25, Trent goes off on a tangent, and delves into a
cacophony of odd, dissonant, pitch-bent guitar. The tune picks up
again into a Soundgarden-esque black hole of a solo.
"Just Like You Imagined" is, in my humble opinion, the most
powerful track on the whole set. This well-done instrumental piece
starts off with some understated, minimalist tribal percussion. A
slick cascade of piano introduces a bit of silence, then a lead screams
right into the mix, the percussion starts up again, and then layer by
layer, more and more guitar and synth work is added until, sadly, the
song ends too soon, just as quietly as it began.
A true trip-hop tune, "Even Deeper" has some very clever
percussion, syncopating and fumbling over itself, a set of big, flowing,
sad strings, and filtered echo guitar filling out the mix. The trip-hop
tricks pause appropriately for Trent's signature power-chord guitar &
screaming vocal choruses.
At this point, disc "Left" delves into some more sheer noise,
some bubble-gum Industrial ala Stabbing Westward on "No, You Don't", a
bit of ambient featuring an upright bass on "La Mer", and an understated
outro.
Onto disc "Right" we go. Following the introduction of "The
Way Out is Through," "Into the Void" starts with some odd, metallic,
tribal percussion, and an uncharacteristic bit of cello work (Trent?
cello?). The tune stumbles right into some slick drum work and a
funky synth-bass line that cruises down Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue,"
bobbing its head all the way.
Next up is "Where is Everybody," a song in which Trent apparently
actually sings, instead of simply screaming in tune. The chorusis a
forced rhyme which shouldn't work, but has an undeniably catchy cadence.
"Please" could have just as easily appeared on the Smashing Pumpkins'
next outing, with a really clean and funky pluck-and-slap bassline, and
a sing-songy chorus with an infectious rock progression.
Despite its unfortunate title and chorus, there's a lot going on
within the overstated angst of "Starf*ckers, Inc." Trent does this
trick with his voice in the verses, wherein he has clearly sampled his
voice, cut it up, and sequenced each bit deliberately, precisely in line
with the rhythm. What you get is an awesome, inhuman, robotic effect.
Besides that, there's some great rhythm work on this track, and guitar
lines that'll pick you up and get you slam-dancing.
Then, the second disc wanders for several tracks, exploring
sounds akin to Garbage's _2.0,_ some strange machine-noise, whistling
vocals, and clean omniscient synths. "Underneath it all" gets back to
business. This track is somewhat like "Mr. Self Destruct" on _Downward
Spiral,_ but less punishing and with a much better executed layer of
vocals. A good eight or nine Trent-clones pile one atop the other,
phasing their way right above the rest ofthe mix. "Ripe (with Decay)"
is fitting end to the two discs, with little to no percussion, and an
acoustic calmly plucking itsway towards distraction.
There's lots to like about _The Fragile._ There's also plenty
to upset and disturb your average listener. It's a fair bet that
long-time fans of Nine Inch Nails will be willing to negate the bad,
and focus on the bits of genius scattered about the two discs. Everyone
else previewing a few tracks of disc "Left" in their local record store
will probably be disappointed and ask kindly to havethe album put back
on the shelves.
In either case, it's clear that Trent Reznor has stood up once
again to the challenge of being one of the noisiest, strangest, and truly
experimental among the veterans electronic music.
---
REVIEW: XTC, _Homespun_ (TVT)
- Wes Long
When his nearly debilitating bout of stage fright derailed
the incessantly touring bullet train that was XTC in the early 80's,
Andy Partridge happily resigned himself to the role of studio
wizard. Content to mimic Oz's man behind the curtain, Andy would
be the first to tell you to pay him no attention, it's the music,
not the man that matters. This was ever evident when the lads from
Swindon returned from a somewhat self imposed seven year musical
hiatus with Apple Venus Volume 1, a sparkling release chock-full
of courage, heart and brains that easily found a home on the short
list of 1999's better recordings.
While the promise of _Apple Venus Volume 2_ looms on the
horizon, slated for a spring 2000 release date, the duo (trio minus
longtime guitar guru Dave Gregory) have released a quick fix to
stave off the ensuing withdrawal symptoms in their piranha rabid
fan base. _Homespun_ offers the fans a glimpse at AV1 in its
original 8-track home demo form. With identical track sequence,
_Homespun_ contains extensive liner notes for each song written
by Andy and bassist Colin Moulding as well as hand written lyrics
complete with furious scratch marks and corrections. The
packaging couldn't be nicer, and in keeping with the title and
idea of the disc the cover art is a cross-stitch version of the
peacock feathered AV1 cover.
In the words of Mr. Partridge: "We put together _Homespun_
because everyone likes to be voyeuristic, and XTC admirers more
than anyone else seem to have a voyeuristic streak. So we thought
we'd treat them to a look at our sketches for AV1 - though most
fans probably already have them in tenth-generation bootlegged
cassettes. The spooky thing is it doesn't sound all that
different from the finished product. Does this mean that we are
8-track demogods?" Yes Andy, judging by the quality of the demos,
it does.
_Homespun_ is a must have for any fan of the band, and
surprisingly not a bad place to start for the XTC novice. Though
they gilded the lily a bit by hiring a producer to clean up and
master their original demos, what you get here is XTC stripped down
to the bare minimum, and that's something not heard since the early
days of the band.
XTC fans have come to expect the unexpected over the twenty
something year career of the band that rarely records and refuses
to tour. That XTC could survive a period of more than two decades
having dangerously little commercial success is a tribute to their
music. _Homespun_ is a tribute to their fans.
---
REVIEW: Gomez, _Liquid Skin_ (Virgin)
- Christina Apeles
Who's afraid of the sophomore jinx? Not Gomez. Their debut
album, _Bring It On_, was no doubt one of the most refreshing albums
of last year, and their second album, _Liquid Skin_, serves as yet
another glisten of hope that rock'n'roll will continue to evolve.
After receiving numerous awards from their home country of England
and well-deserved acclaim in the U.S., Gomez returns with a brilliant
collection of songs that showcases their genius. Plentiful in its rock
fervor, bluesy rhythms and rich verse, _Liquid Skin_ is far from a
poor follow-up album; it is lyrical splendor.
Tom Gray, Ian Ball, Ben Ottewelle, Paul Blackburn and Olly
Peacock together offer a tour through a textured musical landscape
full of suprising lyrical turns, chorus upon chorus, dense orchestrations
and experimental twists, in songs like "Bring It On," "Blue Moon Rising"
and "We Haven't Turned Around." "Rythm & Blues Alibi" is a stunning song,
with Ball and Ottewell trading off on verses and choruses, steeped in
Americana, as is "California." With a vocal factor of three (Ball,
Ottewell, Gray) creating a diverse number of tracks, with one to three
of the members singing on each song, alongside stratified bass lines,
percussion, keyboards, and guitars, at times, so much is happening at
once, it is overwhelming. But then again, when's the last time a song
overwhelmed you?
Gomez's music is a kind of archeological exploration of musical
directions over the decades where you may come across The Beatles, Jimi
Hendrix, Nirvana and even Dusty Springfield. The eleven tracks on
_Liquid Skin_ reach back through history, incorporating horns in the
tradition of jazz, variations on early pop hooks, harmonica to capture
the true Americana spirit; at the same time pushing forward into the
future with the use of an underwater microphone, an electric guitar as
a gigantic drum mic and playing percussion on a fire extinguisher. So
maybe someone played on an extinguisher before, but at the heart of
these schemes is a desire to experiment and develop their sound which
Gomez continues to do, and do well. _Liquid Skin_ is a journey you
should take again and again, because just as with Gomez's first album,
_Bring It On_, you only begin to appreciate what a jewel it is when its
many musical layers are revealed -- then embraced -- with every
listen.
---
REVIEW: Indigo Girls, _Come On Now Social_ (Epic)
- Bob Gajarsky
On the Indigo Girls seventh studio album _Come On
Now Social_, Emily Saliers and Amy Ray show that more than a
decade of performing hasn't dulled their musical senses,
but instead, made them sharper.
With a diversity much wider than the background
from their Georgia base, _Come On Now Social_ covers the
American music scene in all its glory. Need proof?
Here's some examples:
The eerie and dark "Sister" cover the Julee
Cruise / haunted genre, while the harmonious "Peace
Tonight", with a surprising complement of horns, works
delightfully. First single "Go" and "Trouble" are as
rock as Emily and Amy have ever been on record, with
both women showing off their electric guitars. And
the country-rock sound of "Ozilline" is a quieter, more
subdued version of something found on a John Mellencamp
record.
And punk? Yup, that's on here too.
"Compromise" gets a helping hand from Luscious
Jackson's Kate Schellenbach on drums, and bass from Me'Shell
Ndegeocello. Maybe a more powerful voice than Ray's would
expose this song to a crowd that has never heard the Indigo
Girls before, but we'll see if some band on Epitaph has
the foresight to put this on their next album.
Old Indigo Girls fans shouldn't fret, however.
The folky "Gone Again" has a timeless feel to it, while
"Soon To Be Nothing" gives older Indigo Girls fans a sense
of warm familiarity, as it is strife with musical references
to their hit, "Power of Two".
Other guests appear with the Girls on some of the
tracks, including backing vocals from Joan Osborne and Sheryl
Crow. Rather than expect the album to sound just like those
artists, however, Saliers and Ray have chosen to expand their
musical horizons with the diverse influences of their guests.
And, on _Come On Now Social_, the duo have wildly succeeded.
---
REVIEW: The Smithereens, _God Save the Smithereens_ (Velvel/Koch)
- Don Share
The title alludes to an old Reprise Records campaign to reawaken
interest in The Kinks following a few hard and low key years when,
forsaking hits, Ray Davies turned out masterpieces, instead. The
Smithereens have similarly just emerged from a 5-year period of
fragmentation, dormancy, and scrambling for a record label. Here they
are again, with their sixth album, which for this reason and that
almost never happened.
It's an unusual album, too. This time around, all four members of
the band contributed to the songwriting; this being a band whose work
and career is full of analogues to '60s counterparts, maybe it's worth
pointing out that this was the case at the end of Creedence Clearwater's
string of albums, as well. At any rate, _God Save the Smithereens_ is
tinged with a compelling combination of darkness and pent-up excitement.
With the first track, we're in familiar territory: "She's Got a
Way" is good old-fashioned, hook-laden, single-from-the-album material.
But right away, with "House at the End of the World," which is a
male/female duet, things are less British Invasion and more Imperial
Bedroom. Ominous lyrics and music characterize the track, as they
also do the striking "Flowers in Blood" and "Try" -- some of this is
as dark and textured as the Posies used to get in their murkier
moments. Not a bad thing, but it's disconcerting to hear in our
beloved Smithereens!
There are still the homages to pop from the past we've come to
cherish, though. "The Long Loneliness" is almost like Martin Newell
(worth checking out, if you haven't heard of him); it features a
pounding Mike Mesaros bass line to match the strong lyric: "I broke
the rules thoughout the book..." Meanwhile, "Someday" has the
Beatles-esque phrase, "things we did today," which is a bit
distracting, while "The Age of Innocence" is more Kinks than Edith
Wharton, with its _Something Else_-style trombone and handclaps.
Meanwhile, "All Revved Up" is a cousin to the Beach Boys' "Dance,
Dance, Dance," while "Even If I Never Get Back Home" is a little
like the Move, though Roy Wood never sounded so grim.
But beyond these familiar touches, it's a strange, unsettling
album, and strangest of all is a version of Billie Holiday's classic
"Gloomy Sunday," which Pat DiNizio makes his own: a diminishment,
alas, through no fault of his. Tellingly, on "I Believe," DiNizio
sings, "There just has to be more to this life than the will to
survive." Since _God Save the Smithereens_ provides ample proof
that the band has indeed survived, you have to wonder what the
implications are; on the closer, "The Last Good Time," the words,
"Good-bye, good-bye, good-bye," are chanted. This is a band that
deserves more than survival, to be sure. While this album is a
distant descendent of the great _Especially For You_, _Green
Thoughts_, and _11_, let's hope there's more to come.
---
REVIEW: Stereophonics, _Performance and Cocktails_ (V2)
- Scott Slonaker
The sophomore record from Wales' biggest band is not likely to
change any fortunes in America, but it has easy appeal to any Anglophile
who's picked up on their dynamic, classic sound.
Stereophonics are somewhere musically between Oasis and the
Manic Street Preachers, more thoughtful than the former and with less
to say than the latter. Along with those two acts, they carry the
arena-rock torch left behind by U2 on their field trip to the state of
confusion.
The band's strengths are quite obvious, and plenty effective.
Singer Kelly Jones has the best voice in British rock music today --
Liam Gallagher's soar, minus the annoying whine and plus a bluesy,
shivery edge. As this might indicate, Stereophonics do ballads quite
well. I count no less than six here -- none as luxurious and atmospheric
as "Traffic," the centerpiece of _Word Gets Around_, but all solid
enough. Perhaps the best is "Hurry Up and Wait," although "Just
Looking" has charted high overseas. Most of the rest clog up the
second half of the record, rendering it significantly less memorable
than the first.
Even though this album doesn't have a true home run (gooooooal?)
such as "Traffic," it is more consistent than its predecessor and
contains a couple of good faster singles as well. The lyrically
Kinks-ish "The Bartender and the Thief" and the effusive "Pick a Part
That's New" show the band filling out its bag of tricks quite nicely.
Next project: adding *memorable* strings and pianos and such without
diluting anything. Ask the Manics.
Stereophonics are a young band who have yet to make their
masterpiece -- but they're getting closer. Hopefully their massive
overseas fanbase doesn't get in the way.
---
REVIEW: Everything but the Girl, _Temperamental_ (Atlantic)
- Chris Hill
"I'm going to let nobody down," sings Tracey Thorn in "Low Tide
of the Night." She could be voicing the lyric to fans of the group.
Rarely does a band of so many years reinvent themselves with such
success, but EbtG has made its transition from undeserved
adult-contemporary limbo to house favorites look routine.
No surprise. EbtG built an reputation early on for mutability.
As Thorn said in a 1988 interview, "It just seems to us the obvious
thing to do...once we've made one LP, nothing would interest us less
than to do the same one again." Jazz, country, pop, orchestra, acoustic,
drum 'n' bass, house -- all facets of the EbtG diamond, and ones that
glint here and there on _Temperamental_.
Let's recap. EbtG's current incarnation owes life to several
things: a brilliant pairing with British dub sensations Massive Attack,
Todd Terry's smash remix of "Missing," and, perhaps most intimately,
Ben Watt's near-fatal contraction of Churg-Strauss Syndrome (documented
in his personal account, "Patient"). Having faced death, Watt gained a
new perspective on risk and reward. The stagnancy EbtG had complained
of in interviews no longer appeared as an obstacle. '96s _Walking
Wounded_ was their first complete step in yet another arena, wooing
club culture with tracks like "Before Today," "Wrong" and "Single."
Now the new album is out, with the Watt/Thorn duo grown
comfortable in their new clothes.
"Five Fathoms," the first single, is a seamless segue from the
last EbtG release, their collaboration with Deep Dish on the song, "The
Future of the Future (Stay Gold)" (released by the latter on _Junk
Science_ and included on _Temperamental_). It's a pulsing rumpshaker,
and if you can get around the album's weakest lyric ("I'm not immune. I
love this tune."), then you're hooked. Only two other shortcomings to
mention: the ninety-eight-percent instrumental "Compression" and the
regrettable absence of Watt's vocals. "Compression" is filler, and
places should have been exchanged with a vocal track, or even the
Latin-flavored "Firewall", the b-side instrumental featured on the
"Five Fathoms" single(s). As for Watt, perhaps he's more comfortable
scratching and laying down beats, but he's missed.
Time has been well spent since the last record. As Watt says
on their official website (http://www.ebtg.co.uk): "I was out in the
city so much...At night in midweek clubs, coming home alone from DJing,
during the day record-shopping, watching people, feeling changed by what
I saw, absorbing. It spoke to me a lot. A lot of the lyrics explore
this, I think."
"Who should I be tonight?/Who's gonna see tonight?" ("Low Tide
of the Night"), "How much of yourself do you give away/after someone's
left your life in disarray?/It still hurts but it won't show/because
I'm too proud/so you're never ever gonna know" ("Lullaby of Clubland").
As with _Walking Wounded_, the lyric writing has been tailored to fit
the form. Short, quick couplets, dealing with themes both fresh and
familiar to the longtime fan, but primarily the irony that hedonism
both allays and amplifies one's isolation with pretense and masks,
finding release in the club scene, enjoying the immediate satisfaction
of physical exertion and attraction, but gaining awareness of the gap
that separates us all by stepping on to the bridge.
The wagging finger rhythms of the spurned lover moving on in
"Lullaby of Clubland" are wildly infectious. If this isn't slotted for
a single, it should be. The title track was pegged as the second single,
but that honor's been shifted to the more uptempo, less soulful "Blame"
(perhaps due to the falsetto Thorn employs on "Temperamental"?).
Unfortunate. The risk should be rewarded. It's a deeper cut, though
"Blame" employs beats and a bass courtesy of Metalheadz' J Majik, so
perhaps it was chosen for crossover appeal.
For old-school EbtG fans, their jazz history is perfectly meshed
with house music on cuts like "Downhill Racer" and "No Difference."
Horns slide in and out of the rhythms, with Thorn's voice capturing
the same winsome melancholia of past favorites like "Oxford Street" or
"Two Star."
Truly, Thorn's singing has always been a strength in their
various incarnations, and here it's no different. "Hatfield 1980," a
gutsy title given that it points out the age difference between the
band and many of their newfound fans, is a sweetly voiced recollection
set to a dreamy, slow beat. The lyrical aloneness is mirrored by the
vacant, urban landscape: "We'll have to go through the deserted shopping
centre/Pedestrian walkways/I thought they were meant to make things
better/but it's just emptier/and scary at night time."
Subject to interpretation, "Downhill Racer" is a look at EbtG's
career and the affection that's stood up between the pair through the
years and trials. "If you can ride the backlash/ there's still time for
a comeback/you don't have to lie down and die/but Lazarus he only did it
the one time/he couldn't face another try."
Luckily, Thorn and Watt could. All in all, a more assured effort
than _Walking Wounded_, and worth the wait.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Saturday Night Live The Musical
Performances Vols. 1 & 2_ (Dreamworks)
- Scott Hudson
Let the celebration begin! Saturday Night Live is celebrating
25 years as television's reigning king of groundbreaking, cutting edge,
late-night comedy. And while many networks are singing it's praises
through a proliferation of interviews, reruns and specials; SNL and
Dreamworks Records have chosen to commemorate the event with the release
of the most memorable musical moments from the show. Hence, _Saturday
Night Live 25, The Musical Performances Vols.1 & 2_. This two-volume
compilation, sold separately, reflects the show's vital commitment of
presenting to their audience, a wide variety of musical styles.
Volume 1 features a treasure-trove of standup performances for
Pop/Rock lovers. Billy Joel's chart-topper "Only The Good Die Young" is
nothing short of masterful, while Lenny Kravitz' "Are You Gonna Go My
Way" rocks the audience like nobody's business. Eric Clapton's signature
guitar licks give his passionate version of "Wonderful Tonight" a touch
of class and is a perfect segue to the Counting Crows somber intro to
"Round Here." Jazzy renditions like Jewel's "Who Will Save Your Soul"
and Sting's "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" are squeaky clean, while
Randy Newman's love for the City of Angels is solidified in his classic
"I Love L.A."
This disc also includes Elvis Costello's controversial
1977 appearance where he abruptly halted the "record company-sanctioned"
"Less Than Zero" in midstream and blasted into the "music-industry
indictment," "Radio, Radio" in one of the most memorable performances
in SNL history. The disc also includes classic sets by the Greatful Dead,
David Bowie, Paul Simon and Tom Petty to name a few.
Volume 2 boasts a more diverse mix of artists and styles. The
highlights of this volume are many, from Nirvana's angst-ridden rendition
of "Rape Me" to Chrissie Hynde's (Pretenders) soulful lament on "I'll
Stand By You." Rock fans will devour the live versions of Oasis'
"Acquiesce", Green Day's "When I Come Around" and the Beastie Boys
wicked performance of "Sabotage" which kicks royal ass. Hip-Hop king
Dr. Dre owns the audience on "Been There Done That" while TLC lures
them in on "Creep." Not to be forgotten are outstanding performances
by R.E.M., Alanis Morissette, Hole, Beck and many more.
While SNL 25, The Musical Performances, Vols. 1 & 2 are
outstanding compilations in and of themselves, they only represent 30
of nearly a 1,000 musical performances aired by the show in the past 25
years.
However, the development of further volumes is in the works which
will include not only vintage musical performances, but musical comedy
as well. In the meantime, SNL 25 Vols. 1 & 2 should keep listeners glued
to their CD players, gettin' off on classic musical moments courtesy of
Saturday Night Live!
---
REVIEW: Johnny Cash, _At Folsom Prison_ (Sony/Legacy)
- John Davidson
Johnny Cash is a legend whose contribution to popular music
can hardly be overstated. But you already knew that, and since his
musical presence has been with you your entire life, you probably
haven't ever bothered to wonder how he became so famous, let alone
go out and buy one of his albums. Oh, you might have picked up one of
his American Recordings albums around the time SPIN was christening it
hip enough, but you most likely weren't picking up musty classics like
_Hello, I'm Johnny Cash_ from the used vinyl bin. After all, with his
music showing up in every nook and cranny of Americana and over sixty
albums to choose from, where would you begin anyway?
_At Folsom Prison_ is a dandy place to start, although it was
originally released only about ten years into a career that has spanned
close to forty-five. As a setting or even a publicity stunt, it's hard
to imagine a modern musician cutting a live album in a prison, despite
the abundance of bleeding hearts involved in the entertainment industry.
However, it was perfect for Cash and his believable, common man
bravado. There's no mistaking his sneer at the problems in a
"correctional" facility, and this marked the beginning of a variety
of causes he took on over the years. Still, this album is powerful
for the gritty musical performance Cash gave that cool day back in
January of 1968. Country music has long been a venue for the down and
out storyteller, and here Cash proves that he is the master. His
distinct baritone, while not at all virtuoso, is filled with conviction
and rumble, somehow carrying experience that transcends the lyrics
without the goofy over-emoting so common in music today. Whether
scrapping along in the classic "Folsom Prison Blues" or bleeding in
"Dark As the Dungeon," you get the feeling he's been to the places
he's singing about. Other now-classic Cash tunes in his trademark
rockabilly such as "Cocaine Blues," "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog" and
"Jackson" (with future wife June Carter) come alive here, and benefit
tremendously from the 20-bit re-mastering. A fine bonus to this re-issue
are photos, Cash's Grammy-winning liner notes, liner notes by Steve
Earle, previously unpublished photos and three previously unissued
bonus tracks -- the kind of stuff generally reserved for a boxed set.
While the major labels can rightfully be accused of trying to
make a fast buck by re-releasing new versions of classics on compact
disc, Sony's American Heritage Series has started things off right by
providing solid value in _At Folsom Prison_. It's an excellent upgrade
from the vinyl version, and though it's a too brief sample of a long,
wonderful career, this timeless album from Johnny Cash could bookend
any music fan's collection.
---
REVIEW: ZZ Top, _XXX_ (RCA)
- Don Share
The new ZZ Top album is called _XXX_ -- is it rated Triple-X?
Does it stand for 30 years of something, or 30 albums (that one seems
plausible!) or three identical-looking guys (hmm, also plausible)?
Let's assume it's all or some of the above, or that it really
doesn't matter. From the '70s all the way into the '90s, the Little Old
Band From Texas has been putting out albums which are remarkably
consistent in quality, and whose sound and songwriting has been tweaked
just enough to update things ever so slightly; a winning, for the most
part, formula.
Those early albums were really something, too: if you were
around back then, you might recall that the Top nearly rivaled the Stones
and Skynyrd, on the radio and in concert, for excitement. Look at those
bands today: with personnel modifications, they sorta soldier on, while
ZZ Top are still intact (well, there's only 3 guys to worry about), and
I'd say that the Top are for the most part doing so less embarassingly
than their colleagues.
Yet because their formula has been so tried and true, it's now
true to call it a bit tired. You get your fill of grungy gut-bucket
guitar with greasy vocals -- but the novelty songs seem to have less
novelty, and, to paraphrase Led Zeppelin (a band not around anymore),
the songs remain mostly the same. If you're a big ZZ Top fan, this is
welcome news, of course.
Like _Fandango_, a better album, _XXX_ is part studio, part
live. The studio tracks are a bit hip-hoppy, which isn't a big problem:
nothing disguises the Top, and change is good, right? And tunes like
"Poke Chop Sandwich," about Lightnin' Hopkins' drummer, Spider, keeping
such a sammich on his tom-tom, and the more obvious "Crucifixx-A-Flatt,"
(about, well, I guess about having faith to spare on the rocky road of
life) are even close to Tom Waitsy. But then you have "Fearless Boogie,"
"36-22-36" and a live reworking of "Pincushion" called "Sinpusher," which
are mostly, ahem, retreads.
"Made Into A Movie," if I can analyze a Top tune, makes no sense.
It says, "I found her again and that's not just a line," and that finding
love again is a story that's right outta Hollywood: but if it's a script
for a movie, then it's filled with lines, right? Oh, well.
"Beatbox" pays tribute to the Walkman (it's also the anniversary
of the Walkman, ya know), and "Tripping" pays tribute to, er, tripping.
Both are in the tuneless chugaloo department. For the other songs, the
band have their tongues firmly in their cheeks, which are so bearded by
now you can't see 'em. "Dreadmonboogaloo" uses samples of radio weirdo
Art Bell -- ingeniously, too. You hear Bell intone, "This is Art...!"
Art, get it? "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" is sung (by Dusty) as a slow
blues of all things, while "Hey Mr. Millionaire" features, apparently, a
rare assisting vocal from Jeff Beck! Best by far is last: "Belt Buckle" -
superb bit of vintage Texas shuffling and scraping.
ZZ Top are OK. Their charm hasn't aged at all, and they're tight
as...tight as can be. The tunes are zippy and catchy and if you don't
like one, another comes along. If there's a ho-hummable song now and
then, it doesn't hurt much. The trouble is that with such a great
back-catalog, most folks don't need _XXX_. Yep, you guessed it: this is
an album for dedicated fans.
---
REVIEW: The Innocence Mission, _birds of my neighborhood_
(RCA/Kneeling Elephant)
- Jon Steltenpohl
There is something indescribably beautiful about the way an
Innocence Mission song can touch you. Softness and delicacy pervade
their albums so completely that they makes you take pause. It is a gift
that few artists have, and that even fewer can consistently draw upon.
With their fourth album in thirteen years, The Innocence Mission has
again created an album of incredible simplicity and peace. Although the
time between albums is painfully long for their fans, _birds of my
neighborhood_ makes the waiting worth it.
_birds of my neighborhood_ was recorded by Don and Karen Peris
on vocals and guitars and with bassist Mike Bitts in their home and at
a converted factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania near the Amish country.
In the press release, Don Peris says "We recorded all around the house,
in the attic, the dining room and in the basement among drying laundry."
For a pop album, it is an environment far away from the hustle and
bustle of the big city, and it allows for reflection and pondering.
Which are exactly what Karen Peris' lyrics thrive upon. She creates a
setting that feels like sitting by a frosted window on a quiet winter
afternoon and reflecting on the most personal and private moments of
your life.
In the past, Karen Peris focused mainly on emotional stories
which seemed to be observations of others. Her portraits always seemed
to be of dusty images in a forgotten scrapbook, but on _birds of my
neighborhood_ she is much more focused on her own struggles. One theme
that resonates strongly is the Peris' struggle to have a child. In a
sorrowful song called "July," Peris sings, "This barren July / we both
wake up so dry / that no more tears can leave us." On "Birdless," she
describes a time "when we are lost in Carlisle / when we are birdless /
flowerless in the spring / and cannot sing." Yet, in both songs, she
finds slight pieces of hope despite her melancholy. "The Lakes of
Canada" brilliantly touches on those small flashes of goodness. "Look
for me another day," she implores, "I feel that I could change / there's
a sudden joy that's like / a fish, a moving light / I thought I saw it /
rowing on the lakes of Canada."
Along with their own songs, for the first time, The Innocence
Mission includes a cover of another artist. The track is an old John
Denver song called "Follow Me." It's a choice that might induce a
raised eyebrow or a chuckle, but where Denver's version feels dated,
The Innocence Mission brings the song alive. The soft bass and chiming
electric guitar put a background on Karen Peris' soft vocals, and, in
their hands, it is as much of a love song as it is a lullaby.
The biggest change with _birds of my neighborhood_ is a focus
on sparse arrangements. _Glow_ had a more electronic, pop feel to it,
and its first sounds were the beat of Steve Brown's drums. But the band
has parted ways with percussionist Steve Brown on all but one song on
_birds of my neighborhood_, and has focused on an acoustic bass and
guitar rhythm backed with atmospheric bells from the electric guitar
and keyboards. While the songs and the style remain true to their
previous albums, this is a much more intimate album that doesn't feel
the need to keep up with a beat. Peris's unique vocals have always been
beautiful yet hard to decipher, and they benefit from this simpler
setting. Mike Bitts sticks to an upright acoustic bass, and the lush
background he provides is perfectly subtle and sparse.
_birds of my neighborhood_ is another beautiful album from The
Innocence Mission. While it doesn't feel as radio friendly as their
previous album, _Glow_, it is a fan's delight. It combines all of those
things which makes The Innocence Mission such a treasure. Karen Peris
continues her string of deeply simple and emotional portraits of
everyday life, and Don Peris' arrangements are dreamy and beautiful.
---
REVIEW: Long Beach Dub Allstars, _Right Back_ (Dreamworks)
- Scott Hudson
For Sublime bandmates drummer Bud Gaugh and bassist Eric Wilson,
1996 was a year of unimaginable highs and tragic lows. There was the
multi-platinum success of Sublime's self-titled disc coupled with the
death of friend and frontman Brad Nowell of an heroin overdose. And
while the death of Nowell brought the curtain down on the genre-defying
Sublime, Gaugh and Wilson dusted themselves off and forged ahead with
the formation of the Long Beach Dub Allstars and their debut release
_Right Back_.
_Right Back_ proves to be a departure, though not a total one,
from the proven formula that made Sublime successful. This seven-piece
unit further expands the musical boundries defined by their predecessor
to create a reggae/rock/hip-hop/dub blowout where warm grooves and
crunchy rhythms abound.
Absent however, are the hits. There is no "What I Got,"
"Santeria" or "Wrong Way" to captivate the airwaves. Instead there are
twelve lively tracks that flow seamlessly from one song to the next
while meticulously maintaining the integrity of their roots.
The record gets off to a great start with the road-trip party
rockin' "Rosarito," while former Bad Brains frontman HR lends his
haunting vocal expertise to "New Sun." On "Kick Down" the band lifts
from the cool vibe of Billy Preston's classic chorus line "Nothin' from
nothin' leaves nothin,'" while guest vocalist Tippa Irie takes you on a
ganja-woven glide through Kingston on "Sensi." Reggae luminary Barrington
Levy also reprises his own acoustic-driven, melodic ballad "Saw Red."
With Right Back, the Long Beach Dub Allstars have created an
energetic and fluid offering that will undoubtably appeal to Sublime
fans and reggae purists alike. And while listeners may find the band
with one foot planted firmly in its players' celebrated past, they'll
also notice the other stepping lively into the future.
---
REVIEW: Pennywise, _Straight Ahead_ (Epitaph)
- Steve Kandell
Though the omnipresent single "Alien" sounds more than a little
bit like latter-day Bad Religion, the new Pennywise album is simple
old-school, politically charged Orange County punk. Although there
is some attention to crafting full-sounding production, this is hardly
coated with a poppy sheen, as opening track "Greed" wastes no time in
establishing. With machine-gun drumming and thick guitars, this is
basic, no-frills punk rock.
The seventeen songs on the appropriately titled _Straight Ahead_
race by with little thought given to diversity or experimentation.
Pennywise does one thing well, and they stick to it tenaciously. The
closest thing to an exception is the aforementioned "Alien," which is
more midtempo and melodic and is presumably the bane of any diehard
Pennywise fan's existence. Although the frequent radio airplay no doubt
brings cries of sellout from the faithful, the album as a whole really
is not in this more commercially accessible vein. In fact, people
expecting to hear more songs like the single are in for a rude - and
loud - awakening, which may very well be the band's m.o.
Most of Jim Lindberg's fist-pumpingly anthemic songs are odes
to forging individual identities or decrying governmental/parental
hypocrisy. In other words, the kids love it. ("My Own Country"
actually manages to work in both themes at once.) This more
traditional, intelligent strain of punk may come as a welcome relief
to those frustrated by Pennywise's fellow second generation O.C.
"punk" bands, such as the faux ska-punk of No Doubt or Sugar Ray that
usually passes for "cutting edge" radio.
---
REVIEW: Sloan, _Between the Bridges_ (Murderecords)
- Iain Kenneth MacLeod
During a band's year and a half hiatus, there is enough
time for rumors to spread about breakups, supposed infighting to
leak to the media, and alleged solo projects to be discussed behind
the counter of many small record stores. Perhaps that is why Sloan
decided to work straight through that time and produce 3 great albums,
have their most potent single ("Money City Maniacs") fused with Labatt's
Blue beer ads and also compile a video anthology called "Second Hand
Views." More specifically, their fans were rewarded with the
quintessential double live album entitled _4 Nights at the Palais
Royale_ and their critics were left to proclaim that rock is still
alive and alright with the addition of _Navy Blues_ to their catalog.
Those already familiar with this post-fab foursome should read
no further and quickly add their sixth release _Between the Bridges_
to a nearby shopping cart. It contains all the essential elements that
make discovering which influences were smeared on the many sided record
sleeves so rewarding. With a world tour to begin at the end of October,
Sloan have not only committed themselves to the business but have been
consistently able to keep their 'art' in the right place.
If there is any concept behind this CD, it is hovering over the
city that bore (bored?) them. _Between the Bridges_ is a half-baked
pretentious pop-opera about Halifax, it is a a personal "Farewell to
Nova Scotia" as the band headed off to Toronto. A Maratimer will pick
up on the opening track's reference to an infamous mental institution
while "The Marquee And The Moon," with it's bizarre name checking and
John Cale-like drone, will put a smile on faces within the landscape
between the MacKay and MacDonald bridges. The other tracks show Sloan
continuing to grow and challenge themselves, as well as their listeners,
from the phase shifting of "Sensory Deprivation" to the friendly sing
along harmonies of the first single, "Losing California."
_Between the Bridges_ is not only an extremely solid pop album,
but it is also one of Sloan's most cohesive, mature and focused albums
to date. It is equal parts sensitive, quirky, sensible, and cerebral...
all thanks to the contributions of guitarist Jay Ferguson, bassist Chris
Murphy, guitarist Patrick Pentland and drummer Andrew Scott,
respectively. Since each band member brought an equal portion of songs
to the turntable this time, it will stand up as the first clear example
of what the Sloan democracy is capabale of sounding and feeling like.
---
REVIEW: Archer Prewitt, _White Sky_ (Carrot Top)
- Chelsea Spear
Prepackaged autumnal chill rules the day on Archer Prewitt's
latest album, _White Sky_. With song titles like "Summer's End," "Last
Summer Days" and "Final Season," this album would be as inappropriate a
soundtrack to throwing one's sweaters in mothballs and suffering hay
fever as, say, Game Theory's _Big Shot Chronicles_ is to contemplating
the purchase of school supplies and raking dead leaves. Unfortunately,
however, much of what gives _White Sky_ its collegiate, fall-like feel is
not the things that the song titles would suggest. Unfortunately, many
parts of the album sound like the tunes emanating from upperclassmen
dormitories of years past. The extensive song lengths ("Walking on the
Farm" clocks in at 8:00, with a median song length of about five
minutes), combined with the focus on jam session-esque interludes and
general "chops" all around, brings no one but '70s jazz-rock avatars
Steely Dan to mind. This wouldn't be such a bad thing were this
(unintentional?) tribute committed with the toungue-in-cheek spirit of
the Minutemen's "Dr. Wu" cover, except that Prewitt is lacking the
jovial spirit and sense of humour that marked the entire recorded output
of D. Boon and Mike Watt. Prewitt recapitulates the cold steel angles
of rock music with esoteric influences with a straight face, making
songs like the aforementioned "Walking on the Farm" unbearable to
listen to.
A pity, really, since Prewitt's sonic playfulness and sense of
humour made his earlier combo, the Coctails, a thoroughly enjoyable
bunch. While this kind of jam-session musicianship has a time and a
place, it would have been much more listenable had it been more
carefully blended with a stronger sense of melody and playfulness. Some
tracks showcase Prewitt's past, such as the lush and gorgeous "Raise on
High," and others, such as the rueful "I'll Be Waiting," point him in a
new direction. While _White Sky_ is a much more assertive record than
his previous album, _In the Sun_ (which was so listenable that one only
noticed when the CD stopped spinning), it's questionable whether moving
from "easily listenable" to "at times actively annoying" is a step in
the right direction. On the other hand, some tracks show the singer and
songwriter's deft melodic skills, or show that less is more. Here's
hoping his next album finds him forging ahead in a more positive and
enjoyable direction.
---
NEWS: > Jimmy Page recently joined forces with the Black
Crowes as part of a six-show, mini-tour with shows in New
York City, Boston and Los Angeles. The setlist from the
New York show included songs from the Black Crowes (No
Speak No Slave, Wiser Time, Shake Your $ Maker, Remedy,
Hard To Handle), Led Zeppelin (Celebration Day, Custard
Pie, Sick Sagain, What Is & What Should Never Be, Ten
Years Gone, In My Time of Dying, Your Time Is Gonna
Come, Lemon Song, Heartbreaker, Hey Hey What Can I Do,
Out On The Tiles, Whole Lotta Love), the Yardbirds'
Shapes of Things, Jimmy Rodgers' Sloppy Drunk, and
Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well.
---
TOUR DATES:
ABC
Oct. 21 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
Oct. 22 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
Oct. 24 Seattle, WA Fenix Underground
Oct. 26 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Oct. 27 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Oct. 28 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargos
Oct. 30 Plainview, NY Vanderbilt Club
Agnostic Front
Oct. 21 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
Oct. 22 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy
Oct. 23 Little Rock, AR Vino's
Oct. 26 Pittsburgh, PA Grafitti's
Oct. 28 Baltimore, MD Fletcher's
Oct. 29 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance
Oct. 31 Worcester, MA The Palladium
Anti Flag / Dropkick Murphys
Oct. 21 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
Oct. 23 Houston, TX Fitzgeralds
Oct. 24 Dallas, TX Trees
Oct. 27 Virginia Beach, VA Peabody's
Oct. 29 Philadelphia, PA Toscadero
Oct. 30 New York, NY Tramps/Irving Plaza
Oct. 31 Worcester, MA The Palladium
Ben Folds Five / Fleming & John
Oct. 30 Baltimore, MD Reitz Arena
Broadside Electric
Oct. 23 State College, PA Acoustic Brew Coffeehouse
Buzzcocks / Lunachicks / Down By Law
Oct. 21 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Oct. 22 Waterbury, CT City Limits
Oct. 24 Providence, RI Lupo's
Oct. 29 Columbus, OH Al Rosa
Oct. 30 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Oct. 31 Cleveland, OH Agora
Danzig
Oct. 21 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Oct. 23 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Oct. 26 Minneapolis, MN The Quest
Oct. 27 Milwaukee, WI The Rave Ballroom
Oct. 30 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air Palace
Oct. 31 Boston, MA The Roxy
Del The Funky Homosapien & Casual
Oct. 21 Arcata, CA Cafe Tomo
Oct. 22 Chico, CA Brick Works
Oct. 24 San Francisco, CA Maritime Hall
Oct. 25 Santa Cruz, CA Palookaville
Oct. 27 Tempe, AZ Pompeii
Oct. 28 Albuqyerque, NM Sunshine Theater
Oct. 29 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Oct. 31 Houston, TX Club Waxx
Ani DiFranco
Oct. 22 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
Oct. 23 Ames, IA Stephens Auditorium
Oct. 25 Bloomington, IN IU Auditorium
DJ Shadow
Oct. 22 Detroit, MI St. Andrews
Oct. 23 Chicago, IL Smart Bar
Oct. 24 Minneapolis, MN The Quest
Oct. 26 Denver, CO Bluebird
Oct. 28 Houston, TX Numbers
Oct. 30 Austin, TX Musical Hall
Oct. 31 Honolulu, HI Club Superstar
Nov. 1 Waikiki, HI Wave Waikiki
Johnny Dowd
Oct. 31 New York, NY Tonic
Fastbacks
Oct. 21 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
Oct. 22 Long Beach, CA Lava Lounge
Oct. 23 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Ben Harper
Oct. 21 Ames, IA Stevens Aud.
Oct. 22 Chicago, IL Riviera Theater
Oct. 23 Chicago, IL Riviera Theater
Oct. 24 St. Paul, MN Roy Wilkens Aud.
Oct. 25 Madison, WI Union Theater
Oct. 27 Ann Arbor, MI Hili Auditorium
Oct. 30-31 Montreal, QC Metropolis
Indigo Girls
Oct. 22 Athens, GA University of Georgia
Oct. 24 Mobile, AL USA Mitchell Center
Ladybug Transistor
Oct 29 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Oct 31 Arlington, VA Galaxy Hut
Ben Lee
Oct. 21 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Oct. 23 Phoenix, AZ Balbos Cafe
Oct. 24 San Diego, CA Canes
Oct. 25 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
Oct. 26 Pomona, CA Glass House
Oct. 27 Fullerton, CA Cal State Fullerton
Oct. 29 San Francisco, Ca Maritime Hall
Oct. 30 Sacremento, CA Old Ironside
Leftfield
Oct. 21 Seattle, WA Aerospace
Oct. 22 Los Angeles, CA Club ID
Oct. 23 San Francisco, CA Funky Techno Tribe party
Oct. 26 Boulder, CO SOMA
Oct. 28 New York, NY Roxy
Oct. 30 Toronto, ON Congress Center
Len / Styles of Beyond
Oct. 21 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Oct. 22 Boise, ID Neurolux
Oct. 24 Seattle, WA DV8
Oct. 25 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Oct. 27 Sacramento, CA 815 L
Oct. 29 Los Angeles, CA Palace
Oct. 31 San Diego, CA Cane's
Live
Oct. 21 Los Angeles, CA Mayan
Oct. 23 Phoenix, AZ Veteran's Memorial Coliseum
Oct. 24 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
Oct. 26-27 Mexico City, MX Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 29 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Oct. 30 Houston, TX Aerial Theater
Oct. 31 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
Luscious Jackson
Oct. 21 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Oct. 23 Las Vegas, NV Radio Show
Oct. 24 San Diego, CA Cane's Ballroom
Oct. 25 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
Oct. 26 Ponoma, CA Glass House
Oct. 29 San Francisco, CA Maritime Hall
Oct. 30 Sacramento, CA Radio Show
Magnetic Fields
Oct. 22 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Oct. 23 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Minders
Oct. 21 Minneapolis, MN Foxfire Lounge
Oct. 22 Madison, WI Club 770
Oct. 23 Chicago, IL Schubas
Oct. 24 Pittsburgh, PA Carnegie Mellon University
Oct. 25 Buffalo, NY Mohawk Place
Oct. 26 Toronto, Ontario at Horseshoe Tavern
Oct. 27 Clinton NY, Hamilton College
Oct. 31 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
Moby
Oct. 28 New York City, NY Roxy
Oct. 31 New Orleans, LA Voodoo Festival, Tad Gormley Stadium
Alanis Morissette
Oct. 24 Hong Kong, China Exhibition Hall
Oct. 26 Seoul, South Korea Olympic Gym #1
Oct. 28 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Shah Alam
Oct. 29 Singapore WTC Harbour Pavillion
Pietasters / Pilfers / Spring Heeled Jack
Oct. 21 Cleveland, OH Aztlan Theater
Oct. 24 Detroit, MI St. Andrews
Oct. 26 Cleveland, OH Agora Theater
Oct. 27 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga
Oct. 29 Amherst, MA Alumni Gym
Oct. 30 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Oct. 31 Washington, DC Nation
Smash Palace
Oct. 22 Marlton, NJ Border's
Oct. 30 Philadelphia, PA South Street Head House
Sonia Dada
Oct. 28 Ft. Collins, CO Aggie Theatre
Oct. 29 Denver, CO Gothic Theatre
Oct. 30 Colorado Springs, CO Colorado Music Hall
Oct. 31 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr
Stereo Total
Oct. 21 Detroit, MI Magic Stick (w/Dean Fertita)
Oct. 22 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax (w/Dean Fertita)
Oct. 23 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Oct. 25 Vancouver, BC Starfish Room
Oct. 26 Seattle, WA Crocodile
Oct. 28 San Francisco, CA San Fran. State Univ.
Oct. 29 San Francisco, CA Justice League
Oct. 30 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
Superchunk
Oct. 28 Columbus, OH Little Brothers
Oct. 29 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Oct. 30 Toronto, ONT Lee's Palace
Oct. 31 Montreal, QUE Cabaret Music Hall
Sally Taylor
Oct. 21 Santa Ana, CA Coach House
Oct. 22 Scottsdale, AZ Martini Ranch
Oct. 23 Las Vegas, NV Legends
Oct. 24 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr
Nov. 20 W. Long Branch, NJ Monmouth University
Richard Thompson
Oct. 29 Durham, NC Carolina Theatre
Oct. 31 Charleston, WV Mountain Stage
Tonic / Goo Goo Dolls
Oct. 22 Towson, MD Towson U.
Oct. 24 Loudenville, NY Recreation Center
Oct. 25 Binghamton, NY Broom Cty. Arena
Oct. 26 Allentown, PA Lehigh U.
Oct. 27 Montclair, NJ Yogi Berra Stadium
Oct. 28 Philadelphia, PA Temple University
Oct. 29 Newark, DE Carpenter Center
Type O Negative
Oct. 21 Houston, TX Numbers
Oct. 23 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre
Oct. 26 Washington, DC The 9:30 Club
Oct. 29 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
Oct. 30 Boston, MA Avalon
Oct. 31 Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero
Watsonville Patio
Oct. 21 Madison, WI Mango Grill
Oct. 23 Iowa City, IA Maintenance Shop
Oct. 24 Lincoln, NE Duffy's
Oct. 25 Lincoln, NE Homer's
Oct. 29 Houston, TX Instant Karma
Oct. 30 Austin, TX Hole in the Wall
Robbie Williams
Oct. 21 Pittsburgh, PA A.J. Palumbo Center
Oct. 22 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Oct. 24 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
Oct. 25 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Oct. 29 Houston, TX Aerial Theater
Oct. 30 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Nov. 1 Austin, TX Austin
Josh Wink
Oct. 23 Memphis, TN Apocalypse
Oct. 29 San Diego, CA Montage
---
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