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Consumable Online Issue 212
== ISSUE 212 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [June 12, 2000]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann D. Ball, Chris Hill, Bill
Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Jon Steltenpohl
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Paul Andersen, Christina
Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Jason Cahill,
Matthew Carlin, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan,
Matt Fink, Krisjanis Gale, Jade Hughes, Paul Hanson,
Scott Hudson, Jianda Johnson, Steve Kandell,
David J. Klug, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes
Long, I.K. MacLeod, Al Muzer, Wilson Neate,
Linda Scott, Don Share, Scott Slonaker,
Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright Consumable
and their author(s).
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: Billy Bragg and Wilco, _Mermaid Avenue Volume 2_ - Don Share
REVIEW: The Tragically Hip, _Music @ Work_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Guided By Voices, _Hold on Hope EP_ - Michelle Aguilar
REVIEW: Various Artists, _'Til We Outnumber 'Em_ - Don Share
REVIEW: Sonic Youth, _NYC Ghosts and Flowers_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: Don Henley, _Inside Job_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Grandaddy, _The Sophtware Slump_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Tim Buckley, _Once I Was_ - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: David Thomas and foreigners, _Bay City_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Eleven, _Avantgardedog_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Noogie, _Learn to Swim_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Terry Radigan, _Radigan_ - Jon Steltenpohl
TOUR DATES: Bowery Electric, Cravin' Melon, Deftones, Eels,
Foreigner, Tommy Guerrero, Indigo Girls, Jayhawks, Kansas / Yes,
Steve Miller / Gov't Mule , Alanis Morissette, New Wet Kojak,
Phish, Sally Taylor, Thingy, 3 Doors Down, Tonic, Wheat
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Billy Bragg and Wilco, _Mermaid Avenue Volume 2_ (Elektra)
- Don Share
This album is so good that I'm almost sorry it's being marketed
as a Volume 2! Please, please do not think, "I've got the first one,
maybe that's enough," or "Maybe this one's just there to capitalize on
the first." Let me reassure you about the sequel to Billy Bragg and
Wilco's highly-acclaimed reconstruction of music for Woody Guthrie's
lyrics, _Mermaid Avenue_. For one thing, given how many of Guthrie's
lyrics were never set to music, let alone given much public exposure,
two albums, maybe even a half-dozen albums (in an age when there are
enormous box sets of Hank Williams, Harry Smith recording, and even
permutations of the Stooges' _Fun House_) couldn't be enough. But
beyond that, Bragg and Wilco are artists with enough integrity and
vitality that they are not interested in repeating themselves. Even
given that this album's origins are in the overflow from sessions for
the first effort, it's not a matter of its being better or worse than
what came before: it's different, and it's essential.
Bragg and Wilco really channeled Woody Guthrie the first time
around: it was darn spooky how they came up with precisely the right
music for lyrics Guthrie never himself sang. But even more ingeniously,
they follow their own instincts here. In giving up trying to sound so
much like Guthrie, they've managed to concoct music that sounds like
nothing else.
Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett have put a new twist on
their own sound and on Guthrie, and even on the whole Americana-genre,
with such expansive music as "Remember the Mountain Bed," which is
exquisitely moving, and "Meanest Man," which is hair-raisingly
passionate. Tweedy and Bennett are as unsettling as Tom Waits yet
as folksy as The Byrds on tracks like "Blood of the Lamb" and "Secret
of the Sun." And Billy Bragg is more marvelous, more purely admirable
than ever on this album. He takes Guthrie's oddball side, in "My
Flying Saucer, and comes up with something that is warm and
delightful, yet far from silly; he turns the grisly tale told in
"Hot Rod Hotel" into something so scary Nick Cave'd be jealous; and
yet he concocts perfect wee-hoo hoedown music for "Joe Dimaggio Done
It Again."
Guthrie's lyrics never take a back-seat, either. The Joycean
flow of "Feed of Man" ("brushyfruits and flower petalls [sic]")
remains intact, as does the in-your-face politics of the stomping
"All You Fascists." It's appropriate that these superb artists have
dedicated themselves to bringing to our ears Guthrie lyrics that might
never have gotten an audience otherwise: selflessness is, after all,
inherent in both Guthrie's politics and lyrics. How delightful, then,
to hear guests like Natalie Merchant, who has never sung prettier than
on Bragg's sweet setting for "I Was Born," or Corey Harris, with a
perfectly judged vocal on "Against the Law." "I can't be this bad
because my folks are too good," Guthrie wrote, never knowing what
good folks he'd have on these recordings.
But best is last: Billy Bragg's wrenching music and vocal
for "Black Wind Blowing," and Tweedy's absolute stunner, "Someday,
Some Morning, Sometime." Far more than a mere tribute to Guthrie,
_Mermaid Avenue, Volume 2_ is sublime music in its own right. Not
just for Guthrie's fans, then, or Wilco's, or Billy Bragg's, this is
an album - Guthrie would surely approve - for everyone.
---
REVIEW: The Tragically Hip, _Music @ Work_ (London-Sire)
- Chris Hill
If a journey begins with a single step, appreciation of a
Tragically Hip album begins for me with a single lyrical passage
that captures my attention. Here, it happened with the third
song, "Lake Fever". "I'll tell you a story about the Lake Fever/
or we can skip to the coital fury/You didn't say yes or no,
neither/You whispered, 'hurry'". Gordon Downie's stutterstep
stressing of various syllables is aurally infectious. Once that
song planted its claws in my psyche, the savoring of this album
began.
Lyrics have always been a strength of the Hip's albums.
Their ninth cd continues to display that craftsmanship, with
words which tantalize and taunt in unusual combinations;
sometimes stream of consciousness ("Putting Down", "Wild Mountain
Honey"), sometimes deceptively straightforward ("My Music at
Work"). Musically, fifteen years on, they're still playing with
new ideas and forms. "Tiger the Lion" paraphrases avant garde
composer John Cage for lyrical backbone, against which Bobby
Baker and Paul Langlois trade soaring guitarwork in darker, more
storm-tossed waters than the Hip normally sail. The song builds
to a contained fury, then dissipates into tranquility. It's a
standout tune.
Downie's singing again showcases his quavering strength
and confident, precise diction, as he guides the progress of the
album's 14 tracks. He's joined to fine harmony effect by Julie
Doiron, ex-Eric's Trip, for three (the uptempo "The Completists",
the gentle "Toronto #4", and the gorgeous "As I Wind Down the
Pines"). Regarding the last song, a silent wish for another disc
closer like "The Last of the Unplucked Gems" was somehow heard
and granted. "...Pines", while lyrically denser than "...Gems",
has a similar quiet beauty, fading the album out with a sweet
aftertaste, presenting another oxymoron: after 14 songs, the
appetite is only somewhat sated, and the "leave them wanting
more" rule is still in effect. Something to look forward to,
however: while the band has no intention of breaking up, Gordon
Downie's currently completing a solo album, release date unknown.
The Hip have long realized the reach of the web and taken
advantage of this medium to reward their fans. A limited-time
offer, including live downloads, exists for early purchasers of
the record. See http://www.thehip.com. In concert, they're not
to be missed, as documented on _Live Between Us_. For a band that
hasn't changed personnel in their steadily productive career, live
shows see drastic retooling and stripping down of familiar songs
from their catalog to keep things fresh for the players. Initial
tour dates are concentrated in the Northeast U.S., with more to
follow.
---
REVIEW: Guided By Voices, _Hold on Hope EP_ (TVT)
- Michelle Aguilar
Any Guided By Voices fans still bitter about _Do the Collapse_
will be sorely disappointed if they think this was the EP to signal the
band's journey back from their keyboard-dripping, Ric Ocasek-induced
fugue of 1999. But then, these nine songs are certainly not more of
the same either.
At first, this could easily seem like a calculated move by TVT
to suck in the newer GBV fans with more oif that 80s New Wave fun that
was so successful. And certainly, the first track, "Underground
Initiations" is undeniably fuzzy, poppy and catchy in the same way as
songs from that album. (Seriously, you'd have to be made of stone to
hate this song) and the last song, "Hold on Hope" actually is from the
1999 album. But in other ways, it isn't. It's something in between
the old and the new. While most of these songs were produced by Ocasek,
the majority of them don't quite have the same wonderfully kitschy
sheen he put onto the entirety of _Do the Collapse_" The songs sound
simpler, more forlorn, less like a blissful pop billyclub over your
head. And yet, this EP is no _Alien Lanes_.
There's some interesting little experiments here, such as "A
Crick Uphill," a number that almost verges into GBV's own take on
country folk pop. With sweet vocals, a bass-driven melody and
contagiously bright rhythm guitar, it's reminiscent of the Beatles'
flirtations with the old-time Nashville pop on _Help_ and _Rubber
Soul_" Then there's "Avalanche Aminos," the only co-written song
(with Doug Gillard), which is based on electric guitar riff arpeggios
that so stubbornly go nowhere for half the song. It actually works
in a strange way, creating an unexpectedly satisfying tension. And
besides, like any good GBV song, just as you start getting fed up
with it, it's over. "Interest Position," with its fuzz tones and
relentless rolling toms is closer to "Do The Collapse," territory.
It's very respectably catchy and upbeat and eminently listenable.
Unfortunately, "Fly Into Ashes," doesn't fare quite as well,
feeling a little bit soulless as it slogs through verse, verse,
chorus instrumental, reprise, etc. etc. Still, impossibly obscure
lyrics such as "artificial study guides will help you when you're
ready boy" hold one's interest even through the slower moments.
Ditto for "Idiot Princess," which is really way better than so much
pop crap out there, yet in context, sounds like it wasn't quite
compelling enough for Ocasek's unstoppable pop juggernaut.
Perhaps this is also what happened to "Do the Collapse," an
instrumental track included on this EP but not on Sounding like a
band that just finished setting up its instruments and meandering
into an impromptu sound check, based on power chorsds that nobody
can seem to do anything with until they just quit sheepishly.
There is one surprise nugget for the old stalwarts though.
"Tropical Robots," is quiet, acoustic, extremely sad and pretty and
like old-school GBV, it's over too damn quickly, just as it's
getting good . It sounds like something from three albums back.
And it reminds me anew why I had no problem when _Do the Collapse_
came out last year and even cherished it. It meant Bob Pollard's
beautiful pop songs got to stay around that much longer.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _'Til We Outnumber 'Em_ (Righteous Babe)
- Don Share
Tributes, tributes, tributes - I wonder whether one day
tribute CD's will take up as much space in stores (if there are
still stores) as discs by the artists themselves. I exaggerate, but
tribute fatigue must be setting in by now. Sure, they're worthy, fun,
and sometimes (valuably) guides to artists you've never heard before.
But good intentions, as my wife remarked on hearing this one, do not
make a good CD. Ani DiFranco has good intentions, as does her record
label, Righteous Babe, which issued this tribute to Woody Guthrie,
however...
The album's release coincides with the appearence of the
sublime second volume of Billy Bragg and Wilco's settings of Guthrie
lyrics, _Mermaid Avenue_, not to mention reissues of Guthrie's own
wonderful recordings. This means that _'Til We Outnumber 'Em_ must
rely on the strengths or weaknesses of its featured performers, and
its format. The latter is a big problem. Brief but intrusive spoken
word pieces -- some that are recitations of Guthrie's writing, some
which are testimonials of his influence -- are strictly one-time
listens. (Tim Robbins' overacting nearly ruins a striking passage
called "Born Naked.")
As for the music, things kick off promisingly with a
various-artists' romp through "Hard Travelin' Hootenany." For those
too young to remember hootenanies, they are raucous, purposefully
sloppy folk-music sing-alongs. It's nice (and appropriate) to hear
one, in this day and age. Also nicely revived is Ramblin' Jack
Elliott, a gifted and almost-forgotten folk performer who turns in
two fine performances here. If this disc does nothing else, it will
introduce people to this other folk legend. Billy Bragg turns in a
version of his setting for Guthrie's lyric, "Against the Law," but
it's just not as good as the one on the new installment of _Mermaid
Avenue_, sung there by Corey Harris. And while Bruce Springsteen,
lightens things with Guthrie's great "Ridin' In My Car" (ending it
by uttering, "Sheeyit, why didn't I think of that?"), his version
of "Deportee" is flat and too respectful, not as good as the Byrds'
old version. Speaking of the Byrds, their version of "Pretty Boy
Floyd" is better than David Pirner's here, too. Also disappointing
are DiFranco's own contributions. Her "Do Re Mi" takes a song that
shouldn't be strange and makes it weird; why Art-up Guthrie? It
does the song and its composer no favors. Similarly, her parts on
"Ramblin' Round," done with the Indigo Girls, turn a boisterous
tune into a lugubrious drag. Arlo Guthrie, ever dependable, gives
a spirited (literally) version of "Dust Bowl Disaster," but he
can't quite top his old man. The disc closes with a second
hootenany of "This Land Is Your Land," marred by a voiced-over
rendition of the fable from which the title is derived. The fable
is more poignant all by its lonesome, as is, for that matter, the
song playing underneath it here.
Sorry to say so, but the album lacks glory, and is missing
the fire for which Woody Guthrie will always be known. The best
tribute is Wilco and Bragg's; the best recordings are Guthrie's own.
---
REVIEW: Sonic Youth, _NYC Ghosts and Flowers_ (Geffen)
- Andrew Duncan
For almost 20 years, Sonic Youth has been pushing the envelope
with their ethereal sounds, ranging from shards of screeching guitar
to hypnotic-induced chimes and minimalist experimentation.
Since their introduction into the art-rock/no-wave clique of
New York City, these Hoboken natives have transformed a musical genre
by breaking into the mainstream and introducing noise rock to a shy
American audience, itching for a new kind of kick. Sonic Youth gave
the deadly blow when they created one of the most perceptive
alternative albums in history, _Daydream Nation_. They still continue
to set new standards for rock artists to take note, recently creating
an album of signature Sonic Youth adaptations from works of 20th
Century modern classical composers.
Now that we have made it past the impending doom of the 20th
Century and look forward to new adventures and new standards, Sonic
Youth's new release _NYC Ghosts and Flowers_ is surprisingly far from
it. In fact, _NYC Ghosts_ is their most accessible and shortest-running
album to date, clocking in at just over 42 minutes. This is explained
by the gear theft that plagued the band last July, leaving them with
equipment that had not been used since the _Daydream Nation_ sessions.
The results have concluded with mixed emotions.
Beginning with "Free City Rhymes," Sonic Youth gives you a
feel for New York City like no other artist has before. The creepy,
paranoiac guitar chimes and repetitiveness transforms into a lush
blossoming of guitar foliage, providing the listener with a sense of
comfort and discovery.
But then "Renegade Princess" kicks in.
The band reverts to their Bad Moon Rising days as the song
begins psychotically passive as guitar notes glisten like raindrops.
Bassist Kim Gordon and Moore snootingly spit out clumps of poetry.
It all comes together under Steve Shelley's big arena-rock drum
patterns and Lee Renaldo and Moore's driving guitar chords that would
get anyone's blood boiling.
Soon after the climax, there are some moderate tunes,
including the Gordon song "Side2Side" and the repetitive Moore song
"StreamXSonic Subway." Showing evidence of Allen Ginsberg's influence
on the band, Moore dabbles in beat poetry about beat poets and the
Greenwich Village scene from the '60s in the richly daunting "Small
Flowers Crack Concrete." As omnidirectional guitar chimes and
shimmering scraps, Moore fills the gaps with his prose about cop
violence and free love, a concept that has tormented the band since
their _Confusion Is Sex_ days.
As the album winds down, Renaldo steps up to the microphone
on for the album's title track that is soft-spoken but simply
creative. Evidence of the Chicago sound can be pinpointed to Sonic
Youth's new member, Jim O'Rourke and his contribution.
_NYC Ghosts_ is a time of change and renewal for the band,
which could not be a better time for the band to discover new musical
paths and expressive concepts.
---
REVIEW: Don Henley, _Inside Job_ (Warner Bros.)
- Paul Andersen
I am not sure if it is some kind of millennial artist bug going
around, but there has been a subtle trend of CDs surfacing from artists
who have been MIA for quite a while. And we're not talking small indie
critical darlings; no, there have been some BIG NAMES coming back to
action.
Ex (? - who can say)-Eagle Don Henley follows Steely Dan and
No Doubt back into the fray with _Inside Job_, his first new album
(anthologies and greatest hits packages don't count) since 1989's _The
End of the Innocence_, and it is a winner on all counts. At times
unabashedly romantic, other turns richly cynical, it represents Henley
doing what he does best - writing quality songs that utilizes his
crooner's voice for maximum impact.
Whether big blustery songs ("Nobody Else In The World But
You," the anthemic "Workin' It"), soft, gently lit tunes like the
classic-to-be "For My Wedding" or Eagle-like romps ("Everything Is
Different Now"), it is all wrapped up in sparkling production by
Henley and ex-Heartbreaker Stan Lynch. The sound is modern without
leaving previous fans in the dust. Not techno-Henley perhaps, but he
has been listening to the pop world while he's been gone.
It wouldn't be a Henley album without a tip of the hat towards
such favorite subjects as ecology ("Goodbye To A River") and
conspiracies ("They're Not Here, They're Not Coming"), but overall,
it seems as if Henley's marriage and subsequent family life, which
finds him back in his native Texas, has colored much of the feel
here. It may not be a warmer, gentler Don Henley so much as a bit
more rooted Henley. The edge is still there - but so is an edge of
contentment, too.
---
REVIEW: Grandaddy, _The Sophtware Slump_ (V2)
- Chris Hill
With '97's _Under the Western Freeway_ their only full
album, the long wait for Grandaddy's wryly titled second cd has
been somewhat eased by a European-only disc compiling their first
two EP's (_The Broken Down Comforter Collection_) and last year's
four track _Signal to Snow Ratio_ EP. Now the wait is over, and
_The Sophtware Slump_ has arrived. Not unexpectedly, the record
is of amazing caliber and unreservedly my favorite cd to date in
2000.
"He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot" opens the album
with samples of birdsong and passing cars stopped mid-Doppler
effect. The contrasting sources are a sonic mirror to the cd's
thematic tentpole of a technological society increasingly
estranged from both nature and their own humanity. "He's..." is
an allegory of mankind lost in the new millennium, searching
for stability and direction ("Adrift again 2000 man/You lost your
maps/You lost the plans"). Synthesizers serve as a Greek chorus,
aping a data stream one moment and a bass choir the next.
This electronic versatility is exploited throughout the
album to wonderful effect. Jason Lytle, songwriter and producer
of the band, is a master with dials and knobs. His synthesized
sound creations also emulate angelic tones, flickering fire, or
the last electronic gasps of poor Jed the Humanoid - whatever the
need, there's a subtle brushstroke to underline the moment.
While most of the disc's tunes drop their hooks with synthesized
bait, the other four Grandaddy members (drummer Aaron Burtch,
keyboardist Tim Dryden, guitarist Jim Fairchild, and bassist
Kevin Garcia) add luring touches of their own throughout the cd,
and yet more textures to the disc's multiple layers.
"I dream at night/of going home someday/Somewhere so far
away/So dream, alright/I know it's gonna take some time/I'm going
home someday." "Miner at the Dial-A-View" takes a satellite view
at surroundings close to the singer's heart, yet unreachable and
removed. "Fifteen years is almost done/I don't recognize anyone/
>From the Dial-A-View" - the song is similar to a previous single,
"Everything Beautiful is Far Away", with its subjects both far
away from home. The song gains my firm vote for second single,
with the melancholic "Hewlett's Daughter" requested for the third
position.
No doubt fed by the rural isolation of Modesto, the
band's California hometown, the first single, "The Crystal Lake",
is another song of disunity: in this case, pristine nature, where
a lost Eden is missed and the singer vows to return. "It's
shining like a chandelier/shining somewhere/far away from here/
...I've gotta get out of here/and find my way again." Despite
this distance between the man and his lost horizon, there's a
simple hope that paradise can and will be regained, whether by
fleeing urban chaos here, by a Rip van Winkle sleep on the quiet
piano track "Underneath the Weeping Willow", or by a launch into
the heavens on the stellar, early Alan Parsons Project-esque "So
You'll Aim Towards the Sky".
Technology, while it alienates, can endear as well. A
wondrous, poem-spouting computer receives a touching elegy on
"Jed the Humanoid": "Last night something pretty bad happened/We
lost a friend/...Jed's system's dead/Therefore so is Jed". Yet
Jed's poetry lives on, and "Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)"
joins "Jeddy 3's Poem" from the _Signal to Snow Ratio_ EP as a
(un)living legacy. One sly mystery revealed: in the last seconds
of "Jed the Humanoid", a quick vocal (actually spoken in reverse)
quotes from the Electric Light Orchestra's "Fire On High" off
_Face the Music_: "The music is reversible, but time can't turn
back".
Maybe not, but albums like this capture time and mood and
hold them fast. That's a precious quality to be cherished.
Grandaddy's website: http://www.grandaddylandscape.com
Their label home: http://www.v2music.com, or directly found at
http://www.grandaddy.v2music.com.
---
REVIEW: Tim Buckley, _Once I Was_ (Fuel 2000)
- Wilson Neate
When he died at the age of 28 in 1975, Tim Buckley left a rich,
diverse and, at times, difficult legacy. But while numerous forms of
homage have been paid to his work, its significance remains
under-appreciated. Music writers routinely eulogize Buckley's
shooting-star genius, contemporary artists have covered his songs
and cite him as an influence, and his work has even been sampled by
the electronica generation. And yet Tim Buckley, arguably, still
awaits the full degree of recognition that he merits.
Buckley once noted: "My life does not depend on Top 40. . . .
I just don't fit there. . . . You gotta come up with something new.
You gotta go places you haven't been before." His musical legacy bears
out the integrity and veracity of those statements. In a recording
career lasting eight years ('66-'74), his nine albums mapped the
odyssey of a unique creative spirit that refused to settle into a
consistently commodifiable style, choosing instead to follow a path
of ongoing self-reinvention, sometimes at the cost of critical acclaim,
not to mention commercial success.
Drawn largely from sets recorded in London for John Peel's BBC
radio show in 1968 and Whispering Bob Harris's BBC TV program _The Old
Grey Whistle Test_ in 1974, _Once I Was_ captures the mercurial Tim
Buckley at his best. Save the final track, this material was
previously available elsewhere. But this CD puts Buckley's
shape-shifting career into a well-wrought, gilded nut-shell,
bringing together the folk-rock -- on the threshold of jazz -- of the
early years with a brief glimpse of the sexy, white funk soul brother
that is late-period Buckley.
Emerging from the mid '60s Southern California scene with
Jackson Browne and Steve Noonan as one of the so-called "Orange
County Three," Tim Buckley's eponymous 1966 debut and his sophomore
effort _Goodbye and Hello_ (1967) were youthful, passionate and
romantic folk-rock documents that were very much of their time. The
latter in particular stressed what would prove to be two of the
constants throughout his stylistic metamorphoses: an inimitable vocal
prowess and an ability to pen songs with hit potential as well as
innovative, elaborate and less compromised material.
_Goodbye_ is well-represented here with captivatingly pure,
melodic renditions of "Morning Glory," "Hallucinations," and "Once I
Was," on which Buckley's legendary five octave range stands as an
instrument itself, perfectly integrated within the arrangements. On
"Morning Glory" Lee Underwood's minimal, smoldering lead guitar
complements Buckley's assured, unfaltering vocals while
"Hallucinations" (including "Troubadour") stretches out gloriously
over nearly 11 minutes, its subtle yet driving rhythms, changes of
pace and intricate lead guitar recalling the sound of British folk
bands like The Pentangle. The melancholy beauty of "Once I Was" is
conjured up by a magical combination of Buckley's voice and his
chiming 12-string, trimmed with percussion and almost imperceptible
electric guitar. This is a haunting piece, its poignancy redoubled
now in the knowledge that the late Jeff Buckley played it at the
1991 New York City tribute concert for his father.
The measured balladry of "Sing a Song For You" is somewhat
atypical of _Happy Sad_, from which it is drawn. Recorded in 1968,
_Happy Sad_ coincided stylistically and chronologically with Van
Morrison's _Astral Weeks_ and saw Buckley moving in the same
direction as Morrison, toward a fusion of jazz stylings and
drifting, bluesy folk. Those characteristics would coalesce superbly
on 1970's _Blue Afternoon_, represented on _Once I Was_ by "Happy
Time," during which Buckley shares the spotlight once more with
Underwood's fragile but evocative lead guitar.
_Once I Was_ glosses over Buckley's complex period, a phase
that, for some, found him at the peak of his creative powers and
that, for others, was his musical nadir. After the release of
_Lorca_ in 1970, critics and fans blanched at his apparent attempt
to commit commercial suicide in concert as he pursued an
uncompromising avant-garde jazz approach that, at its most
challenging, allegedly sounded not unlike a meeting of Messiaen
and Mingus complete with cocktail trumpets, gongs, crooning and
howling. "Buckley's Yodeling Baffles Audience" proclaimed a review
of a particularly difficult 1970 gig. _Starsailor_ (1971) fared no
better. "Buckley Goes Bizarre" wrote one journalist, knocking it as
"a collection of tuneless wailings and Doctor Who effects."
Ironically, that album features his finest achievement, the
ethereal "Song to the Siren," covered by This Mortal Coil, sampled
directly and indirectly by Everything But the Girl and the Chemical
Brothers respectively, and -- in sacrilegious fashion akin to the
fate met by Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" -- hijacked for TV ads.
The 1974 recordings on _Once I Was_ stand as bookends to
Buckley's career. "Dolphins" from _Sefronia_ (1974) was a song he
had played live since the late '60s and, while a marvelous version
is immortalized on _Dream Letter: Live in London 1968_ (1990), this
joyously lilting rendition tops even that with the rich,
honey-in-the-sun lower reaches of Buckley's voice yielding to
momentary flourishes up the scale. Equally majestic vocals reign
over the raunchy, electric bump and grind of "Honey Man," a track
that neatly encapsulates Buckley's explorations of an unbridled and
earthy white blues/funk sound begun on _Greetings From LA_ (1972).
As a bonus, _Once I Was_ contains an unreleased 12-minute
version of "I Don't Need it to Rain" that differs markedly from the
rendition on _Live at the Troubadour 1969_ (1994). Taped live in
Copenhagen in 1968, this is a more understated -- but more
breathtaking -- version that stresses Buckley's ability to bring an
unparalleled intensity and intimacy to live performance.
For anyone who has yet to discover the wonder of Tim Buckley,
_Once I Was_ is an ideal introduction. For the converted, this is
another posthumous treasure in the spirit of _Dream Letter_,
underscoring the timeless genius of one of the more innovative,
passionate, eclectic, and yet largely unsung singer-songwriters of
the late '60s and early '70s. Lillian Roxon once said of Buckley:
"There is no name yet for the places he and his voice can go." He
may be long gone but on _Once I Was_, Buckley again manages to
transport his listener to a unique and beautiful realm which words
prove inadequate to describe.
---
REVIEW: David Thomas and foreigners, _Bay City_ (Thirsty Ear)
- Joann D. Ball
Pere Ubu has always ventured on the experimental side of the
musical tracks. So, it should be no surprise that Pere Ubu frontman and
visionary David Thomas moves in the same direction on his new solo
project _Bay City_.
On this musical adventure, David Thomas is joined by songwriter
and composer Jorgen Teller (on guitars and sampler), Per Buhl Acs (on
clarinet and guitar) and P.O. Jorgens (drums and percussion). Now known
as David Thomas and foreigners, the quartet came together in 1996 at an
improvisational concert in Copenhagen. Originally called Greenland, and
the foursome toured Denmark under that name in 1998 and 1999.
_Bay City_ is the result of occasional recording sessions held on
a farm in Denmark during the past three years. The record's title is a
reference to the works of novelist Raymond Chandler who uses the name as a
metaphor of corruption and evil. Despite it European origins, _Bay City_
suggests the dark underbelly of an urban American city with Thomas' sung
and spoken vocals delivered over a mellow and laid back avant garde
jazz-rock sound. And there's something vaguely industrial (without the
intensity and beats-per-minute, of course) about the instrumentation, due
in part to the atypical percussion that drives the twelve tracks on the
release.
The industrial buzz, drone and simple beat of the lead track
"Clouds of You" echoes latter-day Wire. In stark contrast, the quartet's
original song "White Room" evokes lonely images of smoky jazz hipness and
features Thomas singing and speaking over the strains of an electric guitar
and a sultry saxophone. The track is so effective in its ability to
suggest image and mood that it appears again as a record closing bonus
track. "Black Coffee Dawn," meanwhile, combines the two approaches of
these two tracks and infuses it with a brighter and lighter feel. The
bouncy "Charlotte," on the other hand, showcases Thomas' trademark
affected vocals and suggests some of Pere Ubu's finest moments.
With _Bay City_, David Thomas and foreigners have produced a fresh
and innovative collection of songs and spoken word pieces. And the
theatrical leanings of the lyrics and (sound)tracks here is no
coincidence. Thomas is currently working on a theater effort also
titled "Bay City," and it is somewhat of a sequel to his previous
theater piece "Mirror Man" which was produced in London in 1998 by
the South Bank Organization. For Pere Ubu fans, _Bay City_ should
be well received as a welcomed effort that only increases anticipation
for the band's new release scheduled later this year to celebrate the
Cleveland outfit's 25th anniversary.
---
REVIEW: Eleven, _Avantgardedog_ (A&M)
- Scott Hudson
Eleven's approach to creating great rock music has always
been an exercise in experimentation that, historically, has defied
all of the conventional musical mores. The fact that Alain Johannes
(guitar, vocals) and Natasha Shneider (keyboards, vocals) consider
Western music, "particularly pop" inflexible and confining, prompted
them to explore a vast array of stylistic avenues, thus opening the
door to different musical possibilities. By fusing their interests in
Eastern music; Indian, Pakistani and Bulgarian music with rock, pop,
punk, classical and gothic music, the band has hewn for themselves a
sound that is dynamic, colorfully textured; always eclectic and
always interesting.
Their latest release, _Avantgardedog_, comes off the heels
of a successful 1999 collaboration with former Soundgarden frontman
Chris Cornell. Not only did Johannes and Shneider contribute
musically to Cornell's brilliant debut solo release, _Euphoria
Morning_, they also shared co-production credit and co-wrote half
of the songs as well. When Cornell hit the road in the fall of 1999
for a string of shows in the U.S. and Europe, it was Johannes,
Shneider and Eleven skinman Greg Upchurch who not only opened for
Cornell but formed the core of his own touring band.
_Avantgardedog_ is exactly what its title suggests: a
conviction of making music without limitations, saying yes to the
inclusion of different styles when others say no. Perhaps its like
attempting to jump the fountains of Caesar's Palace on a minibike;
maybe it can't be done but you'll never know until you try. It is
exactly this type of seat-of-your-pants attitude that makes Eleven's
music exciting but at the same time dangerous.
The outstanding tracks on this record are many. The
Indian-tinged intro of "All Falls Away" beautifully segues into
Natasha Shneider's haunting, mournful vocals culminating with Alain
Johannes' contrasting, but catchy Na-Na-Na chorus line.
Then there is the powerful "You're Not Alone" followed by the
most radio-worthy song on the record in "Verb." "Verb" stands alone
as an all-out rocker complete with an excellent wah-wah guitar groove
and Johannes' excellent vocals. Not since their 1993 self-titled
release that yielded the hit single "Reach Out" has the band
experienced significant airplay. But if given the opportunity, "Verb"
could change all of that.
The dirge of "What Can I Do," the light-hearted "It's Okay,"
the haunting atmosphere of "Lucky One" and the mind-blowing epic
"Beautiful Self" represent the records' mammoth middle tracks setting
you up for the big finish. "Strands Of Rain" is signature Shneider.
Wonderfully arranged classical piano behind her elegant, emotive
vocal lines.
_Avantgardedog_ is a masterpiece of a record and it stands
as testament of Eleven's uncompromising artistic vision. With this
record you'll be able to give your skip button a well-deserved break.
---
REVIEW: Noogie, _Learn to Swim_ (Trauma)
- Joann D. Ball
It's a band from Australia. The band members are cute teenage
guys, all high school mates, who have a punk influence and love guitars.
They are energetic, have a catchy sound and wanna break America. Sounds
like... Noogie.
On the debut release _Learn to Swim_, Noogie favors a power pop
punk sound that blends the best of Britpop with 90s American neo-punk
bands. The emphasis here is on melody and hooks a-plenty. And Noogie
write about those experiences they know best: being young, having a good
time, hanging out and just being young, and wild and free. The songs are
straightforward and without pretense, as evident on the lead track and
chronicle of restlessness "I'd Rather Float," the tale of a dying
friendship titled "Danger," and on the teenage breakup song "Never Look
Back." The best of the ten songs on the record, though, is the first
single "Meantime." It's a three-minute starburst with the simple chorus
"What do you want, how do you want it, when do you want it all."
Noogie's _Learn to Swim_ is short and sweet, clocking in at just
over thirty minutes. And that makes it the ideal kind of bright and fun
summertime beach music. If you want to freshen up that party mix of
Blink-182, Green Day, and early No Doubt, a little Noogie is all you'll
need.
---
REVIEW: Terry Radigan, _Radigan_ (Vanguard)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Part of the Terry Radigan story is the same as every other
story of the stereotypical Nashville songwriter. You move to
Nashville with your guitar after getting great press in a local
group. You sign a contract, and some record company teases you with
a few recording sessions. They never deliver what they promised you.
You slave until one or two of the new country flavors of the month
puts one of your songs on an album. And then you put those songs on
your bio and hope for the best.
Well, Radigan has done that part so far. With a resume spot
of the guitarist who replaced Shawn Colvin, a failed deal with Asylum
records, and songs recorded by Trisha Yearwood and Patty Loveless,
Radigan is a bonafide Nashville songwriter success story. And that's
where most artists stay. Burned by the record companies in the past,
and unwilling to sell their souls to the new country establishment,
they languish in royalty fueled obscurity and release self funded
CD's they sell at coffeehouse shows.
But, Terry Radigan is taking a different route. Her debut
album, _Radigan_, is well produced and a few steps away from country
without completely severing the ties. Think of k. d. lang and Sheryl
Crow's country roots, and you'll get an idea of how Radigan plays it.
She flirts effortlessly from the torchlight sounds of a Patsy Cline
to the loose disco feel of Sheryl Crow. "So What" is fun, spunky,
and genre agnostic. There's a little bit of everything in the song,
and Radigan has fun with it. She even flirts with a bit of a tango
on "50 Kisses". It's the most playful song on the album, and
possibly even best track of the whole album.
There are a few songs that do sound a bit new country. "When
I Get Around You" you is probably the best. It's light and poppy and
has a nice chorus to it. "G-O-O-D-B-Y-E" also has an instant
association with "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", yet it manages to back away from
the cliches and be a decent song. But, for the most part, Radigan
likes going for the smooth and mellow approach. One of the best
songs of the mellow genre is "The Things You'll Do". It's heavily k.
d. lang influenced, but the mellower songs lack the passion of lang's
work. In fact, some of the more mellow songs come out a bit forced
and, on some of the sadder songs, her voice is downright pleading.
Terry Radigan's self titled debut is a nice effort. She
successfully breaks away from the stifling new country sound without
completely turning her back on it. She gives the listener a wide
range of styles and influences which would be great for a country fan
who likes a little pop or a pop fan who likes a little country.
Although _Radigan_ falters in a few places, it is an enjoyable,
relaxed album that is very well produced. Overall, a nice debut.
---
TOUR DATES:
Bowery Electric
Jun. 17 New York, NY Knitting Factory
Cravin' Melon
Jun. 16 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
Jun. 17 Asheville, NC Be Here Now
Jun. 22 Hickory, NC Crawdad Stadium
Jun. 24 Greenville NC The Attic
Deftones
Jun. 21 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Jun. 22 Washington, D.C. Nation
Jun. 23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Jun. 24 Worcester, MA Palladium
Eels
Jun. 16 Boston, MA Bill's Bar
Jun. 19 Detroit, MI 7th House
Jun. 24 San Francisco, CA The Great American
Foreigner
Jun. 16 Merrillville, IN Star Plaza Theatre
Jun. 18 Springfield, MO Route 66 Music Festival
Jun. 22 Greely, CO Independence Stampede
Jun. 23 Fargo, ND Red River Valley Fair
Jun. 24 Grand Junction, CO Country Jam USA
Tommy Guerrero
Jun. 22 New York, NYAlleged Gallery
Indigo Girls
Jun. 16 Toronto, ON Molson Amp.
Jun. 17 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob
Jun. 19 Interlochen, MI Interlochen MI
Jun. 20 Highland Park, IL Raviania Festival /Pavllion
Jun. 22-23 Apple Valley, MN Music in the Zoo/ Outdoor Pavillion
Jun. 24 Sioux Falls, SD Washington Pavillion
Jayhawks
Jun. 20 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Jun. 21 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Jun. 23 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Jun. 24 Dallas, TX Gypsy Tea Room
Kansas / Yes
Jun. 20 Reno, NV Reno Amphitheater
Jun. 21 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion
Jun. 23 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheater
Jun. 24 San Bernadino, CA Glen Helen Pavilion
Steve Miller / Gov't Mule
Jun. 16 New York, NY Jones Beach
Jun. 17 Boston, MA Great Woods Amphitheater
Jun. 18 Saratoga, NY SPAC
Jun. 21 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Music Center
Jun. 22 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
Jun. 23 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheater
Jun. 24 Knoxville, TN World Fair's Amphitheater
Alanis Morissette
Jun. 16 Beijing, China "MMH2000" Award Show
New Wet Kojak
Jun. 15 San Diego, CA Casbah
Jun. 16 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Jun. 17 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Jun. 18 Portland, OR Satyricon
Jun. 19 Seattle, WA Crocodile
Jun. 21 Vancouver, BC The Brickyard
Phish
Jun. 22 Antioch, TN Amsou Amphitheatre
Jun. 23-24 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
Sally Taylor
Jun. 13 San Diego, CA Casbah
Jun. 14 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coachouse
Jun. 15 Hollywood, CA Vynyl
Jun. 16 W. Hollywood, CA Mint
Jun. 18 Novato, CA Arts & Wine Festival
Jun. 21 Grant's Pass, OR Rogue Theater
Jun. 22 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
Thingy
Jun. 12 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill
Jun. 13 Chico, CA The Blue Room
Jun. 14 Portland, OR Lola's Room
Jun. 15 Olympia, WA Arrowspace
Jun. 16 Vancouver, BC Brickyard
Jun. 17 Seattle, WA Paradox Theater
Jun. 20 Los Angeles, CA The Fold in the Silverlake Lounge
Jun. 23 San Diego, CA Che Cafe
3 Doors Down
Jun. 13 Rochester, NY Water Street Hall
Jun. 14 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill
Jun. 16 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
Jun. 17 Albany, NY Northern Lights
Jun. 20 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Jun. 21 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork
Jun. 22 Providence, RI Fleet Skating Center
Jun. 23 Pittsburgh, PA Three Rivers Festival
Jun. 24 Hartford, CT WMRQ Show
Tonic
Jun. 12 Tuzla, Bosnia
Jun. 13,15 Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo
Jun. 17 Amsterdam, Holland Melkweg
Jun. 18 Rotterdam, Holland Nighttown Basement
Jun. 19 Copenhagen, Denmark Rust
Jun. 20 Stockholm, Sweden Torsgatan
Jun. 21 Aarhus, Denmark Train
Jun. 22 Aalborg, Denmark Nibes Festival
Jun. 24 Scheesel, Germany Hurricane Festival
Wheat
Jun. 16 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Jun. 18 Nashville, TN The End Exit/IN
---
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