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Consumable Online Issue 176
== ISSUE 176 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [May 9, 1999]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J.
Baranowski, Tracey Bleile, Jason Cahill,
Matthew Carlin, Patrick Carmosino, John
Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin
Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So,
Chelsea Spear, Jon Steltenpohl, Michael Van
Gorden, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
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: Tom Waits, _Mule Variations_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Robbie Williams, _The Ego Has Landed_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Super Furry Animals, _Radiator_ - Niles Baranowski
INTERVIEW: Blake Schwarzenbach of Jets to Brazil - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Poi Dog Pondering, _Natural Thing_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Poster Children, _New World Record_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Velocette, _Fourfold Remedy_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Atari Teenage Riot, _60 Second Wipeout_ - Michelle Aguilar
REVIEW: Bouncing Souls, _Hopeless Romantic_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: The Delgados, _Peloton_ - Niles Baranowski
REVIEW: Third World, _Generation Coming_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: Travis Pickle, _Travis Pickle_ - Michael Van Gorden
REVIEW: Trinket, _Trinket_ - John Davidson
REVIEW: DDT, _Urban Observer_ - Chris Hill
NEWS: Apples In Stereo, Tori Amos / Alanis Morissette, Mike
Ness / House of Blues, Verve
TOUR DATES: Aerosmith / Afghan Whigs, Beastie Boys, Black
Crowes / Lenny Kravitz / Everlast, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chapter
In Verse, Delgadoes, Of Montreal, Pan Sonic, Splender
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Tom Waits, _Mule Variations_ (Epitaph)
- Steve Kandell
The most surprising thing about Tom Waits' new album _Mule
Variations_, his first solo studio effort in seven years, is not
its bang-on-anything-in-sight approach to percussion or the lyrical
gems spewed forth in a distinctive croak for which the words "gruff"
and "gravelly" were invented. These elements are familiar to anyone
who has listened to Waits' work over the course of his esteemed 26-year
recording career. No, the most surprising thing here is that Waits -
clown prince of the down and out and the sinking fast, troubadour poet
of the seedy urban underbelly - has made the feel-good album of the year.
Just as Bob Dylan's _Time Out of Mind_ was acclaimed for being
that rare effective rock album about growing old (seemingly a
contradiction in terms), _Mule Variations_ is nothing if not about
rural domestic bliss, seen from the eyes of a man just on the other
side of middle age. Of course, Waits' skewed vision of middle age is
short on PTA meetings or IRA funds and rife with the fringe-dwelling
characters that mark his classic work. By toning down the Brechtian
aspirations and carnival barker atmosphere so prevalent on his
operatic 80's albums without sacrificing the humor and innovation that
makes his music so unique, 1999 sees a kinder, gentler Tom Waits. For
Waits neophytes, this is a perfect place to jump in, as is last year's
greatest non-hits package _Beautiful Maladies_, his swan song for
longtime label Island before jumping ship to punk stalwart Epitaph.
For Waits aficionados, there is much on this album to keep interest
high and is not the watered-down commercial pandering that the words
"kinder" and "gentler" may have erroneously suggested.
The cacophonous wail of opening track "Big In Japan," featuring
Primus as a backing band, harkens back to Waits' phenomenally inventive
_Bone Machine_ (1992) and "Filipino Box Spring Hog" might be what it
sounds like when a jug band's tour bus crashes. But the rest of the
album is comprised predominantly of understated, bluesy ballads, sparse
where most ballads get soapy. In a perfect world, first single "Hold
On," reminiscent of earlier Waits songs like "Blind Love," "Falling
Down," and "Who Are You?," would singlehandedly be able to rescue the
love song from the evil clutches of Celine Dion. But this is not that
world, and "Hold On" is not coming to a commercial radio station near
you anytime soon.
The album has a familiar feel, due in no small part to the
fact that backing musicians Marc Ribot (guitar), Ralph Carney (horns),
and Larry Taylor (bass) are longtime Waits collaborators. Waits'
wife and muse Kathleen Brennan co-wrote and co-produced many of the
album's sixteen songs. Recorded in a chicken ranch and sounding like
it, the tracks on _Mule Variations_ have an organic, timeless quality
and could pass for exceptionally well-recorded 78 relics from the
thirties. "Cold Water" is gutter blues at its best, followed
immediately by the plaintive, homesick "Pony." Musically speaking,
there is some redundancy over the course of the album's seventy-six
minutes. Bluesy shuffles "Get Behind the Mule," "Black Market Baby,"
"Lowside of the Road," and "Chocolate Jesus" are all more similar
than different in terms of style, yet each one is able to come up
with at least a few lines or sonic twists that render the song
indispensable. While Waits may repeat himself at times, everything
about this album sounds utterly unique from anything else on the
record shelves, save for other Tom Waits albums. Ironically, one song
that nearly did not make the cut is one of the album's best. On the
beautiful and haunting "Georgia Lee," Waits accompanies himself on
piano and delivers an elegy for a slain schoolgirl that downplays
piousness in favor of frustration, sort of the flipside of a Nick
Cave dirge.
Listening to Waits' body of work writ large, it is amazing
how he can go from boho cocktail jazz to avant-garde experimental
opera and back again without causing whiplash. _Mule Variations_
similarly blends disparate styles while remaining a singular coherent
work. More than anything, these new songs ("Georgia Lee" and "Pony"
not included) sound downright happy. Content but not complacent.
Antique but not antiquated. "House Where Nobody Lives," "Take It With
Me," the soaring closer "Come On Up To the House" and "Picture in a
Frame," (which cribs a line from Waits' role in Robert Altman's Short
Cuts) are all testaments to being in love and settling down in the
country. On his records from the 70's, you could smell the whiskey on
Waits' voice as he crooned and scatted his Beat-and-Bukowski-inspired
barroom tales. If _Small Change_ made you want to drink boilermakers
with Hollywood hookers, _Mule Variations_ makes you want to get married
and live in a house in the middle of nowhere.
---
REVIEW: Robbie Williams, _The Ego Has Landed_ (Capitol)
- Bob Gajarsky
As a member of a boy band in his teenage years, Robbie
Williams and Take That conquered Europe and won the hearts of
the usual screaming girls all across the continent. But in America,
widespread success somehow eluded the teen group. That 'failure'
to break in America a la the Backstreets and New Kids may turn out to
be the best thing that ever happened to Robbie Williams.
Williams' debut album, _The Ego Has Landed_ (a combination
of his two European solo efforts), is merely outstanding. Robbie
had already burned some of the teen bridges behind his
unceremonious booting from Take That - after all, eschewing the
virtues of ecstasy is a sure way to lose the support of the
mainstream machine responsible for teen idol bands.
The fickle British press initially dismissed Williams' solo
career. However, when the poignant ballad "Angels" captured the
hearts of the United Kingdom's music fans (think an updated
version of Elton John's "Empty Garden"), even the critics
were converted to the 'new' Robbie. Still cocky and not afraid
to take the piss out of reporters, Robbie became celebrated
rather than castigated.
Samples from James Bond ("You Only Live Twice") on the lilting
first single "Millennium" might cloud the admiration of first-time
American fans, but this is one album which truly deserves to be
looked at as the sum of all its parts.
When Robbie sings "Let Me Entertain You", you know he means it.
Harder rocking than most of his other tracks, memories of Gene, Ace,
Peter and Paul are brought back to life from their made-up days as
Kiss. And on the introspective and confessional "Strong", Williams
admits that "Early morning when I wake up / I look like Kiss but
without the makeup / And that's a good line to take it to the
bridge".
There's a few ballads thrown in - "She's The One", and
the Embrace-esque "No Regrets", which features backing vocals by the
Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon and the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant. It
even includes a PSB-esque ending, where the song just 'drops' and
ends - no gentle fade-out, as Tennant was prone to do on tracks
such as "Opportunities".
Other highlights on _The Ego Has Landed_ include the down and
dirty, rocking "Man Machine" (from _Lock Stock and Two Smoking
Barrels_, but not on the soundtrack), the anti-Who song (I hope I'm)
"Old Before I Die", in which Robbie half-seriously asks if he's
straight or gay, and wants to live to see the pope gets high...and
for those looking for the spoken word Robbie, there's a hidden
message at the end of "One of God's Better People" to those who
naysayed Williams, culminating in "Bollocks! You can kiss my ass."
A standout from start to finish and better than 99% of the
schlock released these days, finally, _The Ego Has Landed_ - and
Robbie Williams proves that self-assuredness, balls, and brilliant
music are still a precious commodity. Take That, suckers!
---
REVIEW: Super Furry Animals, _Radiator_ (Flydaddy)
- Niles Baranowski
It's a bitch for Welsh bands in this fair country of ours. After
one album and a compilation, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci were unceremoniously
dropped from Mercury Records. Meanwhile, the 60 Ft. Dolls had their
career stalled when DGC decided they weren't selling enough (and this
doesn't even touch on the saga of the Manic Street Preachers or the
legion of great bands who can't even get signed in America, especially
Topper and Melys.)
Yet, there may be no band on the Welsh scene more unfairly
treated than the Super Furry Animals. After their perky debut, _Fuzzy
Logic_, their sophomore effort _Radiator_ met with English success,
yet Sony Records sat on it for nearly a year stateside. Despite a
small, rabid following, they were quietly dropped, only to be nabbed
by indie label Flydaddy (who will be releasing the follow-up to
_Radiator_ this summer), the home of Olivia Tremor Control among others.
_Radiator_ will hopefully net the band some more attention and an
increased following. It's the giddy, irresistable retro-pop record that
Olivia and the other bands of the Elephant 6 collective have been racking
their brains to write, so far unsuccessfully. _Radiator_ surpasses recent
American puttering in psychedelia, ranking with Blur's _Parklife_ in terms
of its offhanded acknowledgement of influences (everything from Zappa to
Bowie to the Zombies), satirical sense of humor and accessibility.
Indeed, it's hard to see why Epic Records couldn't make a mint of
off this album. In our post-Hanson age, the Jackson 5 chorus of "Play it
Cool" seems like a perfect hit. "Chupacabra" glorifies goat-eating bats
with a short'n'sweet power pop blast, and "Demons" combines Bowie's
dark swagger with some slippery editing to make for a song that seems
to be missing parts or about to collapse (in a good way, naturally) at
any moment.
Part of the reason _Radiator_ clicks so well is that the Furries
come from a techno background rather than one of rock'n'roll. They chase
individual sounds and hooks, rather than a style of songwriting. It's not
perfect nostalgia -- "Mountain People" succumbs to an uncharacteristic
barrage of noise at the end -- but it's all the more fun, since they're
willing to cut out what doesn't work in favor of the fun and bouncy or at
least the interestingly twisted. The Furries have raised the bar for those
who traffic in reconstructing musical history, as well as Welsh rock;
let's see if the upcoming releases from Catatonia, the Manics or anything
Elephant 6 has to offer can follow suit.
---
INTERVIEW: Blake Schwarzenbach of Jets to Brazil
- Kerwin So
By now, most people know the story. Three years ago, Blake
Schwarzenbach washed his hands of beloved California pop-punk band
Jawbreaker and moved to New York, swearing never to make music again.
Destiny held other plans for this songwriter who had not yet seen the
end of his valuable creative output. By happy accidents, Schwarzenbach
hooked up with recently displaced musicians with similar musical
backgrounds (Chris Daly from Texas is the Reason and Jeremy Chatelain
from Handsome). Things immediately clicked, and before they knew it,
the newly-christened Jets to Brazil were signed to indie heavy-hitter
label Jade Tree and whisked away on a European tour with emo-rock
favorites The Promise Ring, all without even having released a
record. Thus ended the whirlwind of 1998.
It's now 1999 and Jets to Brazil has come full circle, having
released a well-received debut album and returning on tour to their
home country, and Blake's hometown. C.O. Online caught up with
Schwarzenbach at a recent sold-out Jets to Brazil show at the Bottom
of the Hill, in Blake's old stomping grounds of San Francisco. On the
tail end of the tour, Blake was happy to talk about California
lifestyles, sources of inspiration, and leaving the Jawbreaker legacy
behind.
Consumable Online: Welcome back to the Bay Area. How long have
you been in New York?
Blake Schwarzenbach.: Uh, three years. I'm not used to it. I'm
Californian by nature so long winters really scare me there, because
you just have to be inside the whole time.
C.O.: Has it proved a good impetus for songwriting?
Blake S.: I think I live in the wrong place, because I can't
really make music in my apartment, because it's a New York apartment,
so there's people all over the place.
C.O.: Now that the record is out, is there a difference in the
crowd reaction?
Blake S.: Yeah! It's cool like, people get psyched about songs,
they know them now. It's nice, sometimes there'll be applause when we
start a song, so there's recognition there, and that's really great. A
lot of people told me that they were getting married to the song "Sweet
Avenue." Seems to be a thing that's happening on this tour. I've had
three couples come up and say, "At our wedding we're gonna play that
song." I'm totally cool with that.
C.O.: I read some interview, I can't remember the guy, but he was
like, "My friends named their kid after you." How do you feel about that
kind of thing?
Blake S.: I appreciate it you know, I think it's really nice.
People get strange with band members, sometimes. Like their fixation
on them. I've been the object of that kind of fixation before. Sometimes
people really get what you do and it helps them in some way and I think
that's cool, and sometimes it goes a little too far. (chuckle)
C.O.: Really? Do you want to talk about that?
Blake S.: Well, I just think that they forfeit their own identity
in worship of someone else and that's really weird, you know.
C.O.: Your reputation certainly precedes you. Your past band was
very intense and I think people really threw in with that.
Blake S.: Yeah...yeah. It was a real lifestyle for people.
C.O.: How are you enjoying the tour?
Blake S.: It's good. It's pretty grueling, you know we're playing
every night pretty much. We had one day off for a drive. It's hard work.
The shows have been really good, but just getting to the show and setting
up and everything... we don't have a crew or anything so it's just a lot
of work.
C.O.: Do you sense that there's any sort of fallout with the
previous fans?
Blake S.: Yeah, I think that kind of happened on the last tour,
our first tour. I think people know now what we're doing, so they've
decided whether they're into it. Those people that were into our other
band, they're gonna go to the next level with us or they're just like,
"fuck you guys." But it seems like, if anyone's left, there's other
people that are into it that've kind of filled in those spots-- it's
really cool. I meet a lot of people now who _weren't_ Jawbreaker fans,
and that's really refreshing.
C.O.: Have you heard about the Jawbreaker tribute album that's
coming out? Do you have any sort of input in that?
Blake S.: No, I'm not a fan of tribute records. I did one once,
Jawbreaker did an R.E.M. song ("Pretty Persuasion" on the hard-to-find
_Surprise Your Pig_ ). After that I felt really...odd. Very leery of them.
I've heard a couple covers that I've enjoyed, but in general I think it's
kind of strange. _Especially _ when it's a band that you really like, to
do their songs again is almost like saying you didn't do it right the
first time. I mean, I have no gripe with this comp, this Jawbreaker thing,
that's fine. But I've always felt that the songs I really love I wouldn't
want to cover because I love them as they were.
C.O.: Right. It also seems a little soon in my opinion to be
doing this kind of thing.
Blake S.: Yeah. You gotta wonder about the bottom line, too, like
people making money off names. I think at a struggling independent label,
sometimes just to put a Jawbreaker name on, or something, might get some
interest.
C.O.: Flood the bins along with the _Jawbreaker Soundtrack_ which
threw some people off. Do you know about that? _Jawbreaker_, the movie?
It has nothing to do with you guys.
Blake S.: Oh, right. Yeah, yeah, I saw that. I didn't see the
movie but I saw the poster.
C.O.: Is Jets to Brazil writing any new songs, or do you plan on
releasing any seven inches or any other new songs?
Blake S.: We're just amassing songs now. We're up to about eight
and that's what we've been doing the past couple months. Just trying to
have practices and write.
C.O.: How is the writing process, is it a collaborative thing or
are you just the focus of it?
Blake S.: It starts with me, and then it becomes really
collaborative once I get an idea that I'm happy with. I used to demo
songs and play 'em for those guys, it was a little more rigid. But
lately I think we're really a band now, so they pick up in Jets fashion,
they just jump in on a song and I think they always do the right thing.
We have a pretty good rapport.
C.O.: How did you decide on the band name?
Blake S.: Well, Chris our drummer came into practice with it one
day.
C.O.: I kinda like that name, although sometimes I get confused
between Jets to Brazil and Burning Airlines, Jawbreaker and Jawbox.
Blake S.: A lot of people mention that. It's total coincidence.
C.O.: What was it like working with J Robbins in the studio?
Blake S.: Great. He's the man. We were lucky in that he wanted to
work with us, so he managed to squeeze us into his schedule, but he was
booked like crazy and he works all the time, so if he's not doing
[Burning] Airlines, he's in the studio. And I think he likes it, seems
like he's at the renaissance of his...youth, or whatever. He's always got
something going on, so it's pretty cool.
C.O.: What have you been listening to lately?
Blake S.: I've been listening to a lot of Wilco, for the past
year and a half. I find their new album pretty inspiring. And
Neutral Milk Hotel, I love their records. I thought the last Smoking
Popes record was incredible.
C.O.: I know you're into literary pursuits and reading;
what are your five top authors?
Blake S.: Well, the last book that really blew my mind was _Jane
Eyre_, which I never read in high school or college. That was a Bronte
book. I really enjoyed that. And I think Raymond Carver was probably one
of the first writers that made it okay to write. Like I felt like I could
write reading him, and he was just a really big inspiration. I dunno. I
read all over the place, a broad spectrum. And I'm always interested in
living American writers, although I haven't found anything lately that's
totally blown my mind.
C.O.: How about guitarists or singers? Are there any that you
consider especially inspiring or influential?
Blake S.: Well, lately it's been Pedro the Lion, because we've
been on tour with them. David (Bazan), their singer, is just an amazing
vocalist. He's a good songwriter. I like people who write their songs so
that you can hear the mechanics of their writing in the songs. I'm just
interested in the way songs are put together. So I've been kinda favoring
sparser arrangements where you can really hear someone singing.
C.O.: Is there anything that you'd like to tell the world about
Jets to Brazil that you haven't already?
Blake S.: No...a lot of times people ask that as a last question.
And all I really have to say is in our records.
---
REVIEW: Poi Dog Pondering, _Natural Thing_ (Tommy
Boy/Plate.tec.tonic)
- Jon Steltenpohl
Years ago, Poi Dog Pondering emerged as an organic, post
Grateful Dead band from Hawaii with joyous chords and a huge band.
Despite a number of much talked about albums, Poi Dog never really
escaped beyond its initial billing, and became a fan's band supported
by a rabid base of followers of their incredible live shows. Fast
forward a few years from Hawaii to Austin and eventually to their
current home in Chicago. Leader Frank Orrall has kept the band alive
without major label support, and has established the band as a solid
presence in Chicago to the point of even playing for Dennis Rodman's
birthday partying.
1999 finds Poi Dog Pondering at another crossroads imposed
on the band by Orrall. Bolstered by a love of the Chicago house music
scene, the band covered Ten City's dance classic "That's the Way Love
Is" last year, and Orrall began transitioning from a rootsy sound to
one with a definite beat. The exciting release of _Natural Thing_ is
a culmination of the new slant. It is, without a doubt, a dance
inspired album. But it is also still very much a raw, uncut, musical
experience.
Orrall seems genuinely averse to samples and drum machines,
and _Natural Thing_ seems to refer more to his style of music rather
than just the title of track 3. Sure, there's a little bit of studio
work going on here, but for the most part, this is dance and R&B music
made with real instruments and voices. There's some synthesizers
here for atmosphere, but the bass is real. So are the flutes and the
strings and the bongos.
Orrall takes the energy that makes a great dance piece and
runs it through a group real live musicians. The results are
invigorating. Tracks like "Diva (Live at the House of Sound)" and
"Spend My Life" bounce and flit around like the best jazzy ambient
dance you've heard. But it's real stuff. It has feeling and emotion
and depth that most music made with a bunch of electronics rarely has.
Songs like "Hard Sometimes" are jazzy, upbeat dance numbers, and
there's even a Digable Planets style cool rap called "Berry".
Of course, the danger in pursuing such a musical vision is
the risk of alienating both audiences. This is certainly possible.
Orrall risks not pounding out a driving beat for the dance fans or
not being eclectic enough for the classic Poi Dog fans. The cover of
"That's the Way Love Is" shows the best and worst of the new sound.
The vocals and the groove are raw and soulful, but, assessed in a
cynical light, it kind of sounds like a bad impression of George
Michael sitting in with Erasure on an MTV unplugged session.
The final verdict is that, if you're only into dance or only
into organic rock, you'll probably be turned off by _Natural Thing_'s
fusion of the two sounds. On the other hand, if you can't seem to get
enough of new and interesting sounds, Poi Dog Pondering has created an
exciting, eclectic album. There's nothing here that isn't borrowed
from some other source, but the energy behind it is infectious. Poi
Dog Pondering always had a definable groove bubbling underneath the
surface, and Frank Orrall has finally decided to bring it to the
forefront. _Natural Thing_ is an album that may ostracize some fans,
but will certainly win a whole new set who love a groove no matter
how it's played.
---
REVIEW: Poster Children, _New World Record_ (Spinart)
- Steve Kandell
Though their stint on Sire Records may have failed to make
them a household name, Champaign, Illinois' Poster Children have
spent ten years forging what could lovingly be described as "geek
rock." Returning to safe indie ground intact, the band is releasing
_New World Record_. This new album downplays the sheen of 1997s
_Rtfm_ and earlier releases in favor of a dynamic sound that is more
representative of their athletic live outings. Driven by Howie
Kantoff's hyperkinetic drumming and anchored by thick bass lines
from Rose (whose nonstop onstage pogoing gives Superchunk's Laura
Balance a run for her money) Poster Children are nothing if not a
tight unit. Kantoff is actually the band's sixth drummer, proving
once again that life really does imitate Spinal Tap. Guitarists Rick
and Jim Valentin round out the quartet, with Rick providing the vocals
in a reedy monotone that is somehow a cross between Marcellus Hall
from Railroad Jerk and the B-52's Fred Schneider.
The album gets off to a strong start with the bouncy,
percussive "Accident Waiting to Happen," and the blistering "6x6."
Other standouts include "Chemicals" and "Mr. Goodnight." "Planet
Earth" is a bit more new wave than the other bottom-heavy tracks, and
perhaps it's not a coincidence that Duran Duran had an early single
with the same title. The pace slows down a little on the last song,
the keyboard-laced "Deadman," but otherwise, this album is ballad-free
and fairly heavy.
Poster Children's guitar-driven songs steer clear of sampling
or electronica, but they are still steeped in all things science and
technology. Album titles like _Daisychain Reaction_ suggest physics
classes long forgotten and the band has been at the forefront of new
technology in music, capitalizing on such developments as enhanced
compact discs and the web long before such things were fashionable
or commonplace. If the twelve songs on the _New World Record_ CD are
not enough to hold your interest, feel free to pop the thing into
your computer and feast on the screensavers, live videos, and even
a cute video game. Maybe they're not complete trailblazers: Journey
had their own arcade game (if you were able to get all four band
members to the stage successfully, you'd be treated to a version
of "Don't Stop Believin'.")
---
REVIEW: Velocette, _Fourfold Remedy_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Chris Hill
Nearly two years after "Get Yourself Together" earned
"Single of the Week" honors in Melody Maker, Velocette's debut
album lands on American shores. That song, described in NME as
"fundamentally the best song never written by Saint Etienne", is
one of ten found on an album lush with gentle strings and crisp
guitars - blissful lounge music for cool summer evenings.
If you buy the record expecting ten variations on "Get
Yourself Together", you might be disappointed. The single is a
gust of drum and guitar bravura, light and airy in comparison to
the heavier atmospheres of the dour "Someone's Waiting" or the
album closer, "That Ain't Mine" - which isn't a bad thing. Too
much lemon meringue pie ruins a picnic.
Velocette aren't wholly newcomers - the band began in/as
Comet Gain. Philosophical and artistic differences led four of
the five Comet Gain members to split from the fifth member,
singer/guitarist David Christian: they, as Velocette, while
Christian maintained the Comet Gain name and his penchant for
punk rock elements and sonic adventure, a la Yo La Tengo.
(Drummer Phil Sutton appears to have since left Velocette - he's
thanked by the band, but unlisted in the song credits.)
Sarah Bleach has assumed sole singing duty with black
velvet confidence. Her sprightly, waif-like voice combines with
retro-flavored music (strings, guitars, tambourines, shakers,
congas, bongos) like peaches and cream. (Multi-instrumentalists
Sam Pluck and Jax Coombes round out the ex-Gain, now Velocette,
cast.) The three, joined by violinists, percussionists, horn
players, and others, form an impressive ensemble.
View "Get Yourself Together" as a teaser and you'll find
_Fourfold Remedy_ a rewarding purchase. "Spoiled Children" and
"Reborn", the subsequent singles, are similar pop nuggets: the
former an uptempo, fuzz guitar rocker, the latter introspective,
breezy, and drifting, with lazy brass splendidly offering wheezy
atmosphere. Another potential single, "Unkind", provides an
ethereal slowburn with violins and Hammond organ.
"Bitterscene" offsets downbeat lyrics ("And I know that
you're a liar/Always sick and always tired/And I don't want to
be into your bitterscene") with cheery castanets. "Submarines",
all swirling guitar and strings, mirrors the emotional whirlpool
of the protagonist. "Where Are We?", ambles along sans vocals,
a stroll past an outdoor cappuccino bar.
"That Ain't Mine" ends the album with a contemplative
moodiness, setting the right note of anticipation for something
further - "always leave them wanting more." Quite right.
Following their instincts and striking out on their own has
provided them, and us, with a handsome payoff. All told, an
assured first step in their new identity.
---
REVIEW: Atari Teenage Riot, _60 Second Wipeout_ (Grand Royal)
- Michelle Aguilar
In 1975, Ralf Hutter of the pioneer German band Kraftwerk told
Creem Magazine, "When you play electronic music, you have control of
the imagination of the people in the room."
A quarter of a century later, this is still the ideal of much
of the electronica/rave nation, which dreams of transforming the dance
floor into one unified aural and visual Borg Collective of beats and
mind expansion. ("Why won't you trip like I do?") And, of course, in
this metaphor, the center of the hive mind is the dj, the invisible
queen, rarely seen yet clearly controlling the floor's zeitgeist.
That scares the hell out of Atari Teenage Riot, the Berlin
hardcore electronica outfit who two years ago made a
nothing-if-not-startling U.S. debut with the genuinely ear-shredding
disc _Burn, Berlin Burn!_ (distributed domestically by the Beastie
Boys' Grand Royal label), and the group toured with Beck, Rage against
the Machine and the Wu-Tang Clan last year.
To hear ATR founder Alec Empire tell it, the atmosphere at
your average Berlin warehouse party these days is a bit too
reminiscent of fascist Germany for his comfort - too many drones, too
much conformity, too little spark.
The answer? Anarchy of course, says ATR, and that's the promise
on their latest noise opus, _60 Second Wipeout_, a guaranteed
lease-breaker of an album that weds hardcore punk to a harem of aggro,
jungle and hip-hop, all with the express purpose of biting the trippy
hand that fed it. The album starts out with what sounds like audience
cheering distilled into hostile white noise and it never lets up from
there. These angry nuggets are an ever-changing collage of breaks,
beats, electronic noise, feedback and vaguely-familiar samples, all
running white hot at 210 bpms, which at times makes "60 Second Wipeout
a bit more of a rumpshaker than you might expect from a bunch of
Marxist malcontents.
Still, despite the melting pot of influences, this album is
definitely steeped in hardcore, with lyrics not so much sung or rapped
as much as shouted repeatedly, like anthems. In fact ATR's aesthetic
only truly begins to make sense only when you hear the Sham 69 and
Stooges samples they wear on their sleeves, and when you know that
Empire's first musical experience was playing with the German punk
band Die Kinder (The Children) at age 12, or that he didn't start
deejaying until the late 1980s.
The electronic equipment only allows ATR to be harder and
faster then any of the punk bands Empire might have worshipped.
Sometimes this works, and sometimes it doesn't. On songs like
"Revolution Action" and "Atari Teenage Riot II," (think super-fast
Public Enemy with no low-end) this approach makes for undeniable
adrenaline. In other songs, like on "No Success" and "Too Dead for
Me," the sound is a stone wall separating band and listener. But
then, ATR has always rebelled against that image of the musical
Reich, the band and the audience in homogenous symbiosis. A little
alienation and disintegration is good for the soul, they would probably
say. And any time you start feeling too out of touch with the album's
rhythms, Hanin Elias' intense high-pitched scream emerges, making you
feel like you just GOTTA get on your feet, NOW! Her pipes leave pretty
much any Riot Grrl in the dust.
Sadly, that's even true for Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna, who
makes a guest appearance on "No Success." Hanna's performance
practically slips into indistinguishability in the face of the Atari
sonic assault, as does the work of other guest stars, like Fear
Factory's Dino Cazares ("Death of a President D.I.Y.") and members
of the New York hip-hop outfit The Arsonists ("Your Uniform Does Not
Impress Me" "Anarchy 999" "No Success"). These famous guests may give
the album even more cred (as if the Beasties connection and the
countless gushing articles in NME weren't enough!), but they have
little impact on ATR's sound. But then, to do so would probably be
like trying to hold the waves of the ocean in your hands.
All in all, a slightly noisier Teenage Riot than the last time
around, but perhaps even more likeable. The next time you go driving
with your old friend who thought Black Flag was God, slip this one
into the tape deck and watch that surprised smile appear. Or do it
to get a rise out of your hippy-dippy raver friends. Or just turn it
up good and loud in your apartment and wait for the landlord to show
up with your rent deposit in hand.
---
REVIEW: Bouncing Souls, _Hopeless Romantic_ (Epitaph)
- Chris Hill
"Fun, loud party music" - the formative goal of the
Bouncing Souls' members, and one they continue to succeed at,
though the party appears to populated by slack-jawed Giovanni
Ribisi clones, shouting "Oi!", slurping beer, and talking in
one- and two-syllable words.
"Monday morning, I woke up late/I feel like shit and I
can't see straight/One last drink was a bad idea/I'm on the
throne with diarrhea" from "Monday Morning Ant Brigade" ranks as
the stalest writing I've heard in a long time.
For a silver lining, there's guilty pleasure to be found
in the vacuous lyrics and punk-lite music. "Ole'" and "Bullying
the Jukebox" are aural spun sugar, fluffy and enjoyable,
particularly the latter, with $20 monopolizing a jukebox,
"because it's fun/You can't get near it, until we're done".
"Wish Me Well (You Can Go to Hell)" *could* have been a
pleasure, with the male/female duet of Greg Attonito and Kara
Weathington, but instead falls flat, descending into inane back-
and-forth patter:
"So does this mean I really have to go?"
"Um, yeah. What part of, uh, 'Get out!', didn't you
understand?"
"Wow, I mean, what happens if I want to call you or
something next week?"
"Um, well, what happens is that I won't be there,
because I don't like you anymore. You're stupid."
As humor, it's unfortunately ineffectual, like much of
the disc. The handful of standouts (the two above, "The Whole
Thing", "Night on Earth") display talent that should have been
allowed to dominate the album, rather than serve as a hint of
potential.
---
REVIEW: The Delgados, _Peloton_ (Chemikal Underground/Beggars Banquet)
- Niles Baranowski
"Like Belle and Sebastian with distortion pedals," is how my
horribly simplistic friend described this second album by Scotland's
pop royalty The Delgados, whose Chemikal Underground label is the
net that has caught all the fattest fish in Scotland's popscene.
From Mogwai to Bis to Magoo, all these and more have a home on
Glasgow's master label.
And my friend is right about _Peloton_. "The Actress" and
"Russian Orthodox" are kick-started by massive washes of guitar,
igniting the pastoral melodies and vocal harmonies of vocalist Emma
Peel (who also does work for David Gedge's Cinerama project) into a
slightly bloodstained valentine. It's tuneful and menacing at the same
time; a skeleton nicely adorned with jagged edges.
But, my friend is wrong, too. _Peloton_ is much more than just a
grunge answer to Orange Juice. The album also uses strange guitar
tunings and slow, eccentric melodies to achieve a hummability that is
neither too easy, nor lazy and atonal like Arab Strap. The glorious single,
"Everything Goes Around the Water," has a bridge in call-and-response
form (when was the last time you heard that in a pop song?) and a chorus
that circles hypnotically. "Pull the Wires from the Wall" is melancholic
and timid, with an off-kilter lyrical sensibility (you've got to love a
chorus that starts with the phrase "For instance, I...").
However, _Peloton_ is not an achievement to equal those of their
Chemikal underlings. _Peloton_ is too inconsistent, and it seems to
fall apart at the very end. The band attributes this to their lives falling
apart, but its far easier to see a hodgepodge of junk, like "Blackpool,"
as pure laziness. And no matter how bad I feel for what they went
through, I won't be listening to "The Weaker Argument Defeats the
Stronger" a second time. Still, in this age of increasing specialization,
it's nice to know a group of people can do more than one thing reasonably
well, and _Peloton_ is almost worth it for the four or five marvelous
tunes present here. Consider your purchase a donation to the Scottish
Pop Defense Fund, if that helps. A donation with some dividends.
---
REVIEW: Third World, _Generation Coming_ (Gator)
- Reto Koradi
Reggae has certainly seen brighter times than the 90s. Apart
from some smash hits by Inner Circle a few years back, its biggest
chart bubbles came, somewhat ironically, from countries like Sweden,
with Ace of Base, Dr. Alban, and the like. Artists such as Jimmy Cliff
and Third World are keeping the flag up with tireless live appearances,
but the mass public seems to have turned away since the much too early
loss of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
Third World, with more than 25 years of band history to their
credit, are trying to span a bridge between traditional reggae and
more modern influences with their latest album, _Generation Coming_.
The first half of the album is dominated by the first category, with
fine, solid songs such as "Clown In A Circus" and the title track, and
the more catchy numbers "Tuff Me Tuff" and "Can't Afford To Lose". The
second half gets much more adventurous, most notably with "Dem Man
Deh" featuring heavy drum beats and sampled sounds, and "Millennium
Symphony", an instrumental track with many classical elements, including
strings.
To complete these new originals, Third World throw in three
covers. Considering how much Police were always affiliated with reggae,
the choice of their classic "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" looks almost
obvious, and they do the expected nice job on it. Next in line is
"Love Train" by the O'Jays, and the set is topped off by the most
surprising selection. "Baltimore" would probably win the award for
best reggae version of a Randy Newman song simply due to lack of
competition, but it also shows that real quality easily lasts over
twenty years and a total style change.
It is doubtful that _Generation Coming_ will change the
regrettable shadow existence of the reggae scene, but if you are ready
for a personal dose, Third World are certainly one of your better
tickets. The official web site of the band is at
http://www.thirdworldband.com .
---
REVIEW: Travis Pickle, _Travis Pickle_ (LunaSea)
- Michael Van Gorden
What's in a name you ask? Well in this case nothing. And please
don't let the name Travis Pickle fool you.
I almost let the silly name taint my opinion of this record.
But fear not - as soon as you hit the play button, all prejudices
will disappear.
Travis Pickle is a New York City quartet made up of
talented, passionate music lovers, with a semi-warped sense of
humor. "Motorcycle Man" opens the self-titled disc, but don't let
the sweet vocals of Carla Capretto surprise you. She may sing with
a breathy quiet voice but lines like "There's a time as least once
a day when I want to kiss you / And a time, at least twice a night
I'd like to kill you" let you know that there is a bite to that
voice.
There is also a bite to the lyrics; as the rest of "Motorcycle"
unfolds, you realize that this is no healthy romance that is
causing this pain. The band are well educated musically, and this
can be seen in how easily they switch styles without sounding forced or
awkward. Songs like "Better" and "Mr. Boyfriend" has the band
venturing into the lounge-pop sound that is currently popular.
While songs such as "One More Time" and the aforementioned
"Motorcycle Man" have more of a guitar crunch to them, "13X's A Day"
and "Deaf Dumb and Blind" lean more to the pop end of things.
There is nothing more beautiful, other than the harmony of siblings,
that rivals a male and female voice that can harmonize so
perfectly. Add the fact that both can play the guitar well and you
get a better idea of what Travis Pickle are all about.
You can't help but appreciate how well the voice and guitars
of Carla and Pete Min work so well together. Reminding you at
times of the tortured romance of X and the bittersweet sound of the
Reviers, adding a dash of the Cardigans' Nina Persson for good
measure. The music is song driven pop music, beautifully crafted
melodies that stay with you gladly. Yet the subject matter
throughout the CD - while being about love and relationships - takes
a darker turn. "Better" contains the line "I won't forget the
words you wrote that I found, so save it for someone else cause
it's better when you're not around". On "Mr. Boyfriend", Carla's
wistful vocals tell a tale of infidelity as she looks on sadly
at the other woman sitting beside her man - all the while standing
up for herself by singing "you're not the only game in town".
The pop sound of Tonya Donelly surfaces in "It's not U,
it's me". Wherein what is usually a man's line, Carla tells her
soon to be ex, they can "still be friends I hope and it's been fun
but gotta run". If your still not sure where this band is at, a
line from the last song on the CD "Deaf dumb and Blind" should clear
things up: "I have dreamt for the day my skull is rid of you".
This is the of music you will want coming from your car stereo
or boom box over the next few months. Get it now, and avoid
what will hopefully be a Travis Pickle rush.
---
REVIEW: Trinket, _Trinket_ (RCA)
- John Davidson
While working on their first album on an independent label
in 1993, Trinket had the good fortune of hooking up with Michael
Stipe, who not only produced a few songs for the young band, but
also advised the band in their early days. Things must have gone
pretty well; Trinket has since toured the United States extensively
and now find themselves with a debut album for RCA.
Calling themselves "classic rock for the 21st century" is a
guess in the right direction. They crackle and rumble under the
weight of typical major label production: very polished, solid,
catchy tunes that Def Leppard wouldn't be afraid to cover if they
were Soundgarden. While tiny college faves such as bands in the
Elephant 6 Collective or Vic Chestnutt will always be hipster-preferred,
Trinket proves that becoming the next R.E.M. might mean playing
straight-up, guitar-pounding pop songs. Though at times derivative
in their sound, it's a competent debut that could respectably rise
above the alternative pile.
---
REVIEW: DDT, _Urban Observer_ (TMC/Elektra)
- Chris Hill
From the promo: "By unpacking the finest elements of
their ska, punk, rap and rock influences, DDT have rejuvenated
the dynamic power pop institution." Behind the supermall of
influences and press hyperbole is musicianship which lends a
legitimacy to this claim. You'd expect that from the first
release on Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich's TMC label.
Topical issues abound on the album: political hypocrisy
("Lie Detector"), the modern generation gap ("Blue Hair Crimes"),
rampant consumerism ("Styrofoam"). With sixteen songs, there's
also room for the traditional (the brilliant AOR should-be-staple
"Liquid", the schizophrenic skank-rocker "Overripe") and the
funny ("Hey Steve", with samples of Steve Austin's trademark
bionic sound effects and a Sean Connery sound-alike reciting
the show's intro, "Hounds" with band members baying to close out
the album).
Brian Howes has a voice build for rock, which plays well
against Cory Perry White's rap and backup vocals, similar to
311's vocal combo. Point of fact, fans of that band will embrace
DDT. DDT's arrangements are similarly tight (aided by veteran
producer Matt Wallace), their music is punchy and upbeat, and
their lyrics are provocative, positive, and humorous. _Urban
Observer_ is an auspicious sign of future success for both band
and label.
---
NEWS: > Apples in Stereo fans can check out an MP3 of "Strawberry
Fire" for 24 hours, beginning on May 19 at 9 pm EST, at
http://www.insound.com
> Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos will be touring
together from August 18 through September 25. The tour
is being co-sponsored by Best Buy and MP3.COM
> Fans of longtime Social Distortion singer /
songwriter Mike Ness will be able to listen to one of
his future concerts on the web. The May 19 concert
from the House of Blues will be broadcast at 6:00 pm
(PST) http://www.LiveMusic.com/www.hob.com and
http://www.ubl.com
> British group The Verve have split again,
this time officially as members of the band have left
to pursue other projects. Guitarist Nick McCabe
left last year in the midst of the band's worldwide
tour.
---
TOUR DATES:
Aerosmith / Afghan Whigs
May 11 Bakersfield, CA Bakersfield Center Garden Areana
May 13 Sacramento, CA Arco Arena
May 15 George, WA The Gorge Amphitheater
Beastie Boys
May 11 Paris, FR Palais Omnisports
May 13 Zurich, SWI Hallenstadion Zurich
May 14 Munich, GER Olympiahalle
Black Crowes / Lenny Kravitz / Everlast
May 11 Cleveland, OH Cleveland Blossom Music
May 14 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheatre
May 15 Nashville, TN Starwood Amphitheatre
Mary Chapin Carpenter
May 16 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
Chapter In Verse
May 12 Danvers, MA North Shore Community College
May 13 Somerville, MA The Burren
May 15 Haverhill, MA The Backstage
Delgadoes
May 10 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
May 11 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
May 12 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Of Montreal
May 13 Chicago, IL Schuba's
May 15 New York, NY Knitting Factory
Pan Sonic
May 10 New Orleans, LA Mermaid Lounge
May 11 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge
May 12 Carrboro, NC Cats Cradle
May 13 Washington DC Black Cat
May 14 New York, NY Tramps
May 15 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
Splender
May 11 Atlanta, GA The Cotton Club
May 15 New York, NY Don Hills
---
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