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Consumable Online Issue 214
== ISSUE 214 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [July 11, 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 |
`------------'
NEWS EVENT: Consumable Online to close effective August 1.
REVIEW: Johnny Cash, _Johnny Cash at San Quentin (The Complete 1969
Concert)_ - Don Share
REVIEW: Nina Gordon, _Tonight And The Rest Of My Life_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Sgt. Rock, _Live the Dream_ - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: Blue Spark, _Transmitter_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Mott The Hoople, _Rock 'n'Roll Circus: Live_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: R.B. Morris, _Zeke and the Wheel_ - Matt Fink
CONCERT REVIEW: Marah, _Kids In Philly_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Calexico, _Hot Rail_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: King Crimson, _The Construkction Of Light_ - Wes Long
REVIEW: Tarwater, _Animals, Suns & Atoms_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Anne Summers, _Very Classy_ - Bill Holmes
INTERVIEW: Chuck Wagon and the Wheels - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Admiral Twin, _Mock Heroic_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Clare Quilty, _Strong_ - Niles Baranowski
REVIEW: Chet Delcampo, _The Fountain_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Quick Fix, _Get Yours_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Chris Brown and Kate Fenner, _Geronimo_ - Paul Andersen
TOUR DATES: Cravin' Melon, Dandy Warhols, Del McCoury Band, Drunk Horse,
Foreigner, Goldfinger / Eve 6 / Dynamite Hack, Indigo Girls,
Kansas / Yes, Alanis Morissette, Phish, Sister Hazel, Soulpreacher,
Splender, Sally Taylor, 3 Doors Down, Warped Tour
Back Issues of Consumable
---
NEWS EVENT: > Consumable Online will be closing its doors effective
with the farewell August 1 issue. More details of the closure
can be found on our website at http://www.consumableonline.com .
---
REVIEW: Johnny Cash, _Johnny Cash at San Quentin (The
Complete 1969 Concert)_ (Columbia/Legacy)
- Don Share
It's hard to improve upon perfection, the old saying goes,
but Columbia/Legacy have certainly done so here.
_Johnny Cash at San Quentin_ was, with its immediate
predecessor, _Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison_, perfect proof of Cash's
legendary talent, courage, humor, and faith. Cash, who'd seen the
inside of a jail himself, had frequently performed for prisoners
(one of whom, pardoned by California Governor, Ronald Reagan, would
become a star in his own right: Merle Haggard) - talk about your
tough audiences! The original album, issued in 1969, was filled with
ready-to-snap tension, an air of palpable danger which made the
album seem more rock than country. The reissue gives us the whole
show, and what a show it was.
Nowadays, if you put Johnny Cash onstage with the likes of
June Carter Cash, the Carter Family, Carl Perkins, and the Statler
Brothers, you'd have a country Woodstock, a major event. But in
'69, these stars put on a show for society's outcasts without
hoopla, just the desire to give the badguys a break for an hour,
and maybe supply some inspiration, along the way. June Carter
Cash's harrowing notes superbly document the terror and conviction
it took to accomplish this; but, of course, the music tells it best.
After a string of fine tunes like "Big River," "Wreck of the
Old 97," "I Walk the Line," and "Darlin' Companion," Johnny fusses
around and someone fetches him the sheet music given him the day
before to a song written by an inmate in the crowd. Johnny allows
as how since he couldn't read the music, he came up with his own.
The result is the amazingly moving, "I Don't Know Where I'm Bound."
Identifying with the crowd, he sings about his own incarceration
next, in "Starkville City Jail." It cheers everyone up. But when
his notebook is brought to him, and he unleashes the newly-composed
"San Quentin," this very real hell finally breaks loose. "San
Quentin, I hate every inch of you!" He has to play the song twice.
The second time, the prisoners are really roaring. He changes a
word in one of the lines, and this time he sings, "San Quentin,
you've been livin' hell to me. / You've galded me since 1963." An
incredible moment, amazing as the famous "Judas" taunt made to Dylan
in 1966.
A song he co-wrote with Dylan, "Wanted Man," is next, and
it's sublime. And then... "A Boy Named Sue." A novelty hit when
the album came out, today, because it seems less funny, you can
really hear what the song must've meant to these men: it's all
about justified anger and tough love. Then Cash slips in a few
inspirational songs - "Peace in the Valley," and some tunes with
the Statler Brothers singing like heaven's choir. There's a
rip-roaring version of "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Daddy Sang Bass,"
a nod to the heroic Carl Perkins, modestly lurking in the band, and
at last, a closing medley which features a snippet of a TV theme
called "The Rebel," to leave 'em on their feet.
Cash performed all this with infinite rage and tact. He
asks a guard to get him a glass of water, knowing that the men
will hoot. He thanks the warden for letting him perform, knowing
that the men will jeer. He gives everything, anything, just to
connect, to give comfort but also strength. As Haggard said of the
prison show he'd witnessed, Cash "captured the entire prison."
This is a remarkable album, and while there's plenty of
essential Cash music available, this is the one that shows what
his wife, June, meant when she said of that night that she could
feel the electricity in his hands.
---
REVIEW: Nina Gordon, _Tonight And The Rest Of My Life_ (Warner)
- Paul Andersen
If the name Nina Gordon sounds familiar to you, it is because
she was a co-founder of Veruca Salt, the quartet best known for the
smash hits "Seether" and "Volcano Girls," both of which were penned
and sung by Gordon. But if you are familiar with that band's work,
you'll be in for a surprise here, because the Gordon on display within
this album shows more of a singer/songwriter's heart than any seething
rocker's vibe.
But that is not to say that her former group doesn't have a
part in the music here. According to Gordon, the band disintegrated
(though they've just released their own album with a new line-up on
Beyond Records) amidst a "highly charged atmosphere," and that
break-up is part of what caused Gordon to look within and change the
way she writes. For once, she is writing for herself, and no one else.
The thirteen songs here (12 originals, and a wonderfully
rendered version of the classic "The End of the World," which is a
perfect closer to the album) reflect a cathartic release of tension
and a renewed wonderment with the world in general. Surprisingly, the
result is a work teeming with pop rather than rock, and much of the
wordplay is teasing rather than edgy. Gordon always had a centerpiece
voice that was pleasing to the ears, and unlike a lot of her
compatriots in the feminine side of rock, her vocals sound
wonderful in her new pop-like framework. It's a voice that could
easily lend itself well to the singer/songwriter ranks of the Lilith
brigade.
All in all, it is a surprisingly uplifting debut well worthy
of a listen. I heartily recommend it.
---
REVIEW: Sgt. Rock, _Live the Dream_ (Wiiija/Beggars Banquet)
- Wilson Neate
Sgt. Rock is the nom de guerre -- or more accurately, the nom
de spin -- of Tooting-based DJ Jim Burke. On active duty since the
early '90s, Burke is the veteran of numerous campaigns: a bid to put
Cheam on the map with Skank Thing; a stint as vocalist with Collapsed
Lung, who scored a Coke commercial spot on TV with "Eat My Goal"; and
work with Junior Blanks, whose "All About Beats" (DJ Scissorkicks
Remix) was featured on the _FIFA 2000_ CD.
Along the way, the Sergeant has received commendations from
Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim says, "Sgt. Rock is going to help me make the
floor mine") and was even enlisted to DJ for a 60-year-old man's
birthday bash recently -- the old-timer in question being another DJ
of some note, John Peel.
The world of Sgt. Rock is more cartoonish than that of his
comic-book namesake. And it has nothing to do with "Sgt. Rock (Is
Going to Help Me)" by XTC -- or ecstasy for that matter. Rather,
the theme drug here is something slightly older: with a smiley-face
logo bearing the number of stripes commensurate with his rank, the
Sergeant's first CD, _Live the Dream_, is all about acid beats cooked
up with funk, loops, breaks and samples.
Those lucky enough to witness the spectacle of Sgt. Rock live
on the recent Brassy tour describe his appearances as "a cross between
the Lo-Fidelity All Stars and an Eastern European game show." While
the Sarge mans the decks, large foam Sgt. Rock smileys dance and
wrestlers parade around the stage to entertain the troops. And
listening to the often goofy disco/club jams of _Live the Dream_, it's
easy to imagine it as the soundtrack to such an event that captures
the spirit of an earlier acid scene so affectionately and accurately.
"Supadickie" sets the tone for the proceedings on _Live the
Dream_. Consisting largely of squelching noises and a sampled voice
saying "fuckin' 'ell," it makes for compulsive listening. During the
Sergeant's live extravaganzas, the vocal tag has been provided by an
individual kitted out like Kendo Nagasaki, the masked martial artist
who -- with Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks -- formed the legendary
triumvirate of wrestlers during the golden years of '70s British
grappling. It all makes perfect sense, really.
"Yeah Word Party" is a more funked-up affair, its groove
evoking a kind of Parliament-lite vibe. A debt to George Clinton is
also suggested by "Dada Struttin'" -- that's "da da (da)" as in Trio
rather than Dada as in Tristan Tzara -- as it incorporates a catchy
guitar sample that sounds uncannily like the opening of Funkadelic's
"Funky Dollar Bill," albeit accelerated to almost chipmunk speed.
"Deeper 'n' Deffer" -- a cut about which Norman Cook himself
has enthused -- is an energetic party-friendly track, as is the
digitized disco funk of the next single, "We're in Heaven." The more
mellow and melodic "Emma 18" is another loopy outing, spiced up with
what appear to female, er, "dialogue" fragments borrowed from a porn
movie.
Sgt. Rock has been described as ideal for listeners for whom
Fatboy Slim is a just little too high-brow, but it's precisely the
frequently silly, cartoon quality of _Live the Dream_ that sets it
apart from a lot of DJ-based stuff which doesn't quite have the legs
away from the dancefloor. While it might not have the kind of hooks
that make viable single fodder of Cook's material, it still makes for
infectious and mindless listening.
In the liner notes Sgt. Rock thanks both Sly Stone and Leonard
Rossiter -- the comic actor honored on "So Many Reggie Perrins in the
Arse End of Space." That gesture nicely sums up _Live the Dream_,
an album that combines funky beats with a healthy dose of silliness.
---
REVIEW: Blue Spark, _Transmitter_ (Good Ink)
- Daniel Aloi
Fans of the Seattle band Goodness shouldn't despair that lead
singer-songwriter Carrie Akre decided to leave for Los Angeles last
fall. Her move didn't exactly leave her bandmates with nothing to do.
The band's family tree extends far and wide, including all the
projects Akre (pronounced "ACK-ree") participates in -- she's a prime
candidate for a left-of-the-dial "Six Degrees of" game.
Among Goodness' many spinoff bands are The Pin-Ups, Sweetwater
(not the Woodstock-playing, VH-1 movie of the week band), Miracle Baby,
and now, Blue Spark. Goodness guitarist Garth Reeves and drummer Chris
Friel's side project has produced the kind of record that fans of
melodic, thoughtful, guitar-driven roots rock should eat up.
Reeves' songs are intelligent and sincere, exploring a
landscape of love found and lost. The rocking "Better Me" finds him
bettered, not embittered, by a relationship; while the flip-side of
that sentiment, "This Town," is about how everything changes and
previously familiar places are avoided when a love affair is over.
Reeves and company change tempo and mood from exuberant to reflective,
while keeping all on a romantic even keel.
Mandolin, keyboards, vocal harmonies and pedal steel are added
for taste on most of the seven-song album, but a basic trio carries
off "Parks of Olympia," a solid, driving modern rocker (think Goo
Goo Dolls) about some favorite public spaces to hang out.
_Transmitter_ is an album for those who appreciate the fact
that once upon a time the BoDeans cracked the Top 10. Highly
recommended. For more on Blue Spark and related bands, go to
http://www.goodinkrecords.com.
---
REVIEW: Mott The Hoople, _Rock 'n'Roll Circus: Live_ (Angel Air)
- Bill Holmes
Recorded at the Civic Centre in Wolverhampton (a favorite
venue of many bands of the era), this CD features the classic lineup
of Mott The Hoople in April 1972, just after their legendary meeting
with David Bowie and his donation of his "All The Young Dudes".
Although that track had yet to be recorded (and the band's global
popularity had yet to explode), Mott The Hoople sounds revitalized
and plays this sixty-six minute set with great enthusiasm. Perhaps
that's why "The Ballad Of Mott" sounds especially poignant here in
its rare live appearance. "Just lately we started to do what we
wanted to do again", says Hunter at one point, and you can sense
that this almost-defunct unit once again truly believed in themselves
and their future.
Like the Stones before them (albeit only once) and Ronnie
Lane afterwards, the band headlined a "Rock And Roll Circus"; musical
concert as part of a variety/vaudeville format. Knife throwers, comics
and animal acts took the stage in addition to other groups, which
made life on the road especially chaotic, but also a lot of fun. In
the liner notes, the band speaks highly of the late comic Max Wall
and dedicates the release to his memory. Ironically, the opening band
Hackensack featured future Mott member Ray Majors on guitar in a
performance that obviously impressed Buffin and Overend Watts.
The sound quality on _Rock 'n' Roll Circus_ is merely bootleg
plus, but once your ears settle in, it's hard not to get caught up in
the energy of the performance. Hunter's voice is in prime form,
Verden Allen's Hammond B3 sounds positively sinister and full, and
Mick Ralphs is chock full of spirited leads and chunky rhythms.
"Angeline", later played at a much faster tempo, here retains the
spirit of the original, while early staples like "Darkness Darkness"
and "Thunderbuck Ram" (with Mick Ralphs' vocals sounding a lot like
Dave Davies) get solid workouts. Ian Hunter's "Mr. Bugle Player"
admittedly robs "Mr. Tambourine Man" blind (so thoroughly that
Dylan's lack of a co-write is criminal) but gives due props on their
blues-based take of "Honky Tonk Women". Ralphs' "Until I'm Gone",
the Who-like "The Moon Upstairs" and the manic "Rock And Roll Queen"
are standouts, along with the encore of "Midnight Lady". It's a
great aural snapshot of Mott The Hoople at a critical point in their
history.
Like all releases on Angel Air, the packaging is outstanding,
featuring well-written liner notes and rare photos in the twenty-page
booklet. Angel Air is distributed in USA/Canada by Allegro Corp. and
more information about the release is available online
(http://www.angelair.force9.co.uk).
---
REVIEW: R.B. Morris, _Zeke and the Wheel_ (Koch)
- Matt Fink
With the 1000's of albums released every year, music
reviewers, like the music buying public, often find themselves appealing
to an old friend known as hearsay in order to streamline the process and
find the discs that could possibly appeal to them. You could literally
listen to music every waking moment of every day and there would probably
still be five to ten excellent albums that would fall through the cracks,
so every scrap of evidence that can be found is added into the final
verdict on whether you want to invest your time and money into the album
in question.
This brings us to the new disc by singer-songwriter/poet
R.B. Morris, which caught my eye with words of support from Steve Earle.
Now it should be pointed out that Earle's quotes can be found on
quite a number of albums, as it appears that either he runs with a
fantastically talented crowd or he's a little too generous with his
accolades. Of course, it should be noted that Earle's tastes are
not above reproach, seeing that he is the same man who volunteered to
take over the lead singer gig for Lynyrd Skynyrd before they declined.
Either way, he has yet to let me down.
From the very first track of Zeke and the Wheel we see why
Earle would be drawn to R.B Morris' songwriting. Morris is visceral,
gritty, honest and very literate. In short, he has many of the
qualities that Earle can boast himself. Alternating between darkly
swinging roots rock to melodic country-folk, Morris is quickly gaining
a reputation for his philosophical and highly descriptive musings. He
doesn't write a bad hook, either.
Sounding like Bruce Springsteen with the breathy vocals and
spooky reverb on the title track, quickly giving way to the simple
understated Earle-esque folk in "Maybe the Soul," Morris seems
capable of wearing several hats well. Morris sounds positively
like Bob Dylan with the ringing organ and philosophical/spiritual
themes of the blues-rock groove of "Distillery." Shimmering waves
of electric guitar wrapped around the vivid imagery of lonely cabins and
icy winds, "A Winter's Tale" is a fine example of the
thematic qualities Morris brings to his music, as he has also been a
playwright when not making music.
Only four songs into the album, Morris definitely has the
listener on the ropes, but he never quite delivers a finishing blow to
push this set to the next level. The muscular Jayhawks-like country-rock
of "You My Love" and the sharp country-soul of "Lest We All Lose" are
highlights, but the noisy dissonance of the strange rap "Call Me Zeke"
and the distorted rockabilly growl of "Long Arm of the Law," which
sounds a little too much like the Reverend Horton Heat, don't work
nearly as well.
R.B Morris might have a quintessential album in him. He
obviously has all the tools. He is a rare breed of songwriter who
actually has the talent to deliver on the ambitions that he wears on
his sleeve. My prediction: one more album and he's golden, two more
and he's divine. Steve Earle was right again.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Marah, _Kids In Philly_ (Artemis / E-Squared)
- Daniel Aloi
Definition of pure professionalism for an indie band, slogging
it out on tour: Forget the hype, the career moves, the road fatigue --
just put on a rocking show.
Marah ended a month-long zig-zag tour of the country just that
way recently in Buffalo. Tired beyond the point of caring about their
growing notoriety, they gave their all to a loving-it crowd at the
Rust Belt city's dedicated roots-rock club, Mohawk Place. Such shows
are worth driving three hours to see.
"We just did a tour with Gov't Mule -- great band, great
guys... poor, poor planning!" guitarist/songwriter Serge Bielanko
said. "Like, L.A. to New York in one day. Get there, boy!"
The band opened with a new unreleased song, "I Can't Hide," a
powerhouse rocker full of Serge's and brother/lead singer Dave
Bielanko's trademark imagery. Over the next few numbers, from their
just-released album "Kids in Philly," their beloved city came
alive -- "Christian Street," the good-time tour of "Point Breeze"
and "The Catfisherman" (about dropping your line in an unsafe South
Philadelphia neighborhood, something the Bielanko boys do regularly).
Lap steel player Mike Brenner is a monster, pulling a full
horn section out of those strings, laying down funky, greasy backing
thicker than any Memphis studio muscle could. The new rhythm section,
bassist Joe Hooven and drummer Mick Bader, is a perfect fit with
Marah's powerful swagger; they were energetic or subtle at all the
right moments.
The band showed fine interpretive skills throughout the
hourlong show. A Marah version of Lou Reed's "Can't Stand It" came
fourth in the set. They worked The Who's "Magic Bus" into "The
Catfisherman," and Brenner played Santo & Johnny's "Sleepwalk" as
an intro to "Reservation Girl" (a great unreleased original, raging
with desire and self-doubt; it's available on the band's Web site).
On "The History of Where Someone Has Been Killed," another
gritty Philly snapshot, we all gladly took the hearing loss from
Serge's psychedelic harmonica solo, which he later admitted was "our
own little touch of Rolling Stones." The somewhat more acoustic
"Faraway You" was a welcome change-up. For an encore, a surprise:
The Replacements' "Can't Hardly Wait," letter-perfect and coming
to a dead stop midsong, a funny pause for the musicians to walk
around the stage, puff on smokes and swig their drinks (beer bottles
in convenient holders on the mike stands).
Raised on Philadelphia radio stations like WMMR, the
Bielankos were steeped in blue-collar rock, a strong influence on
their inner-city songwriting and balls-out playing. Local content
abounds on the new album, from the wistful acoustic "Barstool Boys"
to the bopping "My Heart is the Bums on the Street." Radio personality
Hy Lit has a cameo on "Christian Street," and Serge's lyrics for
"Roundeye Blues" (which also nods to "Be My Baby") were inspired
by a local writer's harrowing Vietnam memoir.
Shepherded by Steve Earle, their second album is a tour de
force that absolutely defines Marah as a band that matters. Even
more than their debut, "Philly" is filled with a sense of place, very
much like Bruce Springsteen's early records.
Many comparisons have already been made between the
Bielankos' Philly-centric imagery and such touchstones as _The Wild
The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle._ They are admittedly huge
fans -- the brothers saw the Boss at least seven times over the past
year. Between albums, they covered "Streets of Philadelphia" live on
WXPN's World Cafe as a stomping hootenanny; it's included on their
"Point Breeze" single.
They can live with the critics, however, as long as no one
says they're ripping anything off in their music.
And all of their dreams are coming true. They'd just been
booked to play on Conan O'Brien, and Letterman was interested, Hooven
said after the show. They had tour dates lined up with some of their
heroes, including The Jayhawks and The Who, and there was a rumor of
supporting Lou Reed.
Marah may be the greatest (and, as their bumper stickers say,
"the last") rock'n'roll band in America. Even with that stated, I
won't go so far as to say "I've seen rock and roll future." I've seen
a band in love with rock and roll, and for that, they deserve glory.
For more information, check out http://www.marah-usa.com and
http://www.artmeisrecords.com .
---
REVIEW: Calexico, _Hot Rail_ (Quarterstick/Touch&Go)
- Chris Hill
Calexico's third, their follow-up to '98's _The Black
Light_, sets out again for the desert badlands with a passenger
car full of disparate individuals. Mixed in among the laborers,
gunfighters, and matadors are a varied musical troupe: jazz and
Tex-Mex brass players, a violinist, mariachi & surf guitarists,
and a sultry French torch singer. Joey Burns and John Convertino,
conductors and fellow travelers on the train, carry an impressive
amount of instrumental baggage on this journey that pauses in
ghost towns and oases, as it follows the setting sun to the west.
The trip's five stations featuring Joey Burns' saguaro &
lime vocals have eleven cinematic instrumental stops for contrast.
The heavy maracas of "16 Track Scratch" make it my favorite
destination, but each of the eleven has its particular charms. An
accordion sadly wanders barren, wind-scoured streets on "Untitled
III", then reappears in lush, hymn-like fashion on "Untitled II".
Burns and Convertino shift the musical backbones around with grace,
as you'd expect from multi-instrumentalists. "El Picador" marches
the album in with trumpeting flair, "Ritual Road Map" sways with
short, wind-chime notes, and "Muleta" intertwines a dancing,
flamenco guitar, a rose-clutching, romantic violin, and several
harmonizing trumpets: one of a trio of matador-themed songs.
Given the eclectic roster of talented folk that have
crossed paths with Burns and Convertino outside of Giant Sand
(and Howe Gelb) - Barbara Manning, Richard Buckner, Lisa Germano,
to name a few - it's unsurprising that _Hot Rail_ evades quick
categorization. If a single word was necessary, then I'd choose
"filmic". The first single, "Ballad of Cable Hogue", is a dose
of western film noir. Pulling its title from a 1970 Sam Peckinpah
movie, the song follows a man lured inevitably to his doom by a
femme fatale. Held fast by her foreign allure (voiced in
wonderfully sibilant French by Marianne Dissard), the hero meets
his Butch Cassidy end with a grim fatalism: "She promised me that
she would be there when I'd return/she didn't say she'd have an
army there as well/She whispered 'je t'aime, baby'/as she fired
that gun at me". Beautiful.
The film noir air continues on "Fade", guided by a smoking
cornet and drums by Convertino that first shape the song's
suppleness, then define its chaotic, pinwheeling conclusion.
Lyrically, it's as cinematic as the music, with tangible details
like "He starts the car and he's driving away/hearing her voice/
and tasting their last kiss" peppered throughout the track. For
completists: if the 7:45 "Fade" appeals, track down the UK import
_Loose - New Sounds of the Old West Volume 2_ for "Tripple T", a
9:47 travelling narrative with guest Paul Niehaus from Lambchop
winding his pedal steel in the song like an approaching train
heard through a darkened tunnel.
The train metaphor is spelled out on the final, title
track. A staccato jackhammer introduces the cut, followed by a
worker crying out "Hot Rail! Hot Rail!", a distant train whistle,
and a lonesome, echoing guitar that serenely carries the song the
rest of the way. Closing with such a contemplative track is
inspired. The world ends with not with a whimper or a bang, but
with peaceful reflection on a landscape met on its own terms, not
wholly conquered, yet understood and open for co-existence.
Joyfully, there's territory still to explore. But that will have
to wait for Calexico's next album.
---
REVIEW: King Crimson, _The Construkction Of Light_ (Virgin)
- Wes Long
The notion of a Belew era King Crimson recording without the
formidable talents of Tony Levin and Bill Bruford is almost absurd. Of
all the incarnations of this ever-changing band it was the 1980's
troop which toted the most weight. Tony, Bill, & Robert Fripp created
otherworldly prog landscapes for Adrian Belew to romp around freely in
with his Beatle-ish pop sensibilities and daring guitar swagger. The
pinnacle of their achievements was _Discipline_, one of those rare
albums that makes such an impression it scribbles the where and when
of the initial listening experience in the brain with permanent ink.
It's not as if _The Construkction Of Light_ features no-talent
hacks on bass and drums. Trey Gunn (bass) and Pat Mastelotto (drums)
are the obvious heirs to Levin's and Bruford's thrones, having served
time with the double trio version of Crimson on 1995's _Thrak_. To
hear this leaner version in conjunction with Fripp's polyrhythmic
layering and Belew's most inspired playing in years is a hair raising
potion more potent than a prescription dose of Propecia.
"Prozakc Blues," the splendid "The Contrukction Of Light" and
the polar opposite of briefly titled "The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen
Floor Wax Museum" are all worthy of the songs on the 1980's color
albums: (red/1981) _Discipline_; (blue/1982) _Beat_ and (yellow/1984)
_Three Of A Perfect Pair_. All three feature Belew vocals reminiscent
of his greatly under appreciated early 80's solo efforts, _Lone Rhino_
and _Twang Bar King_.
The vocally impaired songs are equal parts rock and left field
jazz-fusion fury. "Larks' Tongues in Aspic - Part IV" is a modern day
"The Rite Of Spring" which ranges from Denny Elfman fairyland dreaminess
to meticulously controlled chaos as frightening as awakening to find
yourself wired to a Kavorkian device eagerly fingered by a grinning Dr
Jack.
King Crimson is doomed in that they've already created their
Belew era masterpiece. While any subsequent release would effortlessly
sprint to the finish line if allowed to stand alone, it's going to pale
in comparison to _Discipline_. Thankfully King Crimson's not concerned
with recreating the past, and the new lineup has enabled Robert Fripp's
chameleon to once again successfully change it's colors.
---
REVIEW: Tarwater, _Animals, Suns & Atoms_ (Mute)
- Chris Hill
Electronically viscous and fluidly organic, Tarwater's
follow-up to 1998's critically embraced _Silur_ is a living work
of art, its lungs expanding in slow, dubby inhalations, and its
heart pulsing with sure, unhurried passion. The German duo of
Bernd Jestram and Ronald Lippok (also a member of the splendid
To Rococo Rot) have created eleven cuts that move with delicate,
sensual grace from the initial landing beacon of "K.R.?.L.E.G."
to the carnival music enchantment of "Seven Ways to Fake A
Perfect Skin".
Thanks to Lippok's poised spoken-vocal cadence, there's
the air of an artist strolling among his audience, commenting on
the surroundings with both an insider's jaded nature and an
outsider's wonder. Lippok saturates "The Trees" with Druidic
magic and an unnerving observation that "The forest knows how to
confess/you should hear the trees/It wasn't me you hear/only
furniture lives here". He then rewards the listener with a
tersely delivered admonition, "don't/ever/antagonize/the home!".
Guitar loops tangle branches with multiple synth rhythms to
create leafy spring lushness, while the mystical presence is
intensified by layered vocals chanting indecipherably on top of
each other. Spotting a breadcrumb trail left in the shadowy
woods, there's an eerie sample that resembles the approaching Id
beast from "Forbidden Planet".
Moving on to "At Low Frequency", lines like "Man is the
most adaptable machine in the universe", delivered with Lippok's
Germanic Lou Reed aplomb, sound like shamanic wisdom. Backed by
notes that come in bell curves, smoothly rising and falling from
center points, the song eventually wanders into David Lynch
territory: "'Have you any questions before we return to the
lounge?'/I could think of none, and shook my head". Continuing
the Lynchian oddities later, Lippok adds a distorted Munchkin
mimic vocal double to his natural, laconic vox on the dub-soaked
"Early Risers", making the song an unusual standout.
"Noon" challenges the yang energy of the album by adding
Justine Electra's singing and speaking vocals. Her voice, also
charged with Lippok's reserved patience, augments the singer
wonderfully. A looped piano riff plays against a repetitious
snare, before the song dissolves into hand-slapped tablas and an
insistent sitar. The sitar, appearing just on this track, is one
example of the creative risks Tarwater takes in establishing an
overall presence without lapsing into predictability.
The instrumentals are peppered throughout. "Dauphin Sun"
begins with languorous, foggy synths and a wandering guitar. A
spectral vocal presence emerges to envelop the listener, until it
gradually and unwillingly dissipates. "Babyuniverse" moves along
with impressive stature, a scraped woodblock rubbing against
majestic marching synths, for a brief, three-minute glimpse into
the unknown. The playful "Song of the Moth", the gentle, oceanic
"Somewhere", and the opener "K.R.?.L.E.G." complete the roster of
instrumentals.
As Lippok sings on "All of the Ants Left Paris", "Come
starset, we sounded all right". Why wait that long to find out
for yourself? http://www.mute.com for U.S. label info, and
http://www.kitty-yo.de for their European web home.
---
REVIEW: Anne Summers, _Very Classy_ (Beatville)
- Bill Holmes
A power pop trio, not a girl. With Don Fleming handling the
productions chores on eleven band-penned tracks, Anne Summers retains
its solid vibe as an unencumbered trio. Most songs are hummable from
the get-go, and little tricks like the toy piano accenting the chorus
of "Robots" help paste them into memory. Ditto the stop-and-go rhythms
of "Ditch Digger". Nothing very complicated here, just forty minutes
of indie-flavored pop songs that could settle comfortably in either
1979 or 2000.
The drowsy vocals on "Vitamins" will call The Smoking Popes
to mind, but most of the other leads (and background vocals) are
more enthusiastic. The songs themselves sound like they come from
three guys weaned on college radio staples from The Jam to The
Replacements, although the acoustic foundations of "Octoberfest"
and "King Of Disaster" leans more towards the Waterboys/Soft Boys/
Hitchcock area. This doesn't have a shot in hell at mainstream
radio, and that's a compliment. (http://www.beatville.com)
---
INTERVIEW: Chuck Wagon and the Wheels
- Al Muzer
So amazingly stupid it borders on utter genius, Chuck
Wagon and the Wheels' release, _Off The Top Rope_ (Lyric Street),
will own the country charts and have an illegal chokehold on the
pop Top 20 by Labor Day if Carl "Cal" Pie, Sid Sequin and Chuck
Wagon Himself have their way.
Combining the gaudy grandeur and colorful posturing of
professional wrestlers at a Texas rodeo with clever, Tommy Collins -
and Hank Jr.- inspired country songs as performed by living cartoon
characters -- there's no way such Disney-backed winners as "Country
2010," "The Jerry Springer Show" or "Play That Country Music Cowboy"
can be ignored. Let alone stopped.
Helped along, no doubt, by the fact that the CD's first
single, "Beauty's In The Eye Of The Beerholder," had just debuted
at No. 73 on Billboard's Country Charts, the group became instant
semi-celebrities following a grin-inducing set during last month's
weeklong Fan Fair celebration in Nashville.
"Our mission?!?" ponders band namesake Chuck Wagon Himself
from beneath a giant red cowboy hat that adds at least two feet to
his already imposing six-foot-something frame, "well, now actually -
Carl? Carl?!? Carl!!! [Carl, who is busy signing autographs,
striking poses and mugging for an assortment of cameras, glances
over] Carl, tell 'em whut our 'mission' is!"
"Our mission," the less imposing, but identically "disguised"
singer/athlete explains to the cute Japanese reporter that's been
dogging the trio's footsteps all day, "is, uh, well [clears throat]
to let everyone out there know [Carl's nasal, high-pitched voice
rises in excitement] that Chuck Wagon and the Wheels are here and
that things are gonna be a whole lot different from now on!" [all
three strike fists-clenched, wrestler-poses and scowl menacingly
from behind ever-present sunglasses and matching, color-coordinated
Breathe Rite Strips(r)].
"From parts unknown," is the quick, deadpan, arms-folded,
three-part response to another reporter's question about the origin
of the always in character, shrouded in mystery group with the
matching hats, shirts, shorts, scarves, wristbands, sneaker-boots
and "World Entertainment Champion" belts."We all have families or
loved ones," an apologetic Sid Sequin quietly half insinuates /
explains to the unanswered reporter as a few verses of "That's Love"
from the Off The Top Rope CD drift in through an open door.
"Truck, girl, beer, Merle - Girl in truck with beer. /
That's Love. That's Love. / Train, truck, beer, crash - Jail, girl,
bail. / That's Love. That's Love." ~ from "That's Love"
"I could only find, like, this itty bitty little scrap of
paper when the inspiration [for the song] hit me," Sequin comments
as a group of potential fans warily approaches the flexing, posturing,
constantly-in-motion group in the borrowed Fan Fair booth, "so, I
had to economize some on the lyrics."
In addition to eliciting more than a few out-loud laughs
during their Fan Fair set, the songs on Off The Top Rope also serve
as a great introduction to country for folks who claim to hate
country music.
The goofy good humor of songs like "I Fell For You" ("like
a turd from a tall horse"), "Play That Country Music Cowboy" (a
redneck re-adaptation of Hot Chocolate's "Funky Music Whiteboy")
or "Cupid" -- coupled with the fact that, behind all the G-rated
guffaws are 10 well-written, well-rendered country tunes - should
be more than enough reason to make _Off The Top Rope_ and Chuck
Wagon and the Wheels major contenders in any market they choose.
"It's the 'World Entertainment Champion' belt," Sid proudly
explains to the Japanese reporter who has spotted the "Rising Sun"
among "conquered" country flags on his belt and is jamming a
television camera at his midsection. "That's W.O.R.L.D., World
Entertainment Champion!"
For the complete scoop on Chuck Wagon Himself, Carl "Cal"
Pyle and Sid Sequin go to: http://www.chuckwagonandthewheels.com
or: http://www.lyricstreet.com.
---
REVIEW: Admiral Twin, _Mock Heroic_ (Mojo)
- Christina Apeles
Music for the mainstream should not be dissed since status quo
appeal equals a good living for any rock band. Consider the pop
stylings of Admiral Twin, providing the ear with catchy beats, singalong
lyrics, and choruses exactly were you'd expect them. Opening track
"Unlucky Ones" (as most of the tracks) has all these elements, with
respective guitar solos and right on cue breaks to let you reflect on
the lyrical timeliness of it all. Anyone recall Duncan Sheik or Crowded
House? Take the songwriting skill of Sheik and couple that with the
good-natured, feel good sentiment of Crowded House and you're right on
cue with this Tulsa, Oklahoma band. There isn't anything innovative
about the music of _Mock Heroic_ with their na, na, nas on "Better Than
Nothing At All" or the relationship woes expressed in "No. 1 Fan," but
their songs are sweet, the harmonies are in key, and if that's all
people care about, then here's some pop for the masses.
---
REVIEW: Clare Quilty, _Strong_ (DCide)
- Niles Baranowski
It's been about two years since our last great Garbage
single, so maybe it's time to look elsewhere for our bad-girl
pleasures. Clare Quilty (a band, not just a girl) summons the same
chunky rock sound, albeit a little bit farther along the Veruca Salt
power pop axis.
Yet lead singer Jenn Rhubright is, despite her Lisa Loeb looks,
a fierce Shirley Manson-esque presence whose voice can contain the
massive appetites of her lyrics. On the single "Sleep With You," she
sings coyly and then explodes into a fully-driven amazon who's proud
of how "naughty" she feels.
This sophomore effort flags and feels indistinct when they try
to water down their intensity, as on "Dylarama" or the moody "655321."
Yet for its entire first half, it's absolutely enthralling. The
go-go beats of "Secret Sharer" provide a stage for some lightning-quick
wordplay and it's pretty hard to turn down a song that says "you'll be
on your knees when you get it on with me."
"Comfort Me" writhes in agony that's done with all the
intensity of method acting. It's on "Angel of the Odd," though, that
the band really seems to come alive. Rhubright sums up a sort of
dominatrix alter ego with lines about masturbation while showering and
impure fantasies. Yet over the Pixies-style feedback flares, Rhubright
sounds adoring of this creature she's singing about and when she asks
"Don't you want to make this beautiful freak?" she's glowing with
determination and brassiness.
It's just this sort of clever, lip-smacking confidence that's
going to take Clare Quilty places and distinguish them from
competitors. They're only happy when they reign.
---
REVIEW: Chet Delcampo, _The Fountain_ (Record Cellar)
- Paul Andersen
Chet Delcampo is a Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter with
a flair for melody and no concern at all with what is driving the
current musical marketplace. He is a poetic tunesmith, already
garnering comparisons to Elliott Smith, with an inward eye and a
DIY attitude, and it is all reflected here on _The Fountain_.
Surrounded by a few like-minded friends and cohorts - the credits of
the few sidemen and guest producers include the Pixies, Nick Cave and
the Eels - this album is a personal journey through an outsider's soul.
Surprisingly, there is nothing cold nor claustrophobic about
this journey, because it is framed in shimmering production values
and a tunefulness that would make Bacharach and Costello proud. With
just the right tinges, he manages to evoke the perfect settings for
each of the songs, whether it be the Chet Baker-like trumpet in the
closing "To sleep" or the country-alt feel of "Coffee with Tom T. Hall."
Mostly though, _The Fountain_ is an album to be savored over
a few listenings, because it reaps forward sublime layers and
melancholy colorings not readily apparent to a casual hearing. It is
more a collective than a group of songs, and should be played as such.
The rewards to be found within more than make up for the time spent.
---
REVIEW: Quick Fix, _Get Yours_ (With A Gun)
- Linda Scott
Quick Fix roars out of Boston with a good, old time rock
'n' roll album. The band is rock and roll through and through,
and it's rock with plenty of attitude. Think Guns N'Roses, AC/DC,
T Rex, Thin Lizzy...you know, bands which follow - and live - the
sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
From the opening chords of the first track, "Devil's
Daughter", Quick Fix shows you how bad a bad rock band can be. If
Guns N'Roses was "the most dangerous band in America", Quick Fix
sounds like they're trying to take the title away.
Singer/guitarist Jake Zavracky has the key position in Quick
Fix, and the man is up to all challenges. His sensual voice is
hypnotic and raunchy like Axl Rose or Jim Morrison.
The band is a metal trio of Boston roommates. Their low down
sound is just right for summer, with "Rampage" and "Bay of Pigs 2000"
are perfect for shattering hot nights. It doesn't hurt that the singer
has a sexy voice and wears tight red leather pants. If you love
incendiary rock and roll, you're going to love the ringing guitars
and thumping bass lines of Quick Fix. If these guys can live long
enough and stay together long enough, they're going to make it to
the top of the rock charts.
---
REVIEW: Chris Brown and Kate Fenner, _Geronimo_ (b-music)
- Paul Andersen
Do you remember how, when you were a kid, you came across
something that you couldn't wait to share with your best friend,
something they didn't know about, something you felt like _you_ were
the only one in the world who knew about it? It was a secret just
bursting out waiting to be told.
Well, I am now appointing you all my best friends. And have
I got something really great to let you in on. Shh! Let me tell you
'bout it.
Chris Brown and Kate Fenner have quietly put together their
second absolutely wonderful album in a row, entitled _Geronimo_. It
is the kind of record that invites you in, offers up a nice cup of
java and sets you down in a barcalounger to take it all in. Wrap
that Afghan around you and take a listen.
Brown and Fenner make a kind of music that can best be
described as an organic, coffeehouse kind of sound. No, not
Starbucks - this is not what you'll find on every other corner, but
rather kind of funky and threadbare, yet oh so comfortable. The
lyrics are thoughtful and insightful, the music rich, varied and
warm, but it is Fenner's voice, which envelopes and comforts the
listener while at the same time shaking its finger in your face,
entwining with Brown's more subtle counterpoints, that keep you
coming back time and again. If ever there were two artists joined
at the hip, it is these two.
So, my friend, there you have it. Just point your net
compass to http://www.chrisandkate.com, and skate on over. There's
an easy chair with your name on it, just waiting for you.
---
TOUR DATES:
Cravin' Melon
Jul. 13 Fayetteville, NC MOJOE'S
Jul. 14 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre
Jul. 15 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
Dandy Warhols
Jul. 19 Philadelphia, PA Upstage
Jul. 20 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Del McCoury Band
Jul. 14 New York, NY Bottom Line
Drunk Horse
Jul. 15 Los Angeles, CA Als' Bar
Jul. 16 Los Angeles, CA Goldfinger's
Jul. 17 San Diego, CA Casbah
Jul. 18 Tucson, AZ Double Zero
Jul. 20 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves
Foreigner
Jul. 13 Clear Lake, IA The Ballroom
Jul. 15 Winfield, KS Winfield Fair Grounds
Jul. 16 Cedar Rapids, IA Hiners Parkt
Goldfinger / Eve 6 / Dynamite Hack
Jul. 11 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
Jul. 12 Austin, TX Stubb's BBQ (no Eve 6)
Jul. 14 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Jul. 15 Salt Lake City, UT Promontory Hall @ Utah State
Jul. 16 Pocatello, ID 20/20
Jul. 18 Seattle, WA Showbox
Jul. 20 Sacramento, CA Crest Theatre
Indigo Girls
Jul. 14-15 Seattle, WA Peir 62-63
Jul. 17 Jacksonville, OR Britt Pavillion
Kansas / Yes
Jul. 11 Detroit, MI Pine Knob
Jul. 12 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Amphitheater
Jul. 13 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Amphitheater
Jul. 15 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Amphitheater
Jul. 16 Saratoga Springs, NY SPAC
Jul. 18 Camden, NJ E-Center
Jul. 19 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Alanis Morissette
Jul. 11 Lucca, Italy Town Hall
Jul. 12 Pula, Croatia Arena
Jul. 14 Portugal Zelar De Mouros Festival
Jul. 15 Zeebrugge, Belgium Beach Festival
Jul. 16 Aachen, Germany Katschof
Phish
Jul. 11-12 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Music Center
Jul. 14-15 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheatre
Sister Hazel
Jul. 13 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club
Soulpreacher
Jul. 14 New York, NY CBGB
Splender
Jul. 11 Cedar Rapids, IA Five Seasons Center Arena
Jul. 14 Noblesville, IN Deer Creek Music Festival
Jul. 15 Louisville, KY Gardens
Jul. 17 Toledo, OH Zoo Amphitheater
Jul. 18 Cleveland, OH Nautica Stage
Jul. 19 Clarkson, MI Pine Knob Music Center
Sally Taylor
Jul. 15 Chicago, IL Schuba's
Jul. 16 Toledo, OH Bottle Rocket
Jul. 17 Buffalo, NY Tralf
Jul. 19 Syracuse, NY Styleens
3 Doors Down
Jul. 15 Peoria, IL Heart of Illinois Fair
Jul. 18 Charlottesville, VA Trax
Warped Tour (Green Day, Long Beach Dub All Stars, NOFX, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and many more)
Jul. 11 Minneapolis, MN Metrodome Lot
Jul. 12 Chicago, IL World Theater
Jul. 13 Cleveland, OH The Flats at Nautica
Jul. 14 Philadelphia, PA Corr States Lot
Jul. 15 New York, NY Randall's Island
Jul. 16 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Lot
Jul. 17 Syracuse, NY NY State Fairgrounds
Jul. 18 Pittsburgh, PA IC Light Amphitheater
Jul. 19 Buffalo, NY La Salle Park
Jul. 20 Boston, MA Suffox Downs
---
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