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Consumable Online Issue 157
== ISSUE 157 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [October 7, 1998]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean
Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva,
Lang Whitaker
Correspondents: Christina Apples, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey
Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Jason Cahill, Patrick
Carmosino, Krisjanis Gale, Emma Green, Paul Hanson,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker,
Chelsea Spear, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl,
Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, 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.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW / CONCERT REVIEW: The Church / Peter Koppes - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Son Volt, _Wide Swing Tremolo_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Soul Coughing, _El Oso_ - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Buffalo Tom, _Smitten_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Combustible Edison, _The Impossible World_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Del Amitri, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Less than Jake, _Hello Rockview_ - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Jack Drag, _Dope Box_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: House of Love, _The Best of The House of Love_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Jaz Klash, _Thru The Haze_ / 60 Channels, _Tuned In... Turned
On - Simon West
REVIEW: Mysteries of Life, _Come Clean_ - Daniel Aloi
REVIEW: Snow Patrol, _an educational film by..._ - Tim Mohr
NEWS: John Lennon, Ian Brown
TOUR DATES: Air, Archers of Loaf, Better Than Ezra / Possum Dixon /
Athenaeum, Broadside Electric, The Church, Cravin' Melon, N'Dea
Davenport, Firewater, Io, Irving Plaza, Korn, Lenny Kravitz, Liquid
Soul, Reel Big Fish / Spring Heeled Jack, Samples, Sand Rubies, Dee
Snider's StrangeLand Tour, Mike Watt
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW / CONCERT REVIEW: The Church / Peter Koppes
- Joann D. Ball
The Australian-based band The Church has always followed its
own psychedelic muse. That muse has inspired the band to produce
some of the most ethereal sounds this side of paradise, and has also
moved the band to generate a host of catchy, irresistible jangly pop
songs during the past 18 years. Of course, such greatness has been
balanced by an album or two that missed the mark, and a handful of
songs that didn't quite click. But apart from all that, The Church
has never stopped using and celebrating the wonderous power of
recorded and live music to share energy, expand minds and bring
beautiful people together.
Consumable Online caught up with The Church on the first two
dates of the American tour in support of record number eleven,
_Hologram of Baal_ (Thirsty Ear). It's been eight years since The
Church toured Stateside as an all-electric quartet and much has
transpired for singer/bassist Steve Kilbey and guitarists Marty
Wilson-Piper and Peter Koppes. Kilbey and Wilson-Piper kept the
Church going in addition to a variety of other projects while
Koppes took time off to develop and further his own musical and
entrepreneurial pursuits. It was just a matter of time, though,
before the muse reunited the trio and joined them with new drummer
and fellow spirit Tim Powles. And so, The Church has returned with
a new record and a new label, and fortunately, the same inspired
vision reigns supreme.
The Church's live revival took place at The Belly Up Tavern in
Solana Beach, California, a few miles north of San Diego. And an
almost full house of mostly twenty- and thirtysomethings gathered
to hear the power and glory of The Church's trademark sound.
Completely outfitted with a six-string bass, poetic sage Kilbey
took his place at center stage. On his right, Koppes secured
himself in the middle of all the technology, hardware and gadgets
that allows him to recreate those complex and intricate studio
sounds through his guitar. Fellow guitarist Marty Wilson-Piper
set up shop at the other end of the stage with a collection of
trusty Rickenbackers within arms reach. And drummer Powles climbed
to his perch behind the drum kit, prepared to lay down the pounding
beats that would propel the words and swirls out to the crowd.
What was to be a long and sweaty night began with "Aura" from
1992's _Priest=Aura_, right through "Myrrh," the sonic assault from
the still-brilliant _Heyday_, and back to "An Interlude" from early
release _Blurred Crusade_. Then the band fast forwarded to "Ripple"
before finally arriving at "North, South, East and West" from the
hugely successful _Starfish_. With "N,S, E &W" securing the bond
between band and audience, The Church introduced "Louisiana" as
the new single. "Buffalo," another great song from the new record
which also happens to be named for an American locale, followed
several songs later.
There was the predictable swell of cheers and applause for the
smash hit "Under the Milky Way," but even the epic "2 Places At Once"
from Kilbey and Wilson-Piper's mystical 1994 release _Sometime
Anywhere_ capitvated the crowd. By the set closer "Reptile," the
crowd had been whipped up into a frenzy reflecting the guitar mania
Wilson-Piper was generating from all parts of the stage. The Church
then returned for two stellar encores, first delivering "Destination"
and a sizzling version of "Tantalized" and then finally ending the
spirited show with the power jam "You Took." On its first gig
ever featuring the new songs, The Church was in superior form and
treated this Southern California crowd to the kind of blistering
two hour set that Australian fans have come to know and love so well.
Consumable Online caught up with guitarist extraordinare Peter
Koppes the day after the triumphant tour opener. Backstage at an
outdoor festival on the Pacific Ocean in Orange County, Koppes was
surprisingly rested despite only a few hours of sleep. He was
also excited and eager to talk with Consumable about all things
Church related. In what was more a wonderful conversation than a
typical interview, Consumable found out what Koppes had been up to
during his sabatical and discussed what makes The Church such a
powerful, progressive force in rock music.
CO: How are things different this time around on tour, ten years
after _Starfish_?
Koppes: Well, a year ago we did a tour in Australia, and a year
before that we did a tour of Australia. So we did like two-and-a-half
hour shows with a complete variety of all of the albums. But we
haven't played the last three albums in America, so in a way we're
wanting to play some of those songs here and also some of the songs
from the new album which we haven't even played in Australia.
CO: How do you think the reception is going to be here rather
than from a native crowd in Australia?
Koppes: I think music is the great leveler and I think that you
get a situation where the people who like our kind of music become
those kind of people in every place, wherever it is.
CO: What is your kind of music? How do you describe it?
Koppes: Um, progressive music for music aficionados, you know,
who like the exotic and esoteric and like intelligent pop.
CO: Is that something that you guys consider at all. . . in
terms of what kinds of fans might be out there?
Koppes: I think that there's a lot of nostalgia these days. A
lot of people in Australia. . . [that] is the only indication I can
go by but around the world it seems to be the same.
CO: Nostalgia for the eighties or for yesterday generally?
Koppes: Yeah, for music they are familiar with.
After describing how Australian fans have followed The Church
over almost two decades, the conversation shifts to why Koppes
temporarily stepped away from one of Down Under's most beloved bands.
Koppes: I left the band to identify with myself outside of the
role that was imposed on me by the circumstances of being in the band,
which include the public's identity which they associate with me as
being a part of something, you know. And we're all staunch individuals
as you know by all of the solo records. Even the drummer's got a solo
record out there.
Koppes then began to list his solo projects, a process which
is only completed by the end of our meeting. Obviously, he was an
extremely busy man during his few years away from The Church. Not
only did he play a variety of instruments on the solo projects but
he also formed his own Australian record label. Koppes is obviously
very proud of his musical accomplishments and explains his
entrepreneurial venture as an extension of his genuine love of
music. As for the records, Koppes mentions _Water Rites_ credited
to his band The Well and reflective of his fascination with water
and a release under his own name called _Love Era/Irony_. .
Koppes: And I recorded stuff that Steve was producing with
artists. You know, it'd be writing or playing guitar on some
tracks on some things of his.
CO: So it was always a friendship [with Steve Kilbey]?
Koppes: Oh, yeah. When I left the band I said to Steve, you
know, we could do some stuff together. It's just that I didn't want
to be in the band as part of that big, that monster.
CO: That friendship goes back how many years?
Koppes: Twenty-umm. . . 1974. . . twenty four years.
The conversation then shifts to what originally inspired
Koppes to pick up first the Hammond organ, then the drums and
finally the guitar.
CO: Influences for you?
Koppes: Songs, songs . . .
CO: And artists?
Koppes: Ultimately Jimi Hendrix, not just as a guitar player
but as a songwriter and as a human being. I think more importantly,
like John Lennon, he was an amazing human being. I've always
regarded myself as a human being first and a musician second as
well. And I identify with people of that politics in their music
as well.
CO: On this new record, _Hologram of Baal_, it doesn't really
say who does what in the liner notes.
Koppes: (laughing) We didn't have time, I swear! We did
everything. Our new drummer plays bass on tracks...he's critical
to the band now, the impetus of the band, because he engineered
the album and he produced it with us. But being an engineer he
actively produced it on every, well, when we were doing over dubs
he'd be working together with Steve closely, with Marty closely.
And with me, he's an essential part of my soundscaping because he
intuitively does what I want him to do. In fact, he played drums
on my last solo album.
Koppes: There's another album [by] The Refo:mation that Steve,
myself and Tim did previous to the Church reforming which was
another stint towards us deciding that The Church is just gotta
get back together in that format. It would be like something to
really come back together for. It was a big, big evolution in our
songwriting style and relationship, musical relationship, that
worked toward the new album.
CO: A lot of times people are trying to find a hook. So, if
a band disappears for a while, as they think [The Church] might have
and comes back after a certain number of years' absence, they are
trying to find out where the band left off. So, are you picking up
from _Seance_ or from _Heyday_ or just going forward?
Koppes: We never pick up. We're a psychedelic band, nothing
to do with the drugs, but psychedelic meaning the mind expanding.
And we splintered in so many different directions in our music that
we have styles of songs that we sometimes go away from and then
come back [to] a couple of albums later. There's our soundtrack
kind of instrumental songs, then there's the pop jangly ones and
then there's long songs. We have experiments with long songs.
CO: Speaking of long songs, there's the bonus CD "Bastard
Universe." [available as part of the limited edition double CD
version of _Hologram of Baal_]
Koppes: (laughing) That's a pretty long song! That was a
spontaneous creation. Not mapped out, but our writing process is
like that. It's just a particular style of creating music that we
couldn't really get a particular song out of any of the pieces.
But they were an evolution. And in a way it shows people how we
write at the same time.
It's a very interesting piece of music that's very satisfying
'cause you've got four producers in the band, four songwriters,
four multi-instrumentalists who've done it for so long now that you
know when something is supposed to change.
In fact, that ["Bastard Universe"] happened the night after a
gig where we really tuned in. It was really a great gig. And we
were setting up in the studio again afterwards. . . we probably
wouldn't be able to do it again like that either because it was
just that head space, that communion of the concert the night before
and being all producers.
The conversation shifts to what Koppes looks for in a band.
An avid music fan himself, Koppes cites the Verve and Oasis as a few
of the newer bands that he enjoys because the have personalities that
he's interested in.. With that opening, Consumable asks Koppes to view
The Church from a fan's point of view.
CO: With the Church who do you think the average fan would
target or zoom in on?
Koppes: It's always been a variety. A lot of people like
Marty because he's good fun and energetic and exciting. A lot of
them like Steve because he's a poet and very serious. You know, he's
of the great songwriting ilk. In fact, he gets emails from English
musicians of the new generation thanking him for his inspiration. And
a lot of them like me because I'm a guitarist who's always coming up
with something new and I'm quite capable on my instrument.
At this point, Kilbey, Wilson-Piper and Powles enter the large
RV that the band is using as a dressing room. Kilbey briefly comes
over to the table where Koppes and Consumable have been talking before
moving up front to help write the set list for the band's upcoming
performance. Sensing that Koppes will soon need to prepare for the
gig, Consumable Online brings the conversation to a close. Before
sharing some final words about the relationship between The Church and
its devoted followers, though, Koppes reminds Consumable about the
Refo:mation record _Pharmakoi/Distance Crunching Honchos With Echo
Units_ that he, Kilbey and Powles released last year. He feels so
strongly about this crucial precursor to the reunion, that he offers
his Immersion Records website http://www.cmm.com.au/phantom/immersion
as the source for more information about it, his other solo projects
and a new release by Margot Smith called _Taste_ on which the trio
also played.
Koppes: Going back to your earlier question. . . We just draw
out a certain audience anywhere in the world and it's usually the most
beautiful people in any city, And I love that. I love going and
seeing the beautiful people in any city.
The Church's American tour continues until mid-October.
Thereafter, the band will tour Australia and Europe.
---
REVIEW: Son Volt, _Wide Swing Tremolo_ (Warner)
- Tracey Bleile
Son Volt has woken up and found that you can go home again,
literally. After 1997's somnambulistic _Straightaways_, _Wide
Swing Tremolo_ brings the return of stirring, smartly-turned out
music transmitted on waves of early fall winds. The evolution comes
from a sharper, cleaner, and overall ever more harmonious sound -
approaching superior live quality that surpasses the confines of a
studio. With a deft blend of many middle-American standards;
country, blues and a solid grounding in garage-rock - Son Volt
personifies musical synergy by being greater than the sum of these
parts. _Tremolo_ is the result of this innovation, a release that
unfolds in three dimensions to reveal the quiet brilliance of its
creators.
The mood shifts gears on every song - from the opener
"Straightface" abounding with snarly guitar and wailing harmonica
and Farrar's voice boiling out through a vocorder which flows into
the rolling bass, vibrato guitar and sweet harmonizing of "Driving
the View". The juxtaposing of tempos is important, but even more
integral to the development of the band is the way they have worked
within the song structure; either to incorporate many layers of
sound or use a few as possible while still achieving maximum effect.
Take two of the softer songs - the spare arrangement of mostly
mandolin and slow march time snare drum of "Dead Man's Clothes"
against the buzzy guitar, shimmery keys and drum loops of the
disc's closer, "Blind Hope" and you have a sense of what they were,
or were not (as they case may be) setting out to do. And the
pattern continues throughout and enforces the strength of each
individual song in the patchwork of the whole.
The freedom to experiment came the discovery by Farrar
and company of an abandoned lingerie factory right next to their
hometown of Belleville, IL as a homebase for rehearsing, and
eventually, recording this release. The band noted that being able
to leave a huge variety of instruments in one place to be available
at all times was an impetus to use every one while writing, and
having the freedom to try the same songs many different ways before
committing - a luxury not always available when you're on someone
else's studio time budget.
On a song like "Medicine Hat" or "Flow" there is a sense
of the band becoming a more cohesive unit, and while Farrar's
evocative and image-based lyrics are still a centerpiece, the sound
has become fuller and more complete. Son Volt is still immediately
recognizable from the instant you hear Farrar's lost-soul twangy
voice, but again, there is a marked feeling of experimentation, in
the pacing, and not staying directly on the path of one style or
another. It is refreshing when the Americana sound doesn't have
to rest on resorting to violins and a lapsteel on every song. Even
a slower country-flavored number like "Carry You Down" has a
less-than-typical structure and an interestingly abrupt ending.
And that is what draws you through this release; thinking you know
what you're going to get, and instead it's full of great twists and
a sense of urgency.
The delicious irony of creating at a place you can call
home is that you can travel farther in your mind when you know you
have a safe place always waiting for you when you're ready to come
back. So heed Farrar's call on "Driving the View" that "When
you're driving the view / Living it down / With just enough time
to revel" you had best go exploring now while you can.
---
REVIEW: Soul Coughing, _El Oso_ (Slash)
- Lang Whitaker
I'm a believer, and I have been for a while. Much like the
Macintosh computer community, it takes a certain zealotous sort to
follow Soul Coughing. Ever since I first sipped the sonic concotion
of their debut album, _Ruby Vroom_, I've been hooked.
However, like a spurned Mac addict forced to use Windows at
work, the lack of commercial success that has marked Soul Coughing's
career has been maddening to me. Even though I recognize the
incredible mixture of sound and fury that personifies Soul Coughing,
I don't understand how anyone else misses the beauty.
Soul Coughing's latest release, the unfettered _El Oso_,
takes the band deep into humid jungle territory. Stacking layers of
harmony on top of lead singer/guitarist M. Doughty's earnest singing,
Soul Coughing finally allows the drum-and-bass/club sound that
they've tried to subvert through the years to surface. Surprisingly,
the band thrives in the thick brush, using melody and rhythm to
hack through the vines and escape the label cannibals calling for
commercial success.
For the most part, the melodic guitar jangles from Doughty
that used to be the basis of many Soul Coughing songs are gone.
Instead, the focus of _El Oso_ is on the bottom, and baby got back.
Drummer Yuval Gabay, always phenomenal live, is finally given room
to strut his stuff. Gabay is fabulous at mimicking the insistence
of a drum machine. On several songs (like "), Gabay's beats are
mind boggling. Bull fiddler Sebastian Steinberg is not as essential
on _El Oso_ as on past records, but he still turns in tight
performances. Mark De Gli Antoni, SC's sample man, knows exactly
when to dub in a whir here, a buzz there, or a Chris Rock snippet
("$300").
The lead single off of _El Oso_ is the loopy "Circles", a
melodic yet intensely convoluted trip. There is a strong geographical
connection on _El Oso_, as many songs have some sort of atlased
reference ("Houston", "Pensacola", "The Incumbent"). On the whole,
the subject matter of _El Oso_ is less coherent than on either
_Vroom_ or _Irresistible Bliss_. On _El Oso_ Doughty strings
together phrases and words that make no sense next to each other
("roller boogie mother fucker"), and then he repeats those phrases
until you find some odd sense of being at home in them.
As Soul Coughing continues their perilous journey towards
stardom, I just hope they continue on at their own pace. There's no
reason to believe they won't.
---
REVIEW: Buffalo Tom, _Smitten_ (Polydor)
- Jon Steltenpohl
When you make your list of classic American Rock bands, there's
a good chance that Buffalo Tom wouldn't be there. And that's a shame.
Spawned during the late 80's in the same New England scene that
sprouted Dinosaur Jr. and Blake Babies, Buffalo Tom never really
broke free from a dedicated following of fans. Yet, unlike many of
their contemporaries whose albums leap from classics to clunkers
without rhyme or reason, Buffalo Tom has slowly continued to mature
and improve its sound to the point where the band can't really be
ignored anymore. _Smitten_ finds Bill Janovitz and his band mates
Chris Colburn and Tom Maginnis driving further down the American rock
highway with billboards of broken dreams and bruised hearts marking
the way.
Buffalo Tom's problem with fame might be their avoidance of a
trendy sound. There's a little bit of "no depression" country sound
mixed in with a Dinosaur Jr. crunch. Add to that a bit of alternative
pop and superb writing prowess, and you get a great sound.
Unfortunately, there's no "ego" here to drive goofy samples or guitar
riffs. _Smitten_ is a straight forward exercise in rock. Which makes
_Smitten_ a lot like a Smithereens album. You'll love every song, but
there won't be a single hit on it.
Or maybe there will be this time. Picking up on the current trend
of catchy, suggestive songs like Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy",
alternative radio stations seem to be playing anything that a 15 year old
boy might think is cool. "Rachael" just might fit the bill because of a
chorus line with the words "but aren't you really just a penny whore,
Rachael tell me what I'm waiting for". The song's actually a lot deeper
if you catch the first verse, but who's going to bother figuring out the
lyrics?
More typical of the album are bittersweet ballads like "Postcard"
and "Wiser". "Scottish Windows" adds keyboards and strings to the mix.
Desperation and survival are touched upon in the melancholy "Register
Side". "It's about the in betweens," sings Janovitz. The song is about
a man hiding from his past. Comments Janovitz, "he quietly watched life
go by on the register side." The album closes with a crescendo of
bleeding guitars with "Walking Wounded".
About the only flaw is that Janovitz's voice is beginning to show
wear and tear in a Bryan Adams death spiral. Chris Colburn takes the
lead on a few songs for this album, and does a fine job. As a whole,
_Smitten_ is a perfectly balanced album. There's ballads, grunge,
alterna-pop, no depression, and more. Think of Bruce Springsteen
with a grunge sound or Neil Young in a three piece version of Crazy
Horse, and you're getting close to Buffalo Tom's sound.
_Smitten_ is cleary Buffalo Tom's best album after a history
of improving albums, and fans of the band will be pleased. As for
new listeners, there's no glaring singles on _Smitten_, but if you
hear "Rachael" on the radio, give it a good listen. You just might
like it.
---
REVIEW: Combustible Edison, _The Impossible World_ (Sub Pop)
- Christina Apeles
A space age, eerie feel to this release. Atmospheric sounds
that place you in another world, or better yet -- out of your own.
Almost spooky, with vocals taunting you along with fleshy bass, tinging
bells and keen beats to rouse the body. There is no empty, wasted
space on this release. Vibrations and combinations of sounds that are
so damn clever, it makes you wonder, 'How in the hell did they think of
that?' Walking through unknown territory of rhythms that soothe. Termed
'vibrant hypnotica', it is Easy Listening on acid. Music, with the
lounge feel lying just beneath the surface, that evolves into pure
artistry.
C.E. teases with their first track "Utopia" opening with a
twenty-five second delay; I had to check my CD player to make sure it
was working, but once the song started, I was instantly charmed.
Dreamlike chord progressions coupled with the voice of Miss Lily Banquet
and background vocals reminiscient of gooey love songs from the fifties,
drew me into a dream state. Meanwhile, "Pink Victim" is a song you'd
expect to be in a sex scene of a James Bond film, which is why magazines
like Esquire have called their music 'spy jazz.' Their sound is truly
evocative. It's all about setting the moods and C.E. are definitely
masters of that craft. "20th Century" is carnivalesque at its best
with the quirky feel of being underneath the tent, watching the clowns
running amok in the progression of animals and performers. "Cat O'Nine
Tails" is pure lounge grooves, though unoriginal, the familiarity of
the song is comforting, with the beats just where youd expect them to
be -- just where your dancing feet want to go.
I've done the exotica clubs and lounge bars, but I've never
really taken to the music. I always felt it was the corporeal
atmosphere that made the music work in this age, but with a listen to
_The Impossible World_, I see how Combustible Edison creates its own
tangible atmosphere for the listener without being surrounded by the
velvet furniture, dark lighting, chic people and cocktails, though all
of the above are always nice fixtures to have around. No wonder the
band has such a following and now I've fallen for their sound as well.
Around since 1992, Combustible Edison was among a few during the early
nineties where grunge ruled the airwaves and packed the clubs, but C.E.
plunged into a different world, only to emerge into the later half of
the decade with a sound that is still hypnotic, genius -- this is music
as an art form. The band has been featured in a ton of publications
ranging from The Utne Reader to Newsweek to Esquire, plus appearances
on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and Regis and Kathy Lee, proving their
appeal is diverse and their acclaim is well-deserved. After success
with their 1994 debut, _I, Swinger_, followed by _Schizophonic!_ in 1996,
_The Impossible World_ completes the trilogy, with thirteen brilliantly
composed tunes. They've taken easy listening out of the realm of the
elevator-confined space to create a new brand of Leisure music that is
a bizarre mix of the carnivalesque, electronic, ambient, pop, and
lounge -- a cocktail worth drinking.
---
REVIEW: Del Amitri, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ (A&M)
- Joann D. Ball
Spanning Del Amitri's ten year career and four releases on A&M
Records, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ covers the range of
styles that comprise the Scottish band's signature sound. Named for
the song "Hatful of Rain" from 1990's A&M debut _Waking Hours_, the
17 tracks on this collection include Del Amitri's best known songs,
some of the band's most notable album tracks and a few goood surprises.
Before highlighting the band's past gems, _Hatful of Rain -
The Best of Del Amitri_ gets off to a wonderful start with the new
track "Cry To Be Found." On this sexy number that suggests the Bee
Gees' "Love So Right," vocalist Justin Currie explores the upper
reaches of his range and gives Barry Gibb a run for his money. This
new cut highlights an approach that was first suggested on sultry
"Just Like a Man" but is fully developed here. Staples like "Always
The Last to Know" (also from 1992's _Change Everything_) and Top 10
hit "Roll To Me" (from 1995's _Twisted_), on the other hand, reveal
the basis of the band's upbeat, accessible and radio-friendly
Scottish jangle. In a class all its own, though, is "Stone Cold
Sober" with its heart-pumping bass and slashing guitars. It's this
rockier side of Del Amitri that takes center stage during the
band's energetic live performances.
In contrast to Del Amitri's brighter, uptempo moments are
the more melancholy songs like the acoustic guitar-based "Tell Her
This" and "Be My Downfall." Here, the band's appreciation of
American country and western music is evident in both sound and
storyline. The new song "Don't Come Home Too Soon," which closes
the compilation dresses up this approach with lush orchestral
strings.
Focusing on the heartache and pain, as well as the frequent
intoxication and inebriation that accompanies it, is a Del Amitri
trademark. And while chief songwriter and bassist Currie captures
the ups and downs of the human condition with his strong, capable
voice, co-songwriter and guitarist Iain Harvie skillfully translates
these observations with his passionate fretwork. Not only does this
tendency to address such weighty matters reveal the band's Glasgow
roots, but the band also makes embraces its Scottish heritage by
adding hints and touches of Scottish folk music in all the right
places. A perfect example of this can be found in the song "Spit
in the Rain" (previously unreleased in the U.S.).
Overall, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ celebrates
Del Amitri's accomplished past. Starting and ending with two
touchingly good songs, this record gives one hope that the band has
at least another productive 10 years ahead of it.
TRACK LISTING: Cry To Be Found, Roll To Me, Kiss This Thing
Goodbye, Not Where It's At, Nothing Ever Happens, Always The Last
To Know, Here And Now, Just Like A Man, Spit In The Rain, When You
Were Young, Driving With The Brakes On, Stone Cold Sober, Tell Her
This, Move Away Jimmy Blue, Be My Downfall, Some Other Sucker's
Parade, Don't Come Home Too Soon
---
REVIEW: Less than Jake, _Hello Rockview_ (Capitol)
- Kerwin So
Q: Why couldn't the rude boy with one arm skank?
A: Because he couldn't pick it up!
All right, so I admit that joke was less than jake, "jake" of
course being the slang equivalent to "cool" or "swell". Don't confuse
that with the Florida band Less Than Jake, who actually happen to be
pretty swell, all things considered. I'll skip the stuff about their
rock-solid history of DIY ethics, broad-based appeal, and impeccable
choice of cover tunes, just to say that the band's latest release on
major-label villain Capitol, _Hello Rockview_, offers another solid
platter of straight ahead, perfectly executed, ska-punk.
The fourteen tight originals (I think), clocking in at under
40 minutes, overflow with crunchy three power-chord 'n' brass fun,
sunny harmonies, and the requisite goofy song titles like "Help Save
the Youth of America from Exploding" and "All My Best Friends are
Metalheads". There are less samples and horns here than one might
expect from Less Than Jake (more punk than ska, let's say), but
nonetheless, look for _Hello Rockview_ - with any number of "modern
rock" radio-ready hits - to win over even more fans to the ever-expanding
and sweaty LTJ camp.
There's probably lyrics about Pez in here somewhere, but I was
too busy high-steppin' it to catch 'em. Despite the fact that _Hello
Rockview_ blasts an overall uniform sound that rarely strays from the
ska-punk formula, it will nonetheless have the kids bouncing off the
walls yet again-- even those with only one arm.
---
REVIEW: Jack Drag, _Dope Box_ (A&M)
- Jon Steltenpohl
When Jack Drag's leader, John Dragonetti, comments "we approached
every song as its own planet, and we knew there were inherent problems
in that," he knows what he's talking about. _Dope Box_ is an album of
broken up sounds that shows incredible promise, but is a tough listen if
coherency is your goal. Nearly all of the great styles of late 80's and
early 90's college rock are represented whether it be the Pixies, the
Stone Roses, Weezer, or even some of the U.K.'s shoe gazing bands.
The designated radio single is a track called "Seem So Tired". It's
an incredibly danceable pop track. Unquestionably, Jackdrag studied "Fools
Gold" intensly in an effort to fill the gap so shamelessly left when the
Stone Roses cock teased the world with only one decent album in 7 years
before finally breaking up. The lead singer breathlessly croons over a
swirling beat driven by a lazy, loopy bass line. God bless Jack Drag for
proving that it might be possible for other bands to capture the spirit the
Roses so briefly embodied.
The title track, "Dope Box", follows a similar pattern of pop
satisfaction and infectious groove, yet other songs are seemingly from a
completely different band. The best chance for a single on the album
besides "Seem so Tired" is the album opener "Debutante". "Debutante" is
kind of like a garbled Weezer clone because it's smart and grungy without
losing its pop flavor. Shades of Beck's "Devil's Haircut" are present
in "I Feel Really O.K.". Alternately, "Where Are We" could pass for a
Smiths song with guitar work right out of the Johnny Marr fakebook. The
only clunker on the album is the last track called "Kung Fu Dub". It's
a bit too incoherent at first, but shows the promise of the band when it
breaks down into a beautiful crooning finale.
Jack Drag are sonically exciting, but they need a little experience
on songwriting and album coherency. This is one of the most inspiring debuts
I've heard in a long time because the stength and originality of the band
is immediately evident. There's a glut of bands hitting the charts now
featuring smart ass lyrics played by wholly average bands. Jack Drag steps
right up to the plate as a band which plays music much better than their
level of songwriting would suggest. Unfortunately, _Dope Box_ is exciting,
but a bit unrefined. The album has a lot of merit, but its true strength
is the promise of Jack Drag eventually maturing into a classic band.
---
REVIEW: House of Love, _The Best of The House of Love_ (Mercury)
- Joann D. Ball
_The Best of The House of Love_ is a remarkable 15-track
collection chronicling the all-too brief history of The House of Love.
Compiled by Housemaster Guy Chadwick and Paul Reidy of Mercury Records,
the compilation is a near-perfect overview of the band's brilliant musical
output.
The rousing "I Don't Know Why I Love You" is the lead-off track
on _The Best of The House of Love_. And rightfully so, since it was
the first single from the band's self-titled Fontana/PolyGram Records
debut which was released worldwide in early 1990. Also included here
from that first major label effort are the tracks "Beatles and the
Stones" and Shine On." While the single mix of "Beatles and the Stones"
featured here doesn't have the news/interview snippets and music
samples that introduce the album version, the song still stands out
as one of Chadwick's most insightful and reflective songs. On the
other hand, the upbeat "Shine On" is most illustrative of The House
of Love's ability to deliver straight-ahead Britpop.
The House of Love's sophomore effort for Fontana/PolyGram was _A
Spy in the House of Love_, released in late 1990. While not as stellar
as its predecessor, it nonetheless had some good songs including
"Marble" and "Safe" which are featured here. A whopping five tracks
were taken from the band's 1992 follow-up _Babe Rainbow_, and the
most outstanding of these is undoubtedly "You Don't Understand."
Featuring a soulful Hammond organ over a pulsing beat, "You Don't
Understand" is an all out tour de force which instantly recalls
Traffic's "I'm A Man." Also taken from major label Eyes," and "Crush
Me" Surprisingly, though, there are no tracks here from The House of
Love's fourth and final Fontana/PolyGram release, _Audience With The
Mind_. One can only wonder why Chadwick chose to ignore this record
entirely - even the record's outstanding single, the aggressive
"Hollow."
As House of Love fans know, the eponymous major label debut is
often called "the butterfly" album in reference to its cover artwork and
to distinguish it from two earlier records bearing the band's name. The
acoustic "Loneliness Is a Gun" included here on _The Best of The House
of Love_ appeared on the first self-titled album, which was a German
compilation of the band's early singles released on Rough Trade/Creation
Records in 1987. The track "Christine" hails from the other self-titled
record which was released on Relativity/Creation Records in the US in
1988. And rounding out this collection are the rarities "Destroy the
Heart," "Never Written," and "Let's Talk About You."
That the House of Love had tremendous potential as a pop rock
band is evident throughout _The Best of The House of Love_. Appreciated
in its native land, the rest of Europe and Japan, England's House of
Love was largely ignored in the United States. Thus, it's not surprising
that this retrospective was released with little publicity or promotion
in America a full month after its August street date in other parts of
the world. Nevertheless, this collection serves as a wonderful reminder
of that which was The House of Love and a great introduction to one of
the most underrated British bands of the past decade. And despite the
collapse of The House of Love, leader Guy Chadwick remains dedicated to
crafting intelligent music and has formed a new band for that purpose.
In what has been a very busy 1998, Chadwick has toured Europe and Japan
to support the long-player _Lazy, Soft & Slow_ and a five-song EP
called _You've Really Got A Hold On Me_, both of which can only be
found Stateside on import.
---
REVIEW: Jaz Klash, _Thru The Haze_ / 60 Channels, _Tuned
In... Turned On (World Domination)
- Simon West
Los Angeles-based artist/producer/remixer/composer The Angel is
nothing if not prolific, popping up as remix producer for artists from
Frente to The Pharcyde, solo and collaborative tracks on the Gridlock'd
and Playing God soundtracks, and now two full length releases within a
month of each other, as 60 Channels and part of Jaz Klash.
Recorded back in 1996 and released in the US in September 1998,
_Thru The Haze_ is a collaboration between Bristol-based duo More
Rockers and The Angel, as Jaz Klash. More Rockers (Rob Smith and Peter
D) are veterans of the Bristol scene - Smith is one half of respected
drum and bass team Smith & Mighty. The end result of this collaboration
is _Thru The Haze_, in which More Rockers' drum & bass and dub style
combines with The Angel's hip hop and jazz leanings to brilliant effect,
on one of the albums of the year.
Live musicians, including jazz veterans Jacky Terrasson and
Brian Auger, combine with the breakbeats of drum and bass, hip hop
beats and jazz melodies, and the occasional vocal from The Angel or
guest vocalist Cockni O'Dire, creating a record that's a cohesive
fusion of these diverse genres, rather than a load of samples banged
on top of a couple of jungle loops. Smoky, laid back and cool, _Thru
The Haze_ is genuinely new music. Get it if you like jazz, get it if
you like drum and bass, hip hop, whatever.
The 60 Channels project is similarly progressive, combining
trip hop, hip hop, jazz, funk, soul and drum and bass. It's a more vocal
affair - The Angel provides lead vox on most of the tracks, with guest
appearances by Cockni O'Dire, Asian Dub Foundation's Navigator, Frente's
Angie Hart and Japanese vocalist Monday Michiru. Real instrumentation is
used here again to good effect, particularly Louis Russell's guitar. An
Angel project proper rather than a collaboration, _Tuned In... Turned
On_, like _Thru The Haze_, showcases her unique style and talent to
similar effect. Styles and beats flow in and out of the tracks, but again,
there's a cohesiveness here that sets 60 Channels above the crowd. Standouts
include the single, "Ride With The Flow", the ominous guitar riff, blowing
horns and sultry vocal of "No Come Down", and the funk of "Laid Back & Eazy".
Conclusion? Buy both. _Thru The Haze_ is jazz/breakbeat fusion
at its finest, with a jazz sensibility missing from many of its peers,
while _Tuned In... Turned On_ is more progressive still - the atmosphere
of trip hop, the pulse of drum and bass, the heat of funk, the attitude
of hip hop and the cool of jazz. An astonishing talent.
---
REVIEW: Mysteries of Life, _Come Clean_ (RCA)
- Daniel Aloi
Positively catchy, unabashedly romantic and ultimately
honest, Jake Smith's heavenly songs seem to hit me on an alternate
plane. I hear them coming out of the radio only in my mind. They
also serve to remind me of all the vagaries of love, usually the
upside of same, in my real life.
This kind of pop songcraft doesn't do much in the marketplace
these days, but the Mysteries of Life's rootsy pop songs have the
potential to be spilling out of real radios everywhere, at least in
a better world. (Aside to RCA promotion execs reading this review:
make it happen!)
Anchored by singer-songwriter/guitarist Smith and his wife,
drummer Freda Love, this Bloomington, Indiana group continues in
earnest with a masterpiece of sincere sentiment, equal to the
winning 1996 RCA debut, _Keep a Secret_ . That album's lyrical
intentions were simply stated, with some innocent, almost adolescent
expressions of yearning and lust. This new one mostly carries on, as
in a truly committed relationship following the rush of courtship,
with the day-to-day ups and downs of love. And yes, the album titles
address one another.
Aided and abetted by some Bloomington/Indianapolis scene
musicians -- including Lisa Germano, singing on the closing track
"Southdowns" -- Mysteries continues to explore the hope and promise,
drama and tension inherent in love. The music, laid-back but
insinuating and satisfying, is integral to Smith's straightforward
lyrics (as in the chorus "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, kiss me goodnight...").
He brushes his guitar (usually an acoustic) as softly as he
can, singing sotto voce so as to gain attention. The band finds its
groove behind him, keeping the arrangements a little loose but always
focused. Think of the '50s Sun Sessions sound applied to melodic
indie rock technique, and you have Mysteries' musical m.o. -- Smith
seems to have found a sense of purpose to underscore his already
capable approach to conveying heartfelt emotions. Many of the
songs, especially "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "A Year Ago
Today," and a seamless fit with previous work.
This is the second version of this album, with 8 of the 14
songs coming from earlier recording sessions. As a fan, and an
obviously biased one at that, I wouldn't mind hearing what ended up
in Smith's closet.
Last winter, after The Mysteries of Life had completed what
was going to be their second album, and some advance copies went out
to promote a tour that culminated in a SXSW showcase. Some brand new
songs were so well-received, the band went back in the studio,
enlisting producer Brad Wood to record new songs and revise old ones
for a new _Come Clean_ (they kept the title song).
Of the newer songs, "Downhill," the first single, and "Caught
Up" are insistent (with electric guitar!) while "Hey Kate" is the
type of song you could have heard two years ago.
On _Keep a Secret,_ the band was Smith and three women. Two
years, two independent EPs and much touring later, it's four guys
who outnumber Love. Bassist Tina Barbieri is gone, but cellist
Geraldine Haas is on both albums -- even on the newer "Hey Kate" --
but not in the current lineup.
Despite all this, and some obvious growth/shift in direction,
there is, as I've hinted, a smooth continuity between the two recorded
phases of Mysteries. They are still romantic, genuine, timeless -- a
band you can love, and fall in love to. Recommended most highly to
fans of Howard Jones, Crowded House, Marshall Crenshaw, and the
acoustic side of Neil Young.
A few words on the band's alt-rock pedigree: The members have
figured in the Blake Babies (Love), Antenna (Smith and Love's band
from 1991-94), the Vulgar Boatmen (keyboard player Dale Lawrence, who
also sang backup on "Keep a Secret" and sings on "Tell Me" here) and
Velo-Deluxe (bassist Kenny Childers' band also has Antenna/Blake
Babies alum John Strohm, and Smith as an occasional bassist). Childers
also sings and writes on this album. (Underscoring how identifiable
the scene apparently is in Bloomington, Smith says he considers
Mysteries and the Boatman as part of "a school of music.") Kim Fox,
who moved to Indiana from New York City and has her own solo
DreamWorks deal, was also in an interim touring lineup (on keyboards
and vocals) in 1996-97.
For more clues to Mysteries, go to their web site at
http://www.bugjuice.com/mysteries .
---
REVIEW: Snow Patrol, _an educational film by..._ (Jeepster - Import)
- Tim Mohr
Though Wales gets all the press these days, Scotland is spitting
out quality bands even more quickly. Perhaps the long-time success of
bands like the Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, and Teenage Fanclub
make the new Scottish bands less exotic than their Welsh counterparts.
Snow Patrol is typical of a new breed of Caledonian talent that has
managed to establish new parameters of experimentalism. Somewhere
between the sprawling soundscapes of Mogwai, the laid-back pop structures
of the Pearlfishers and Trash Can Sinatras, and the noise-bombs dropped
by the early Jesus & Mary Chain, Snow Patrol formulate short songs with
sinister-but-not-overpowering guitars and relaxed-but-incisive vocals.
Opening the e.p. with "one hundred things you should have done
in bed," Snow Patrol display a laconic, self-deprecating sensibility
that manages to undermine the lad-couteur of contemporary Britain. The
jacket actually mentions FHM and Maxim magazines, two of the most
successful neo-caveman publications. From the controlled vocals (akin
to Teenage Fanclub), it is difficult to tell whether Snow Patrol are
disappointed that they haven't done any of the 100 things. In fact,
beyond the line "I don't give a toss" from "Sticky Teenage Twin" on
the previous e.p., it is difficult to imagine Snow Patrol allowing
themselves to get passionate about anything--they seem far too numb,
too emotionally drained.
The last of the four songs is the longest song Snow Patrol have
recorded to date, slowing to a dirge and repeating the morose line, "I
could stay away forever if I tried." The quiet playground noises that
preface the song make a striking juxtaposition, the implied innocence
prior to the world-weary depression of the song itself.
Snow Patrol record for Jeepster, the label known for releasing
Belle & Sebastian, perhaps the best known of the new Scottish groups.
The bands share an atmosphere of tiredness, as well as an ability to
turn a wickedly analytical eye on any situation. Snow Patrol play
guitars with an assortment of pedals and effects, however, and avoid
the airy arrangements used by Belle & Sebastian.
---
NEWS: > Capitol Records' web site ( http://www.hollywoodandvine.com )
is the place to preview tracks and liner notes from the November release
of _The John Lennon Anthology_, a 4 CD box set of nearly 100
previously unreleased solo tracks.
On October 9th, internet users will be able to hear Yoko Ono's
audio introduction to the box set, and "I'm Losing You." This will be
followed by "Oh My Love" on October 16th; "Watching The Wheels" on
October 23rd, and "Sean In The Sky" on October 30th. Each piece will
feature an enhanced presentation for the Microsoft Windows Media Player.
> Former Stone Roses' lead singer Ian Brown's debut
solo album, _Unfinished Monkey Business_ , will be released
in the U.S. on October 6. A review of the import was
featured in the February 16, 1998 issue of Consumable Online.
---
TOUR DATES:
Air
Oct. 11 Seattle, WA Aerospace
Oct. 13 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's
Archers of Loaf
Oct. 7 Albany, NY Valentine's
Oct. 8 Burlington, VT Toast
Oct. 9 Montreal, PQ Cabaret
Oct. 10 Toronto, ON Lee's
Oct. 11 London, ONT Embassy
Better Than Ezra / Possum Dixon / Athenaeum
Oct. 8 Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom
Oct. 9 Providence, RI Lupo's Hearbreak Hotel
Oct. 10 Killington, VT Picklebarrel
Oct. 11 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
Oct. 13 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
Oct. 14 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Broadside Electric
Oct. 10 Philadelphia, PA Lionfish
The Church
Oct. 7 Boston, MA Mamakin Music Hall
Oct. 8 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Oct. 9 New York, NY Tramps
Oct. 10 Washington D.C. 9:30 Club
Oct. 12 Atlanta, GA Roxy Theatre
Oct. 14 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
Oct. 17 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Cravin' Melon
Oct. 8 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's
Oct. 9 Columbia, SC Elbow Room
Oct. 10 Hickory, NC Oktoberfest
Oct. 18 Wilmington, NC Hugh McRae Park
N'Dea Davenport
Oct. 6 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Oct. 7 Dallas, TX Caravan of Dreams
Oct. 9 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Oct. 11 San Diego, CA Belly Up
Oct. 12 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Oct. 14 San Jose, CA Fuel
Firewater
Oct. 7 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Oct. 8 Madison, WI O'Cayz Corral
Oct. 9 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax
Oct. 10 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern
Oct. 11 Detroit, MI Shelter
Oct. 12 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Oct. 13 Montreal, QC Jailhouse Rock Cafe
Oct. 14 Burlington, VT Toast
Io
Oct. 23 Concord, NH Cafe Eclipse
Irving Plaza (http://www.irvingplaza.com - New York concert hall)
Oct. 7 Edwin McCain
Oct. 8-10 Radiators
Oct. 13 Henry Rollins
Korn
Oct. 8 Phoenix, AZ America West
Oct. 9 Los Angeles, CA Forum
Oct. 10 San Francisco, CA Cow Palace
Oct. 11 Las Vegas, NV Thomas and Mack
Oct. 13 Boise, ID The Idaho Center
Oct. 14 Salt Lake City, UT E. Center
Lenny Kravitz
Oct. 7 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Oct. 9 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Oct. 11 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic Aud
Oct. 13 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
Liquid Soul
Oct. 7 Aurora, IL Walter Payton's Roundhouse
Oct. 8 St. Louis, MO Washington University
Oct. 10 New York, NY Tramps
Oct. 15 Vancouver, BC Richard's on Richards
Reel Big Fish / Spring Heeled Jack
Oct. 9 Rochester, NY RIT
Samples
Oct. 7 Auburn, AL War Eagles
Oct. 8 Tallahassee, FL Potbelly's
Oct. 9 Winter Park, FL Rollins College (Supporting Rusted Root)
Oct. 10 Gainesville, FL Brick City Music Hall
Oct. 11 Tampa, FL Frankie's Patio
Sand Rubies
Oct. 9 Los Angeles, CA Jack's Sugar Shack
Dee Snider's StrangeLand Tour (Soulfly + more)
Oct. 7 Washington DC 9:30 Club
Oct. 8 Sayerville, NJ Hunka Bunka
Oct. 9 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theater
Oct. 10 Spartanburg, NC Ground Zero
Oct. 11 Raleigh, NC The Ritz
Oct. 13 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Chili Pepper
Oct. 14 Orlando, FL Fairbanks Inn
Mike Watt
Oct. 7 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Oct. 8 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Oct. 9 Charlottesville, VA Tokyo Rose
Oct. 10 Washington, DC Black Cat
Oct. 11 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill
Oct. 12 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Oct. 13 Portland, ME Stone Coast
Oct. 14 Cambridge, MA Tt The Bear's
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest
music reviews publication on the Internet.
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