THE SWINGING SHINDIG debut issue - 7/99
THE SWINGING SHINDIG
debut issue - 7/99
(text version)
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CONTENTS
- From Shauna
- Spotlight Artist: KAYE
- MP3 Music Reviews
- Darling we're THE YOUNG ONES
- Classifieds
- Official Info
FROM SHAUNA....
Welcome to the first issue of The Swinging Shindig. I'm Shauna Skye, your virtual hostess. To your right is a punch bowl. To your left some tasty brownies. And over there under the disco ball you'll find a group of hippies dancing to the Chemical Brothers....
Just kidding. Seriously, as editor of TSS I hope to make this a cool publication featuring underground musicians with work you can easily access. Now more than ever artists are making their work available online, and our reviews are here to spark your interest so you can check them out and decide for yourself if you like them.
As TSS grows we'll have more things available, and we plan to cover more styles of music than we feature in this issue. We'd also like to get to know you better, so if you have comments feel free to write in. We'll have a mailbag in future issues.
With that said, let's get on with this issue. And oh yeah. Thanks for visiting my cyberpad.
Spotlight Artist: KAYE
MP3 SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/17/kaye.html
HOME http://listen.to/kaye
I found Kaye in the Celtic section of MP3.com. I was struck by her pretty, soothing voice and downloaded a traditional song she arranged called "If I was a Blackbird." I went on to download more from her, including some of her pop stuff. It is my pleasure to present her as our first spotlight artist. The following is an interview I just did with her....
SHAUNA SKYE: First off, Kaye, how would you describe your music?
KAYE BREWSTER: Pine forests, heathery mountains and bubble-gum.
SS: What instruments do you play?
KB: Violin quite well, piano a little bit and guitar very badly. I consider myself more a musical artist than a performer because I couldn't entertain anyone live on any instrument, but I can piece things together adequately for recording purposes.
SS: Do you write your own music?
KB: Yes, mostly but not always. Sometimes if I'm possessed by a particular tune, the only way to exorcise it from my head is to record it the way I want to hear it!
SS: How old were you when you decided you wanted to make music?
KB: From the age of 5 I was desperate to learn violin. I started with piano lessons though and then began violin about a year later. I liked classical music but it was more of a technical challenge than a form of musical expression. From my early teens I wanted to make pop music and sing, but I was too shy to do anything about it. So it wasn't until I'd finished university and started working full-time that I decided it was time to stop wanting to make my own music and start actually doing it. I bought a keyboard, and that set me off.
SS: Who are some of your favorite musicians?
KB: ABBA (because of their fantastic pop tunes), Suzanne Vega (because of her lyrics), Bjork (because she is completely unbound by musical convention), Kate Rusby (because of her voice), The Waterboys (because of their energy) ... the list goes one and on.
SS: What goals do you have?
KB: I want to make music that gets into people's heads. I'll know I'm there if I ever hear a random stranger humming one of my tunes.
SS: What is Polopop?
KB: I consider myself a bit split musically. There's my classical/folk side, and my pop side. I decided to keep the two separate, since it seemed likely that there wouldn't be a big overlap of fans. So Polopop is the name I use for my pop half.
SS: Tell us a little about Rudsambee.
KB: Rudsambee is a small choir I sing with in Edinburgh. It is quite unusual -- we sing unaccompanied songs from all round the world in a huge variety of languages. The songs are all kinds, from medieval to modern, folk and traditional to songs written and/or arranged by people in the group. It's a fantastic group of people and the music is always a wonderful and inspiring mixture. We've just returned from a week tour of the Scottish Highlands which was excellent. Our web page is at: http://leonardo.ucs.ed.ac.uk/~wex/rudsamb.html (if anyone's interested in finding out more!).
SS: What's the music scene like in Edinburgh, Scotland?
KB: It's very lively -- not on a huge scale, since most of the hugest bands tend to play in Glasgow. But there's never any shortage of live pub music, sessions and ceilidhs to keep everyone happy! And of course, during the festival in July and August it couldn't really be more packed with things to do.
SS: Have you ever visited the USA?
KB: My mother is American, so yes. I visit the USA quite regularly to catch up with the other half of my family.
SS: Any words of wisdom for our readers?
KB: Anything you want to do? Just do it!
MP3 REVIEWS
The following reviews are of artists with music available in MP3 format. The cool thing is that these songs are available FREE for you to download, though you do need MP3 software to hear them in their best form. Never fear though, there's a free version of the software available on MP3.com for poor folk like us.
Ratings are based on a 1-5 scale, 5 being the best.
GENRE: Gothic/Industrial ...ARTIST: Largo02 ... SONG: Belzebul ...
RATING: 3.5 Stars ... SITE: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/largo02/ ...
Reviewed by Michael Raphael
Largo02 is a one-man project out of Dunkerque, France. He composes in a wide variety of musical styles, but the only MP3 on the site, Belzebul, harkens to Nitzerebbâs Gothic/Industrial groove. J - The song has great atmosphere, and some really cool sounds. L - The music is repetitive and half of the vocals are incomprehensible.
-/-/-/-/-
GENRE: Celtic ... ARTIST: Celtic Nots ... SONG: Eamonn's Reel...
RATING: 4.5 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/22/celtic_nots.html
...
HOME: http://www.celticnots.com/ ... Reviewed by Shauna Skye
This instrumental is described as "Traditional Irish reels, played on a pennywhistle." It's full of energy and is very, well IRISH! In addition to the pennywhistle, which would sound wonderful on its own since the player is quite skilled, there's also drums and strings (guitar?) which help inspire imagery of green hills, ladies baring their ankles, and wonderful Irish folk getting jiggy in the traditional sense. I feel like jumping around. Two knees up.
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GENRE: Trip Hop/Alternative Hip Hop ... ARTIST: Tar Baby (Tarbaby) ...
SONG: The Last Laugh ... RATING: 4.5 stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/31/tar_baby.html ...
Reviewed by Jason
When I heard this, it instantly became one of my all time favourite tracks that the mainstream has never heard. Understated beat + guitar riff from heaven + cool chorus (that's somewhat reminiscent of Seal) followed up by some thought provoking lyrical content makes this a GUARANTEED FRESH download!
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GENRE: Drum and Bass ... ARTIST: elleinad ... SONG: sail(four two oh)
RATING 4 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/elleinad ...
HOME: http://members.xoom.com/elleinad/ ... Reviewed by The Gene
This artist is capable of bringing a full range of mood and emotion into a single track. 'sail(four two oh)' has an ethereal quality that brings you up, down, in and out. The inspiration and ideas in this track are worth five stars. It lacks a little in production, but not much. The artist is definitely on the right track. Check out elleinad, you'll enjoy it.
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GENRE: Trance ... ARTIST: Psychobabble ... SONG: Inverted Forces
... RATING: 3.5 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/psychobabble ...
Reviewed by Jason
Pump up the ambience and bring in that driving 303 - check out these inverted forces. A nice driving 4 on the floor beat with a somewhat breakbeat feel creates an extremely uplifting track with nice layers. This track would fit in nicely on your next pre or post club night ... or get a dub plate and have the DJ play it at the club.
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GENRE: Drum & Bass/Techno ... ARTIST: Dub Assassin ...
SONG: Big Daddy Jazz ... RATING: 3.5 Stars ... SITE
http://www.mp3.com/artists/5/dub_assassin.html ... HOME:
http://www.freakadelic.com/dub/ ... Reviewed by Michael Raphael
Unless I'm on hallucinogens or the dance floor, I'm the type of person that is bored to sleep by Techno. Having said that, this is the only one, of the seven MP3s here that didn't require a cup of coffee. It was quite catchy, and the organ sounds were an inventive twist.
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GENRE: Acid ... ARTIST: nbs ... SONG: ion ... RATING 3 stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/nbs ... Reviewed by The Gene
The track starts off with some nice sulphuric acid lines and a solid kick that gives the tune punch. Around the 2:00 minute mark the kick really begins pumping and the acid goes into overload. A couple cool breakdowns of pure acid take one to the end of the track. Nothing too extravagant here, just solid acid.
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GENRE: Dark Electronic Pop ... ARTIST: Texture ...
SONG: The Man Upstairs ... Rating: 4.5 Stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/2/texture.html ...
HOME: http://members.aol.com/poptexture/ ...
Reviewed by Michael Raphael
This is a great song! Beautiful, catchy vocal harmonies highlight powerful, moving lyrics. The music is excellent also. Definitely worth the download time and storage space, maybe even a purchase. Sounds like a Depeche Mode collaboration with XTC. Without the cheesy synth chords in the intro, this songâs a Five.
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GENRE: Trip Hop ... ARTIST: Girl Next Door ... SONG: Rmpelstiltskin ...
RATING 5 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/girlnextdoor ...
MAIN SITE: http://listen.to/GirlNextDoor ... Reviewed by The Gene
This track contains a variety of sound and emotive lyrics. All of it great. The production is first rate and the musicianship is top notch. Layer after layer of haunting sounds wash over you like an almost remembered lover. The group is very tight and absolutely worth listening to over and over. Bravo!
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GENRE: Trance/Breakbeat ... ARTIST: Adam Starr ... SONG: Boxcar Willy's
Electric Blues ... RATING 4 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/adamstarr ...
Reviewed by Jason
What would happen if Fat Boy Slim got his hands on a funky harmonica sample? Well, not exactly. It's a fun track - with an interesting build up and energy. A definitely interesting combination of electronics and bluesy harmonica that I've never heard of before; the electronics and harmonica build up in a sort of musical tug of war that's worth a listen to.
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GENRE: Alternative/Psychedelic/Folk Rock ... ARTIST: insect trust ...
SONG: Caving In ... RATING: 4 Stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/0/alejandro_lobster_and_the_inse.html ...
HOME: http://members.xoom.com/alobster/ ...
Reviewed by Michael Raphael
Imagine what a musical dual between the Violent Femmes and They Might Be Giants might sound like, and you've got some idea of what this quirky, inventive, and energetic duo is up to. But, this song's more laid back approach creates an atmosphere in which its resigned, simplistic lyrics hint of a deeper sadness.
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GENRE: Symphonic Electronica ... ARTIST: Galbatron ...
SONG: Dragon Dance ... RATING 4 stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/galbatron ...
HOME: http://akebono.www.cistron.nl/ ... Reviewed by The Gene
A smorgasbord of mood and eclecticism, Dragon Dance from Galbatron keeps you on the edge of your seat when you're not staring across their vividly painted sonic topography. The sound is a bit game oriented, but is well executed with good production. Constantly revolving layers keeps the interest and excitement flowing. Good Work!
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GENRE: Drum'n'Bass ... ARTIST: Notch ... SONG: Howdoyafeel? ...
RATING: 3 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/10/notch.html ...
Reviewed by Jason
An underground beat with drums that you've heard before. Weird voice samples and a very grungy sounding bassline round off the track - it's actually a very addicting bassline once you've heard it; however, for me, the track could use some more layers. I have a feeling that this would fit in perfectly with some darker/harder Drum'n'Bass DJs set.
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GENRE: Trip Hop/Future Funk ... ARTIST: Adam Guth ...
SONG: Impending Boom ... RATING: 3 stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/19/adam_guth.html ...
Reviewed by Jason
A low key mix of a mild hip hop/trip hop beat with some funked out synth ambience, a very slick and slamming bassline (which keeps the track pumping along) and this haunting solo chanting vocal sample. It's actually a very smooth track - definite chill out music. The one thing that I hear this song screaming out for is vocals from a funked out dubby singer.
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GENRE: Indie/Country Rock ... ARTIST: Cornhole ...
SONG: Cussinâ in Spanish ... RATING: 4.5 Stars ...
SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/30/_cornhole.html ...
HOME: http://www.hotlinkrecords.com/ ... Reviewed by Michael Raphael
This trio from Denton, TX mixes up a clever blend of Country and Rock music with trailer trash lyrics that display a twisted sense of humor. This song should make you crack a smile, especially if youâve ever worked a restaurant in a border state. The music definitely rocks in its own unique way.
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GENRE: Ambient Electronic ... ARTIST: Ryan Avery ... SONG: Freefall ...
RATING 3 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/ryanavery ...
HOME: http://www.concentric.net/~grommit/ Reviewed by The Gene
I liked the structure and melodies of this track a lot, though I didn't care for some of the sounds which seemed a bit thin. They reminded me of GM sounds I heard too much of in the late eighties. The composition of the track is quite nice, however. Changing a few of the instrument sounds would help this track immensely as the melodic work is first rate.
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GENRE: Rock ... ARTIST: Orion 321 ... SONG: Bottom of Sky ...
RATING: 4 stars ... SITE: http://www.mp3.com/artists/22/orion_321.html
HOME: http://www.sentex.net/~bebop/orion321 ... Reviewed by Shauna Skye
On Orion 321's site they are described as having "the pioneering sound of the Smashing Pumpkins mixed with the technicality and vision of Pink Floyd" but based upon this track I'd be more apt to compare them to Collective Soul. This is is a catchy tune, and the more I listen to it the more I like it. If this song had a chance at radio airplay, I'm certain it would be a hit.
Darling, we're THE YOUNG ONES
by Shauna Skye
When I was a kid in the mid 80's a British show called The Young Ones (reruns for me) aired on MTV every Sunday night. It was about four mismatched college students who shared a house, and though I never saw them study, they were rumored to attend a university called Scumbag College.
First there was Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson), a punker with spikes on his forehead and bright red hair. He was only happy when there was anarchy and mayhem. He was good at shouting "Shut up, you bastards!" and destroying things.
Neil (Nigel Planer) was the antithesis of Vyvyan. As a peaceful hippy vegetarian type, he cooked lots of lentils and engaged in activities like painting his astrological chart. He was usually picked on by the other guys since they claimed he smelled. Any work or cooking that ever got done was by Neil, and he was a rather lovable character, if only because he was so dimwitted.
Mike (Christopher Ryan) was the so-called "normal" guy, though he was so non-freaky I suspected him of being the weirdest. He had a blowup doll in one episode, so I couldn't help but think he was a closet pervert. Mike was probably the least interesting, though he did well serving as straight man to emphasize the other freaks in the house.
Finally there was Rick (Rik Mayall), an alternative sort of chap who adored Cliff Richard and Echo and the Bunnyman. He was loud and obnoxious, and quick to protest that he was not a virgin. Rik Mayall later went on to play the imaginary friend in the movie "Drop Dead Fred."
Alexei Sayle played additional characters on the show, mostly members of the Balowski family. I rarely found him funny, except once when he performed this song about Doc Martin boots. (It was so stupid, you had to laugh.) Usually the musical guests ranged from Madness ("Our house...in the middle of a street") to Motorhead.
The plots to The Young Ones made little sense, and occasionally the camera zeroed in on inanimate objects which piped in with statements like "Don't look at me, I'm irrelevant!" Once an entire episode was dedicated to the guys laundry, which had been left unwashed for so long it came to life. When they finally got it to the launderette the washing machine made a barf noise and closed its own lid, refusing to accept it.
As a kid I never missed this show, and I had a great deal of the dialogue memorized. My best friend thought I was nuts, since I usually laughed nonstop through the whole thing. She couldn't understand anything they said apart from "Oi!" and "You bastards!"
Many of The Young Ones episodes are on video now. If you've never seen this show, I recommend it. I turned my friend Paul onto it, a sick puppy if you've ever met one, and to this day if I hear from him he asks: "You still have those Young Ones episodes on tape?"
In memory of The Young Ones (and my ill spent youth), I leave you with one of Rick's poems. It's far funnier hearing him recite poetry with his British accent; but alas, text will have to do here....
RICK'S TEEN ANGUISH POEM
(from Bachelor Boys: The Young Ones Book)
oh god,
why
am I so much more sensitive than everybody else ?
why
do I feel things so much more acutely than them,
and understand so much more.
I bet I'm the first person who's ever felt as rotten as this.
could it be
that I'm going to grow up
to be a great poet and thinker, and all those other wankers in my
class are going to have to work in factories or go on the dole?
yes, I think it could.
CLASSIFIEDS
Dallas, TX. Experienced vocalist/songwriter seeks inventive guitarist, & keyboard/sampler/sequencer player to write songs, form band. Influences: Bowie, Nick Cave, Cure, DM, Dead Can Dance, Doors, Jane's Add., Ministry, NIN, Portishead, Radiohead, Smiths, The The, Tool, U2, & others. Interested in combining Ambient, Gothic, Industrial, World, Rock & Roll, and Pop. Email: mercury@ureach.com
PRiNE's EP "Desh Pardesh" is now shipping! Go to www.jason.prine.com for all the details. Buy your copy of "Desh Pardesh" through www.tarmedia.com and www.cdmama.com. More sites and retail stores to come! Don't forget that with every "Desh Pardesh" purchase you'll receive Tar Baby's "One Day I'll Marry a Human" CD for FREE!!! Check out the FREE MP3 single "And Furthermore" at MP3.com - http://www.mp3.com/artists/30/prine_jason.html - Riffage -http://www.riffage.com/Bands/1,2939,2349,00.html - and at Amp3.com - http://www.prine.amp3.net/
Prove your intellectual superiority and purchase an ebook by the famed and not so dignified poet Valerie Hardin. Impress your friends! Make your enemies jealous. Valerie Hardin's gothic poetry book on disk Razor in The Brain is now available at amazon.com. Her children's book Two Turtles is now on sale at Hard Shell Word Factory http://hardshell.com/twoturtles.html. New books include the children's books Bunny Moon, and Pop Pop Pop and the REFERENCE ebook Getting Published For Morons. The New Writer's Sanity Guide is at publisher Dreamcatcher Books http://www.cia-g.com/~jwaldie
OFFICIAL INFO
The Swinging Shindig (TSS) is published once (sometimes twice) a month. If you enjoy reading it, please tell your friends about it. They can subscribe by emailing ShaunaSkye@aol.com and putting SUBSCRIBE SHINDIG in the subject.
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