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Consumable Online Issue 044

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Consumable Online
 · 5 years ago

  

==== ISSUE 44 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [June 26, 1995]

Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Contributors: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi,
David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Joe Silva, John Walker
Other Contributors: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Kelley
Crowley, Tim Hulsizer, Sean Eric McGill,
P. Nina Ramos, Jamie Roberts, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair,
Jon Steltenpohl, Jorge Velez, Courtney Muir Wallner,
Scott Williams, Britain Woodman
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams

Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |-.
`------------' |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Michael Wilton, Queensryche - Dan Birchall
REVIEW: Rembrandts, _LP_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Fury In The Slaughterhouse, _Hearing and the Sense of Balance_
- Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Kendra Smith, _Five Ways of Diappearing_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: Shadowplay,_Eggs & Pop_ - Tim Hulsizer
REVIEW: Spoon, _Nefarious_ EP - Lee Graham Bridges
TOUR DATES Eric Clapton, Gene, Green Apple Quick Step, H.O.R.D.E. '95,
Kill Creek, Letters to Cleo / Sponge / Our Lady Peace
Sarah McLachlan / Chieftains, Nitzer Ebb, Tom Petty/Pete Droge,
Porch, Queensryche / Type O Negative
NEWS - Elektra on WWW, Free CD of Emote
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Michael Wilton, Queensryche
- Dan Birchall
Seattle-based progressive metal gods Queensryche have just
embarked on the second US leg of their theatrical, multimedia-laden
_Promised Land_ tour. They're also preparing to release a multiple
CD-ROM _Promised Land_ set later this summer, featuring documentary
footage, interviews, and five interactive worlds to explore. The band's
label, EMI, has established a World Wide Web site to provide information
on the CD-ROM set, at http://www.rockonline.com/emi/qryche/
I touched base with guitarist Michael Wilton as he and his
bandmates - vocalist Geoff Tate, guitarist Chris DeGarmo, bassist Eddie
Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield - rested between tour dates
in the southern US. Here's what he had to say about the tour, the
forthcoming CD-ROM set, and technology in general.

Consumable: Do you think the folks on Internet really reflect a
significant market segment for you?
Michael Wilton: It's really hard to justify that - I know there's
a percentage of people who are just getting into that aspect. There's a
core of Queensryche fans that - I wouldn't say they're fanatical, but
they'll usually check out everything we do. That core is something that
we've built over the last fourteen years, playing live and putting out
music that they like, that they've become part of. Hopefully we need to
reach out to more people and bring them into... the web. (laugh)
C: So it's the old world domination thing all over again.
MW: Yeah - we don't want to change the world, we just want to
change their mind. (laugh)
C: Have you gotten to the point now where you can plot your own
course and do what you want without the label complaining too much,
since you have that core of fans who'll stick with you?
MW: I think so. We're really at a crossroads in our career
right now, with the whole shift of the music industry happening in the
last two or three years. We're seeing before our eyes a new generation
of young kids that want their own bands writing anthems for their
generation, which is the same thing that happened when we were around.
Thus, the almighty circle has started. We're seeing rock radio formats
changing, some crumbling and turning alternative or classic rock, and
seeing video formats drastically change.
It's really an interesting area for us, because we've never
really been a band to try and jump on trends or the whole fashion part
of it. We've always done it through hard work, touring, and pretty much
tried to stay away from the sponsors and all that. After this tour, we're
going to go back to Seattle, and we're going to put another record out, fairly
quickly this time - we're not going to take four years off. And really get
something going, get our minds together, and plot out an even bigger, better
show to outdo this one (laugh) - I don't know how, but we'll do it.
C: About the show, you've just started being out on tour again
after a week off. How's this leg going so far?
MW: This is the hot leg (laugh). We're down in Texas -
actually, we're in Oklahoma today - and it's really hot. But in the
South, they still like to rock and roll. They're an area of the
country that still has hard rock stations. It shows in the crowds.
They hear our tunes and they know our tunes, it's really good. So it's
been really good so far.
C: The CD-ROM you have coming out this summer - there were some
rumors that there were going to be clips from it incorporated into the actual
projection part of the show on this leg of the tour. Has that
been done, or is it still in the works?
MW: That was a wish from the people at Mediatrix. They wanted
to somehow promote it, and they saw the perfect opportunity up there,
but they don't know the logistics of, and cost involved in, trying to
transfer that onto a laserdisc format that's already been done, burned
in. So no, as far as that being incorporated in our live show, we
can't do that. The only thing we've done is at a couple shows, we've
had media rooms set up for people, and we've had the alpha disc there,
and they can mess around and maneuver their way through it.
C: EMI has teamed up with a company called RockOnline to put
up a WorldWideWeb site on the Internet, with some samples from the
CD-ROM and things like that.
MW: That's what they were talking about a long time ago. EMI
and Capitol, they wanted to jump into this new format, and we said,
"Hey hey hey, pick us, pick us! We're into this stuff, you know, we're
computer literate, give us a chance, we'd like to do that." This whole
CD-ROM venture has been very informative for us, seeing how it works
and how it's developing in the beginning stages, QuickTime motion and
memory. It still has a long way to go as far as I'm concerned. I'm
still edgy around some of the movies, and the standard has to be
brought up so that it gets run on faster machines. But I really think
CD-ROM is going to be a viable part of the market in the near future,
based on the sales of computers and CD-ROM apparatus. I think it's
good - I think it's trendy in a way, but then I think there's going to
be some really interesting information you can get on a CD disc. And
then there's a whole new area to be policed as well - there's pretty
disgusting stuff coming out. (laugh)
The whole _Promised Land_ CD-ROM was brought up to first do
just an informative documentary. So, in recording _Promised Land_ at
Big Log Studios off the coast of Washington, we filmed it all -
Chris DeGarmo's brother, Mark DeGarmo, filmed it. We digitally rendered
the film in a three-dimensional format, and began placing everything
that was in the log cabin back, so that you could have full screen.
You can wander around through the log cabin, click certain things and
find certain things, and bits of information will pop up. Basically,
the first disc is going into the recording studio, clicking things and
finding things, finding interviews and documentary footage.
But then on the second disc, we decided, "Let's make something
for the fans. Hey, this is CD-ROM, and you know there's a CD-ROM
market out there, and there are people who are CD-ROM-heads - I mean,
they're into this stuff. So let's give a little visual interpretation
of Queensryche, and give a little gaming element into it as well." So
if the user chooses, he can venture outside the log cabin into our
forest, which is kind of the magic forest where things happen, and as
you wander around, you find ways to transport yourself to different
worlds. There are five worlds, representing the ideas and beliefs of
each band member. As you venture through these five worlds, you have
the choice - or it's inevitable, basically, that you'll trip a natural
disaster. You have time periods and certain maneuvers that you have
to do to clean up the disaster that you tripped, or else something
really bad happens.
So thus, it has kind of an ecological theme to it, taking care
of certain situations, teaching the user to be responsible and think
things out. So as you venture from each of these worlds - which, by
the way, are all very different, Eddie's is like a game show, mine is
my brain, they're all very drastically different - after you've ventured
through all of them, and successfully tripped and solved all the things
you need to solve, you find your way to this place where we come out and
play a track on the computer, live. It's a track that will never be
released on album. I don't know, if you spend a lot of time on it, you
could probably do it in a couple weeks, three weeks, maybe. If you're
just a casual user, then it's three months. Some of it's challenging,
but then again we didn't want to make it so hard that it would piss
people off. There are some gaming elements, some gaming puzzles are
harder than others in certain worlds.
C: So you've essentially geared it toward the average thinking
metal fan.
MW: Well, the average thinking computer CD-ROM puzzle-oriented
fan (laughs). The objective is to find each little link that transforms
something into the mighty totem pole, and then, "boom."
C: In the mid 80's, you put out songs like "Screaming in Digital"
and "NM 156," where you seemed wary of technology. Now, you've got all
these DAT players, you've got one of the largest online fan bases in the
world, and you're writing songs like "My Global Mind". Would you say
your view of technology has changed?
MW: I think we've always valued progressing, and technology
progressing - I'm all for that. I think what we try and bring up,
which is just a point of view, us being objective, is that too much
of anything can be detrimental, and taken in the wrong context, it can
be disasterous. I think that's basically a philosophy that we've taken
in technology. Our whole philosophy is to question everything. We
always hope people, instead of just accepting the norm, question it.
"Why do we do this? Why does this happen this way? Why does this have
to happen this way?" Never stop asking questions.
As far as the media blitz, my backyard - I live right next to
MicroSoft. There are so many little sub-companies in my neighborhood,
like Virtual Media. There's all these little companies spawning up
just because of this huge thing called MicroSoft, this thing Bill Gates
has done. They're coming up with stuff that you can't even dream of,
and it's already done. I mean, it's scary.
C: So do you think your neighbor, Mister Gates, might be
playing a role in technological world domination?
MW: Definitely, definitely. I mean, he's going to have his own
TV channel. He's putting up satellites everywhere, he's buying up
little companies. Paul Allen is doing the same, he's on the board of
every virtual company and CD-ROM based company that's successful.
These guys are just on a rocket into the future, you know, and it's
like "Woah, fasten your seat belts, 'cause it's just around the corner."
(laughs) I think some of it is going to be very useful, in organizing
things, organizing data, keeping everything, keeping your desktop clean,
so basically you're not cluttering your mind all the time. And then
there's the interfacing with other computers, and the networking with
other people, and the online services. Lots of information is going to
be all via electronics.
When you start theorizing on this and thinking about this, it's
like, "Wow, what's going to happen to cash? Is everything just going to
be credit? Is everything just going to be electronic? Is money going
to cease to exist? Are Blockbuster Videos going to be a thing of the
future, are they going to be archaic, because all movies will be like
hotels - you can just order whatever you want, and Blockbusters will
just be these huge vaults playing movies all the time?" The shopping
channels, the golf channel, 24-hours-a-day golf, 24-hours-a-day soap
operas. Everybody's setting up their own world, what they want to see,
their own personality, on the television, on the computer screen.
Everybody's setting up whatever they want; they're personalizing
everything to their need. And is that right? Is that healthy? Is that
isolationism? Is that healthy, isn't isolationism what causes war,
what causes fear?
So that is a thing we ponder. You realize balance is the key.
You can spend half your days on the computer, but spend the other days
socializing with people in your community, at the bar, the library, a
sporting event, whatever. And talk to people, you know - tell them your
views, tell them your opinions, tell them what you think. The whole
decay of suburbia - and believe me, I live in suburbia, and I know - is
everbody isolates themselves, nobody wants to talk to anybody,
everybody is scared of what they have, they don't want anybody to know
about it, and they become opinionless. It's a serious thing, this
technology (laugh) - that could happen.
C: We might actually see more songs along the line of "too much
technology is a bad thing" in the future?
MW: No; it's ironic that we use the technology to make what
we talk about.
C: You don't view that as an integrity failure, though, it's
not a conflict.
MW: No, not at all. Like I said, it's an organization of data.
It's being more efficient and creative and resourceful.
C: So the CD-ROM, the second disc particularly, is going to
reflect a very personal and independent side of the band.
MW: Yes - The Psyche of the 'Ryche."
C: Basically that's not something that the label came up with
at all, that was entirely your idea.
MW: No, that's one way that this CD-ROM is going to be different
than other CD-ROMs with bands. We've been completely involved in the
whole process. As far as the graphics, the gaming, the routing, the
coding, everything - we've stayed in contact with the company that's
been doing it, Mediatrics. We've actually flown down to Santa Cruz to
meet all these guys working on our stuff.
It was just amazing - it's this shack with all these PowerPC's
and SGI computers, and the guys just look wild. Long hair, goatees,
bull rings in their noses, purple hair, leopard-print hair. These
guys are on the computers, and they're coming up with all these wild
images for our CD-ROM. We got in there and started talking with them,
and they got ideas of what we were like, and started putting things
together. So it's a very good representation of us, it wasn't just
"Okay, here's what we want, do something with it." That's what made it fun.
C: This thing's supposed to be coming out in August?
MW: Yeah, the end of July. I think they're trying to figure
out if it's going to go on 3 CD's now. Probably because of my world
(laughs). Mine's the last one - Eddie's and mine are the last being
done. The coding is going down right now.
C: With it going on that many CD's, there's got to be some
effort to keep the price down. You don't want to price it out of the market.
MW: It's going to be competitive with anything that's out
there. There are some other CD-ROMs, the one with Tina Marie in it -
_Daedleus Control_, or something like that - I think that's three CD's,
and she's in it. _Eleventh Hour_ is coming out, but they're the
masters of compression.
C: Those are more a game-playing thing, and they don't really
have the musical focus.
MW: Right, but the making of _Eleventh Hour_ - I saw it, and
there's lots of heavy filming, blue-screen filming involved. So that's
something again that might be happening in the CD-ROM area. Hollywood
invading, actors and producers getting in on it, putting movies on
discs, and driving the price up, you know, the production costs and
all that.
C: Steven Spielberg and the other guys are now getting really
into the technology.
MW: Right. As soon as they have it all worked out and have
all the compression, and can put a full-time animation on a full
computer screen, then I think it's going to get really serious. There's
people like Todd Rundgren, Peter Gabriel - who have previously
ventured into this. We researched the market, I got _Myst_ and
_Seventh Guest_ and _Iron Helix_ and some other ones, and we all just
thought what was appealing to us about these games. The
interactiveness, and the act of making the user think, not letting the
screen do everything for you - that was very intriguing for us.
C: So if you're all playing CD-ROM games, what's the
Queensryche computer hardware collection looking like these days?
MW: Let's see... four-fifths of the band are Mac, and one-fifth
is Atari. Scott owns the Atari. He doesn't own a CD-ROM yet. He's going
to acquire one as soon as he gets home. He doesn't have any use for it out
here, right now. We run MIDI sequencing software on the computers. We have
them out on the road, and we're writing music.
C: You guys are doing pretty well with the technology. You
don't actually drag them out on stage, do you - they don't control the
keyboards or anything?
MW: We're scratching the surface. They're backstage in the
tuning room. That's all MIDI-driven. This time around we're not using
35mm film, that was a pain. Now it's all laserdisc driven, so it's a
much more efficient operation. The ADATs are actually doing the MIDI.
C: How many of them do you have?
MW: We've got five of them that are recording the show, and back
in the tuning room I think there's three of them, and there's one with
the MIDI signal on it that's on the side of the stage, that runs the laserdisc.
C: And of course that doesn't count all the fans that have their
own DAT decks out there taping.
MW: That's right - we've seen some pretty amazing setups out
there. We saw one guy in Chicago bring in a tower with two microphones,
and he had four decks. (laughs) Hopefully he got something good out of it.
C: So you're not too concerned about bootlegging?
MW: No, not at all. I have no problem with it, because I think
the people who would go to the trouble of bootlegging a Queensryche
concert, and wanting to hear one, already know us anyway, and most
likely already own one of our records anyway. And if somebody gets
turned onto it just because it's a bootleg, then they might go out and
buy the real thing anyway. So to me, it's kind of like a little personal
thing between the Queensryche people, just like it is with the Grateful
Dead and Metallica.
C: So by letting them bring in stuff and not having security
take it away, you're raising the quality of the bootlegs out there?
MW: Well, it's up to whoever's bootlegging. And also, you
flood the market, too, make it less volatile as far as people who are
doing it for big money, you know, reproducing thousands of tapes. Now,
everbody can have their own personal one and do it themselves, if they
want.
C: If somebody says they have a tape of a show, everyone else
will say, "So what? So do I.
MW: Yeah, exactly. And that's what's happening. (laughs)
C: You don't think this will have a negative effect on
releasing a live album of the tour?
MW: No, because, like I said, our core will buy it anyway.
C: True, and of course, you guys are plugged right into the soundboard.
MW: Yeah, I mean, the fidelity's quite a bit different.

Dan Birchall is the founder and editor of a weekly online
Queensryche digest, "Screaming in Digital". To subscribe to the digest,
which has been active since 1991, send a mail message to qryche@ios.com
with your first and last name.
---
REVIEW: Rembrandts, _LP_ (East West)
- Bob Gajarsky
The Los Angeles/Minnesota based duo of Danny Wilde and Phil Solem,
better known as the Rembrandts, have burst back into the music scene
with their third album, ironically enough titled _LP_.
The key track from the album which is most indicative of the
Rembrandts style is "Don't Hide Your Love". Playing on a flurry of
comparisons to Roger McGuinn (Byrds) and Tom Petty, the duo write the kind
of should-be classic which top 40 radio desparately needs. Other tracks
which show the Rembrandts can rock include "This House Is Not A Home",
"Lovin' Me Insane" which employs a softer Led Zeppelin-like guitar
riff as its cornerstone, and the first single from the release, "Comin'
Home". It looked for a while that _LP_ would be relegated to the
same corner as the other two Rembrandts releases (_Rembrandts_, _Untitled_)
- criticially acclaimed, loved by a loyal audience which wanted more
intelligent music coupled with harmonies - until a huge break came along.
Of course, the reason why your younger brother, college buddies, or
co-workers have heard of the Rembrandts is because of the 15th (hidden)
track, "I'll Be There For You". The theme from the hit television
show "Friends" has quickly catapulted the Rembrandts to airplay on
nearly every radio station across the country. What started as a 40
second opening soon was "looped" by some radio stations to satisfy
fans craving to hear this track on top 40, and, eight days before _LP_
was originally supposed to be released (March 28), the Rembrandts
went into the studio to transpose a 40 second blip into a 3 minute song.
The resulting product comes out as a combination of two other 1960's
groups - Herman's Hermits and the Monkees - with the same bubble gum
sound associated with both bands. It'll be a runaway hit for the summer,
but don't expect the remainder of the album to sound like this.
In conclusion - if you're a previous fan of the Rembrandts, you'll
love _LP_. It's easily their most consistent release to date and
the band wear their 60's influences of the Beatles and Byrds on their
collective sleeves. If the first exposure to this duo is from "Friends",
be prepared to open your minds, and let the Rembrandts harmonies and
hooks take over.
---
REVIEW: Fury In The Slaughterhouse, _Hearing and the Sense of
Balance_ (RCA)
- Sean Eric McGill
Fury In the Slaughterhouse hail from Hannover, Germany -
hometown to Germany's other major rock export, The Scorpions. And while
The Scorpions flourished in the eighties, the members of Fury In the
Slaughterhouse have been plugging away since 1987, first gaining success
in their homeland before making the great trek across the Atlantic where
they ended up on RCA Records. With their second US release, _Hearing and
the Sense of Balance_, Fury In The Slaughterhouse recall a certain sense
of the Eighties, but bring it into the nineties with style.
But while some of the music is reminiscent of the Decade of
Decadence, this isn't a bad thing. Sure, I caught traces of Mr. Mister
and The Outfield in a couple of songs, but I caught merely that - traces.
What the band accomplishes is successfully bridging the gap between the
eighties and the nineties, giving them a sound that is unique in its
range and impressive in their musicianship.
Vocalist Kai Uwe Wingenfelder is superb, providing the perfect
vocal style for the band. Nothing too polished, nothing too shabby, much
like Peter Gabriel, in the sense that neither of them are the best
vocalists in the world, but they suit their music fine. Wingenfelder also
shows his skills as impersonator, doing a damn good Sting on the band's
cover of "Next to You".
The rest of the band (Torsten Wingenfelder and Christof Stein,
guitars; Gero Drnek, keyboards; Hannes Schafer, bass; Rainer Schumann,
drums) are equally suited for the music being able to go from catchy pop
tunes like "Kiss the Judas" to the Pink Floyd-esque "Down There" with ease.
Like their vocalist, the band members provide just enough on each song to
make it distinct, but avoid going over-the-top with anything.
But the musicianship isn't the only attractive thing about this
album, because the band's songwriting abilities are superb as well. Many
people can write a song "like" Pink Floyd, but if you are constantly
thinking of Pink Floyd when you hear it, then their attempt was a
failure. This process is generally known as "being ripped off" and is
usually a good sign that a band either has no mind of its own or that
they're trying to cash in on a popular craze. But with songs like "Down
There", "Kiss the Judas" and even their cover of "Next to You", the band
doesn't "rip off" their influences, they pay them homage.
Their songwriting also shows that this is a band with something
to say, although they don't feel they have to beat you over the head with
their message to get it across. Topics like world peace are contained in
this album, but not on every song, and not to such an extent that you
began to get bored with the band's ranting. Some of these songs are
actually fun, which is becoming more and more unusual these days.
Finally, this is an album which fits no specific demographic. As
for right now, you hear the band mentioned in alternative circles, which
qualifies them as such until Top 40 Radio gets hold of a couple of these
songs, then they'll become "sell-outs". Basically, just buy the damn
thing and enjoy it...it's one of the best releases of the year so far.
---
REVIEW: Kendra Smith, _Five Ways of Diappearing_ (4AD/Warner)
- Lee Graham Bridges
Brian Eno once said that "the purpose of art is to distract the
viewer." However, the art created by Kendra Smith on this album is more than
distracting--it is often tiring and annoying.
She began her musical career in the early 80's with The Dream
Syndicate, which led the pack of LA's "neo-psychedelic" bands. After
leaving the band in 1983, she was involved in various projects and wound up
meeting David Roback, with whom she formed the band Opal. But after a few
years, she departed from the band mid-tour because Roback did not share her
"desire to delve into more unorthodox modes of expression." Hope Sandoval
took Kendra's place in the band, which changed its name to Mazzy Star.
After taking a 3-year pause, she recorded with the Guild of Temporal
Adventurers (A. Philip Uberman of that band helped out on _Five Ways_). It
seems as though this was the band she was most comfortable with, yet she
never really joined.
Even for her disjointed career, it seems strange that anyone would
start off a solo career with an album like this. Smith's lyrics remind me
of what a typical teenager is like--too silly to be serious, too pretentious
to have an impact. "Maggots" is funny the first time around, but later
becomes highly nerve-racking. Tracks like "Judge Not" and "Get There" are
a joke lyrically, compared to more artistic, better organized lyrics on the
irresistible "Valley of the Morning Sun" ("In the valley of the morning sun
/ all is lost, all is one / Consider Sir Richard Francis Burton / Captain
get your jacket on"), "Bold Marauder" and others. Unfortunately, Smith
only achieves lyrical greatness a line or two at a time. And her voice,
sounding a bit like Lida Husik or the Breeders' Kim Deal, is another unique,
yet not necessarily attractive part of the Kendra Smith experience.
Guitars, synths, a pump organ and even an Indian harmonium drone
along wearily as Smith sings about spaceships and futuristic hallucinations.
"Bohemian Zebulon" is a complete failure, falling on its face due mostly to
the song's dominant pump organ, which sounds like an overused toy rather
than a musical instrument. And although many songs are quite enjoyable
musically, Smith's poor lyrics often defeat the purpose (i.e. "Judge Not" or
"Temporarily Lucy").
In her quest to create original soundscapes and lyrical techniques,
Smith made _Five Ways_ too mediocre and inaccessible to be accepted even by
some die hard 4AD fans (at least for a first album), and not creative enough
to gain a cult following in the future.
---
REVIEW: Shadowplay,_Eggs & Pop_ (Incandescent Records)
- Tim Hulsizer
Incandescent Records is a new San Francisco-based label that's got a
great agenda: To focus on releasing alternative bands from other
countries. I certainly could not be happier, especially after hearing
this first offering from the label, Shadowplay.
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Shadowplay have been around in some
form since 1982 and have had considerable success in their native land.
It's not difficult to see why. This album is polished, beautiful at
times, and perhaps most importantly, entertaining. Front man Brandi
Ifgray has a strong but sensitive voice, but unfortunately it's often
lost in the mix when it should be dominating the guitars, as he digs into
relationships and life in general. The songs are finely crafted, jazzy
pop gems that actually succeed in drawing the listener in the first time
around with their excellent melodies and arrangements.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about Shadowplay's sound is that they
forego extended walls of "alternative" distortion in favor of some moodier
flavors. Marco Kosonen's trumpet contributions are featured prominently, and
combine with the organ to form a perfect foil for the traditional rock
'n' roll guitar. Eggs & Pop_ was called Album of the Year by one publication
when it came out in Finland, and I see no reason it shouldn't find a similar
acceptance in the U.S.A. with the right distribution. The lyrics are in
English, for those concerned about that stuff. Check out out the video
game noises on "Foam", the disturbing dissonance of "Some Kind of
Wonderful", and the great hooks in most of the songs on the album,
particularly the opening track.
To sum up: Excellent songs, average mixing, but a beautiful and
engaging sound. All-around sonic joy. I give it an A-, and sit here waiting
for more.
---
REVIEW: Spoon, _Nefarious_ EP (Fluffer)
- Lee Graham Bridges
From Austin, Texas comes Spoon, a band creating, amateur indie
"faux-punk" pop rock. The _Nefarious_ EP provides a small sample (under 15
minutes) of Spoon's talent. The key to success for Spoon with this release
is "The Government Darling", which is possibly the catchiest bit of indie
rock since Archers of Loaf's "Web in Front" ("You're the government darling
/ you're sick of yourself / you're sick of yourself") and makes the whole
album worth picking up. Spoon front-man Britt Daniel's vocals on the track
are fantastic; singing the chorus of the song, it's hard to tell whether
it's him or a Replacements-era Paul Westerberg.
"This Damn Nation" (a song by the Godfathers) is equally intense and
even more angst-ridden ("This damn nation / this frustration..."), including
some great guitar effects as well. "Primary" is also a good example of
Spoon's loose yet endearing performing style.
"Nefarious" is plain annoying and "Not Turning Off" isn't too
impressive, but overall, _Nefarious_ is a good record. I hope to see Spoon
make it big soon, that is, without ending up in the same league of dull
alterna-rockers that currently plague pop and alternative charts.
To get a hold of _Nefarious_, send $4 check, cash or money order
(payable to Britt Daniel), to SPOON, PO BOX 684651, Austin, TX 78768. You
can also contact Spoon by e-mail (spoon@hours.com).
---
TOUR DATES
Eric Clapton
Aug. 28 Dallas, TX Reunion Arena
Aug. 30 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
Aug. 31 Houston, TX Summit Arena
Sept. 2 Atlanta, GA Omni
Sept. 3 Knoxville, TN Thompson-Boling Arena
Sept. 5-6 Miami, FL Miami Arena
Sept. 7 Tampa, FL Thunderdome
Sept. 9 Chapel Hill, NC Dean Smith Center
Sept. 10 Charlotte, NC Coliseum
Sept. 11 Washington, DC US Air Arena
Sept. 13-14 Philadelphia, PA Spectrum
Sept. 15 Worcester, MA Centrum
Sept. 18 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Sept. 19 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum
Sept. 21 Buffalo, NY Auditorium
Sept. 23 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
Sept. 24 Chicago, IL United Center
Gene
July 6 Kentish Town, UK London Forum
July 20 Vancouver, BC Town Pump
July 22 Los Angeles, CA Roxy
July 24 Phoenix, AZ Electric Ballroom
July 25 Chicago, IL Double Door
July 27 Toronto, ON Lee's Place
July 28 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
July 29 Boston, MA Paradise
July 30 Washington, DC Black Cat
Aug. 1 Atlanta, GA The Roxy (Tentative)
Aug. 20 Phoenix, AZ Electric Room
Aug. 21 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theatre
Aug. 22 San Diego, CA Soma
Green Apple Quick Step
July 1 Washington, DC 930 Club
July 3 Long Branch, NJ The Metro
July 5 Boston, MA T.T. Bears/Middle East
July 6 New York, NY CBGB's
July 7 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
July 8 Washington, DC 930 Club
July 10 Rochester, NY Horizontal Boogie Bar
July 11 Boston, MA Local 186 TBC
July 13 New York, NY CBGB;s
July 14 Philadelphia, PA JC Dobbs
July 15 Washington, DC 930 Club
July 16 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
July 18 Boston, MA Local 186
July 20 New York, NY CBGB's
July 21 Philadelphia, PA JC Dobbs
H.O.R.D.E. '95 (featuring Black Crowes, Blues Traveler, Taj Mahal,
Ziggy Marley, Mother Hips, Wilco, G. Love & Special Sauce. Special guest
appearances from Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews Band, Dionne Farris)
Aug. 4 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek
Aug. 5 Pittsburgh, PA Star Lake Amphitheatre
Aug. 6 Columbus, OH Polaris
Aug. 8 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
Aug. 10 Portland, ME Seashore Performing Arts Center
Aug. 11 Stanhope, NJ Waterloo Village
Aug. 12 Boston, MA Great Woods
Aug. 13 Saratoga, NY Performing Arts Center
Aug. 15 Hartford, CT Meadows Music Theatre
Aug. 17 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend
Aug. 18 Chicago, IL World Amphitheatre
Aug. 19 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheatre
Aug. 20 Detroit, MI Pine Knob
Aug. 22 Minneapolis, MN River's Edge Park
Aug. 24 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Center
Aug. 25 Washington, DC Stone Ridge
Aug. 26 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek
Aug. 27 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug. 30 Dallas, TX Starplex
Aug. 31 Austin, TX South Park Meadows
Sept. 2 Los Angeles, CA Velodrome
Sept. 3 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Kill Creek
June 29 Fayetteville, AR JR's Light Bulb Club
June 30 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
July 8 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
July 15 Missoula, MT Pine Street Tavern
Letters to Cleo / Sponge / Our Lady Peace
July 4 Washington, DC Washington Harbour Park
July 5 Norfolk, VA The Boathouse
July 6 Raleigh, NC Ritz
July 7 Charlotte, NC Capri Theatre
July 8 Wilmington, NC Mad Monk
July 9 Myrtle Beach, SC Headroom
July 11 Atlanta, GA Roxy Theatre
July 12 Augusta, GA Garden City Music Hall
July 13 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
July 14 Orlando, FL The Edge
July 15 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Edge
July 16 Jacksonville, FL Shades
July 18 Panama City Beach, FL Spinnaker
July 19 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf
July 20 Houston, TX Numbers
July 21 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
July 22 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live
July 23 San Antonio, TX Showcase
July 25 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theatre
July 26 Tempe, AZ Club Rio
July 28 San Diego, CA Soma
July 29 Los Angeles, CA The Palace
July 30 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Aug 1 Portland, OR La Luna
Sarah McLachlan (first 6 dates with the Chieftains)
June 26 Cleveland, OH Cane Park
June 27 London, ON Alumni Hall
June 29 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
July 1 Rochester, MI Meadow Brook
July 2 Lewiston, NY Art Park
July 13 New York, NY Beacon Theatre (Lifebeat)
July 14 New Haven, CT Palace Theatre
July 15 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Amphitheatre
July 17 Holmdel, NJ Garden State Arts Center
July 18 Mansfield, MA Great Woods
July 19 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavillion
July 20 Pittsburgh, PA Starlake
July 21 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Center
July 22 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheatre
July 24 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
July 25 Tinley Park, IL World Music Theatre
July 26 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Music Center
July 27 St. Louis, MO Riverport
July 28 Memphis, TN Mud Island
July 29 Atlanta, GA Lake Wood Amphitheatre
July 31 Dallas, TX Starplex Amphitheatre
Aug. 1 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Pavillion
Aug. 3 Denver, CO Red Rocks
Nitzer Ebb
July 1 San Francisco, CA Trocadero Transfer
July 2 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
July 4 Dallas, TX Eden 2000
July 6 Houston, TX Kaboom
July 7 Beaumont, TX Phaz II
July 8 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
July 9 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
July 10 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
July 11 New York, NY Limelight
Tom Petty/Pete Droge
August 10 Salt Lake City. UT Delta Center
August 11 Denver, CO McNichols Arena
August 14 Mansfield, MA Great Woods
August 15 Saratoga, NY Performing Arts Center
August 17 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
August 18 Hartford, CT Meadows Music Amphitheatre
August 20 Holmdel, NJ Garden State Arts Center
August 21 Camden, NJ Blockbuster/Sony Entertainment Center
August 24 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavillion
August 26 Burgettstown, PA Starlake Aphitheatre
August 27 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
August 29 Columbus, OH Polaris
August 30 Cncinnati, OH Riverbend
Sept. 1-2 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Center
Porch
June 26 Seattle, WA Off Ramp
June 27 Salem, OR West Side Station
June 28 San Jose, CA Cactus Club
June 30 Santa Barbara, CA Underground
July 1 San Diego, CA Casbah
July 2 Los Angeles, CA The Whiskey (with Sponge)
July 3 Santa Barbara, CA Underground
Queensryche / Type O Negative
June 27 Tampa, FL Expo Arena
June 28 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheater
June 30 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
July 1 Charlotte, NC Blockbuster Pavilion
July 2 Hampton, VA Hampton Coliseum
July 4 Manassas, VA Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge
July 5 Pittsburgh, PA Star Lake Amphitheatre
July 7 Louisville, KY Louisville Gardens
July 8 Fort Wayne, IN Fort Wayne Coliseum
July 9 Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati Gardens
July 11 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
July 12 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheatre
July 14 Scranton, PA Montage Mountain
July 15 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Amphitheatre
July 16 Boston, MA Great Woods
July 18 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Amphitheatre
July 19 Camden, NJ Blockbuster Sony Entertainment Center
July 21 Albany, NY Knickerbocker Arena
July 22 Hartford, CT Meadows Music Theater
July 24 Holmdel, NJ Garden State Arts Center
---
NEWS
The Elektra label has joined many of the other majors in providing
a World Wide Web site, http://www.elektra.com which provides information
on various Elektra artists.
A band out of San Diego, Emote, is giving away copies of their CD.
Their music is influenced by Husker Du, Sugar, Generation X and Big Star.
For further information, email to diode@connectnet.com or, on the World
Wide Web, http://www2.connectnet.com:80/users/diode/emote.html
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
_Harbinger_ by Paula Cole is great. She has a refreshing honesty that
seems to be missing in a lot of music. I especially like "The Ladder"
because of those wonderful harmonies, "Chiaroscuro," and "Ordinary." She
wears her heart on her sleeve. And all of this is coming from someone who
listens to heavy metal (and I mean hard stuff too). Again, Paula is wonderful.
- J.B.
(Editor's note: Paula Cole's _Harbinger_, reviewed in the previous
issue of Consumable, will be released in August).
---
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
FTP: eetsg22.bd.psu.edu in the directory /pub/Consumable
ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable
Gopher: diana.zems.etf.hr
Engleski Jezik/Music/Consumable or
Hrvastki Jezik/Glazbena Rubrika/Consumable
(URL) gopher://diana.zems.etf.hr:70/11/eng/Music/Consumable
http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html
(WWW) http://www.westnet.com
(CIS) Compuserve, Lotus Notes users only: GO FORUM
(Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC
Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com),
serving Westchester County, NY.

Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online,
409 Washington St. #294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
===

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