Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Consumable Online Issue 118
==== ISSUE 118 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [August 7, 1997]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gaj@westnet.com
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David
Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer,
Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges,
Scott Byron, Patrick Carmosino, Janet Herman, Bill
Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Jiji Johnson,
Stephen Lin, Scott Miller, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Scott Slonaker, Simon Speichert, Jon
Steltenpohl, Simon West, Lang Whitaker
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Also Contributing: Dan Birchall, Derek Langsford, Malcolm O'Neill
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
==================================================================
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: Bettie Serveert - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Bettie Serveert, _Dust Bunnies_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Seven Mary Three, _Rock Crown_ - Scott Slonaker
REVIEW: David Byrne, _Feelings_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Paul Weller, _Heavy Soul_ - Tim Kennedy
CONCERT REVIEW: Jimmy Wilson Group and guests (Ween) - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random_ - Derek Langsford
REVIEW: Pat MacDonald, _Sleeps With His Guitar_ - Reto Koradi
CONCERT REVIEW: Michael Penn - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Various Artists, _DubMission2 The Remixes_ - Malcolm O'Neill
REVIEW: Finneus Gauge, _More Once More_ - Dan Birchall
REVIEW: Teenage Fanclub, _Songs From Northern Britain_ - Tim Kennedy
NEWS: Kip Winger
TOUR DATES: Allman Brothers / Sister Hazel, Boston, Cake Like, Cowboy
Mouth, Darlahood, Government Mule / Sweet Vine, Life of Agony,
Lollapalloza, Lunachicks, Matchbox 20, Megadeth, Sinead O'Connor,
Poison Idea, Radiohead, Sister 7, Size 14, Supertramp, Tsunami,
Vision of Disorder, The Why Store, World Party, Wu Tang Clan /
Rage Against the Machine / Atari Teenage Riot
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Bettie Serveert
- Al Muzer
Only a fool or someone with a poor command of the
English language would accuse Bettie Serveert of producing
"happy" pop music.
Despite bright, occasionally jangly riffs, shimmering
hooks, an obvious love for radio-friendly melodies and the clear,
coy voice of singer/guitarist/songwriter Carol van Dijk; the deep
lyrical focus and thoughtful instrumental approach taken by the
Netherlands four-piece on _Dust Bunnies_ makes Aimee Mann sound
like Up With People! in comparison.
By pitting van Dijk's deep, compassionate, rainy day
observations against the deceptively warm backing of Peter Visser's
Neil Young-inspired guitar heroics and the solid rhythmic pulse
laid down by drummer Berend Dubbe and bassist Herman Bunskoeke,
the "open diary" feel and heart-on-sleeve slant of the group's
vocals is nicely offset by an instrumental sound perfectly-suited
for Top 40 radio.
Everyone's favorite Dutch treat when their debut effort,
_Palomine_, snuck its way up the alternative charts in 1992, the
understated music and warm, heartfelt lyrics on songs such as
"Leg," "Tom Boy," "Kid's Alright," "Balentine," "Brain-Tag" and
the wistful title track were a perfect counterbalance for the
anger and aggression popular at the time, and the album became
one of the surprise hits of the year.
"One of my biggest dreams, seven or eight years ago, was
to visit the states at least once in my life, you know?" marvels
Dubbe during a recent phone call from Amsterdam. "And now we've
been over there so many times that it's actually quite amazing.
We never planned on, or dreamed of, the level of success _Palomine_
eventually reached or the attention the record brought us. I mean,"
he chuckles, "we started the band with the intention of playing out
no more than a couple of times a month just for the fun of it."
Still attempting to come to terms with the "overnight"
success thrust on them courtesy of their debut, the group barely
had time to recover from an exhausting global tour when they
found themselves - ready or not - back in the studio working on
_Lamprey_, their not-quite-as-well-received 1995 follow-up effort.
"There was a lot of strain," Dubbe comments on the
recording process for Lamprey. "There were a lot of monkeys on a
lot of backs for that album. The hardest part, for us, was
starting out with nothing, which we basically did, and then,
all of a sudden, bang! We were overloaded with attention and
found ourselves trying to live up to our reviews."
Suffering from an overly-busy instrumental approach and
a feeling of general restlessness, Lamprey, while coming close
to stacking up song-for-song against Palomine, failed to make
an impact on the charts or, for that matter on the fans and
critics who'd so openly embraced the band a mere three years earlier.
"This is a much brighter sounding album," Dubbe says of
_Dust Bunnies_. "The second record became much darker and more
somber than we wanted it to become. It was written during a period
when there was a lot of uncertainty within the band. Plus, that
second record thing [sophomore slump]?" he asks. "Well, we actually
had it!"
Re-focusing on the simplicity of their debut while retaining
just enough edge from their second effort; the recently released,
13-song _Dust Bunnies_ is a glowing commercial and artistic achievement.
"This takes us back to, like, the first record," offers
Dubbe. "But, without the sloppiness of that album. The pre-production
time we spent in this little hole in New York City with Bryce
[Pavement/Spacehog producer Bryce Goggin] before we entered the
studio really, I think, helped the record in the long run. Bryce
was actually going, 'Well where are you going with that part? Why
did you play that there?' " he laughs. "And we actually had to
answer to someone, which was a little difficult. I think it really
paid off on the record, though."
Recorded with Goggin behind the boards near Woodstock, New
York, at Todd Rundgren's Bearsville Studios, songs such as
"Rudder," "Geek," "Co-Coward," "What Friends?" and "Story In A
Nutshell" have already drawn considerable press, MTV and radio
attention while the band's upcoming arena tour with The Wallflowers
and Counting Crows should be all it takes to completely convince
casual fans that Bettie Serveert's _Palomine_ was no fluke.
"We're really looking forward to those shows," Dubbe says
of the Crows/Wallflowers/Serveert bills. "It'll be three weeks
spent in big arenas - which is gonna be totally new for us and,
I think, a little weird. It should be a real adventure. Oh, yeah,
we're also looking at a small tour with Son Volt to happen sometime
not long after that."
"You know," he adds thoughtfully, "the next few weeks are
gonna be where it either happens for us, or it doesn't. A lot of
people who don't know us at all are gonna see us play - whether
they want to or not - so these shows are really important."
"We just played on a bill with Ben Folds Five," he says as
he quickly changes the subject, "which, I think, was a totally
weird combination of bands. I mean, we've got great songs. Those
guys've got great songs x but, still, for some reason, we just
didn't seem to connect musically."
"There were two very distinct camps of people in the crowd,"
Dubbe laughs as he recalls a wall of stone-faced non-fans. "Although
I did see more than a few Ben Folds Five fans who looked like they
were enjoying our music the longer we played."
"I really love sitting up there behind the drums," he
chuckles. "You can see everything. You know, there are more and
more shows where I see more and more people singing along with
Carol. And more shows with a lot of girls - and a lot of men - out
there pining for her."
"Although, sometimes," he says quietly, "it does get a
little bit scary up there. A little weird looking out into the
crowd and seeing so many people so intensely involved in the
music - and so many people so intensely involved in the lead singer."
---
REVIEW: Bettie Serveert, _Dust Bunnies_ (Capitol)
- Joann D. Ball
Bettie Serveert delivers yet another sonic treat on their third
release_Dust Bunnies_. The thirteen tracks here showcase Carol van Dijk's
unique vocals and Peter Visser's brilliant fretwork, which are the
foundation of the band's unmistakable sound.
Like their pleasurable debut _Palomine_, this latest collection
features the quartet's irresistible bash and pop. Here it is served up
in heaping portions on "Geek," "What Friends?" and "Rudder." And on
the short ditty "Story in a Nutshell," the Betties even incorporate some
of the wit and bubbliness characteristic of Lemonhead Evan Dando.
But the real gems here are slower, introspective tracks like the
acoustic "Dust Bunny" which alternate with the more typical uptempo
rockers. Hardly uneven or ragged, this arrangement complements Bettie
Serveert's musical abilities and van Dijk's lyrical acumen.
Life is indeed an up and down experience, and this is captured
in the songs individually and on the disc as a whole. That van Dijk
is a keen observer of perspectives, feelings and experiences is evident
on "Pork and Beans" and "Fallen Foster." Through her deceptively
simple lyrics, she manages to reveal the complexities of daily life in
such a manner that the listener can easily connect with the songs and
their subjects.
Without a doubt, _Dust Bunnies_ is a real Dutch treat. So go ahead
and indulge - you'll be glad you did.
---
REVIEW: Seven Mary Three, _Rock Crown_ (Atlantic)
- Scott Slonaker
One thing one certainly might not expect upon pressing play with
the sophomore disc from Florida's Seven Mary Three in the CD
player is an immediate Beatles reference. "Mean Mr. Mustard says
he's bored," goes the opening line to "Lucky". 7M3's debut album,
1995's platinum _American Standard_, owed more to the crunching
arena-rock of Live and early Pearl Jam, with singer Jason Pollock's
nuanced growl distinctly recalling Metallica's James Hetfield.
The band also bears the dubious distinction of being one of the
last "grunge" bands to hit big. This, naturally, targeted them
for a large amount of the backlash that emerged from grunge's
death throes.
_Rock Crown_ does manage to diversify the quickly-monotonous
two-pitch arsenal of its predecessor (loud riffers/overwrought
ballads) somewhat, but Seven Mary Three still comes off as largely
the same band trying too hard escape a now-undesirable
classification. In fact, they seem frightened of the riffy
thudding that made them a teenage favorite; only a handful of the
fifteen tracks really shake the speakers. Nevertheless, some of
the band's attempts to branch out do connect. "Needle Can't Burn
(What the Needle Can't Find)" chugs along fluidly in a Hootie-in-
fast-mode groove; it's tuneful enough to hum. "People Like New"
is a piano-based ballad that actually succeeds surprisingly well
(before being tarnished by gratuitous guitar wanking at the end).
"Make Up Your Mind" is another hushed tune that clicks due to
Pollock's initial vocal restraint (the lack of such being a major
problem with the slower numbers on _American Standard_). "What
Angry Blue?" throws in some dobro and "na-na-na" backing vocals,
cleverly copping Stone Temple Pilots' "Big Empty" in the process.
And the aforementioned "Lucky", despite the poorly disguised
lyrical inspiration, does possess an appealing acoustic hook.
Unfortunately, for every new ingredient that works, two don't.
"Houdini's Angels" fails to build its lush orchestral backing into
anything tangible. "Player Piano" is a clumsy stab at jazz. The
spare "Times Like These" and "I Could Be Wrong" float by without
much impression at all. "Honey of Generation", one of the few
songs that moves at faster than mid-tempo speed, buries itself
beneath completely toneless and overwrought vocal histrionics by
Pollock and dopey lyrics ("It's the honey of generation/Makes you
forget/Where you came from"). Tom Morris' production tries to
create some live-in-the-studio ambience, especially on the multitude
of acoustic songs, but the sounds that emerge often end up sounding
canned and forced. And with so little going on musically within the
frequently-spare arrangements, too much ends up depending on
Pollock's cryptic and cliched lyrics (although his pacing and
phrasing are improving somewhat).
The problem with _Rock Crown_ is not the fact that Seven Mary
Three are trying to do different things; in fact, I applaud any band's
efforts to diversify musically. It's just that 7M3's new direction
is going to completely alienate their younger audience that picked
up on the band's pit-ready, Metalliskynyrdly debut. How many of
those fans are going to be happy with a record that has exactly three
tracks (and really only one good one, the title track) that might be
able to stir those same feelings? (The middle third of the album, in
fact, consists entirely of ballads.) Seven Mary Three may eventually
turn into a band that's comfortable with both of its faces, but for
now, it seems as though they have sacrificed their meal tickets for
spotty experimentation. A handful of jewels do point towards a light
at the end of the tunnel for Seven Mary Three, but this _Rock Crown_
is largely a dubious honor.
---
REVIEW: David Byrne, _Feelings_ (Luaka Bop/Warner)
- Joe Silva
Since this project started to get airtime, Byrne has made much
noise about his coming to believe in the verite of the home studio
ethic and that much of this LP was born in that very fashion. And
thousands of indie outfits bear out this same notion annually with
sometimes no than a four-track rig and a couple of grand to get
their discs pressed. But when the term "home studio" passes across
David Byrne's lips, he's apparently not speaking in quite the same
tongues as those who exist in and about the lo-fi arena.
Not fifteen seconds into the lead track ("Fuzzy Freaky"), with
its phat wah-wah intro and thick rhythmic undertow, you realize that
no one who's shared much close artistic space with Brian Eno, is going
to suddenly jettison twenty years of forward musical thinking to
resemble some sub-Superchunk pop unit. In fact, Byrne has once
again, taken his left-ish field musical vision and conjured an
album that's as sonically compelling as anything that's beared his name.
There may not be the eerie urban perfection of _Fear of Music_,
or the brilliant pastiche of his _Life In The Bush of Ghosts_ project
he co-sired with Eno, but Byrne continues along the same omni
directional path that all of his solo material has benefitted from.
By now, he's almost entirely slipped from radio's
consciousness into the limbo that is hyper-critical acclaim, and
by that travesty, records as well executed as this release, will
most likely be ignored. _Feelings_ carries on in the same strong
second-wind form as the previous, self-titled LP demonstrated.
For all the other-worldly music that Byrne probably
saturates himself with, the appearance of the Salsa-fied "Miss
America" alongside the oddball grooviness of the opener "Fuzzy
Freaky" and the plaintive grace of "A Soft Seduction" shows that
Byrne has remained rooted in a largely balanced musical perspective.
Casting his many faces across these fourteen tracks, Byrne addresses
almost all of his strengths and characteristics that have endeared
him to the devoted over the past two decades. To find another
rhythmic intuition as flawless, married to a lyrical balance
that's just grim enough, just humorous enough while being butted
up against intellectually cool pop melodies, is not a simple thing.
The collaborations (Devo, Morcheeba, The Black Cat Orchestra)
seem to bear enough fruit, and hodge-podge moments like "The Gates of
Paradise" show that in just over three minutes, Byrne can also move
with as much effortlessness between as many styles (jungle, country,
pop). There are a few moments of depleted magic though, and if you
were saddled with a partner, pets, four children and x amount of
disposable income, opting for the last LP might be slightly more
satisfying. But given more time in its company, there's a fair
chance that _Feelings_ may warrant a retraction of the previous
statement.
---
REVIEW: Paul Weller, _Heavy Soul_ (Island)
- Tim Kennedy
Paul Weller has a huge and adoring UK following, many of them
dating back to the late seventies heyday of the Jam. He is
probably the most respected figure of his generation still
in music. His comeback since the implosion of the Style
Council has been meteoric.
The last album _Stanley Road_ to these ears was not a
consistent affair, ranging from moody and downright
depressing to suddenly euphoric and inspired. However
it was celebrated by the UK critics, and sold truckloads
at home.
The latest offering is a more consistent performance, with
a homely sound being created by the efficient backing of
Ocean Colour Scene. Weller's songs are soundly constructed,
and nicely offset with occasional sixties flashbacks.
If Weller has a godfather it would not be McCartney, but
Neil Young. Both share the same grim determination to see
the job through, and frequently seem desolated. Their songs
seem to rail at the unfairness of the situations of these two
icons of late 20th Century rock and roll (well apparently).
Not that unfair, say all of us.
The light touch of Weller's late seventies work is present in
"In Suze's Room" (one may recall "Fly" from _All Mod Cons_).
Elsewhere the mood is more sombre, though at times a little
funky. The emphasis is on 'heavy' more than on 'soul'.
This is not an album of innovation, but rather one which
displays an unerring dedication to the craft of the rock
song, and will be eagerly welcomed by his legions of
admirers.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Jimmy Wilson Group and guests (Ween)
- Al Muzer
Promising to be one of the strangest nights of musical
mayhem in recent New Jersey history, the "special guests" hinted
at in the ads for this bill were the real reason a long line of
happily-chattering surfers, jocks, metal heads, frat boyz ('n'
grrrls), country music fans and skate punks lined the sidewalk
outside The Saint (Asbury Park, New Jersey.) a full half hour
before the doors were scheduled to open.
Busy from the moment the first group of excited customers
had their hands stamped, club manager Scott Stamper slammed into
counters, beer coolers, garbage cans, door frames and anything
(and anyone) else behind the bar that remained stationary long
enough to get in his way as he insanely attempted to keep up with
the continuous demand for "more beer!" while Petey cranked up the
music and the place quickly filled to capacity.
Wandering up to the bar with heavy-lidded eyes and a
sheepish look on his face, Deen Ween seemed pleasantly baffled
when he overheard a couple discussing the last time they
experienced the Jimmy Wilson Group live.
"What," he drawled incredulously as he grabbed another
cold one from a dangerously oscillating Stamper, "you mean to tell
me that you've seen the Jimmy Wilson disaster before and actually
came back for more? Wow!?!"
The band (actually a weird combination of assorted Moist
Boyz, Ween members and whoever else happened to feel like climbing
up on stage for a song or two) chose that moment to burst into a
wigged-out version of a Chris Harford tune (with Chris on vocals)
that segued into a Vanilla Fudge-like take on "Aquarius (Let The
Sun Shine In)" that somehow became a mutant rendition of King
Crimson's "Cat Food" that, in turn, shifted into a Wayne
Kramer-ized assault on the blues that was followed by a doodlin'
version of "Fire On The Mountain."
While the group took a second to catch their breath,
Deener ambled up and strapped on a guitar for a slammin' blast
of Funkadelic's "Red Hot Mama" that briefly became "21st Century
Schizoid Man," "If Six Was Nine" and "Fire" before Gene (who had
somehow found his way on stage during a Doorsy rendition of
Hendrix' best acid vision) burped out a crazed solo that devolved
into a manic wall of feedback and noise.
With the club officially packed and the full Ween contingent
now strapped in, Gene and Deen broke into "I'm Dancing In The Show
Tonight," "The Mollusk" (featuring a bizarre Jacques Cousteau
underwater keyboard break), "The Golden Eel," "The Blarney Stone"
(bitchin' trombone solo!) and a whole bunch'a other songs from
their Elektra album, _The Mollusk_ (as well as a few blasts from
the past) that I was simply way too buzzed to write down.
Fulfilling the crowd's expectations for musical brilliance,
sick humor and a totally twisted weirdness that went beyond
anything witnessed in scenic Asbury Park since the last time the
same group of musicians shared (more than) a few bottles and broke
a few strings on the Saint's stage - The Jimmy Wilson Group's
latest assault on music will long be remembered (by those actually
sober enough to recall it) as one of the concert highlights of the
summer.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random (not a tribute to Gary Numan)_
(Beggars Banquet)
- Derek Langsford
Beggars Banquet state this is not a tribute album, rather a set
of songs that were "solid and could be translated for a wider
audience." Beggars continue to walk that fine line between hiding
their embarrassment and making money off the UK music press's
favorite whipping boy, Gary Numan, the late 70s/early 80s synth
pioneer. Beggars boast that they had more tracks offered than
could fit on two CDs yet some of the rumoured big names such as
Tori Amos and Nine Inch Nails are notably absent, some relatively
unknown artists are present, and only 60 mins of music is on each
CD. Despite this apparent deflation of the expectations, the final
product admirably achieves its goal and amply illustrates why
many are reevaluating Gary Numan some 17 years after his peak
success.
The tracks are mostly from Numan's Beggars Banquet catalog
(78-83) with two somewhat unexplainable exceptions - 1986's "I
Can't Stop" (one of Numan's less likeable songs) given a brooding
treatment by newcomers Peck Slip and 1994's "Absolution" by Amanda
Ghost - a decidely dull rendition of his most recent single. The
other tracks include straightforward covers ("We Are So Fragile"
- Jesus Jones), pulsating dance interpetations ("Stormtrooper in
Drag" - St. Etienne), song obliteration with rap overdub ("Films"
- Underdog) and keyboard noodlings with little attention to the
original song ("Joe the Waiter" - The Orb). The interpretations
run the gamut from excellent (a Hendrix/Reznor influenced "Poetry
and Power" - Gravity Kills), intriguing (Chris Holmes's refreshing
rework of "Remember I Was Vapour"), novel (a Lene Lovich/Siouxsie
inspired "She's Got Claws" - Posh), and dull ("Are Friends Electric?"
- An Pierle, a Belgian Tori Amos soundalike with Sheryl Crow envy).
While some songs are given new life by the artists (Kenickie -
"I'm An Agent", EMF - "We Are Glass", Dubstar - "Everyday I Die",
Moloko - AFE), others seem stale before you reach the first chorus
(Republica, Windscale). Many of the new crop of artists are cliched,
simply recycling influences of the last 30 years like so many of the
"new" bands (there's even a Queen sample from the early 70s). But there
are notable interpretations from Matt Sharp (Weezer, The Rentals)
and Damon Albarn (Blur) - "We Have a Technical", The Magnetic Fields
- " I Die: You Die", Jimi Tenor's "Down in the Park", and Bis - "We
Are So Fragile".
Like all "tribute" albums one's first impressions are always
shaded by the comparison with the originals. Various artist
compilations also always suffer from lack of sonic continuity. Treating
each cover separately may not be a good indicator of the overall
experience but I have come full circle. _Random_ is not the mixed bag
I first thought it was. I now appreciate most of the interpretations
and really like many of them. It may even have taught me to
appreciate some styles that have previously left me cold. Maybe this
will introduce fans of these performers to Numan's songs and even
provide Numan with a much looked-for boost in viability as he launches
his new album n ealry September, again on his own UK-only label. An
album of techno mixes _Random II_ is due soon but _Random_ itself is
well worth the effort to search out. Look for it "filed under Numan".
---
REVIEW: Pat MacDonald, _Sleeps With His Guitar_ (Ark21)
- Reto Koradi
It's a new name on the cover, but Pat MacDonald is not a
freshman. Timbuk 3 was the name of the band he formed with his wife
Barbara K., spawning at least minor hits with songs like "The Future's
So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades". While the Neil Young reference in the
title indicates that MacDonald has not lost his wit, the trademark
cynicism and social criticism of Timbuk 3 is largely absent from his
first solo album.
This more serious approach enables MacDonald to showcase musical
qualities that could hardly be expected from him. In the foreground is an
expressive and full voice, combined with some very fine playing on the
acoustic guitar. A prime example is the breathtakingly beautiful ballad
"Missing". Sensible and deep lyrics like the ones in "Like Water" ("wish
I wish I could find, a way to get inside you, a way inside your crazy
head, but you're like water, slippin' through my hands") are prevalent over
most of the album. Really reminiscent of Timbuk 3 is only "The History Of
Man", which rather cynically treats the vast topic in 4:30 ("Cicero couldn't
keep his big mouth shut, so Anthony wreaked some havoc on his butt, then
lost his to Cleopatra, that slut"). A good deal of irony is also in the
title "Stupid Simple Song", which may be rather simple, but far less
stupid than most songs by other artists.
_Sleeps With His Guitar_ is an album that does not make use of
any cheap thrills; it sounds unspectacular at first listen. But it shows a
degree of honesty and dedication that is rarely found. Unfortunately
this is not what is needed on the mass market, so Pat MacDonald is
likely to join the club of great underrated artists, with people like
T Bone Burnett. But this should not stop you from enjoying this
wonderful album for your own private pleasure.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Michael Penn, Live at Southern Tracks Atlanta
- Joe Silva
Somewhere midway during this set, which was being recorded
for a future local radio broadcast, Michael Penn somewhat sheepishly
confessed to not being known for having a massive stage presence.
But before his fairly new outfit began their next tune, he added in
a Woody Allen-ish deadpan that he'd take part of the responsibility
for that circumstance if the audience would own up to their share as
well.
Now three records into his career, that statement is a subtle
but honest jab coming from the man who was awarded MTV's Best New
Artist award more than six years ago and then quickly dropped off
the radio map. In fact, the week after he won that award, RCA
inexplicably canned a follow-up single and video that was almost
sure to cash in on the radio/video success of his initial hit "No
Myth." You can place the blame in any number of places (poor
marketing strategy, the rise of grunge, etc), but not even Penn
knows for certain how he became almost instantly forgotten. His
second record (_Free For All_) went virtually unpromoted and was
followed by a period of corporate restructuring that left him with
virtually no means to record or sign elsewhere.
But now amidst the low watt glow of multi-coloured lava
lamps, indian carpeting, and fantastic acoustics, Michael's band
helps him re-emphasize why that was all a great wrong-doing.
Showcasing only material from his new release _Resigned_,
Penn's voice boomed across these softened surroundings and giving
these tunes a even more compelling face than they had when they
were initially laid to tape in this very room.
While he sings, Penn latches on to an blank stare that is
aimed at a nowhere point in the back of the room as he begins the
reserved first verse of his new single "Try. " But when he meets
the chorus a few moments later, there is an intensity to the timbre
of his voice and the band's mood that locks the entire room into
the verve of the moment. Superb keyboardist Jebin Bruni is revealed
a moment or two later as Penn's ace in the hole. Bruni helps morphs
the grittier bits of the song's radio release into a stirring bit
of atmosphere that will hopefully not be lost when the electric
version of this band hits larger venues during their summer opening
slots for Sheryl Crow.
Later Penn heads into a stunning version of "Strawberry
Fields Forever" and his voice makes an eerie but striking fit for
Lennon's that along with Bruni's actual mellotron passages recalls
all that was haunting and beautiful about this thirty year-old
classic. Other highlights include "Like Egypt Was," a semi-psychedelic
upbeat number about Los Angeles facing the millenium and the X-file
like circumstances surrounding a woman's last few moment in a local
hospital. Combined with stellar pop moments like "All That That
Implies" and "Me Around," the brief set was tremendously satisfying
glimpse of what his shows will deliver on the road.
And while Penn may never raise eyebrows with his performing
demeanor, he is nonetheless right now in strong shape vocally and the
tunes bear out how sound his writing still is. The only unfortunate
aspect to the evening may have been that this small setting was
probably the optimal way to appreciate what's best about Penn and
_Resigned_, and that the rest of the concert going AOR fans that
Sheryl Crow will draw to her feet will not be able to fully
appreciate his worth in a short set, hampered by lousy arena
acoustics and loud cries for the beer guy.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _DubMission2 The Remixes_ (Qwango/Island)
- Malcolm O'Neill
While both dub and ambient tend to rely on studio technology
and a fair amount of repetition, the end results can be substantially
different. The ethereal sounds of ambient attempt to paint sonic
landscapes to soothe the soul but dub is usually something more of a
physical adventure.
Originating in the 60/70s from the low-tech studios of Jamaica,
early dub (Lee Scratch Perry and Scientist to name two of the
heavier hitters) would strip a track down to its basic rhythm
and then add back guitar, horns, and vocal sounds with lots of
echo, phasing and left/right speaker hopping. Modern technology has
made life a little easier for new dub artists (such as the excellent
The Mad Professor) and 50% of dub now originates from worldwide sources
outside of Jamaica.
Showing the evident influences of the old hands and current
flavours of techno, _DubMission2_ contains examples of the new Dub
generation remixing tracks by established reggae artists such as Gregory
Issacs, Black Uhuru, Sly & Robbie, and Burning Spear. Although the
compilation might appear to be stocked with filler (you get two versions
of "Boof'n'Baff...", two versions of "Night Nurse", and two versions of
"Demolition City"), this is to afford you the opportunity to compare
dub's various styles and some of its occasional dramatic contrasts.
Thievery Sound Systems version of "Boof'n'Baff...", which starts
with the emphasis on drum and bass before really taking off, wins out
over the two versions by Fila Brazillia. Brazillia's first remix takes a
traditional stance with a few sound effects thrown in for good measure,
but the techno-rich second remix is disappointingly too much like a
Trenchtown Alex Patterson. "Demolition City" reworkings are trad-Dub (Smith
and Mighty) versus crazy Dub (Graveyard City), with the latter maintaining
lots of action over, above, and beyond the basic rhythm. "Night Nurse" two
different treatments come from the laid back style of Kruder and Dorfmeister
and Cottonbelly's asian-influenced and provocative remix that features some
really great bass. "Rockers HiFi" starts and finishs with twittering birds
(environmental dub) and sandwhiches dance beats in between. But the track's
electronic bass was etched without feeling. In contrast, SubDub use great
bass lines with trad-Dub sounds (sharp guitars/echo/vocal) here, but things
with some awful, whining electronic sounds (upholding The Mad Professor
thesis of knowing where and when to use sound effects). Best of all was
Ion Loops "Ion Storm" with it's solid nix of dub and drum and bass. The
vocals were almost conventional but the sounds were wild, weird and
wonderful making you want to hear more from this team.
As a good intro to modern dub that may make you want to delve into
its past, then this will serve you purposes. As the now deceased dub poet
Michael Smith said "Give me little dub music right here so tonite."
---
REVIEW: Finneus Gauge, _More Once More_
- Dan Birchall
It seems easy to compare Finneus Gauge to Echolyn. After
all, the Gauge are led by Chris Buzby, former keyboard wizard for
Echolyn. Familiar sounds pop up here and there throughout their
work. Both bands have five members and hail from the greater
Philadelphia area. And both bands blend progressive rock and jazz.
After listening to the new Finneus Gauge CD, _More Once More_
a few times, though, the ease of comparison is gone, and I'm left to
face the fact that - but for a few scattered moments - this is a
horse of a completely different hue. The differences in a nutshell?
Echolyn was a progressive rock band which dabbled with jazz, fronted
by the fiery, "in-your-face" vocals of Ray Weston. Finneus Gauge, on
the other hand, is a jazz quintet which crosses over into progressive
rock, and features the airy, passionately breathy Laura Martin.
These changes result in something difficult - if not impossible -
to define. Finneus Gauge's list of ingredients - 'jazz, rock, fusion,
funk inflections' - is so broad that one might expect nearly anything
to transpire during the album's 72 minutes, and transpire it will.
Five-second clips from this recording, played on "Name That Tune,"
would have contestants guessing everything from Marilyn Monroe to Dream
Theater.
Martin's vocals are backed by brothers Chris and Jonn Buzby,
who play keyboards and drums respectively. Rounding out the quintet
are Scott McGill on guitar and Chris Eike on bass. With an average
song length of six minutes, there's plenty of time for extended jazz,
rock and fusion jams and solos, including two purely instrumental
pieces totalling more than nine minutes. Lyrically, the
self-deterministic angst beloved by Echolyn fans is complemented by a
wry song or two in the style of The Bobs, and even tracks resembling
traditional 'torch songs.'
The overall result is a repertoire which would sound perfect
in any small, cozy club known for hosting insanely trendy jazz, rock
and poetry, and probably populated by a too-hip-to-live crowd of art
music connoisseurs sipping cappuccinos or microbrews. I doubt Finneus
Gauge would appreciate being wedged into the "lounge act" pigeonhole -
or any other - but if we could get music this good in lounges, the
stigma usually associated with the genre would fade quickly.
The album is diverse - ask ten fans for their favorite song,
and you'll probably get eleven answers. I've got some ideas about
which songs will appeal most to fans of Echolyn, Dr. Demento or The
Bobs, but this is music for intellectuals, and any attempt to
second-guess your tastes would be disrespectful. Listen to it for
yourself, and just try to draw comparisons to whatever you've heard
before - I double-dare you.
This being the Information Age, you can e-mail
finneus-gauge@juno.com, or view their homepage at
http://ghostland.com/finneus.html for more information.
---
REVIEW: Teenage Fanclub, _Songs From Northern Britain_ (Creation/Sony)
- Tim Kennedy
The latest offering from the Glasgow beat combo is certainly
no departure from their established reputation for making
understated, subtle yet uplifting melodic guitar music.
The last album, 1995's _Grand Prix_, was many UK critics'
choice for album of the year (the year when *that* Oasis
album appeared).
Fans of REM, Neil Young and The Byrds will immediately
warm to this band, who combine a 'wall of sound' approach
with superb timing and a gift for great tunes. They have
smoothed off the rough edges that characterised the early
material and this CD is the best yet.
The boys appear to have settled down happily with their
wives and/or girlfriends and moved house to their beloved
Scottish countryside. The sleeve of this CD is various
tasteful pictures of odd corners of Scotland. They sing
about finding true love, about rediscovering the beauty
of their country.
In short they are in a good mood. This CD is a great
antidote for depression, although those of a more cynical
cast of mind may condemn this as shallow escapism.
They never wrote protest songs in the past, though they
often displayed humour. The current crop of tunes will
no doubt make many more friends, coming as this CD does
on the crest of a wave of guitar pop purveyed by artists
often of lesser ability.
---
NEWS: > Kip Winger will be performing the national anthem before
the Seattle Mariners' home game on August 20.
---
TOUR DATES (Please confirm with site before travelling):
Allman Brothers / Sister Hazel
Aug. 7-8 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheater
Aug. 10 Minneapolis, MN Northrop Auditorium
Aug. 12 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheater
Aug. 13 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Aug. 15 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Park
Aug. 16 Chicago, IL New World Music Theater
Aug. 17 Detroit, MI Pine Knob
Boston
Aug. 11 San Diego, CA Summer Pops
Aug. 13 Concord, CA Concord Pavillion
Aug. 14 Reno, NV Reno Amp.
Aug. 16 George, WA Gorge
Cake Like
Aug. 14 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
Aug. 15 Portland, OR Satyricon
Aug. 17 San Francisco, CA Kilowatt
Aug. 19 San Diego, CA Casbah
Aug. 21 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
Cowboy Mouth
Aug. 16 Croton, NY The Bayou Blues Festival
Darlahood
Aug. 11 Cleveland, OH The Odeon
Aug. 12 Lancaster, PA Chameleon
Aug. 16 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork
Aug. 19 Scranton, PA Tinks
Aug. 20 Pittsburgh, PA The Metropol
Government Mule / Sweet Vine
Aug. 13 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Aug. 17 Vernon, NY Vernon Downs Radio Show
Life of Agony
Aug. 13 New York, NY CBGB
Aug. 14 Providence, RI Club Met
Aug. 15 Island Park, NY Industry
Aug. 16 Portchester, NY 7 Willow Street
Aug. 17-18 Albany, NY QE 2
Lollapalooza (Tool/Prodigy/Korn/many more)
Aug. 13 George, WA Gorge Amp.
Aug. 15 San Jose, CA Shoreline
Aug. 17-18 Los Angeles, CA Irvine Meadows
Lunachicks
Aug. 12 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl
Aug. 14 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga
Matchbox 20
Aug. 8 Ft. Wayne, IN Allen Mem. Col.
Aug. 9 Indianapolis, IN WRZX radio show
Aug. 11 Cleveland, OH The Odeon
Aug. 12 Lancaster, PA Chameleon
Aug. 14 Washington, DC WHFS radio show
Aug. 15 Norfolk, VA WROX radio show
Aug. 16 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork
Aug. 17 Utica, NY WOUR radio show
Aug. 19 Scranton, PA Tinks
Megadeth
Aug. 12 Detroit, MI State Theater
Aug. 14 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Aug. 15 Boston, MA Great Woods
Aug. 16 Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall
Aug. 18 Pittsburgh, PA Ice Garden Arena
Aug. 19 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Aug. 21 Orlando, FL Tsunami
Sinead O'Connor
Aug. 12-13 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Aug. 15 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Aug. 16 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theater
Aug. 18 Denver, CO Paramount Theater
Aug. 21 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park
Poison Idea
Aug 15 Redmond, WA Old Firehouse
Aug 16 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
Radiohead
Aug. 12 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Aug. 13 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Aug. 15 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Aug. 16 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic
Aug. 18 London, ON The Nac
Aug. 19 Toronto, ON Arrow Hall
Aug. 20 Ottawa, ON Congress Center
Sister 7
Aug. 15-16 Telluride, CO Fly Me To The Moon
Size 14
Aug. 19 Chicago, IL Metro
Supertramp
Aug. 11 Concord, CA Pavillion
Aug. 14-15 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
Tsunami
Aug. 15 Philadelphia, PA Silk City w/Ida
Aug. 16 Washington, DC Black Cat w/ Ida
Aug. 17 New York, NY Brownies w/Ida and Beekeeper
Vision of Disorder
Aug. 15 New Haven, CT Tune Inn
Aug. 16 Syracuse, NY Hungry Charlie's
Aug. 17 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Aug. 18 Moosic, PA Sea Sea's
Aug. 19 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga
Aug. 20 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
The Why Store
Aug. 16 Berrien Sprgs., MI Berrien Cnty Youth Fair
World Party
Aug. 12 Denver, CO Paramount
Aug. 14 Boulder, CO Fox
Aug. 16 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Aug. 17 Los Angeles, CA Mayan
Wu Tang Clan / Rage Against the Machine / Atari Teenage Riot
Aug. 9 West Palm Beach, FL Sky Amp.
Aug. 11 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amp.
Aug. 12 Antioch, TN Starwood Amp.
Aug. 13 Charlotte, NC Blockbuster Pav.
Aug. 21 Mansfield, MA Great Woods
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest continuous
collaborative music publication on the Internet.
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
WWW: http://www.westnet.com/consumable
FTP: ftp.quuxuum.org in the directory /pub/consumable
ftp.prouser.org
(URL) http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html
(Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC
To subscribe to Consumable, send an e-mail message to
consumable-request@westnet.com with the body of the message stating
"subscribe consumable". To unsubscribe, send a message to the
same address stating "unsubscribe consumable".
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
===
