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Consumable Online Issue 161
== ISSUE 161 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [November 12, 1998]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim
Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean
Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva,
Lang Whitaker
Correspondents: Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey
Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Jason Cahill, Patrick
Carmosino, Krisjanis Gale, Emma Green, Paul Hanson,
Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin
Johnson, Steve Kandell, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott,
Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon
Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
REVIEW: U2, _The Best Of 1980-1990_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Midnight Oil, _Redneck Wonderland_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Various, _International Pop Overthrow_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Jude, _No One Is Really Beautiful_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Jim Carroll, _Pools of Mercury_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Spiritualized, _Live At The Royal Albert Hall_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: Jets to Brazil, _Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Lost and Found - The Blue Rock Records
Story_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Delakota, _One Love_ - Tim Mohr
REVIEW: The Band, _Jubilation_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Bed of Roses, _The Kissing Tree_ - Chelsea Spear
REVIEW: ? And The Mysterians, _Do You Feel It Baby?_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Ominous Seapods, _Matinee Idols_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Baby Ray, _Monkeypuzzle_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Kahimi Karie, _Kahimi Karie_ - Tim Mohr
TOUR DATES: Better Than Ezra / Bic Runga, Buffalo Tom / Mercury
Rev, Chocolate Genius, Cracker, Deftones / Pitchshifter /
Quicksand, Everlast, Miles Hunt, Howard Jones, Jude / Sinead
Lohan, Marilyn Manson, Motley Crue, Offspring, Psycore /
Godsmack, Rev. Horton Heat / Amazing Crowns, Craig Savoy,
Statuesque, Tin Star, Tricky / Whale, Moe Tucker, Wesley
Willis / Cats & Jammers
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: U2, _The Best Of 1980-1990_ (Island)
- Bob Gajarsky
Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullin, and The Edge comprise
the hugely successful Irish political rockers U2. Twenty years
after playing in tiny places such as Dublin's Dandelion Market
to conquering stages around the world, the foursome have
released their first compilation album, _The Best Of 1980-1990_.
With the possible exception of R.E.M., U2 is *the* band
that made the world of 'modern rock' a viable, commercial
form of music - and whether that is a good thing or bad is open
to individual interpretation. But what everyone can agree on
is that Bono sings - and speaks - what he feels, even if not
necessarily politically correct (see the _Rattle and Hum_ film
comments for some examples). Political concerts such as
1985's Live Aid and 1986's Amnesty International's Conspiracy
of Hope cemented the band's willingness to support causes in
which they believed.
_The Best Of 1980-1990_ is not comprehensive, nor
all-inclusive; the historically important single "11 O'Clock
Tick Tock", for example, is nowhere to be found - and the odd
album track or single ("In God's Country") is omitted. But
the tracks which are included - 14 in the States, 15 in Japan -
are a list of some of the most influential songs of the 1980s.
Songs which paved the way to U2s international stardom, such
as "New Year's Day", the provocative "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
and the Martin Luther King song "Pride", lead into the
anthematic "With Or Without You", "I Still Haven't Found
What I'm Looking For", and a joining for the ages, their
pairing with B.B. King on "When Love Comes To Town".
A limited edition bonus treat for fans is a second
disc comprising a mix of 15 of the band's B-sides. Devoted
U2-files know that in addition to remixes and live cuts, the
B-sides of singles would often include quality new material
and familiar covers of classics. While not of the same quality
as Oasis' B-sides - where record company execs at Creation
and the band would often disagree about which songs should be
the A-side - these flipsides are definitely not throwaways.
Some of the tracks are familiar to the listeners; "Silver And
Gold" appears on the _Sun City_ disc, the rawer, original
version of "Sweetest Thing" (the new single, in fleshed out
form appearing on the 'hits' disc) appeared back in 1987 after
failing to be included on _The Joshua Tree_ , and "Hallelujah
Here She Comes" garnered significant airplay around the time
of "Desire"'s release. Plus, covers of Patti Smith's "Dancing
Barefoot", the soulful/disco "Everlasting Love" and ghostly
"Unchained Melody" showcase the breadth of U2s skills seldom
seen in the commercial singles.
For a rock band, U2 were a political magnet. And for
a political group, they were a hell of a rock band.
Were? Still are.
---
REVIEW: Midnight Oil, _Redneck Wonderland_ (Columbia)
- Chris Hill
Having every subsequent album measured against _Diesel
and Dust_ is inevitable for Midnight Oil. "Beds are Burning",
"The Dead Heart", "Dreamworld", "Sometimes" - there isn't a bad
song to be found on that record. To their credit, the Oils
don't stage a retreat to the past with their latest, _Redneck
Wonderland_. The sound remains raw and heavy, like their last
studio album, _Breathe_, filled with a edgy anger that bleeds
through in gritty, uncompromising lyrics and pounding rhythms.
Unfortunately, _Breathe_ was stingy with the essential
Oils' magic. The murky production overwhelmed the crisp lead
guitars of Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie. _Redneck Wonderland_
avoids that trap. The production unit here (Magoo, the Oils,
and old friend Warne Livesy) allows breathing room for the
guitars and space for Peter Garrett's distinctive vocals on all
twelve tracks.
The album opener and roaring title track rages with
disdain for the current Australian political situation. Like
the town crier alerting citizens to danger, "Redneck Wonderland"
is a wake-up call to ANY country fighting internal wars against
conservatism and intolerance - "I don't want to run, I don't
want to stay/'Cos everything that's near and dear/is old and in
the way...time to take a stand/Redneck wonderland". Backed by a
heavy guitar riff and Rob Hirst's pounding drums, it reenergized
my faith in this band's ability to use music as a means to air
the dirty laundry of society - proselytizing and adamant on
working change.
Other album themes: the growing disconnection between
humanity and the natural world ("Concrete", "Comfortable Place
on the Couch"), intolerance (the title cut, "White Skin Black
Heart", and misplaced capitalistic priorities ("Seeing is
Believing", "Return to Sender"). Wandering all over the
political and social map, the songs coax and bully awareness.
This album also straddles the musical development of the
Oils. "Blot" - a spoken-word rant on media celebrities - is a
sonic wonder, with the same experimental quality that endeared
1982's _10,9,8,7...1_ to millions. "Cemetry in My Mind" and
"The Great Gibber Plain" start off with the Oils' trademark
acoustic guitars, though the latter segues into a fuzzed guitar
backing a chorus. The album closer, "Drop in the Ocean", with
its jangly piano and spare sound is a palate cleanser, with a
final "one" sung both in plea and assertion - a tone reminiscent
of _Blue Sky Mining_'s "One Country".
It's interesting to read the Sony website's song notes.
[ http://www.sonymusic.com.au/artists/midnightoil/home.html ].
Speaking of "Concrete in My Mind", drummer/songwriter Rob Hirst
says, "I think it's a really successful track and putting it no.
2 on the record really sorts out the people that are going to go
the distance on the album. Because there is some more melodic
stuff later, but to put it number 2 it's like, okay, this is
what this record is about."
This conviction defines Midnight Oil. From the "White
Fella Black Fella" tour of the outback in 1986 to Garrett's
presidency of the Australian Conservation Foundation, this is a
band that walks what they talk.
As Garrett sings, "If you can't conceive of better lines
and better times/then let silence bury you." The Oils have much
to say. Sadly, it's unlikely the urgency of their message will
ever stale. Thankfully, Midnight Oil is there to remind us of
our obligation to make the world a better place.
---
REVIEW: Various, _International Pop Overthrow_ (Del-Fi)
- Steve Kandell
Los Angeles-based label Del-Fi Records was something of
a pop music powerhouse thirty-plus years ago, but has been out
of the business of releasing new artists for some time now.
With the _International Pop Overthrow_ collection, which features
twenty different bands, the label seeks to reassert itself as a
home for new, classic-sounding pop music.
As a whole, this compilation sounds like a lost K-Tel
record from 1978, which is sort of the point. The bands, many
of whom were featured at this summers International Pop Overthrow
Festival in L.A., do not strive to do anything but craft simple,
hook-laden three minute nuggets - new, but inherently familiar.
Part of the fun of an album like this is guessing who sounds like
who. The influence of bands from Big Star to the Bay City Rollers
can be heard on every track. Not that this in itself is anything
new for contemporary bands. Red Kross would sound right at home
here, and The Sun Sawed in 1/2s "Dennys Girl" sounds like a
lost Material Issue track.
Variety is not of the highest priority on the twenty songs
assembled here; there are mid-tempo ones, kinda slower ones and a
few slightly faster ones. Nothing groundbreaking or particularly
innovative, but heads will bob. Standouts include "Remarkable
Similarity" by The Jennys, which sounds almost .38 Specialish
(this is not meant to be an insult) a bit rougher than most of
the other selections, which generally skew towards the jangly.
"Against the Grain" by the Nerk Twins is the most country-
influenced of the selections. The verses of The Tearaways "Its
A Breakdown" sounds taken from an alternate take of Elvis
Costellos "This Years Girl." "Together Again" by John Moreman
is so bubblegum the song virtually comes with its own Bazooka
Joe comic. Album closer "Finding Out" by Single Bullet Theory
sounds like American Music Club by way of Barry Manilow.
Curiously, of the twenty songs here, not one is sung
by a female. Plenty of songs about girls, but no actual girls
to speak of, and this could not be due to a lack of bands to
choose from. Is Del-Fi maybe holding out for Volume 2?
---
REVIEW: Jude, _No One Is Really Beautiful_ (Maverick)
- Chris Hill
An olio of odd jobs and attendance at three universities
has given Jude Christodal a wealth of experience to mine for the
thirteen songs on his major label debut. Singing with confidence and
panache, Jude delivers the goods - worldly observations on envy,
betrayal, love, and beauty - combining a variety of moods, all
linked by his strong voice and witty writing.
Jude deftly uses love's spectrum for thematic grist. On
"I'm Sorry Now", he sings of soured love, against a bouncy piano
beat. The plaintive chorus repeats "I wish you wished I wished
you love." In "Brad and Suzy", the only song not written
entirely by Jude, he alternates speaking with a pure falsetto,
to display the truth that envy underscores disdain. A catalog-
perfect couple, Brad and Suzy are inseparable, and inspire his
longing to know such uncomplicated surety. ("I wish that I was
stuck with someone/I wish that I was half of a two").
"Battered, Broken" has the singer crashing against the
carefully constructed walls of a guarded woman in need of love -
"The sadness inside you was lost on exactly no one/There's
nothing heroic or stoic in being a mime".
The winsome, spare "I Do" is my favorite cut. A "what
if?" contemplation, it's also a letting-go song, as a wedding
invitation keys old memories and regrets, yet inspires his wish
that she know a life and love she couldn't find with him. It
hits a chord touched by songs like Harry Chapin's "Taxi" or
"Nobody" by the Replacements.
"You Mama You", the album opener, has rapid, scattershot
vocals segueing to a bittersweet slower chorus ("Sometimes I call
my lady mama/Just to feel at home for awhile"), as Jude bemoans
the rarity of unconditional love in his life. After trading
"Mellencamp towns" for West Coast sunshine, he's discovered he's
lost something in the transition.
He mocks superficiality in the pointed "Out of L.A.",
offering images of a man with "Slicked-back hair shirt to his
thigh/Import silk slave labor dyed" and an equally vacuous,
though beautiful, woman as representative reasons to flee the
city. Another song to add to the love/hate L.A. ode catalog.
"Charlie Says" also turns the magnifying glass on the image-
oriented, as competition in the male modeling world inures
one such model to state "no one is really beautiful/They're all
just mediocre men of the hour". Jealousy or truth? You make
the call.
Cavalier male behavior is targeted on the funky, radio-
friendly "Rick James", where an egotistical history of using and
discarding women is lanced ("Don't be fooled/Don't be flattered/
It's not like you ever mattered/Not to me/Rick James was the
original super freak"). "The Asshole Song" sees the same egoist
give his explanation for his self-centered world, and closes the
album. It's an interesting choice, as "goodbye, I'm an asshole"
fades from the speakers, it draws a last setlist tune cry for
an encore.
Jude pulled in a "who's who" of talent to produce the
record. The musician credits are equally filled with well
known names: Benmont Tench (the Heartbreakers), Michael Ward &
Rami Jaffe (the Wallflowers), Paul Kimble (Grant Lee Buffalo),
and Andy Prieboy (Wall of Voodoo and solo artist), among many
others. It's an impressive show of support, and justified in
the final result - uptempo and melancholy numbers comfortably
resting together on a memorable debut album.
---
REVIEW: Jim Carroll, _Pools of Mercury_ (Mercury)
- Christina Apeles
The first time I was introduced to Jim Carroll's music was
in the eighties movie Tuff Turf in which he and his band (with Robert
Downey Jr. posing as the drummer) performed that unforgettable punk
song, "People Who Died." Almost a decade later, I became acquainted
with his writing and life with the performance of Leonardo DiCaprio
as Carroll in the screen adaptation of _The Basketball Diaries_. Now
with _Pools of Mercury_, Carroll demonstrates his continuing mastery
of songwriting and spoken word in this impressive fifteen track
release, without a Hollywood actor in sight -- Carroll is the star.
One thing you could never accuse Carroll of is impassivity.
With lines like, 'It goes with vanquished steam gray desire, the
last vapors of your dreams...,' in "It Goes," or 'Your will is one
with the force of my flow...' from "Message Left on a Phone Machine,"
his words exude anger, hunger, sorrow, and even complacency.
Carroll's music is secondary to his spoken word pieces in _Pools of
Mercury_; first off, only five of the tracks are songs and secondly,
it's his poetry that seduces here, more than his melodies. This is
not to say that a song like "Falling Down Laughing" is not moving.
It is a somber tune, opening with slow, mellow guitar and sound
effects, that gain momentum as Carroll's singing turns into wails,
with the instruments getting louder to meet him in a chorus of pure
rock with heavy distortion, energetic drumming, and dramatic
vibrations; while "Hairshirt Fracture" could not be farther from
his punk roots, with a more ethereal feel, reminiscent of the
Paris, Texas soundtrack. And there is also the noteworthy title
track, "Pools of Mercury," where Carroll throws in a gothic feel,
sounding much like Love and Rockets, offering intense guitar riffs,
electronic, rhythmic beats, and soft bass to support his dark,
processed vocals. However, it is his spoken word pieces that are
most poignant, those kept me wanting more.
I could never know what it's like listening to Jim Carroll
from a man's point of view, but as a woman, to hear him read his
poetry, is to be enraptured. It's not just his sexy voice that draws
me in, because many people have deep, sensual voices -- but without
anything to say. Carroll, on the other hand, strings words together
as an exceptional artist would: 'like a Germanic cough drop dissolving
in John Cage's tongue' ("It Goes"), 'I am not a corpse buried in the
snow waiting for spring,' ("I Am Not Kurt Schwitters"), 'Saints
follow Christ, I followed a woman up 8th Ave. today, it was the
color of her hair . . . shaking like dried vanilla beans' ("Female
as Thunder").
For the most part, each spoken word piece opens up with quiet
atmospheric sounds that could possibly be heard on the city streets,
in an industrial factory, or even the outset of an opera, rarely
overpowering his voice; the instrumental backdrop serves to heighten
his words, aiding the listener to further uncover the messages in
his poetry. Though the rhythm of his spoken word isn't unique --
plenty of poets read in the same style -- it is what he writes about
that is brilliant. "Zeno's Law of High-Heeled Shoes" is a poem
that contemplates 'every next inch of the heels of your shoes...drops
me closer' which proceeds to break into smaller and smaller
increments, down to the '64th inch of the heels,' until he is on his
knees, musing about the 'crescent shape of numbers.' And just when I
thought he couldn't top such verse, Carroll closes _Pools of Mercury_
with "8 Fragments of Kurt Cobain," a heartfelt reflection on the
trappings of fame, the demands of celebrity status, and the struggle
with drug addiction. Trying to rationalize both the death of Cobain
and his own survival of similar circumstances, Carroll speaks
directly to the former Nirvana frontman, 'Genius is not a generous
thing, pills and powders only placate it for a while . . . the
greater the money and the fame, the slower the pendulum of fortune
swings.' Carroll even mentions how he had Cobain's tape in his
walkman when he heard the news of his death: 'But Kurt, didn't the
thought of never writing . . . make you think twice . . . that's
what I don't understand . . . it's kept me alive over any wounds.'
Need I say more?
---
REVIEW: Spiritualized, _Live At The Royal Albert Hall_ (Arista)
- Tim Mohr
Burn, burn the cartoon-version of the rock and roll dream
put about by the likes of the Verve and Embrace. Gut the pompous
arrangements that smooth the rough patches of bloated,
over-produced Oasis tracks. Envision the future, the past, the
totality of rock in its purest form--Keith Richards' ashes
adrift on the fetid breeze of time. A mournful organ line, a
sincere lament, then the cacauphony of a full orchestra.
Yes, indeed, Spiritualized are joined by an orchestra -
used to create striking juxtapositions with the threadbare,
minimalist melodies laid down by the Spiritualized core.
Melodies that, in sheer emotional power, rival the roar of
the hundred instruments that occasionally punctuate them.
This live recording captures Spiritualized's dream
project, the ultimate reading of their three-album song-book. The
band and orchestra's noisy crescendos relegate the quiet passages
to a previously unimaginably distant pole--giving their normal
lyrical desolation a heightened ability to chill the blood.
Just a scan through the song titles reveals that the
obsessions of Spiritualized are those of rock bands since the
dawn of the genre: "I Think I'm In Love," "Broken Heart,"
"Electricity." And with the recurrence of religious imagery -
coupled with the gospel chior - Spiritualized deliver a perfect
summation of rock doctrine, touching upon the word and the spirit.
But be prepared: Spiritualized approach the project with
reverence and sincerity. There is none of the punk extremity and
post-punk irony of Jon Spencer or the Make-up. There is also
none of the artiness of Tindersticks, and none of the literate
despair of Low.
_Live At The Royal Albert Hall_ has nothing to lend it
indie-cool: it is an unabashedly rock and roll record.
Spiritualized relinquish the right to point to their own (indie)
lineage - Spacemen 3 - by conjuring the legacy of rock itself.
Fortunately, Spiritualized succeed where so many have
failed: _Live At The Royal Albert Hall_ transcends the cheesy
excess of the Verve or Oasis, and the pathetic wannabe-ur-rock
attempted by U2 on _Rattle and Hum_. The scale of the Spiritualized
double live album, however, warrants such comparisons: _Live At The
Royal Albert Hall_ makes the arena rock of latter day Verve, Oasis,
and the Rolling Stones sound like dime-store knock-offs of the
genuine item.
---
REVIEW: Jets to Brazil, _Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ (Jade Tree)
- Kerwin So
Rock fans, rejoice. One of this decade's best songwriters,
Blake Schwarzenbach, has returned to the fray. As singer, guitarist,
and frontman for popular sadcore-punk trio Jawbreaker, Schwarzenbach
lyrically explored the darkest recesses of isolation and depression
against backdrops of gritty guitars and hard-hitting rhythms. But when
the punk community in which Jawbreaker was nurtured collectively
disowned the band in disgust after they signed to major label Geffen in
1995, Jawbreaker - without a fan base and, eventually, patience with
each other - called it quits in July of 1996. Blake swore he would
never make music again, and moved back to Brooklyn from San
Francisco.
Funny how fate works sometimes. The night of Jawbreaker's
final show, Blake met one Jeremy Chatelain, then singer for the band
Handsome, and the two forged what would prove to be a lasting
friendship. Soon afterward, Handsome would break up, Jeremy
would persuade Blake to play music again, and drummer Chris Daly
(ex- of Texas is the Reason) would join them in forging a new musical
project. On the strength of one demo and their credentials, record
label Jade Tree eagerly signed the band, put them on tour with the
Promise Ring, and has now released Jets to Brazil's debut album
_Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ .
Let's make a few things clear here. One: Jets to Brazil is not
Jawbreaker Part II - although Blake clearly shows he still has the
knack for delivering aching lyrics and emotional guitar work. Two:
_Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ is not a New Wave dance party -
although at times it owes as much to Gary Numan for its arrangements
as Blake does to Richard Butler's vocals. And three: Jets to Brazil is
not the "next big thing" -- but I have a feeling that they soon may be.
_Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ blasts off with the crunchy
rocker "Crown of the Valley," which before long gets bogged down by
Blake's tendency towards the verbose, a problem which re-emerges
two songs later in the super-syllabic "Starry Configurations." Little
wonder, then, that Jets to Brazil chose the name that they did for their
debut record. But the album's overall strengths more than outweigh
its initial weaknesses. "Lemon Yellow Black"'s wah-wah splashings
and bouncy basslines will get your head, if not your booty, moving.
"Conrad" also grooves, albeit in a catchier and more linear fashion,
with chugging sing-song verses and a spare, surging guitar line in the
fadeout to make sure the song sticks to the inner walls of your brain
like the ear candy that it is.
"Sea Anemone," surely one of the best songs of the year (and
just as likely to unfortunately be overlooked), allows the Jets to
establish a powerful connection to the listener via a simpler musical
and lyrical approach. A slow, breathy beat and pulsing guitar shimmer
underscore the desperation in Blake's lyrics, at once subtle and
shocking: "Now I'm making out the shapes/ Like the shower rod -- Can
it take my weight?" Schwarzenbach is still the master of treading the
depths of human emotional experience and emerging to tell us the tale,
as he does again in "I Typed for Miles," a brilliant (and rather
Jawbreaker-ish) ode to madness: "Leave me here to my devices/ The
call could come at any time."
The album closes with the appropriately titled "Sweet Avenue,"
an occasionally gawky but appealing testament to the redemptive power
of love, all blushes and strummy acoustic guitars. Whereas much of
_Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ deals with themes of drugs, isolation,
and paranoia, "Sweet Avenue" wraps things up on a charmingly
upbeat note, with lines like "Now all these tastes improve through the
view that comes with you." That's something Jawbreaker would
never have gotten away with.
Indeed, many elements of Jets to Brazil's debut -- wah-wah,
vocal harmonies, New Wave guitar effects-- would never have been
allowed in a punk or hardcore setting. It's clear that the members of
Jets to Brazil are now free to do what they want to do musically and
are not afraid to experiment, a testament to their versatility and near
limitless potential. _Orange Rhyming Dictionary_ is a striking debut
from a band paving its own musical path, but who is destined to
become as adored and influential as its sadcore/hardcore ancestors.
This record grows on me every time I listen to it; I can't wait for Jets
to Brazil's next album to see how far they've evolved.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Lost and Found - The Blue Rock Records
Story_ (Mercury/Chronicles)
- Joann D. Ball
Soul music is experiencing a major renaissance in the United
States as the Nineties come to a close, and this time it's being
positioned in mainstream popular culture as more than the soundtrack
of big chill memories. That sweet soul music is being used to
advertise automobiles, shampoos, fast food restaurants and a host of
other products, all of which combine music with a feel good message.
While many of the ads are created especially to reach financially
secure members of the chill generation, the commercial use of soul
seems to target buyers of all ages. And this current mass marketing
of soul makes the California raisins' appropriation of "I Heard It
Through The Grapevine" seem small and minor in comparison.
So what then becomes of soul music as it was originally
defined? Whether it was love and love-making music or message and
(Power to the) People music it helped shape the musical and social
landscape of 1960s and 1970s America and has had a tremendous impact
on popular music worldwide. As a result of the renewal process now
underway, however, it seems almost certain that the category "soul
music" will be reconfigured, modified and transformed. Commercial
radio is also a significant factor in this process, too, with the
advent of Classic-Soul-The-Format which has appeared in such radio
markets as the Bay Area, San Diego and elsewhere. Additionally, new
and noticeably more generic Classic Soul stations are popping up in
cities like Chicago right beside established R&B and urban
contemporary stations that have always played soul music to a loyal
listenership. Given the overexposure and oversaturation of classic
rock formats nationwide, applying the same principles and limited
playlist practices to soul appears to be the new expressway to the
gold mine. Unfortunately, it seems to strategically bypass legendary
soul DJs and listeners in favor of the "Most Desirable Target Market."
If Classic Soul (food) for the radio means heavy on the
Aretha and James, ample portions of Motown with some Stax on the side
and a few garnishes, then the music formerly known as soul will be
woefully underserved. One can only hope that radio consultants and
programmers search beyond the comfortably familiar to include a
greater variety of artists and songs. Making space for marginalized,
forgotten and ignored material would make the canonization of soul a
lot easier to swallow. To this end, _Lost and Found: The Blue Rock
Records Story_ is one of many rich and essential primary sources.
Back in the day (1964-1969), Blue Rock was Mercury Records'
soul music imprint. It was a determined effort by Mercury to
enhance its roster beyond pop-slanted acts like Dinah Washington,
Brook Benton and Clyde McPhatter. Unfortunately, Blue Rock was
less coordinated than Motown and less recognizable than Stax.
Unlike those two legendary homes of soul music, Blue Rock Records
lacked a geographical urban identity. Blue Rock operated out of
New York and Chicago, and signed talent from across the country
without the benefit of a signature house band. Thus, there isn't
a definitive Blue Rock sound, but it is clearly evident from this
collection that the performers on the imprint were deeply rooted
in and committed to the essence, spirit and creative artistry of
soul music.
_Lost and Found: The Blue Rock Records Story_ is an extensive
compilation of singles released during the label's brief existence.
The 60 selections featured here were prepared from the original
2-track master mixdown tapes, and the only singles not included
were those lacking the crucial master tapes. The double disc
collection contains almost three hours of soul stirrings from forty
or so artists. Many of them, like Otis Leavill (whose "Let Her
Love Me" was the label's first national hit), the Brothers of Love
who declared "Yes I Am," and the duo Johnny and Jake who shouted
out "It's A Mess I Tell You" are performers whose names and songs
barely register on the average recognition scale. Others, like
Dizzy Jones who offered up "Come On And Love Me" and "Let Me Talk
To You," had strong ties to musical luminaries but are scarcely
remembered today. Jones had been a musical partner of James Brown's
saxist and trumpeter, and Blue Rock artist James Crawford frequently
opened for the Godfather of Soul on the road and got Brown to
produce the shouter "Got No Excuse" for him. And Dee Dee Warwick
was the more down to earth sister of pop vocalist Dionne. Her Blue
Rock singles included "Do It With All Your Heart," "Gotta Get A
Hold of Yourself," and the 1965 hit "We're Doing Fine."
The Blue Rock roster did include some performers who
managed to avoid obscurity. Featured on the compilation are The
Shirelles whose Blue Rock contributions "Sweet, Sweet Lovin'" and
"Call Me" are chronologically and thematically removed from the
sweet innocence of "Soldier Boy." Windy City fixtures the Chi-Lites
generated the singles "Never No More" and "She's Mine" for the
label before their 1970s string of hits. And Chicago blues mainstay
Junior Wells infused some funky old soul into his sound for Blue
Rock efforts "Party Power" and "You're Tuff Enough." Then there's
also the song that subsequently became a hit the second time around
for another, more popular soul artist. Even though Sir Mack Rice
first recorded "Mustang Sally" for Blue Rock, it is the cover
version by his ex-Falcons bandmate Wilson Picket that has stood
the test of time.
_Lost and Found: The Blue Rock Records Story_ is a valuable
and immensely enjoyable collection. Mercury/Chronicles Records
has given a whole new lease on life for these Sixties soul tracks,
many of which are available on compact disc for the very first
time. It's doubtful that any of these songs will provide the
musical backdrop to a clever television commercial. And whether
any of these Blue Rock cuts will get airplay on those the new
Classic Soul radio stations remains to be heard. In spite of
that, though, _Lost and Found: The Blue Rock Records Story_
provides tangible proof that soul music was once indicative of
a distinctive, urban Black American sound that was born of equal
parts hope and frustration in an era that has become increasingly
distorted and distant.
---
REVIEW: Delakota, _One Love_ (Go! Beat Import)
- Tim Mohr
Thank god this decade looks to be finishing up like the previous
one: with complete lunatics from bleak British towns putting together
joyously unfettered music assembled from various bits and pieces of
current musical style. If the Happy Mondays and Primal Scream managed
to close the book on the 80s with _Pills'n'Thrills'n'Bellyaches_ and
_Screamadelica_ , Delakota may well have produced the first such (last)
record of the 90s with _One Love_ .
Then again, perhaps _One Love_ is in fact the missing member of
a trinity of albums that should have launched the 90s, as Delakota
sound rather like the Stone Roses at the apex of their career (i.e.
"I Am The Resurrection" and the two post-album singles, including
"Fool's Gold"). Delakota even managed to name their album after the
last real Stone Roses' single, too, assuming the post-Led Zeppelin
nightmare that emerged after the post-"One Love" hiatus was something
other than the real Stone Roses.
Delakota have essentially made the record that we all wanted
_Second Coming_ to be. Since John Squire's tragic (and apparently
permanent) loss of all semblance of taste is the easiest diagnosis of
the demise of _Second Coming_ (and indeed the real Stone Roses), it is
perhaps clever that Delakota made _One Love_ without a proper guitar
player--or band for that matter.
Delakota are two guys, a bunch of gear, and some computers.
Typically a song is constructed from a home-made guitar loop, a drum
sequencer, and a voice like Ian Brown's. The pipes belong in fact to
a Browne named Cass, formerly drummer with the Senseless Things, a
truly excrable guitar outfit who managed to reach the unenviable "peak"
of touring Germany as opener for the New Model Army--just as Britpop
was taking shape. But that is just a chuckle-inducing footnote now, for
Delakota are among the leaders of the next school of British indie, the
one that includes Cornershop, Space, and a rejuvenated Primal Scream,
the one that promises to make the next few years as exciting as the
Madchester era a decade ago, the one that once again remembers that
this thing called rock was invented for dancing.
---
REVIEW: The Band, _Jubilation_ (River North)
- Linda Scott
In America in the sixties, five young musicians pose
for pictures in the Mecca of Woodstock. Dressed in string
ties and black suits and dark hats, they don't look like the
other popular bands then - or now. But the album they are
releasing, _Music From Big Pink_ is about to take America by
storm. The album became a huge hit, then a classic; and was
followed by the self-titled _The Band_ . More albums
followed carrying The Band on a tidal wave of music into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. By the nineties,
they've lost a couple members to death and solo projects,
but three of the five original members found three new
members and 13 guest musicians to help them put out their
tenth studio album. They did it because they love the music
and in honor of the 30th anniversary of _Music From Big Pink_.
Several books have been written about The Band's
history, and that's probably where you should look for the
definitive facts on the group. It takes a book to tell the
whole story of the young men who started out as The Hawks,
played backup for Bob Dylan in his move from acoustic to
electric, and all that meant in terms of the experience The
Band got. When Dylan had his near fatal motorcycle accident
and recuperated in Woodstock, he made music with The Band
in the basement of their house called Big Pink. The
Basement Tapes were the product of Dylan's recuperation.
In the meantime The Hawks became The Band, and wrote _Music
From Big Pink_. This was their own music in their own
style, and singles like "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Night
They Drove Old Dixie Down", and their masterpiece, "The
Weight" can just blow you away even in 1998. Timeless
music is The Band's specialty.
_Jubilation_ has a big tradition to follow. Original
members Garth Hudson, Rick Danko, and Levon Helm are
together again with the three new members Richard Bell,
Randy Ciarlante, and Jim Weider. Of the 13 guest musicians,
the most notable are Eric Clapton and John Hiatt. Clapton
is a long time fan of The Band and inducted them into the
Hall of Fame while noting that he had come to the U.S. to
see if there was anyway at all he could get into The Band.
_Jubilation_ has 11 new songs and most were written by some
combination of members of The Band. In homage to _Music
From Big Pink_, _Jubilation_ was written in a converted
barn in Woodstock during the first half of this year.
_Jubilation_ is The Band from the first track, and
it's good to hear them again. "Book Faded Brown" has an
easy country rock sound with good lyrics and (hats off to
Danko) great vocals. Pack up your VW and head for
Woodstock! But The Band hasn't lasted 30 years by living
completely in the past. The music, the beautiful melodies,
driving bass lines add up to a beautiful and sophisticated
album. Starting off with a drum roll and "Book Faded
Brown", the album opens with one of its strongest tracks.
This one has to be a single. "Last Train To Memphis"
features Clapton on lead guitar making the whole party
song brighter and better. "Kentucky Downpour" is another
swinger with lyrics that flash images of a wild, rainy
country night. John Hiatt contributes the lyrics to
"Bound By Love" and of course does some wonderful bass
work here. "If I Should Fail" is another strong song
sung just perfectly by Danko. The powerful lyrics are
about a man facing death on the battlefield in the morning.
This is another one that should be released as a single.
Excellent treatment by The Band....and the list goes on
and on.
The Band appeals most strongly to its old fans and
to those who like that easy, down home music. Modern fans?
If you were a fan of The Jayhawks, that's the kind of music
you'll find here. _Jubilation_ is recommended to everyone
who likes country rock from one of the pioneers of that
format.
---
REVIEW: Bed of Roses, _The Kissing Tree_ (DivaNation)
- Chelsea Spear
When I first received this CD from our fearless leader, I
had no idea what to expect. The band's name conjured up images of
a horrifically saccharine romantic comedy from a few years back,
and the cover art resembled an eye-catching, richly colourful flyer
for "goth night" at the famed Boston nightclub Man Ray. On perusing
the liner notes, I recognized the name of BoR ringleader as a member
of My Scarlet Life, whose inventive, silky cover of "Suspended in
Gaffa" graced the exemplary Kate Bush tribute album _I Wanna Be
Kate_ . However, none of these signposts belied the true artistry
behind this album.
Quite simply, _The Kissing Tree_ is a musical truffle whose
rich, dense flavours should appeal to many palates. Goths will find
the spooky storm backdrop appealing, and 4AD geeks can swoon at the
sound tapestry of swirling, gauzy layers that permeates each track.
The romantic ambiance will hook the lusty lovers who will use this
as mood music over their candlelight dinners, and overstressed
students and worker bees like myself may well take solace in the
lulling melodies and relaxed, drony cello.
Usually, music of this nature does nothing for me; the pure
whimsy and wispiness of most etherial bands bores me and leaves me
feeling hungry for some substantial music about half an hour later.
With Bed of Roses, though, the musicianship at the core adds another
level of enjoyment to the listening experience, and paying attention
to the interplay between chanted vocals, cello arrangements that
dance gracefully, and bobbing and weaving guitar parts can keep one
awake as soon as the music in full can sound like a lullabye. This
ensemble is also more musically adventurous than many others. While
the Tricky-like rap that opens "It Glows In My Hand" probably looked
better on paper than it sounded on record, I'm glad the band had the
ingenuity to add another element to the mix.
All in all, _The Kissing Tree_ is a scintillating,
high-quality album of unusual grace and syncopation, one that comes
highly recommended to fans of This Mortal Coil, Massive Attack, and
Portishead. To hear it is to savour it.
For more information on Bed of Roses, check out the website
located at: http://www.divanation.com
---
REVIEW: ? And The Mysterians, _Do You Feel It Baby?_ (Norton)
- Bill Holmes
The lucky citizens of New York city get to have events like
"Cave Stomp", and I'm jealous. Garage rock is alive and well the
world over, but it never hurts to pile several hundred people into
venues like Coney Island High and prove it every so often. And
although there are many current practitioners worth seeking out,
when you get the opportunity to get an old school fix, you'd better
jump on it.
What's that? Didn't make it there? Well, me either, but
thanks to the folks at Norton Records, you've now got seventy five
minutes of groovin', smokin' rock and roll from "?" and the
Mysterians! What's that? Ohhhh, mannn.....if you don't know who I'm
talking about, stop reading this article, find someone who knows
what the word "vinyl" means, and beg them to help you immediately.
"96 Tears", of course, defines the essence of what makes
garage rock so great - it's universally recognized as one of the
best songs ever recorded, yet it is so simple that it's not long
before your embryonic band can take a shot at it too. After this
huge hit thirty years ago, most people assumed that Rudy Martinez
(That's "?" to you) went the way of so many other one hit wonders,
but the band made several singles (many recaptured here) and kept
on chugging their soul-pop groove to believers everywhere. The
band's strut hasn't changed a bit - Rudy still makes a grand
entrance that Elvis would be jealous of, and Frank Rodriguez'
trademark organ sound can still fill a dance floor in a flash.
True "cool" never dies.
This live show, the recording and release of which was
reportedly unplanned, proves three things beyond a shadow of a
doubt:
1. The Mysterians rock.
2. Rudy Martinez says the word "baby" more than a room
full of expectant mothers.
3. The Mysterians REALLY rock!
Do I feel it baby? Yes, you know I do.
---
REVIEW: Ominous Seapods, _Matinee Idols_ (Hydrophonic)
- Linda Scott
Ominous Seapods are a mixture of latter day hippie band and
psychedelic funk jam band, and they're very good at what they do. If
you haven't heard of them, which is becoming more difficult as they
approach 300,000 miles on their 15 seat van, think of Grateful Dead,
Phish, The Band. _Matinee Idols_ is their debut album on Hydrophonic,
and their second album release. These funky freaks hail from upper
New York state, but their rocketing sixties style has them rocketing
across the country playing all kind of gigs.
The 'Pods (as referred to by their fans) are into live shows
with bizarre theatrics, psychedelic light shows, costumes, funny masks,
and some cool grooves. The band encourages taping and sells their own
tapes at shows - just like other bands with cult followings from the
Dead to Dave Matthews. _Matinee Idols_ is built from soundboards of
four live shows from spring 1998. Listening to _Matinee Idols_ gives
you a good idea what the band can do musically, but stories of rubber
headed sci fi costumes makes you wish for a video.
The band's name choice is strange and may falsely imply that
the Ominous Seapods are a punk band. The album artwork supports the
name with that old, weird, latenight sci fi movie feeling. This is
one band that may not get much impulse buying. And that's too bad,
because from the first track the band is wonderful. The 'Pods know
how to write songs with a rock vibe, how to play them and jam on
them. The ghost of Jerry Garcia seems to be riding in that van with
them.
_Matinee Idols_ has ten original 'Pods tracks which are highly
recommended to listeners wanting sixties groove with long jams and
peaceful fun. For more information on the Ominous Seapods, check
their website at http://www.netspace.org/seapods .
---
REVIEW: Baby Ray, _Monkeypuzzle_ (Thirsty Ear)
- Joann D. Ball
Baby Ray is not typical. Rather quirky, a bit odd at times
but certainly captivating and entertaining, this Boston-based quartet
delivers what they call "pop gone wrong." And that ain't at all a
bad thing.
Baby Ray has just tossed out the debut album _Monkeypuzzle_
for you to play with and it should keep you occupied for a long time.
What seems simple, straightforward and breezy on the surface, is
actually a collection of stuttered rhythm patterns and melodies which
explores a full range of subjects, experiences, and emotions.
On the lead track "Never Know My Name," lead vocalist/guitarist
Erich Groat picks up where such bands as the Judybats and Guadalcanal
Diary left off. His affected vocals aren't southern but are stamped
with a wacko/bizzaro sorta twang that comes from his own secret place.
On "The Ballad of Baby Ray," Groat travels from the deep growl vocal
territory of Webb Wilder to the tippy-top highs of his own range, the
result being a very descriptive account of this unusual being.
The one band whose influence is everywhere but in no particular
place on this record, is British pop pioneers XTC. Fans of Partridge
and company will likely resonate with most of the tracks here, and
fans of such different performers as Primus, Barenaked Ladies and Robyn
Hitchcock should delight in the entirely offbeat "Buster Pig Man" and
"Thing Called Springtime." Those who prefer their pop a bit more
straight will take an immediate liking to "Sugar Mine!" But the
plaintive vulnerability of the acoustic (but way too short) "Curl" and
the sweet "Check It Out" are both unexpected gems, even on this
surprise-filled record.
From the folky-pop skiffle of "Little Red Caboose" to the
instrumental magical mystery tour that is the unlisted bonus track at
the end of "Monekypuzzle," it is obvious that Baby Ray is all about a
fun, guitar driven sound. Overall, Baby Ray is a real treat and a
wonderful, happy little plaything that quickly grows on you.
---
REVIEW: Kahimi Karie, _Kahimi Karie_ (Minty Fresh)
- Tim Mohr
Minty Fresh compiles Kahimi's bubbly singles--previously
available only in Japan and Europe--for the US market. Her
collaborators offer a reasonable introduction to her sound, and
they include Momus, Beck, Katerine, Pizzicato Five, and Cornelius.
The songs are bouncy, punctuated with horn bits, and topped with
dreamy, breathy vocals.
The song title "Lolitapop Dollhouse" could also be used to
describe the tone of the album: girly, but with a tanglibly sexual
undercurrent. Kahimi covers Serge Gainsbourg to add to the effect,
but with her own lyrics along the lines of "If you really love me
smash the walls around me/If you really want me take me how you
found me" or "Tell me I'm allowed to jump on the crowd/when I'm
all wet with sweat and the music is loud," she hardly needs to
allude to past masters of the easy-sleaze genre.
The melodies can sound familiar: "Le Roi Soleil" borrows
the melody of the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated" for the verses,
"Candyman" winks at the opening of the Jackson Five's "ABC", and
"Elastic Girl" sounds like an off-kilter re-working of Sheryl
Crow's "All I Wanna Do". That said, the obvious parallels are
limited to bits and pieces, and the context makes the songs -
even the ones that gently tug at past pop memories--sound
original.
The singles are more playful even than those of the
Cardigans or Saint Etienne, with whom Kahimi Karie could be
compared. "Good Morning World" appeared on the Bungalow Records
"Sushi 2002" compilation among a batch of light, eccentric,
Japanese club-pop that made Kahimi's song seem serious by
comparison, but placed alongside England's girl bands--Sleeper,
Elastica, Kenickie, et al--Kahimi Karie would song like a spoof.
Still, the instrumentation and structure of her songs are closer
to the Cardigans than the truly loopy concoctions of Pizzicato
Five or Cibo Mato.
This compilation is great fun, a barbie doll recreation
of 60s Euro-trash with echoes of the past masters of trafficking
in cheap sex submerged in faux-innocent pop such as Brigitte Bardot.
---
TOUR DATES:
Better Than Ezra / Bic Runga
Nov. 17 Scottsdale, AZ Cajun House
Nov. 18 San Diego, CA 4th And B
Nov. 19 Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre
Nov. 20 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
Buffalo Tom / Mercury Rev
Nov. 14 Providence, RI Met Cafe
Chocolate Genius
Nov. 14 New Haven, CT Palace Theatre
Nov. 15 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre
Nov. 16 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Cracker
Nov. 14 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Nov. 15 Lincoln, NE Guitars & Cadillacs
Nov. 17 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Nov. 18 Des Moines, IA Super Toad
Nov. 19 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Nov. 20 Chicago, IL Metro
Deftones / Pitchshifter / Quicksand
Nov. 16 Baltimore, MD Michael 8th Avenue
Nov. 17 New York, NY Roseland
Nov. 18 Portland, ME State Theatre
Nov. 20 Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall
Everlast
Nov. 17 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia Street Pub
Nov. 18 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Nov. 20 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre
Miles Hunt
Nov. 17 Asbury Park, NJ Fast Lane
Nov. 20 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Howard Jones
Nov. 16 Columbus, OH Ludlow's
Nov. 17 Syracuse, NY Styleen's
Nov. 19-20 New York, NY Shine
Jude / Sinead Lohan
Nov. 14 Asheville, NC Stella Blue
Marilyn Manson
Nov. 16 Detroit, MI State Theatre
Nov. 18 Toronto, ON Massey Hall
Nov. 19 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre
Motley Crue
Nov. 17 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre
Nov. 18 Indianapolis, IN Murat Centre
Nov. 20 Omaha, NB Mancuso Conv. Hall
Offspring
Nov. 15 Phoenix, AZ Club Rio
Nov. 17-19 Los Angeles, CA The Palace
Psycore / Godsmack
Nov. 13 Milwaukee, WI Rave
Nov. 14 Chicago, IL Thurston's
Nov. 15 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Nov. 17 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Nov. 18 Cincinnati, OH Top Cats
Nov. 19 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Rev. Horton Heat / Amazing Crowns
Nov. 17 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Nov. 18 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle
Nov. 19 Richmond, VA Flood Zone
Nov. 20 Washington, DC 930 Club
Craig Savoy
Nov. 21 Los Angeles, CA Joint
Statuesque
Nov. 17 Washington, DC Black Cat
Nov. 18 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Nov. 19 Boston, MA TT The Bears
Nov. 20 Wellesley, MA Wellesley College
Tin Star
Nov. 13 New York, NY Shine
Tricky / Whale
Nov. 17 Providence, RI Lupo's
Nov. 18 Baltimore, MD Bohanger's
Nov. 19 New York, NY Eisner and Lubin Auditorium
Moe Tucker
Nov. 17 Providence, RI Met Cafe
Nov. 18 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass
Nov. 19 Arlington, VA Iota
Wesley Willis / Cats & Jammers
Nov. 16 Boston, MA The Middle East
Nov. 17 New York, NY Coney Island High
Nov. 18 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar
---
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