== ISSUE 212 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [June 12, 2000] Editor: Bob Gajarsky E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann D. Ball, Chris Hill, Bill Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Jon Steltenpohl Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Paul Andersen, Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Jason Cahill, Matthew Carlin, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Matt Fink, Krisjanis Gale, Jade Hughes, Paul Hanson, Scott Hudson, Jianda Johnson, Steve Kandell, David J. Klug, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes Long, I.K. MacLeod, Al Muzer, Wilson Neate, Linda Scott, Don Share, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, 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 Consumable and their author(s). ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' REVIEW: Billy Bragg and Wilco, _Mermaid Avenue Volume 2_ - Don Share REVIEW: The Tragically Hip, _Music @ Work_ - Chris Hill REVIEW: Guided By Voices, _Hold on Hope EP_ - Michelle Aguilar REVIEW: Various Artists, _'Til We Outnumber 'Em_ - Don Share REVIEW: Sonic Youth, _NYC Ghosts and Flowers_ - Andrew Duncan REVIEW: Don Henley, _Inside Job_ - Paul Andersen REVIEW: Grandaddy, _The Sophtware Slump_ - Chris Hill REVIEW: Tim Buckley, _Once I Was_ - Wilson Neate REVIEW: David Thomas and foreigners, _Bay City_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Eleven, _Avantgardedog_ - Scott Hudson REVIEW: Noogie, _Learn to Swim_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Terry Radigan, _Radigan_ - Jon Steltenpohl TOUR DATES: Bowery Electric, Cravin' Melon, Deftones, Eels, Foreigner, Tommy Guerrero, Indigo Girls, Jayhawks, Kansas / Yes, Steve Miller / Gov't Mule , Alanis Morissette, New Wet Kojak, Phish, Sally Taylor, Thingy, 3 Doors Down, Tonic, Wheat Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Billy Bragg and Wilco, _Mermaid Avenue Volume 2_ (Elektra) - Don Share This album is so good that I'm almost sorry it's being marketed as a Volume 2! Please, please do not think, "I've got the first one, maybe that's enough," or "Maybe this one's just there to capitalize on the first." Let me reassure you about the sequel to Billy Bragg and Wilco's highly-acclaimed reconstruction of music for Woody Guthrie's lyrics, _Mermaid Avenue_. For one thing, given how many of Guthrie's lyrics were never set to music, let alone given much public exposure, two albums, maybe even a half-dozen albums (in an age when there are enormous box sets of Hank Williams, Harry Smith recording, and even permutations of the Stooges' _Fun House_) couldn't be enough. But beyond that, Bragg and Wilco are artists with enough integrity and vitality that they are not interested in repeating themselves. Even given that this album's origins are in the overflow from sessions for the first effort, it's not a matter of its being better or worse than what came before: it's different, and it's essential. Bragg and Wilco really channeled Woody Guthrie the first time around: it was darn spooky how they came up with precisely the right music for lyrics Guthrie never himself sang. But even more ingeniously, they follow their own instincts here. In giving up trying to sound so much like Guthrie, they've managed to concoct music that sounds like nothing else. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett have put a new twist on their own sound and on Guthrie, and even on the whole Americana-genre, with such expansive music as "Remember the Mountain Bed," which is exquisitely moving, and "Meanest Man," which is hair-raisingly passionate. Tweedy and Bennett are as unsettling as Tom Waits yet as folksy as The Byrds on tracks like "Blood of the Lamb" and "Secret of the Sun." And Billy Bragg is more marvelous, more purely admirable than ever on this album. He takes Guthrie's oddball side, in "My Flying Saucer, and comes up with something that is warm and delightful, yet far from silly; he turns the grisly tale told in "Hot Rod Hotel" into something so scary Nick Cave'd be jealous; and yet he concocts perfect wee-hoo hoedown music for "Joe Dimaggio Done It Again." Guthrie's lyrics never take a back-seat, either. The Joycean flow of "Feed of Man" ("brushyfruits and flower petalls [sic]") remains intact, as does the in-your-face politics of the stomping "All You Fascists." It's appropriate that these superb artists have dedicated themselves to bringing to our ears Guthrie lyrics that might never have gotten an audience otherwise: selflessness is, after all, inherent in both Guthrie's politics and lyrics. How delightful, then, to hear guests like Natalie Merchant, who has never sung prettier than on Bragg's sweet setting for "I Was Born," or Corey Harris, with a perfectly judged vocal on "Against the Law." "I can't be this bad because my folks are too good," Guthrie wrote, never knowing what good folks he'd have on these recordings. But best is last: Billy Bragg's wrenching music and vocal for "Black Wind Blowing," and Tweedy's absolute stunner, "Someday, Some Morning, Sometime." Far more than a mere tribute to Guthrie, _Mermaid Avenue, Volume 2_ is sublime music in its own right. Not just for Guthrie's fans, then, or Wilco's, or Billy Bragg's, this is an album - Guthrie would surely approve - for everyone. --- REVIEW: The Tragically Hip, _Music @ Work_ (London-Sire) - Chris Hill If a journey begins with a single step, appreciation of a Tragically Hip album begins for me with a single lyrical passage that captures my attention. Here, it happened with the third song, "Lake Fever". "I'll tell you a story about the Lake Fever/ or we can skip to the coital fury/You didn't say yes or no, neither/You whispered, 'hurry'". Gordon Downie's stutterstep stressing of various syllables is aurally infectious. Once that song planted its claws in my psyche, the savoring of this album began. Lyrics have always been a strength of the Hip's albums. Their ninth cd continues to display that craftsmanship, with words which tantalize and taunt in unusual combinations; sometimes stream of consciousness ("Putting Down", "Wild Mountain Honey"), sometimes deceptively straightforward ("My Music at Work"). Musically, fifteen years on, they're still playing with new ideas and forms. "Tiger the Lion" paraphrases avant garde composer John Cage for lyrical backbone, against which Bobby Baker and Paul Langlois trade soaring guitarwork in darker, more storm-tossed waters than the Hip normally sail. The song builds to a contained fury, then dissipates into tranquility. It's a standout tune. Downie's singing again showcases his quavering strength and confident, precise diction, as he guides the progress of the album's 14 tracks. He's joined to fine harmony effect by Julie Doiron, ex-Eric's Trip, for three (the uptempo "The Completists", the gentle "Toronto #4", and the gorgeous "As I Wind Down the Pines"). Regarding the last song, a silent wish for another disc closer like "The Last of the Unplucked Gems" was somehow heard and granted. "...Pines", while lyrically denser than "...Gems", has a similar quiet beauty, fading the album out with a sweet aftertaste, presenting another oxymoron: after 14 songs, the appetite is only somewhat sated, and the "leave them wanting more" rule is still in effect. Something to look forward to, however: while the band has no intention of breaking up, Gordon Downie's currently completing a solo album, release date unknown. The Hip have long realized the reach of the web and taken advantage of this medium to reward their fans. A limited-time offer, including live downloads, exists for early purchasers of the record. See http://www.thehip.com. In concert, they're not to be missed, as documented on _Live Between Us_. For a band that hasn't changed personnel in their steadily productive career, live shows see drastic retooling and stripping down of familiar songs from their catalog to keep things fresh for the players. Initial tour dates are concentrated in the Northeast U.S., with more to follow. --- REVIEW: Guided By Voices, _Hold on Hope EP_ (TVT) - Michelle Aguilar Any Guided By Voices fans still bitter about _Do the Collapse_ will be sorely disappointed if they think this was the EP to signal the band's journey back from their keyboard-dripping, Ric Ocasek-induced fugue of 1999. But then, these nine songs are certainly not more of the same either. At first, this could easily seem like a calculated move by TVT to suck in the newer GBV fans with more oif that 80s New Wave fun that was so successful. And certainly, the first track, "Underground Initiations" is undeniably fuzzy, poppy and catchy in the same way as songs from that album. (Seriously, you'd have to be made of stone to hate this song) and the last song, "Hold on Hope" actually is from the 1999 album. But in other ways, it isn't. It's something in between the old and the new. While most of these songs were produced by Ocasek, the majority of them don't quite have the same wonderfully kitschy sheen he put onto the entirety of _Do the Collapse_" The songs sound simpler, more forlorn, less like a blissful pop billyclub over your head. And yet, this EP is no _Alien Lanes_. There's some interesting little experiments here, such as "A Crick Uphill," a number that almost verges into GBV's own take on country folk pop. With sweet vocals, a bass-driven melody and contagiously bright rhythm guitar, it's reminiscent of the Beatles' flirtations with the old-time Nashville pop on _Help_ and _Rubber Soul_" Then there's "Avalanche Aminos," the only co-written song (with Doug Gillard), which is based on electric guitar riff arpeggios that so stubbornly go nowhere for half the song. It actually works in a strange way, creating an unexpectedly satisfying tension. And besides, like any good GBV song, just as you start getting fed up with it, it's over. "Interest Position," with its fuzz tones and relentless rolling toms is closer to "Do The Collapse," territory. It's very respectably catchy and upbeat and eminently listenable. Unfortunately, "Fly Into Ashes," doesn't fare quite as well, feeling a little bit soulless as it slogs through verse, verse, chorus instrumental, reprise, etc. etc. Still, impossibly obscure lyrics such as "artificial study guides will help you when you're ready boy" hold one's interest even through the slower moments. Ditto for "Idiot Princess," which is really way better than so much pop crap out there, yet in context, sounds like it wasn't quite compelling enough for Ocasek's unstoppable pop juggernaut. Perhaps this is also what happened to "Do the Collapse," an instrumental track included on this EP but not on Sounding like a band that just finished setting up its instruments and meandering into an impromptu sound check, based on power chorsds that nobody can seem to do anything with until they just quit sheepishly. There is one surprise nugget for the old stalwarts though. "Tropical Robots," is quiet, acoustic, extremely sad and pretty and like old-school GBV, it's over too damn quickly, just as it's getting good . It sounds like something from three albums back. And it reminds me anew why I had no problem when _Do the Collapse_ came out last year and even cherished it. It meant Bob Pollard's beautiful pop songs got to stay around that much longer. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _'Til We Outnumber 'Em_ (Righteous Babe) - Don Share Tributes, tributes, tributes - I wonder whether one day tribute CD's will take up as much space in stores (if there are still stores) as discs by the artists themselves. I exaggerate, but tribute fatigue must be setting in by now. Sure, they're worthy, fun, and sometimes (valuably) guides to artists you've never heard before. But good intentions, as my wife remarked on hearing this one, do not make a good CD. Ani DiFranco has good intentions, as does her record label, Righteous Babe, which issued this tribute to Woody Guthrie, however... The album's release coincides with the appearence of the sublime second volume of Billy Bragg and Wilco's settings of Guthrie lyrics, _Mermaid Avenue_, not to mention reissues of Guthrie's own wonderful recordings. This means that _'Til We Outnumber 'Em_ must rely on the strengths or weaknesses of its featured performers, and its format. The latter is a big problem. Brief but intrusive spoken word pieces -- some that are recitations of Guthrie's writing, some which are testimonials of his influence -- are strictly one-time listens. (Tim Robbins' overacting nearly ruins a striking passage called "Born Naked.") As for the music, things kick off promisingly with a various-artists' romp through "Hard Travelin' Hootenany." For those too young to remember hootenanies, they are raucous, purposefully sloppy folk-music sing-alongs. It's nice (and appropriate) to hear one, in this day and age. Also nicely revived is Ramblin' Jack Elliott, a gifted and almost-forgotten folk performer who turns in two fine performances here. If this disc does nothing else, it will introduce people to this other folk legend. Billy Bragg turns in a version of his setting for Guthrie's lyric, "Against the Law," but it's just not as good as the one on the new installment of _Mermaid Avenue_, sung there by Corey Harris. And while Bruce Springsteen, lightens things with Guthrie's great "Ridin' In My Car" (ending it by uttering, "Sheeyit, why didn't I think of that?"), his version of "Deportee" is flat and too respectful, not as good as the Byrds' old version. Speaking of the Byrds, their version of "Pretty Boy Floyd" is better than David Pirner's here, too. Also disappointing are DiFranco's own contributions. Her "Do Re Mi" takes a song that shouldn't be strange and makes it weird; why Art-up Guthrie? It does the song and its composer no favors. Similarly, her parts on "Ramblin' Round," done with the Indigo Girls, turn a boisterous tune into a lugubrious drag. Arlo Guthrie, ever dependable, gives a spirited (literally) version of "Dust Bowl Disaster," but he can't quite top his old man. The disc closes with a second hootenany of "This Land Is Your Land," marred by a voiced-over rendition of the fable from which the title is derived. The fable is more poignant all by its lonesome, as is, for that matter, the song playing underneath it here. Sorry to say so, but the album lacks glory, and is missing the fire for which Woody Guthrie will always be known. The best tribute is Wilco and Bragg's; the best recordings are Guthrie's own. --- REVIEW: Sonic Youth, _NYC Ghosts and Flowers_ (Geffen) - Andrew Duncan For almost 20 years, Sonic Youth has been pushing the envelope with their ethereal sounds, ranging from shards of screeching guitar to hypnotic-induced chimes and minimalist experimentation. Since their introduction into the art-rock/no-wave clique of New York City, these Hoboken natives have transformed a musical genre by breaking into the mainstream and introducing noise rock to a shy American audience, itching for a new kind of kick. Sonic Youth gave the deadly blow when they created one of the most perceptive alternative albums in history, _Daydream Nation_. They still continue to set new standards for rock artists to take note, recently creating an album of signature Sonic Youth adaptations from works of 20th Century modern classical composers. Now that we have made it past the impending doom of the 20th Century and look forward to new adventures and new standards, Sonic Youth's new release _NYC Ghosts and Flowers_ is surprisingly far from it. In fact, _NYC Ghosts_ is their most accessible and shortest-running album to date, clocking in at just over 42 minutes. This is explained by the gear theft that plagued the band last July, leaving them with equipment that had not been used since the _Daydream Nation_ sessions. The results have concluded with mixed emotions. Beginning with "Free City Rhymes," Sonic Youth gives you a feel for New York City like no other artist has before. The creepy, paranoiac guitar chimes and repetitiveness transforms into a lush blossoming of guitar foliage, providing the listener with a sense of comfort and discovery. But then "Renegade Princess" kicks in. The band reverts to their Bad Moon Rising days as the song begins psychotically passive as guitar notes glisten like raindrops. Bassist Kim Gordon and Moore snootingly spit out clumps of poetry. It all comes together under Steve Shelley's big arena-rock drum patterns and Lee Renaldo and Moore's driving guitar chords that would get anyone's blood boiling. Soon after the climax, there are some moderate tunes, including the Gordon song "Side2Side" and the repetitive Moore song "StreamXSonic Subway." Showing evidence of Allen Ginsberg's influence on the band, Moore dabbles in beat poetry about beat poets and the Greenwich Village scene from the '60s in the richly daunting "Small Flowers Crack Concrete." As omnidirectional guitar chimes and shimmering scraps, Moore fills the gaps with his prose about cop violence and free love, a concept that has tormented the band since their _Confusion Is Sex_ days. As the album winds down, Renaldo steps up to the microphone on for the album's title track that is soft-spoken but simply creative. Evidence of the Chicago sound can be pinpointed to Sonic Youth's new member, Jim O'Rourke and his contribution. _NYC Ghosts_ is a time of change and renewal for the band, which could not be a better time for the band to discover new musical paths and expressive concepts. --- REVIEW: Don Henley, _Inside Job_ (Warner Bros.) - Paul Andersen I am not sure if it is some kind of millennial artist bug going around, but there has been a subtle trend of CDs surfacing from artists who have been MIA for quite a while. And we're not talking small indie critical darlings; no, there have been some BIG NAMES coming back to action. Ex (? - who can say)-Eagle Don Henley follows Steely Dan and No Doubt back into the fray with _Inside Job_, his first new album (anthologies and greatest hits packages don't count) since 1989's _The End of the Innocence_, and it is a winner on all counts. At times unabashedly romantic, other turns richly cynical, it represents Henley doing what he does best - writing quality songs that utilizes his crooner's voice for maximum impact. Whether big blustery songs ("Nobody Else In The World But You," the anthemic "Workin' It"), soft, gently lit tunes like the classic-to-be "For My Wedding" or Eagle-like romps ("Everything Is Different Now"), it is all wrapped up in sparkling production by Henley and ex-Heartbreaker Stan Lynch. The sound is modern without leaving previous fans in the dust. Not techno-Henley perhaps, but he has been listening to the pop world while he's been gone. It wouldn't be a Henley album without a tip of the hat towards such favorite subjects as ecology ("Goodbye To A River") and conspiracies ("They're Not Here, They're Not Coming"), but overall, it seems as if Henley's marriage and subsequent family life, which finds him back in his native Texas, has colored much of the feel here. It may not be a warmer, gentler Don Henley so much as a bit more rooted Henley. The edge is still there - but so is an edge of contentment, too. --- REVIEW: Grandaddy, _The Sophtware Slump_ (V2) - Chris Hill With '97's _Under the Western Freeway_ their only full album, the long wait for Grandaddy's wryly titled second cd has been somewhat eased by a European-only disc compiling their first two EP's (_The Broken Down Comforter Collection_) and last year's four track _Signal to Snow Ratio_ EP. Now the wait is over, and _The Sophtware Slump_ has arrived. Not unexpectedly, the record is of amazing caliber and unreservedly my favorite cd to date in 2000. "He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot" opens the album with samples of birdsong and passing cars stopped mid-Doppler effect. The contrasting sources are a sonic mirror to the cd's thematic tentpole of a technological society increasingly estranged from both nature and their own humanity. "He's..." is an allegory of mankind lost in the new millennium, searching for stability and direction ("Adrift again 2000 man/You lost your maps/You lost the plans"). Synthesizers serve as a Greek chorus, aping a data stream one moment and a bass choir the next. This electronic versatility is exploited throughout the album to wonderful effect. Jason Lytle, songwriter and producer of the band, is a master with dials and knobs. His synthesized sound creations also emulate angelic tones, flickering fire, or the last electronic gasps of poor Jed the Humanoid - whatever the need, there's a subtle brushstroke to underline the moment. While most of the disc's tunes drop their hooks with synthesized bait, the other four Grandaddy members (drummer Aaron Burtch, keyboardist Tim Dryden, guitarist Jim Fairchild, and bassist Kevin Garcia) add luring touches of their own throughout the cd, and yet more textures to the disc's multiple layers. "I dream at night/of going home someday/Somewhere so far away/So dream, alright/I know it's gonna take some time/I'm going home someday." "Miner at the Dial-A-View" takes a satellite view at surroundings close to the singer's heart, yet unreachable and removed. "Fifteen years is almost done/I don't recognize anyone/ >From the Dial-A-View" - the song is similar to a previous single, "Everything Beautiful is Far Away", with its subjects both far away from home. The song gains my firm vote for second single, with the melancholic "Hewlett's Daughter" requested for the third position. No doubt fed by the rural isolation of Modesto, the band's California hometown, the first single, "The Crystal Lake", is another song of disunity: in this case, pristine nature, where a lost Eden is missed and the singer vows to return. "It's shining like a chandelier/shining somewhere/far away from here/ ...I've gotta get out of here/and find my way again." Despite this distance between the man and his lost horizon, there's a simple hope that paradise can and will be regained, whether by fleeing urban chaos here, by a Rip van Winkle sleep on the quiet piano track "Underneath the Weeping Willow", or by a launch into the heavens on the stellar, early Alan Parsons Project-esque "So You'll Aim Towards the Sky". Technology, while it alienates, can endear as well. A wondrous, poem-spouting computer receives a touching elegy on "Jed the Humanoid": "Last night something pretty bad happened/We lost a friend/...Jed's system's dead/Therefore so is Jed". Yet Jed's poetry lives on, and "Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)" joins "Jeddy 3's Poem" from the _Signal to Snow Ratio_ EP as a (un)living legacy. One sly mystery revealed: in the last seconds of "Jed the Humanoid", a quick vocal (actually spoken in reverse) quotes from the Electric Light Orchestra's "Fire On High" off _Face the Music_: "The music is reversible, but time can't turn back". Maybe not, but albums like this capture time and mood and hold them fast. That's a precious quality to be cherished. Grandaddy's website: http://www.grandaddylandscape.com Their label home: http://www.v2music.com, or directly found at http://www.grandaddy.v2music.com. --- REVIEW: Tim Buckley, _Once I Was_ (Fuel 2000) - Wilson Neate When he died at the age of 28 in 1975, Tim Buckley left a rich, diverse and, at times, difficult legacy. But while numerous forms of homage have been paid to his work, its significance remains under-appreciated. Music writers routinely eulogize Buckley's shooting-star genius, contemporary artists have covered his songs and cite him as an influence, and his work has even been sampled by the electronica generation. And yet Tim Buckley, arguably, still awaits the full degree of recognition that he merits. Buckley once noted: "My life does not depend on Top 40. . . . I just don't fit there. . . . You gotta come up with something new. You gotta go places you haven't been before." His musical legacy bears out the integrity and veracity of those statements. In a recording career lasting eight years ('66-'74), his nine albums mapped the odyssey of a unique creative spirit that refused to settle into a consistently commodifiable style, choosing instead to follow a path of ongoing self-reinvention, sometimes at the cost of critical acclaim, not to mention commercial success. Drawn largely from sets recorded in London for John Peel's BBC radio show in 1968 and Whispering Bob Harris's BBC TV program _The Old Grey Whistle Test_ in 1974, _Once I Was_ captures the mercurial Tim Buckley at his best. Save the final track, this material was previously available elsewhere. But this CD puts Buckley's shape-shifting career into a well-wrought, gilded nut-shell, bringing together the folk-rock -- on the threshold of jazz -- of the early years with a brief glimpse of the sexy, white funk soul brother that is late-period Buckley. Emerging from the mid '60s Southern California scene with Jackson Browne and Steve Noonan as one of the so-called "Orange County Three," Tim Buckley's eponymous 1966 debut and his sophomore effort _Goodbye and Hello_ (1967) were youthful, passionate and romantic folk-rock documents that were very much of their time. The latter in particular stressed what would prove to be two of the constants throughout his stylistic metamorphoses: an inimitable vocal prowess and an ability to pen songs with hit potential as well as innovative, elaborate and less compromised material. _Goodbye_ is well-represented here with captivatingly pure, melodic renditions of "Morning Glory," "Hallucinations," and "Once I Was," on which Buckley's legendary five octave range stands as an instrument itself, perfectly integrated within the arrangements. On "Morning Glory" Lee Underwood's minimal, smoldering lead guitar complements Buckley's assured, unfaltering vocals while "Hallucinations" (including "Troubadour") stretches out gloriously over nearly 11 minutes, its subtle yet driving rhythms, changes of pace and intricate lead guitar recalling the sound of British folk bands like The Pentangle. The melancholy beauty of "Once I Was" is conjured up by a magical combination of Buckley's voice and his chiming 12-string, trimmed with percussion and almost imperceptible electric guitar. This is a haunting piece, its poignancy redoubled now in the knowledge that the late Jeff Buckley played it at the 1991 New York City tribute concert for his father. The measured balladry of "Sing a Song For You" is somewhat atypical of _Happy Sad_, from which it is drawn. Recorded in 1968, _Happy Sad_ coincided stylistically and chronologically with Van Morrison's _Astral Weeks_ and saw Buckley moving in the same direction as Morrison, toward a fusion of jazz stylings and drifting, bluesy folk. Those characteristics would coalesce superbly on 1970's _Blue Afternoon_, represented on _Once I Was_ by "Happy Time," during which Buckley shares the spotlight once more with Underwood's fragile but evocative lead guitar. _Once I Was_ glosses over Buckley's complex period, a phase that, for some, found him at the peak of his creative powers and that, for others, was his musical nadir. After the release of _Lorca_ in 1970, critics and fans blanched at his apparent attempt to commit commercial suicide in concert as he pursued an uncompromising avant-garde jazz approach that, at its most challenging, allegedly sounded not unlike a meeting of Messiaen and Mingus complete with cocktail trumpets, gongs, crooning and howling. "Buckley's Yodeling Baffles Audience" proclaimed a review of a particularly difficult 1970 gig. _Starsailor_ (1971) fared no better. "Buckley Goes Bizarre" wrote one journalist, knocking it as "a collection of tuneless wailings and Doctor Who effects." Ironically, that album features his finest achievement, the ethereal "Song to the Siren," covered by This Mortal Coil, sampled directly and indirectly by Everything But the Girl and the Chemical Brothers respectively, and -- in sacrilegious fashion akin to the fate met by Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" -- hijacked for TV ads. The 1974 recordings on _Once I Was_ stand as bookends to Buckley's career. "Dolphins" from _Sefronia_ (1974) was a song he had played live since the late '60s and, while a marvelous version is immortalized on _Dream Letter: Live in London 1968_ (1990), this joyously lilting rendition tops even that with the rich, honey-in-the-sun lower reaches of Buckley's voice yielding to momentary flourishes up the scale. Equally majestic vocals reign over the raunchy, electric bump and grind of "Honey Man," a track that neatly encapsulates Buckley's explorations of an unbridled and earthy white blues/funk sound begun on _Greetings From LA_ (1972). As a bonus, _Once I Was_ contains an unreleased 12-minute version of "I Don't Need it to Rain" that differs markedly from the rendition on _Live at the Troubadour 1969_ (1994). Taped live in Copenhagen in 1968, this is a more understated -- but more breathtaking -- version that stresses Buckley's ability to bring an unparalleled intensity and intimacy to live performance. For anyone who has yet to discover the wonder of Tim Buckley, _Once I Was_ is an ideal introduction. For the converted, this is another posthumous treasure in the spirit of _Dream Letter_, underscoring the timeless genius of one of the more innovative, passionate, eclectic, and yet largely unsung singer-songwriters of the late '60s and early '70s. Lillian Roxon once said of Buckley: "There is no name yet for the places he and his voice can go." He may be long gone but on _Once I Was_, Buckley again manages to transport his listener to a unique and beautiful realm which words prove inadequate to describe. --- REVIEW: David Thomas and foreigners, _Bay City_ (Thirsty Ear) - Joann D. Ball Pere Ubu has always ventured on the experimental side of the musical tracks. So, it should be no surprise that Pere Ubu frontman and visionary David Thomas moves in the same direction on his new solo project _Bay City_. On this musical adventure, David Thomas is joined by songwriter and composer Jorgen Teller (on guitars and sampler), Per Buhl Acs (on clarinet and guitar) and P.O. Jorgens (drums and percussion). Now known as David Thomas and foreigners, the quartet came together in 1996 at an improvisational concert in Copenhagen. Originally called Greenland, and the foursome toured Denmark under that name in 1998 and 1999. _Bay City_ is the result of occasional recording sessions held on a farm in Denmark during the past three years. The record's title is a reference to the works of novelist Raymond Chandler who uses the name as a metaphor of corruption and evil. Despite it European origins, _Bay City_ suggests the dark underbelly of an urban American city with Thomas' sung and spoken vocals delivered over a mellow and laid back avant garde jazz-rock sound. And there's something vaguely industrial (without the intensity and beats-per-minute, of course) about the instrumentation, due in part to the atypical percussion that drives the twelve tracks on the release. The industrial buzz, drone and simple beat of the lead track "Clouds of You" echoes latter-day Wire. In stark contrast, the quartet's original song "White Room" evokes lonely images of smoky jazz hipness and features Thomas singing and speaking over the strains of an electric guitar and a sultry saxophone. The track is so effective in its ability to suggest image and mood that it appears again as a record closing bonus track. "Black Coffee Dawn," meanwhile, combines the two approaches of these two tracks and infuses it with a brighter and lighter feel. The bouncy "Charlotte," on the other hand, showcases Thomas' trademark affected vocals and suggests some of Pere Ubu's finest moments. With _Bay City_, David Thomas and foreigners have produced a fresh and innovative collection of songs and spoken word pieces. And the theatrical leanings of the lyrics and (sound)tracks here is no coincidence. Thomas is currently working on a theater effort also titled "Bay City," and it is somewhat of a sequel to his previous theater piece "Mirror Man" which was produced in London in 1998 by the South Bank Organization. For Pere Ubu fans, _Bay City_ should be well received as a welcomed effort that only increases anticipation for the band's new release scheduled later this year to celebrate the Cleveland outfit's 25th anniversary. --- REVIEW: Eleven, _Avantgardedog_ (A&M) - Scott Hudson Eleven's approach to creating great rock music has always been an exercise in experimentation that, historically, has defied all of the conventional musical mores. The fact that Alain Johannes (guitar, vocals) and Natasha Shneider (keyboards, vocals) consider Western music, "particularly pop" inflexible and confining, prompted them to explore a vast array of stylistic avenues, thus opening the door to different musical possibilities. By fusing their interests in Eastern music; Indian, Pakistani and Bulgarian music with rock, pop, punk, classical and gothic music, the band has hewn for themselves a sound that is dynamic, colorfully textured; always eclectic and always interesting. Their latest release, _Avantgardedog_, comes off the heels of a successful 1999 collaboration with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. Not only did Johannes and Shneider contribute musically to Cornell's brilliant debut solo release, _Euphoria Morning_, they also shared co-production credit and co-wrote half of the songs as well. When Cornell hit the road in the fall of 1999 for a string of shows in the U.S. and Europe, it was Johannes, Shneider and Eleven skinman Greg Upchurch who not only opened for Cornell but formed the core of his own touring band. _Avantgardedog_ is exactly what its title suggests: a conviction of making music without limitations, saying yes to the inclusion of different styles when others say no. Perhaps its like attempting to jump the fountains of Caesar's Palace on a minibike; maybe it can't be done but you'll never know until you try. It is exactly this type of seat-of-your-pants attitude that makes Eleven's music exciting but at the same time dangerous. The outstanding tracks on this record are many. The Indian-tinged intro of "All Falls Away" beautifully segues into Natasha Shneider's haunting, mournful vocals culminating with Alain Johannes' contrasting, but catchy Na-Na-Na chorus line. Then there is the powerful "You're Not Alone" followed by the most radio-worthy song on the record in "Verb." "Verb" stands alone as an all-out rocker complete with an excellent wah-wah guitar groove and Johannes' excellent vocals. Not since their 1993 self-titled release that yielded the hit single "Reach Out" has the band experienced significant airplay. But if given the opportunity, "Verb" could change all of that. The dirge of "What Can I Do," the light-hearted "It's Okay," the haunting atmosphere of "Lucky One" and the mind-blowing epic "Beautiful Self" represent the records' mammoth middle tracks setting you up for the big finish. "Strands Of Rain" is signature Shneider. Wonderfully arranged classical piano behind her elegant, emotive vocal lines. _Avantgardedog_ is a masterpiece of a record and it stands as testament of Eleven's uncompromising artistic vision. With this record you'll be able to give your skip button a well-deserved break. --- REVIEW: Noogie, _Learn to Swim_ (Trauma) - Joann D. Ball It's a band from Australia. The band members are cute teenage guys, all high school mates, who have a punk influence and love guitars. They are energetic, have a catchy sound and wanna break America. Sounds like... Noogie. On the debut release _Learn to Swim_, Noogie favors a power pop punk sound that blends the best of Britpop with 90s American neo-punk bands. The emphasis here is on melody and hooks a-plenty. And Noogie write about those experiences they know best: being young, having a good time, hanging out and just being young, and wild and free. The songs are straightforward and without pretense, as evident on the lead track and chronicle of restlessness "I'd Rather Float," the tale of a dying friendship titled "Danger," and on the teenage breakup song "Never Look Back." The best of the ten songs on the record, though, is the first single "Meantime." It's a three-minute starburst with the simple chorus "What do you want, how do you want it, when do you want it all." Noogie's _Learn to Swim_ is short and sweet, clocking in at just over thirty minutes. And that makes it the ideal kind of bright and fun summertime beach music. If you want to freshen up that party mix of Blink-182, Green Day, and early No Doubt, a little Noogie is all you'll need. --- REVIEW: Terry Radigan, _Radigan_ (Vanguard) - Jon Steltenpohl Part of the Terry Radigan story is the same as every other story of the stereotypical Nashville songwriter. You move to Nashville with your guitar after getting great press in a local group. You sign a contract, and some record company teases you with a few recording sessions. They never deliver what they promised you. You slave until one or two of the new country flavors of the month puts one of your songs on an album. And then you put those songs on your bio and hope for the best. Well, Radigan has done that part so far. With a resume spot of the guitarist who replaced Shawn Colvin, a failed deal with Asylum records, and songs recorded by Trisha Yearwood and Patty Loveless, Radigan is a bonafide Nashville songwriter success story. And that's where most artists stay. Burned by the record companies in the past, and unwilling to sell their souls to the new country establishment, they languish in royalty fueled obscurity and release self funded CD's they sell at coffeehouse shows. But, Terry Radigan is taking a different route. Her debut album, _Radigan_, is well produced and a few steps away from country without completely severing the ties. Think of k. d. lang and Sheryl Crow's country roots, and you'll get an idea of how Radigan plays it. She flirts effortlessly from the torchlight sounds of a Patsy Cline to the loose disco feel of Sheryl Crow. "So What" is fun, spunky, and genre agnostic. There's a little bit of everything in the song, and Radigan has fun with it. She even flirts with a bit of a tango on "50 Kisses". It's the most playful song on the album, and possibly even best track of the whole album. There are a few songs that do sound a bit new country. "When I Get Around You" you is probably the best. It's light and poppy and has a nice chorus to it. "G-O-O-D-B-Y-E" also has an instant association with "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", yet it manages to back away from the cliches and be a decent song. But, for the most part, Radigan likes going for the smooth and mellow approach. One of the best songs of the mellow genre is "The Things You'll Do". It's heavily k. d. lang influenced, but the mellower songs lack the passion of lang's work. In fact, some of the more mellow songs come out a bit forced and, on some of the sadder songs, her voice is downright pleading. Terry Radigan's self titled debut is a nice effort. She successfully breaks away from the stifling new country sound without completely turning her back on it. She gives the listener a wide range of styles and influences which would be great for a country fan who likes a little pop or a pop fan who likes a little country. Although _Radigan_ falters in a few places, it is an enjoyable, relaxed album that is very well produced. Overall, a nice debut. --- TOUR DATES: Bowery Electric Jun. 17 New York, NY Knitting Factory Cravin' Melon Jun. 16 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's Jun. 17 Asheville, NC Be Here Now Jun. 22 Hickory, NC Crawdad Stadium Jun. 24 Greenville NC The Attic Deftones Jun. 21 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Jun. 22 Washington, D.C. Nation Jun. 23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center Jun. 24 Worcester, MA Palladium Eels Jun. 16 Boston, MA Bill's Bar Jun. 19 Detroit, MI 7th House Jun. 24 San Francisco, CA The Great American Foreigner Jun. 16 Merrillville, IN Star Plaza Theatre Jun. 18 Springfield, MO Route 66 Music Festival Jun. 22 Greely, CO Independence Stampede Jun. 23 Fargo, ND Red River Valley Fair Jun. 24 Grand Junction, CO Country Jam USA Tommy Guerrero Jun. 22 New York, NYAlleged Gallery Indigo Girls Jun. 16 Toronto, ON Molson Amp. Jun. 17 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Jun. 19 Interlochen, MI Interlochen MI Jun. 20 Highland Park, IL Raviania Festival /Pavllion Jun. 22-23 Apple Valley, MN Music in the Zoo/ Outdoor Pavillion Jun. 24 Sioux Falls, SD Washington Pavillion Jayhawks Jun. 20 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse Jun. 21 New Orleans, LA House of Blues Jun. 23 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa Jun. 24 Dallas, TX Gypsy Tea Room Kansas / Yes Jun. 20 Reno, NV Reno Amphitheater Jun. 21 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion Jun. 23 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheater Jun. 24 San Bernadino, CA Glen Helen Pavilion Steve Miller / Gov't Mule Jun. 16 New York, NY Jones Beach Jun. 17 Boston, MA Great Woods Amphitheater Jun. 18 Saratoga, NY SPAC Jun. 21 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Music Center Jun. 22 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center Jun. 23 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheater Jun. 24 Knoxville, TN World Fair's Amphitheater Alanis Morissette Jun. 16 Beijing, China "MMH2000" Award Show New Wet Kojak Jun. 15 San Diego, CA Casbah Jun. 16 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour Jun. 17 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill Jun. 18 Portland, OR Satyricon Jun. 19 Seattle, WA Crocodile Jun. 21 Vancouver, BC The Brickyard Phish Jun. 22 Antioch, TN Amsou Amphitheatre Jun. 23-24 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre Sally Taylor Jun. 13 San Diego, CA Casbah Jun. 14 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coachouse Jun. 15 Hollywood, CA Vynyl Jun. 16 W. Hollywood, CA Mint Jun. 18 Novato, CA Arts & Wine Festival Jun. 21 Grant's Pass, OR Rogue Theater Jun. 22 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater Thingy Jun. 12 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill Jun. 13 Chico, CA The Blue Room Jun. 14 Portland, OR Lola's Room Jun. 15 Olympia, WA Arrowspace Jun. 16 Vancouver, BC Brickyard Jun. 17 Seattle, WA Paradox Theater Jun. 20 Los Angeles, CA The Fold in the Silverlake Lounge Jun. 23 San Diego, CA Che Cafe 3 Doors Down Jun. 13 Rochester, NY Water Street Hall Jun. 14 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill Jun. 16 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino Jun. 17 Albany, NY Northern Lights Jun. 20 New York, NY Irving Plaza Jun. 21 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork Jun. 22 Providence, RI Fleet Skating Center Jun. 23 Pittsburgh, PA Three Rivers Festival Jun. 24 Hartford, CT WMRQ Show Tonic Jun. 12 Tuzla, Bosnia Jun. 13,15 Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Jun. 17 Amsterdam, Holland Melkweg Jun. 18 Rotterdam, Holland Nighttown Basement Jun. 19 Copenhagen, Denmark Rust Jun. 20 Stockholm, Sweden Torsgatan Jun. 21 Aarhus, Denmark Train Jun. 22 Aalborg, Denmark Nibes Festival Jun. 24 Scheesel, Germany Hurricane Festival Wheat Jun. 16 St. Louis, MO Side Door Jun. 18 Nashville, TN The End Exit/IN --- Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest music reviews publication on the Internet. 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