==== ISSUE 69 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [February 26, 1996] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Britain Woodman Also Contributing: Joann Ball Guest Contributor: Bob Donlon of The Rake's Progress Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak, Jason Williams Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net ================================================================== All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this document must be obtained from the editor. ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' REVIEW: Mr Bungle, _Disco Volante_ - Martin Bate REVIEW: Cocteau Twins, _Twinlights/Otherness_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Fun Lovin Criminals, _Come Find Yourself_ - Martin Bate GUEST REVIEW: Polara, _Polara_ - Bob Donlon (of The Rake's Progress) REVIEW: Pretenders, _The Isle of View_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Ke', _I Am [ ]_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: U-Ziq, _In Pine Effect_ - Martin Bate REVIEW: Bob Kindred, _Hidden Treasures_ / Parker Guy Lytton Trio, _Breaths and Heartbeats_ - Ali Sinclair CONCERT REVIEW: The Cardigans, Huxley's, Berlin - Tim Mohr REVIEW: Global House Culture: Volume 1 Mix by James Christian - Daniel Kane REVIEW: The Revolvers, _Remember 9_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Rocketship, _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ - Tim Mohr REVIEW: Tim Sparks, _Guitar Bazaar_ - Ali Sinclair REVIEW: The Odds, _Good Weird Feeling_ - Daniel Kane NEWS: Blinker The Star, Consumer Online Services, Jayne County, Martin Page, ROCKnROM, Supergrass Online TOUR DATES: "Home Before Midnight" (Wayne Kramer, Wrens), AC/DC, All Gods Children, Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky, Jackson Browne, Brother Cane, Combine, Cravin' Melon, Fleming & John, Gin Blossoms / Dead Hot Workshop / Refreshments, Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers, Natalie Merchant, The Mother Hips, Mr. Mirainga / Spacehog / God Lives Underwater / Ruth Ruth, Mystery Machine, Mike Peters, O-Matic, Plastic Mikey, Presidents of the United States of America / Love Jones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Reeltime, Ruby / Schtum, Bob Seger / John Hiatt, Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills, Elliott Smith / The Softies, Snow Karma, They Might Be Giants, Velvet Crush / Lustre, Weston ERRATA THE READERS WRITE BACK! Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Mr Bungle, _Disco Volante_ (Warner Bros.) - Martin Bate *Always* mistakenly referred to as 'the Faith No More singer's side-project', this is more accurately 'Mike Patton's other band', and one in which he only even appears in the writing credits for 5 of the 12 songs on their new album. His main co-protagonists are bassist Trevor Dunn and guitarist Trey Spruance. The latter played for Faith No More on their _King For a Day..._ and is sure to have clouded the following warning still further :- DO NOT COME IN HERE EXPECTING FAITH NO MORE. Especially if you thought that they were 'a bit way out'... Mr Bungle are unlike *anything* you have ever heard because they are like *everything* you have ever heard before. Simultaneously. Let me throw a few songs at you to demonstrate. "Everyone I Went to High School With is Dead" is lo-fi death-metal sludge which ends with what sounds like the drummer being pushed down the stairs. This is followed by "Chemical Marriage", a cheasy-listening nightmare which shudders into "Carry Stress In the Jaw" a hyper-kinetic scary jazz thrash akin to Billie Holiday on PCP with a flick knife, before stumbling across a hidden song which features Grampa Simpson babbling over an imaginary 50's spy theme. Confused yet ? Well, how about "Desert Search for Techno Allah" which sounds exactly like you just fleetingly imagined it does, and the 10 minute suite of ambient-sound pieces that is "The Bends", the closing section of which, "Re-Entry", is guaranteed to speed up your heart-beat every time ? Marvel at the awesome delight of "Violenza Domestica", a Spanish sea-shanty themed opera. Thrill to "Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz" where Benny Hill gets tangled up in Looney Toons and gothic grandeur. GASP as "Merry Go Bye Bye" breaks from Vegas-pop into precision death metal, stopping only to flick through the enitre long-wave radio band on the way. The recurring theme of the artwork and music is that of the claustrophobia and terror of the deep sea, where their self-titled debut saw them hanging out with a gang of scary clowns and their fairground organs. Where the debut is now dated by toilet-humour and a funk edge that places it firmly in the early 90's, this is state-of-the-art bizarreness. Rarely emotionally engaging on any other level other than sheer fear, Mr Bungle are nonetheless a jaw-dropping excursion into noise terrorism and more fascinating than a Pamela Anderson snuff flick. You don't know that you want this. --- REVIEW: Cocteau Twins, _Twinlights/Otherness_ (Capitol) - Joe Silva If you were ever near a concert stage and found yourself wrapped in a cloud of manufactured smoke, alternatingly lit by deep blue, purple and rose coloured lights, and inhaled some of the odd electric scent of the mist, you might be able to substantiate a portion of the vibe that is the Cocteau Twins. Nestled somewhere between the amorphous groove of Alex Paterson's Orb and the elegant semi-gothness of Siouxsie and the Banshees, they remain cloaked in beautifully spooky tones that resonate on a frequency towards the midpoint between despair and splendor. Released as pair of mini-LPs a few months apart, they are a nod to the era when the 12-inch Ep was the only affordable way to pick through the import underground of the late 70's and 80's. But they also serve to illuminate the duality of a pop ensemble now thirteen years mature that traffics in processed rhythms and intangible lyrics. _Twinlights_, done mostly as piano and voice, is the organic incarnation of the band while _Otherness_ is its ambient sibling. Together they show off the Twins' ability to flex their compositional muscles and how they can effectively balance alternate visions of their work. All told, the content is split evenly over eight tracks with the bulk of the songs made up by new material. "Rilkean Heart" is a mode apart from the general melancholy of _Twinlights_, flowing almost cheerfully along, driven by Frazier's gentle falsetto. Her voice hesitates and gushes before arcing towards a brilliant closing passage. But "Half-Gifts" is the disc's chief reward. Its beauty is simple, laced with gentle string work, and a plaintive vocal that eventually resolves towards hope. There was (and still is) always a fuss made over Frazier's use of mumbo jumbo to stock her lyrics, but even though she takes to plain English on this track, she proves her point that the emotional phrasing of her vocals is what's of consequence. The second disc, which adds ambient-head Mark Clifford of Seefeel, trips off into the ether, revamping two older tracks ("Feet Like Fins" and "Cherry Colored Funk") alongside two new pieces. It's easy to say that the timbre of what's laid out here isn't a difficult stretch for the Twins, but when you've waded through enough stacks of useless "extended versions" in a lifetime you can appreciate these subtle and effectively groovy treatments. It's always a notable thing when a remix or a trance doused track can carry you off to a place other than slumberland. Consequently, some of these tracks are set to appear on the forthcoming LP (_Milk and Kisses_), but done up in this format, (with neato artwork) they are well worth having. There's also a tour in the works in order to suss out the remaining dimensions not etched into the plastic. --- REVIEW: Fun Lovin Criminals, _Come Find Yourself_ (EMI) - Martin Bate Fun Lovin Criminals are live hip-hop. Or, to be more exact, live-instrument hip-hop, as the best hip-hop - regardless of its reliance on 'real' instruments or not - is possibly the livest music genre on the planet. They are vocalist/guitarist Huey, drummer Steve and multi-instrumentalist Fast and you may well hear more of them in future months with this album poised for crossover success. That's not to say that this is a great album. It starts promisingly with the band's theme tune, an accoustic twang and harmonica backing up a lively House of Pain style rap with a smart funk bounce. It's followed by "Passive Aggressive", a potential hit single, with its chilled rap cutting into a bluesy, bruising Rage Against the Machine style chorus. Then there's "The Grave and the Constant", a chilled city-night atmosphere. But "Scooby Snacks" starts a run of lacklustre songs with its cringeingly obvious Tarantino samples and an overdose of wannabe-hard images. What follows demonstrates the Fun Lovin Criminals two weak points. Firstly, they patently obviously are *not* criminals, and their raps ring false next to the malevolence of the best of the rest of the east-coast scene (you don't *have* to be a real criminal, but you *do* have to create that *shiver* in the listener). Secondly, their reliance on live instrumentation makes their sound too traditional, where the best hip-hop of the moment sounds otherworldly. "Bombin the L" is about two-notes away from being "Smoke on the Water" and therefore loses F.L.C. *vast* amounts of kudos - and dollars if Deep Purple's lawyers hear it! But things pick up *dramatically* after that. "Can't Get With That" contrasts warm summer days and neighborhood violence nicely and "King of New York" has a super-fly Starsky and Hutch thang going on. "Bear Hug" has a warped-sleaze bass-line and *vicious* harmonica with a rugged sneer skittering over the top. Then there's the soulful whisper of the title-track and the closing "Methadonia", all tijuana brass and soaring harmonica - the theme to "Midnight Cowboy" as the credits fade out over a crack-den. The raps are usually interesting, the production lush, and the style nicely varied, pitching them closer to the UK Acid Jazz scene than the hip-hop scene they'll be lumped in with in the States. They manage to crossover without resorting to the usual lumpen distortion-ridden rap-rock and they've produced a debut album which despite a few hiccups is not bad at all. So don't be too scared to part with the cash if you like that single when you see it on MTV. --- GUEST REVIEW: Polara, _Polara_ (Clean) - Bob Donlon (Ed. Note: Bob Donlon is the bass player for the Rake's Progress. While recording their third release - after _Cheese Food Prostitute_ and _Altitude_ - Bob found time to write this review for us.) I'd been hearing alot about this band, first from a friend that considers herself on the "fringe" of the indie rock scene (whatever that means), then from a soundman that we were thinking of hiring that wound up doing Polara's tour, then from some odd fanzine reviews here and there. Finally, I learned that John Strohm (former guitarist of Blake Babies, Lemonheads, Antenna, and Velo Deluxe) was in this band and I had to have this record when I finally came across it at this discount record place in Times Square. I asked the guy at our label that tries to get OUR record reviewed what he thought of the Polara record. He didn't like it. I think he is a fool. Although I have absolutely no Bio information on this band, I am under the impression that it is the brainchild of Ed Ackerson, who wrote all the songs and played most of the instruments, aside from drums which were handled entirely by Matt Wilson. This record meanders in styles so drastically that I have a hard time putting a finger on it. Some songs ("Counting Down", "Source of Light") ring familiar of indie pop bands like Antenna, but others "Allay," "Avenue E" float down the trails laid by New Order, Stone Roses, and KMFDM. Some songs you could imagine as lead-in music to an indie rock show at some hep rock dive like the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis or Brownie's in New York, and in others I was brought back to the Camden Palace in London as their super-state-of-the-art light and laser show showered the punk-rock kids dancing to Rage Against the Machine, Shooty's Groove, and Blur. But somehow, sitting in the tour van for hours and hours cruising across the Kansas Praries on I-70, playing this disc on my walkman got me through it. It's from-the-gut creative pop. It's never gonna get on KROQ or Q101 or sell a million records. But it's good music. Check it out. Clean Records is located at 2117 Nicolet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404 --- REVIEW: Pretenders, _The Isle of View_ (Warner Bros.) - Joann D. Ball Reflection upon finding direction and purpose yields great rewards. That's the message conveyed on _The Isle of View_, the latest release from the Pretenders. This acoustic, unplugged release was conceived by Chrissie Hynde independent of MTV, and recorded in front of a live audience in London last Spring. The solid 1994 _Last of the Independents_ line-up of Hynde (vocals/guitar), Martin Chambers (drums), Adam Seymour (guitar) and Andy Hobson (bass) returns and is joined by the Duke Quartet (strings). _Isle_ is a brilliant showcase for Hynde's superior songwriting and the melodies which have been fundamental to the Pretenders' sound. The track selection here demonstrates that these elements have been constant, even when the band line-up was in a state of flux. The beauty of the combination is evident on the signature hits "Brass In Pocket" and "Back on the Chain Gang" as well as on overlooked gems like "Sense of Purpose" (from 1990's _Packed_) and "Chill Factor" (from 1987's _Get Close_). Tender emotion abounds on the release, and the Duke Quartet's strings allow Hynde to deliver "Kid" with a deeper maturity and sincerity than on the studio version. In true Pretenders' style, _Isle_ offers some surprises. The angry "I Hurt You" delivers an incredibly bitter sting and powerful punch with sinister strings. The punk-inspired "The Phone Call" from the debut album becomes an acoustic rock mercy mission with audible instructions. And, the near-acappella delivery of "Hymn to Her" proves without a doubt that Hynde has one of the best voices in rock. _The Isle of View_ captures the Pretenders looking back without regret. The band shakes off the ghosts, reflects without being nostalgic and finally comes to terms with its rocky history. It's evident on the recording, but even more so on the video and laser disc of the same name, that this was an enjoyable musical reflection. As a result, the Pretenders are older, wiser and better than ever. TRACK LISTING: Sense of Purpose, Chill Factor, Private Life, Back on the Chain Gang, Kid, I Hurt You, Criminal, Brass in Pocket, 2000 Miles, Hymn to Her, Lovers of Today, The Phone Call, I Go To Sleep, Revolution. There are now several information resources for the Pretenders. You can join the Pretenders listserver, Pretend-l run by Jen Croft (jiblet@his.com), by sending a message to: LISTPROC2@BGU.EDU with the message: SUB PRETEND-L your name. There is also a Pretenders Web site, run by Warner Bros. at: http://www.wbr.com/Pretenders and a fanzine called Mystery Achievement edited by Carrie Lindsey at NoisyGrrl@aol.com. For more information about the Pretenders, contact Joann D. Ball of Hyndesight Productions at jball@ucsd.edu. --- REVIEW: Ke', _I Am [ ]_ (RCA/Ventrue) - Jon Steltenpohl The voice is a warble that falters between falsetto and a whisper. The head is a sullen stare with a short clipped crop and pointed eyebrows. And the name remains a slight mystery. Only a promotional video clip reveals Ke' as a man with a tortured soul. Like so many other skinny and abused Euro-crooners, androgyny suits the monosyllabic Ke' very well, and it's a shame that this album hasn't been promoted. Granted, radio stations have shied away from the likes of Ke' for years, but with the advent of "alternative" radio programming, I thought things might have changed. So, who is Ke'? A first listen to "Strange World" recalls the mood of Peter Murphy's "Deep" with a hint of The Smiths and Erasure. In a club, I can just see the floor filling with black lace and pale make-up when the first chords chime. The rest of the album follows with a little gothic, a little pain, and a good dose of bouncy pop. "Don't Walk Away" and the title track "I am [ ]" both borrow a few hints from Sade (in a good way), and "Someday" slips in a few touches from Kate Bush. And as the comparisons continue to bounce from Annie Lennox to Duran Duran to Siouxsie, it's obvious Ke' wears his influences on his sleeve. But, he is a good student, and this is a thoroughly enjoyable listen. _I am [ ]_ is 80's euro-pop for the nineties without the K-tel, "hits of the 80's" saccharin. The tunes are melodic, not too heavy, and should find an audience with those who can't bear to hear those old worn-out retro tunes anymore. --- REVIEW: U-Ziq, _In Pine Effect_ (Astralwerks/Virgin) - Martin Bate The U is supposed to be the Greek symbol 'Mu' but Sun Micro-systems didn't think to provide one of them on their keyboards. Hence the name is Mu-Ziq. _In Pine Effect_ is Michael Paradina's third album proper in three years, not including two U-Ziq mini-albums and albums under the guises of Tusken Raiders, Kid Spatula and Jake Slazenger. A very busy young man. U-Ziq is electronica rather than techno. For the dance-floor of your mind, Paradinas' primitive equipment lends a human rawness to his sound and allows him to concentrate on the music. Pure, beautiful melancholy floods out over the most distorted beats, in a style which soon becomes the instantly recognisable U-Ziq trademark. Repetitive soundscapes metamorphosise achingly, like sunrises or night-fall. Already disowned by Paradinas as being 'old already' he moves so fast, he seems happier with his _Jake Slazenger Makesaracket_ album of cheasy-listening lounge techno and his soon-to-be-released collaboration with old-pal Richard James AKA Aphex Twin which has left the lucky few who have heard it speechless. Track names write their own review. "Roy Castle" is an affectionate trumpet melancholy which jitters and jumps like the trumpet-playing childhood-TV presenter it remembers. "Within a Sound" is childhood longing. "Funky Pipecleaner" is night descending on Tokyo viewed from above, while "Iced Jem" feels like your down in the streets amongst the dark chimes and stuttering snare. "Melancho" is John Carpenter's "Halloween" hanging on a street-corner with a hat pulled down low over it's eyes. And "Pine Effect" is a jaunty, toytown-soul thing. That's the highlights. The rest is a little too often down-at-heel, too *dark*, beside the shimmering hopeless beauty of the best stuff on offer here. Paradinas seems to have a good feel for his own work (unlike most other prolific artists, Prince being the perfect example) and is first to admit that _In Pine Effect_ is a little anti-climactic, merely a collection, with a 'here ya go - it's not a masterpiece but I never expected it to be' vibe. It's not the perfect example of why I reckon he's an artist that scholars might be studying as a composer in the next century (almost anything else under the U-Ziq banner *is*), but for its golden moments it still remains priceless. For info on all things Paradinas check out the WWW site at http:\\hyperreal.com/music/artists/mu_ziq --- REVIEW: Bob Kindred, _Hidden Treasures_ (Milan) / Parker Guy Lytton Trio, _Breaths and Heartbeats_ (Rastascan Records) - Ali Sinclair Two very different jazz/sax albums: Bob Kindred playing so smooth, so soothing saxophone, the sound that washes over and around you and wraps you in a smoky-silken atmosphere, the sounds of night and nightclub dancing just before the band is ready to go home and all that's left are a few drunks and a lone couple smooching and the barman emptying the ashtrays and wiping up tears and spilt drinks. Bob Kindred is certainly a Treasure, but not Hidden any more; he has been compared and ranked alongside the greatest jazz sax players, and this recording will do nothing to detract from this reputation. And then _Breaths and Heartbeats_;well jazz it might be, "free" jazz, sax it might be, (? "free" sax???), but I'm afraid it's just too clever for me, it goes in one ear and straight out the other without pausing for breath... I just don't know how to start to listen to it, and my ears don't understand how to hear it. I think I need some education.... "Each piece begins with a tutti percussion breath before the improvised heartbeat begins" says the press release. Hmmmm: I just hear a collection of disjointed, jangling, clashing sounds. It's not like a Bill Frisell improv., that's for sure. Sorry, I think I'm going to have to study this one a little longer... Maybe after I've listened to Bob Kindred just _once_ more... or twice... or a hundred more times! --- CONCERT REVIEW: The Cardigans, Huxley's, Berlin - Tim Mohr Returning to Berlin for their first concert in a proper venue, the Cardigans stimulated a minor frenzy in musical circles, many of which overlap when it comes to this Swedish band. Looking at the band work through the opening number, you'd think it was the Who or Fugazi bobbing, kicking, and jumping about. Close your eyes and the sound is utterly incongruous: silly melodies based on a skipping guitar and a tiny organ. After the opening two songs, Nina Persson addresses the sell-out crowd for the first time: "We are the Cardigans. We are from Sweden. We are not easy listening if that's what you were expecting." As Henry Miller could help to explain about the tiny blonde chanteuse, "Hers was the typical cold seductive charm of the Northern woman in whom prudery and lasciviousness battle for supremacy." Except that the battle rages largely in the audience for, though she seems without vulgarity of her own, the audience is certainly affected by a deeply carnal star presence. Impossibly earnest, cheeks highlighted with dimples, twirling one arm in a spritely indie-dance, the singer bewitches the audience with absolutely no effort, or rather - even more astonishing - while steadfastly refusing to do so. "This is an indie-pop song." The Cardigans run through one of their brilliantly peppy tunes. "We're so indie that I hope you don't confuse us with Oasis," says Persson with the first and only hint of irony displayed by the band. The Cardigans sprinkle their big singles "Carnival," "Sick & Tired," and "Hey! Get Out Of My Way" through the set, not bothering to save them for the encore. You keep expecting them to cover "Puff the Magic Dragon" but instead they do Thin Lizzy and Ozzy. They turn in a medley of their own "Celia Inside" and "The Boys Are Back in Town." Such whimsy delivered with utter sincerity is rare. The five Cardigans exit the stage amidst a lingering rasp of guitar and bass that results from a minute of rock extremity tacked onto the end of one of their infectious but harmless songs, but are beckoned back for two encores. Taking the stage for the second encore, Nina Persson explains, "We don't know any more songs. So we're going to borrow one from our good friends Black Sabbath. It's called `Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' and it's *really* serious." --- REVIEW: Global House Culture: Volume 1 Mix by James Christian (Futuro) - Daniel Kane Global House Culture's first collection, a continuous combination of house and techno music of 1.22 hours, is a credit to the talent of James Christian, whose work has appeared on many other labels, including Floorwax, Strictly Rhythm, Nervous, Emotive and Eightball. Raised in Brooklyn and influenced by famous deejay Jellybean Benitez, James is heard in clubs in the States, Italy, Germany and England. With a collection of talent to work with in _Volume I_, James establishes an order and a rhythm resembling an upbeat storyline. The tribal chanting of Turntable Hype in "Music got me trancin' " introduces the storyline. while House of Venus continues the mix, with the boisterous "Gotta have it." Wax simultaneously stabilizes and increases the tempo with "Sun Drums (Nyonga Groove)," another tribal excursion with a dance quality vaguely similar to Pete Burns' and the Dead or Alive band's 1985 "You Spin Me 'Round (Like a Record)." Black Scorpion, with the cymbals and the sound effects of a coiling rattler perched and awaiting an opportunity to strike, continues the mix with "1st Time." Heavy synthetic bass combines with alternative frequencies on some of the other tracks, such as Penetration's "Rear Entry" and the Ghetto Brothers' "Aragence". Beyond's smooth and symmetric "Opus," evokes images of a flight simulation and craft's ascension. In summary, any enthusiast of dance and techno music is recommended to become familiar with James Christian. Track Listing: Intro, Turntable Hype - "Music got me trancin'", House of Venus - "Gotta have it", Wax - "Sun Drums (Nyonga Groove)", Black Scorpion - "1st Time", Beyond - "Sky's the Limit", Penetration - "Rear Entry", Beyond - "Orange", Ghetto Brothers - "Aragence", Paradise 3001 - "Tribatol", Beyond - "Opus", Time Warp - "Boa Hodo", Ghetto Brothers - "Bass Manoeuvers", Black Scorpion - "Teknitron", Warp Factor 3 - "Jammin' Soul", Paradise 3001 - "Fluffy" --- REVIEW: The Revolvers, _Remember 9_ (unsigned) - Linda Scott Bands send along demo tapes to _Consumable_hoping for a review, and a decent one at that. When a band sounds like The Revolvers, _Consumable_ is happy to oblige. Beginning with the first track, the listener sits up and takes notice. _Remember 9_ showcases a professional band with good range, well-crafted lyrics and melodies. The Revolvers got together in 1993 and include William Bates, previously of The Parlophones, handling lead vocals, guitar and songwriting. Greg Spearman, also from The Parlophones, plays a scorching lead guitar. Drummer Michael Morris handles the sticks and backing vocals. Bassist Les Smith has a background in the Hilton Head (!) music scene and also worked with the Byrds' Michael Clarke. The latest edition to the lineup is backing vocalist Patti McCabe with musical theater experience. The Revolvers state their influences as the Beatles, Tom Petty, Gin Blossoms and Rembrandts. Their own music is billed as modern pop. Heavy Beatles influence abounds on the demo tape with center tracks especially demonstrating this. It's interesting that the first track, "Suitable For Framing", is far more rock than pop. Similarly, the final track, "Stairs Of Separation", has more of a rock feel. With two rockers bookending the pop, the band shows its range. Special kudos to William Bates' vocals. A clear, strong voice capable of handling pop or rock with just the right delivery is a special talent. Another special force is that blistering guitar work delivered by lead guitarist Greg Spearman. His solos are a delight. These two can slide into the rock arena anytime. The Revolvers have been able to gain a following in the southeastern U.S. as well as parts of Australia and France. At this point they are handling their own musical careers. With their ability, they deserve a chance at a record deal. --- REVIEW: Rocketship, _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ (Slumberland) - Tim Mohr The organ-based, psychedelic easy-listening offered by Rocketship sounds like a cross between Stereolab and the Boo Radleys - something very unusual when it comes from California. Their eight song mini-album is very well textured, balancing the organs and medieval synthesizers with girl/boy vocal harmonies. In a way, the Rocketship sound picks up where pre-Britpop music left off, so-called shoe-gazing: dense songs with slowly developing bubbles of melody that serenely float through the air and release splendid "oooo"s and "la"s as they pop in slow motion. The addition of organs gives the music an even more synthetic bliss that deepens it and differentiates it from less successful attempts to follow in the footsteps of bands like Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Lush, or the Boo Radleys. Rocketship sound very sincere in their admiration for 60s experimentalism and contemporary eccentricity. Adopting the same pastoral but woozy melodic sense that the Boo Radleys did on _Wake Up Boo_, Rocketship add some of the droning and weird noises that are associated with Stereolab's work on _Switched On_ (volumes one and two) and _Peng!_. It might be unfair to say that Rocketship are shamelessly imitating these British bands, however, as the album was recorded before the release of the Boo's last effort, and the similarities to Stereolab can easily be accounted for by an extensive collection of and passion for early stereo-pop and electronic experimental records. Besides, the aesthetic quality of _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ is so well achieved the discussion is immaterial. The farfisa organs give _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ an insistence that is frequently missing from projects fixated on low-impact 60s sources. And to Rocketship's credit, they refrain from what seem to be contrived attempts by Stereolab to actually annoy their listeners with purposefully jagged, experimental edges or endless single-note droning. Rocketship maintain tight control of their songs so that extended intros and outros are disciplined and effective. The consistent quality of this mini-album warrants the attention of a fairly wide selection of listeners. While offering a similarly pleasing atmosphere, _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_ succeeds in its entirety where Stereolab's collection of rarities (_Refried Ectoplasm: Switched On Vol 2_) and Comet Gain's debut album sometimes sputtered. People interested in the above-mentioned shoe-gazers will like Rocketship. Fans of Velocity Girl (America's premier shoe-gazers) will likewise enjoy _A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness_. And ambient enthusiasts with no objection to real instruments might be interested to see Rocketship's use of the influences (i.e. non-rock music of the 60s) that also helped shape the ambient scene. --- REVIEW: Tim Sparks, _Guitar Bazaar_ (Acoustic Music Records) - Ali Sinclair This collection of pieces by acoustic guitar maestro Tim Sparks has an Eastern flavor, with Balkan harmonies and rhythms, Transylvanian touches (a Sparksified retelling of Bartok's Rumanian Dances), Turkish dance rhythms, middle-eastern scales and meters, Armenian motifs: all on a guitar! "Sleeping Giant" beautifully blends flamenco with somewhere further east, somewhere towards Afghanistan: it's my favourite piece from this album. A gentle giant, this one. A classy, expert and beautiful album, just the thing to test the clarity and range of your new amp. And it might just inspire you dig out your old guitar and start to play again.. but will you ever be _this_ good???? --- REVIEW: The Odds, _Good Weird Feeling_ (Sire) - Daniel Kane Looking for a listening experience conceived in Vancouver and tinged with a touch of alternative rock? Harking as a talent new to the States, the Odds is comprised of Steven Drake (lead vocals, guitar), Craig Northey (lead vocals, guitar), Doug Elliot (bass, backing vocals) and Pat Steward (drums). With eight years' experience in the music business, The Odds debut with _Good Weird Feeling_. _Good Weird Feeling_ is an interesting choice for a listen when traveling in areas where air frequencies distort or for a new listening experience. A few songs to listen for: "Truth Untold," with the "some things are better left unsaid" idea; "Radios of Heaven," with excellent instrumentation and performance, and "Leave It There," akin in style in several respects to the early Van Halen style. Having recently toured with Tragically Hip, the Odds show potential with this debut. With lyrics ranging from really very involving to strictly bubble-gum, _Good Weird Feeling_ heralds as a collectible first step in the evolution of The Odds. --- NEWS: > Canada's Blinker The Star has recently entered the studio to record their A&M Records debut album. A tentative release date has been scheduled for fall 1996. > Consumer Online Services Conference Exhibition is being held in New York City from February 26-28 in New York's Sheraton Hotel and Towers at 52nd St. and 7th Avenue. The conference highlights online magazines and newspapers. In addition, Jupiter Communications will be holding an interactive party on February 27 at the Supper Club (240 West 47th St) at 7:00 pm. The $50 ticket allows people to meet many of the online trend-setters, to play new simulation games, witness link-ups to other cyber-parties, and watch bands Associated Digital Sound Research, The Most Sordid Pies and Mach Five. > One of the members of the New York punk scene, transsexual Jayne County, recently performed a Valentine's Day concert in Los Angeles. Seen in attendance at the concert were Angela Bowie (former wife of David), Arthur Kane (of the New York Dolls), and founding member of Andy Warhol's "house band" The Fast, Paul Zone. > Martin Page will be appearing on ABC's Mike & Maty show on Thursday, February 29. In addition, he'll be opening the Easter Seal Telethon on Saturday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m. (EST) by singing his hit "In The House of Stone and Light". > Detailed, complete and up-to-date information on eveyr recording, album and album tracks from the last 40 years of popular music - 500 million facts on rock'n'roll - has been compiled on the CD ROCKnROM. With a price tag of $1500 (plus 3 updates), the disc is not targetted towards casual commercial users but towards radio stations, record companies and other industry insiders. For more information, check out their Web site at http://www.rocknrom.com or call 1-800-747-0091 > British band Supergrass are going all out on the Internet front on March 1. The band will be online chatting at 8:00 p.m. (all times are Greenwich Mean Time), and will be in London performing live at 9:00 p.m. The URL is at http://www.goodcleanfun.freud.co.uk/ There will be more information in the days leading up to the concert, so check on the WWW site for more details. The technical information? For people with CU seeMe reflector, further information will be released from the Web site on March 1. RealAudio of the gig will be available starting at 9:30 pm. They'll also be on IRC; more information will be released from the Web site. And, there is a temporary Supergrass URL up and running at at: http://netmare.southern.net/supergrass/ --- TOUR DATES "Home Before Midnight" - Request Magazine's Free Concert Series - Sam Goody in the Village, New York, NY (7 pm) Feb. 27 - Wayne Kramer Mar. 7 - Wrens (Mini-King opening) AC/DC Mar. 2 Minneapolis, MN Target Center Mar. 3 Rockford, IL Metro Center Mar. 5 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center Mar. 7 Indianapolis, IN Market Square Arena Mar. 8 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium Mar. 9 Chicago, IL United Center All Gods Children Feb. 29 New York, NY McGoverns Mar. 1 New Brunswick, NJ Court Tavern Mar. 2 New York, NY Sidewalk Cafe Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky Mar. 1 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish Mar. 2 Atlanta, GA Masquerade Mar. 4 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club Mar. 5 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall Mar. 6 Charleston, SC Music Farm Mar. 7 Charlotte, NC Treemont Music Hall Mar. 8 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle Mar. 10 Virginia Beach, VA Abyss Jackson Browne Mar. 1 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre Mar. 2 Fresno, CA Warners Theatre Mar. 3 Las Vegas, NV Joint Mar. 5 Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall Mar. 6 Mesa, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre Mar. 7 Albuquerque, NM Kiva Auditorium Mar. 9 Austin, TX Music Hall Mar. 10 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre Brother Cane Mar. 1 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre Mar. 2 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy Mar. 4 Columbia, MO The Blue Note Mar. 5 Springfield, MO Juke Joint Mar. 7 Kansas City, MO Guitars Mar. 8 Davenport, IA Col Ballroom Mar. 9 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar Mar. 10 Lincoln, ME Royal Grove Combine Feb. 29 Philadelphia, PA JC Dobbs Mar. 1 New York, NY NYC Skate Mar. 2 New York, NY Westbeth Theatre Cravin' Melon Mar. 1 Murrell's Inlet, SC Sandpipers Mar. 2 Raleigh, NC Lake Boone CC Mar. 7 Clemson, SC Tigertown Mar. 9 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's Fleming & John Mar. 1 Chattanooga, TN Sandbar Mar. 2 Huntsville, AL Vapors Mar. 7 Murfreesboro, TN Main Street Mar. 8 Memphis, TN Newby's Mar. 9 Little Rock, AR Juanita's Gin Blossoms / Dead Hot Workshop / Refreshments Mar. 1 Los Angeles, CA Viper Room Mar. 2 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly Mar. 4 San Jose, CA San Jose State Mar. 5 Eugene, OR University of Oregon Mar. 7 Tacoma, WA UPS Fieldhouse Mar. 8 Vancouver, BC University of British Columbia Mar. 9 Portland, OR La Luna Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers Mar. 1-2 Lake Tahoe, NY Caesar's Tahoe Mar. 4 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air Mar. 5 Vail, CO Dobson Arena Mar. 6 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre Mar. 9 Chicago, IL Riviera Mar. 10 Detroit, MI The State Natalie Merchant Mar. 1 Ames, IA Cy Stevens Auditorium Mar. 2 Normal, IL Brayden Auditorium Mar. 3 Davenport, IA Adler Theatre Mar. 5 Madison, WI Civic Center Mar. 7 Toronto, ON Music Hall The Mother Hips Mar. 1 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Concert Theatre Mar. 2 Ventura, CA Ventura Concert Theatre Mr. Mirainga/Spacehog/God Lives Underwater Feb. 27 Norfolk, VA The Baitshack Feb. 28 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts Mar. 1 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's Mar. 3 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter Mr. Mirainga/Ruth Ruth/God Lives Underwater Mar. 4 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Squeeze Mar. 5 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater Mar. 8 Baton Rouge, LA The Varsity Mar. 9 Lafayette, LA Grant St. Music Hall Mar. 10 New Orleans, LA House of Blues Mystery Machine Mar. 1 New York, NY Coney Island High Mar. 2 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass Mar. 3 Baltimore, MD Eight By Ten Mar. 4 Washington, DC 930 Club Mar. 6 Atlanta, GA Point Mike Peters Mar. 1 Long Branch, NJ Metro Mar. 3 Boston, MA Mama Kin O-Matic Mar. 1 Dayton, OH Canal Street Tavern Mar. 8 Bloomington, IN Rhino's (W/Lazy) Mar. 9 Nashville, TN Lucy's (W/Pansy Division And Supernova) Plastic Mikey Mar. 2 Aurora, IL Perfect Blend Mar. 8 LaGrange, IL Grantstreet Coffee Presidents of the United States of America / Love Jones Mar. 1 Houston, TX Numbers Mar. 2 Dallas, TX Deep Ellum Live Red Hot Chili Peppers Mar. 6 Chicago, IL United Center Mar. 7 Auburn Hills, MI Palace of Auburn Hills Reeltime Mar. 2-3 Dallas, TX State Fairgrounds Mar. 5 Houston, TX Mucky Duck Mar. 6 Austin, TX Cactus Cafe Mar. 8 Folsom, CA Folsom Community Clubhouse Mar. 10 Fort Mason, CA Celtic Arts Festival Ruby/Schtum Mar. 1 Los Angeles, CA Dragonfly Bob Seger / John Hiatt Mar. 2 Providence, RI Civic Center Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills Mar. 4 Padre Island, TX Charlie's Mar. 5 Austin, TX Ohms Mar. 6 San Antonio, TX Players Mar. 7 Houston, TX Millenium Mar. 9 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air Pavillion - X96 Radio Show Elliott Smith / The Softies Mar. 1 Boston, MA Middle East Mar. 2 West Chester, PA Rex's Mar. 3 New York, NY Brownie's Mar. 6 Columbus, OH Neal House Mar. 7 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle Mar. 8 Madison, WI Neighborhood House Mar. 9 Duluth, MN Recycla Bell Snow Karma Feb. 27 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint They Might Be Giants Mar. 7 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Velvet Crush / Lustre Mar. 1 New London, CT El-N-Gee Mar. 2 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Mar. 5 State College, PA Crow Bar Mar. 8 Norfolk, VA Baitshack Mar. 9 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall Weston Mar. 1 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Mar. 2 Amherst, MA University of Massachusetts --- ERRATA: Issue #68 listed an erroneous WWW address for the official Howard Jones site. The proper address is: http://www.amug.orgt/~hojoinfo/index.html --- THE READERS WRITE BACK! Thanks for the most recent issue of Consumable-it's always enjoyable. I was wondering--how do the reviews get picked? I know of a great band here in Michigan that has an independent CD out. What are the criteria for discs to be reviewed in Consumable? - Anne H., Michigan (Ed. Note: This is one of our most common questions. The simple answer is 1) our writers must like it and 2) it must be available that other people - the readers - could purchase it if they wanted. Because of the international readership of Consumable (and limited space), we'll report on bands with a national/international following - or those which have potential to become one of those bands. Most indie releases are not reviewed in Consumable. If we get something that catches a writer's ear, we'll review it, but most aren't so much better/different from the crowd to gather a review.) --- To get back issues of Consumable, check out: FTP: eetsg22.bd.psu.edu in the directory /pub/Consumable ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable Gopher: diana.zems.etf.hr Engleski Jezik/Music/Consumable or Hrvastki Jezik/Glazbena Rubrika/Consumable (URL) gopher://diana.zems.etf.hr:70/11/eng/Music/Consumable http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html (WWW) http://www.westnet.com (CIS) on Compuserve Notes: GO FORUM (Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com), serving Westchester County, NY. Promotional support provided by Music Interactive (http://musicinteractive.com), a free online resource for aspiring musicians and other music professionals seeking to expand their careers, networking, music skills and scope. Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online, 409 Washington St. #294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 ===