==== ISSUE 70 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [March 9, 1996] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, 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, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak, Jason Williams Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net ================================================================== All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this document must be obtained from the editor. ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' INTERVIEW: Dave Allen and the Elastic Purejoy - P. Nina Ramos REVIEW: Killing Joke, _Democracy_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Ministry, _Filth Pig_ - Jamie Roberts REVIEW: Men Without Hats, _Collection_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook, _Night Song_ - L. Graham Bridges REVIEW: The Band, _High On The Hog_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Dadawa, _Sister Drum_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Soundtrack, _From Dusk Till Dawn_ - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: The Mysteries of Life, _Keep A Secret_ - Reto Koradi REVIEW: Marry Me Jane, _ Marry Me Jane_ - Jamie Roberts REVIEW: Mr. Mirainga, _Mr. Mirainga_ - Mario J. Lia REVIEW: 1000 Mona Lisas, _New Disease_ - Bob Gajarsky NEWS: PM Dawn, Public Enemy, Rake's Progress, Rocktropolis chat, Scout Indie Record, Seven Mary 3, Sonicnet chat, Wilmington Exchange Festival TOUR DATES: AC/DC, Aunt Bettys, Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky, Boiled In Lead, Jackson Browne, Brother Cane, Combine, Cravin' Melon, Arlo & Abe Guthrie, Health & Happiness Show, Kate Jacobs, Love and Rockets, Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers, Kathy Mccarty, Mensclub, Mr. Mirainga / Ruth Ruth / God Lives Underwater, Mystery Machine, Mysteries of Life, O-Matic, Poi Dog Pondering, Professor & Maryann, Reeltime, Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills, Elliott Smith / The Softies, Swales, They Might Be Giants, Thirty Ought Six, Uzjsmedoma, Wallmen, Weston, Wrens CONTEST WINNERS ADDITIONS ERRATA Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: Dave Allen and the Elastic Purejoy - P. Nina Ramos He's a musician, a producer, a journalist, a husband and father of three children. With all these roles, you'd think Dave Allen would have enough things to do. His solo project has just released a new record, The Clutter of Pop; he runs an independent label (World Domination Records) and has a CD Rom in the works. All of this should be enough to keep any one persons hands tied. But, this British born and raised artist just has to do more than humanly posible. He is in one way or another involved in all the bands that are signed to his label. He helps run a print publication, Clutter and has an extensive WWW page for World Domination. Yes, he is a fouding member of Gang of Four, Shriekback and even a sleeper project called King Swamp - and yes, he's a bass player. But for too long, these have been the only ways in which the media has seen fit to describe this talented writer, producer and composer - and it's time to set the record clear (yes, clear, not straight). Dave Allen is just one of those people who have that quiet confidence that you either admire or are jealous of - because no one should be that together. It's rare to capture so many talents and use them to their fullest potential. He is a man without pretention, a man with a mission, a message. What does he have to say? A lot more than most of us take the time to conceive. Consumable Online caught up with him in a phone interview recently. Consumable: You seem like a very focused and succesful individual. What helps keep your goals in sight and your life on track? Dave Allen: I've learned to use all the resources at hand. With a tight knit staff of fourteen, it's become very easy to delegate. Everyone is really great and that helps the end result. For example, I'm involved in a print magazine called Clutter, a music magazine with a lot of essays and artwork. I take care of the editorial and publishing responsabilities. But as far as the layout, artwork and printing, a very talented woman named Ofelia Chong is in charge. Also, the fact that I have a very positive, confident outlook helps - if you start with that, you can make anything happen. C: It seems all the articles I've read have been focused on the fact that you are no longer playing bass. For instance, in a record review in Raygun for the first Purejoy cd it stated: "This is Allen's first official stint as frontman..." What do you think of this? Dave: I would call that lazy journalism. It's very easy to focus on a person's past activities. It seems that people are only allowed to do one specific thing and when they're done, just go away quietly. There doesn't seem to be any room for anything truly expressive or artistic. If anything creative or intellectual is presented it doesn't seem to have a ground to fall in. I'm out there attempting to fight the prejudice. C: Let's talk about the record. When I listened to it, my first thoughts were towards the Velvet Underground. But after a few plays other influences came through. What would you say it's reminiscent of? Dave: Actually your first instinct was not too far off. I would say it is more like Lou Reed than Velvet Underground; Lou is just great. You always know you're getting something good if you get any of his records; he really cares about the creative and production process. It's basically all about attitude. You take a three or four chord song, present something interesting lyrically and there you have it. Like Jonathan Richman as well, he's not too serious. But dig into his lyrics and he starts to get serious. C: Now, about your Internet involvement. How did the ball get rolling for all the web and Internet access to come about? Dave: It was a bit of a fluke. I was interested in letting people know we were out there. Around two years ago, a man named Charles Como of an organization Boxtop contacted me and asked if World Domination wanted to be on the Web. Jason Fiber, a guy on staff (at World Domination), was the key person in making it happen. I was interested in making World Domination as accessible as possible. If you go into the page you'll notice that not only is there information on the bands, but also a way to contact us. Whether it may be by phone or e-mail, people can experience what we're all about. C: Who maintains your Web sight? Dave: A guy named Zack Zalon from an organization called The Factory Network. He's doing a great job. He comes into the office and then shows me what he's doing. I get final say on what actually goes out. It's really simple actually. C: How did the idea for the CD-ROM come about? Dave: Well, Scott Blum of an orgnization called IMUSIC (based in Seattle) first approached me with the idea. The concept is an interactive talk radio station - actually, it's several stations. Each one of them will have a theme. For instance, there's one station called KNRA. An announcer will talk about different bills being considered and let the user select a track. According to whatever track they choose, consequent reports will be given by the announcer on the state of affairs according to their choice. If a bill was passed to give 15 year old kids the right to own firearms without a permit, a report will state some sort of mayhem due to this. I want to illustrate that everything you do in life is a choice, and everything that happens around you is a choice. Even if you choose nothing it will still affect the outcome. C: As the main voice for World Domination Records you have stated your intention on releasing 20 more cd's in the next ten years. How do you plan to go about it? Dave: Well, if you think about it, I've already released the first two (The Elastic Purejoy's _The Clutter of Pop_ and The Harvest _Movie Soundtrack_) and two more are due later this year (CD-ROM and a new one by Low Pop Suicide). So actually, I'm due for some time off. If anyone deserves a vacation, it's definitely Dave Allen. When I mentioned this, he very nonchalantly commented how nice of an idea that was. According to him, family provides all the vacation he needs and he's very happy working to accomplish his goals. "I'll rest after the 20 releases." I have a feeling he'll find another nemesis to keep him from getting that rest. If you'd like to experience World Domination on the Web they can be reached at http://underground.net/Worlddom/worlddom.html/ --- REVIEW: Killing Joke, _Democracy_ (Zoo) - Joe Silva The road from pandemonium to democracy is as graceful an artistic leap as you want it to be or as twisted and pock marked as the coven of Republican candidates who have debated their collective self worth's. For Killing Joke's mouthpiece Jaz Coleman (who has no less wind mind you than the aforementioned gaggle of candidates combined), it's the former...sort of. Mixed in with all the reunion hulabaloo that descended upon the band when 1994's _Pandemonium_ saw light of day were bucketloads of pagan sensibility and guitar throttled mysticism. Jaz's sense of abandon was probably never afforded so much on vinyl resonance before. This they took from the chambers of the Great Pyramids of Giza (where Jaz actually finagled some recording time) to the length and breadth of America where they logged an eighty date tour of the U.S. But the scope of such a ride, combined with the manic pace of Coleman's current work ethic (he divides his time between the band, symphonic composition, and way too many trans-oceanic flights from his New Zealand home), may be finally bleeding into the mix. With the return of Youth on the bottom end and behind the board, _Pandemonium_ was a Killing Joke refueled by a new vibrant throb and huge middle eastern painted atmospheres. The bone obliterating guitar work, and soul purging vocals were there only because this was intended as rock and roll. But now, _Democracy_, while maintaining many of the same elements, is the band not quite full on. Perhaps it's because the gleeful anxiety of the refurbished lineup has dissapated a touch, or because Jaz spent a couple theraputic post tour weeks in the new age wonderland of Sedona, Arizona. Or as he tells it, it's due more to having assembled most of the music in a quiet English country home during one of the most blissful summers in recent memory. Whichever's the case, _Democracy_ sounds more like the band in sub- overdrive, coming closer to the well balanced and the efficiently tempered unrestraint of their _Nighttime_ LP. Witness "Aeon" for starters with its manicured rhythmic drive and its lead riff tunefully spinning off into overall ambience. Coming some time after the weak ire of the opening track ("Savage Freedom"), it's where _Democracy_ peaks stylistically. "Medicine Wheel" works well and along the same design, but the title track, with its weariness done up in minor chords and slow melodic choruses represents the other side of the disc's coin. Geordie's work is impeccably paced and crafted for the heady environs that Jaz wants to create, but his embellishments are never fussy or overdone and he's the Joke's most reliable element. But even when they choose vibe over melody as their chief concern, they don't lapse into a state where you feel they are feeding filler. "Another Bloody Election" and "Absent Friends" aren't necessarily as musically compelling as their subject material may be, but they aren't tossed off vehicles for Coleman's heartfelt visions either. But considering the volumes of his other output, you can't not wonder whether Jaz as ringleader reserves enough oomph for the Killing Joke side of his life. After the unabated neo-pagan romp of the last effort, _Democracy_ is an overall reassuring stroke that says they could probably serve up more of the solid material they have here if they just "channeled" appropriately. --- REVIEW: Ministry, _Filth Pig_ (Warner) - Jamie Roberts Yet another kick in the head from hesitant Industrial luminary, Al Jourgensen and company. No prizes will be won for originality on this one, but there is much to be said for sticking to the tried and true formula that has moved a generation. Look to _Filth Pig_ for a veritable history of Industrial music (the fare that influenced Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, God Lives Underwater, etc.). Jourgensen draws from his previous schemes to bolster _Filth Pig_ with 'pure evil'. Makes you want to go and fish your all-black wardrobe from the trash (oh, wait - you still dress in all-black, don't ya?), and bang your head in quasi-metal fashion. The 'creeping beat' of _Land Of Rape And Honey_ rears its head, as does the hyper-charged 'sonic boom' of _Psalm 69_. Every wail on the guitar and bellow of the vocal seems to conjure looking down the barrel of a loaded gun. If you are not that scared by this kind of music, maybe you haven't been listening closely enough to our pal Al. Never was a lesson learned better or louder. Crank this one up to '10' as an Industrial street-cred primer, and call me in the morning. --- REVIEW: Men Without Hats, _Collection_ (Oglio) - Bob Gajarsky Nearly two years ago, Consumable readers participated in a poll to determine which album they would most want to see on compact disc. The #1 vote-getter was something which has never appeared in *any* format - the soundtrack to John Hughes' _Ferris Bueller's Day Off_. However, thanks to Oglio Records reissue, the #2 choice - Men Without Hats' greatest hits, titled here as _Collection_ - has finally secured a well-deserved place in record bins. It's not just the 2 big hits ("Safety Dance", "Pop Goes The World") that have secured a place in synth-pop fans forever - Ivan and the band could always offer more than just the occasional hit single. Though tracks such as "Living in China" and "Where Do The Boys Go?" seemingly evoke memories of bands with small but loyal devotees such as A Flock of Seagulls and Gary Numan, the challenge is remembering that these were just the the lesser-known songs of a band that took synth-pop to the next level. This collection is *not* recommended for the people down the street who just purchased the _Frat Rock_ collection. But those people who jumped on the Depeche Mode bandwagon in the late 80's, or anyone who has been dying to land their hands on some of these tracks - several of which have been out of print for years - should be overjoyed by this compilation. It's about time. Kudos - one more time - to Oglio. TRACK LISTING: The Safety Dance (Regular, Extended), Living In China, Antarctica, I Got The Message (Regular, Dance), I Like, Where Do The Boys Go? (Regular, Extended), Messiahs Die Young, Pop Goes The World, Moonbeam, Hey Men, Editions of You --- REVIEW: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook, _Night Song_(Real World) - Lee Graham Bridges "You, my sweetheart, are my heart, my life." This is an English translation of how the new Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Michael Brook collaboration, _Night Song_, begins. _Night Song_ is the sequel to their classic previous collaboration, _Mustt Mustt_ (released in 1990, it was voted one of this decade's top 100 albums by Alternative Press). However, while _Mustt Mustt_ was the product of the artists' separated efforts, _Night Song_ was written collaboratively. The serene, moving Qawwali vocals of classically-trained Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, combined with the music of Canadian ambient composer Michael Brook produces an aural experience perhaps only paralleled by the eyewitnessing of a faith healer at work, a miracle birth, or a natural disaster in this present-day world. The mood of _Night Song_ swings wildly from track to track. "Longing" is basically a slow ballad beginning with a slide guitar's sweet melody and ending with strangled pleas (In English, "my dear longing for you is killing me."). "Lament" is plodding, desolate and dark, with Nusrat droning "without you there is gloominess--come back home sweetheart" as mellow background guitar sounds soar and slowly drift to the depths of one's soul. "Intoxicated" is a more upbeat tune featuring unexpected outbursts of Nusrat's rapid-fire, metaphorical vocals about obsession. One could draw certain parallels between this album and many of Brian Eno's works and productions (of course, Brook has done extensive work with Eno in the past), and the music of Brook's 4AD-mates Lisa Gerrard and Dead Can Dance, who often times also fuse traditional foreign (or pseudo-foreign) vocals and rhythm with modern ambient music and, on occasion, technological sound. This makes traditional music somewhat more accessible to the listener while adding diversity to the elements of ambient - which is, to begin with, an eccentric form of music with a devoted following. Nusrat has recorded over 60 albums so far, not to mention collaborations. He has worked with artists such as Real World Records founder Peter Gabriel (_Passion_: the soundtrack to _The Last Temptation of Christ_) to Eddie Vedder (_Dead Man Walking_ Soundtrack). Brook has recorded several albums and has collaborated with various ambient and other musicians. _Night Song_ shows Brook at his best--the richness of his imagination really shows. _Night Song_ makes a great companion to either sudden revelation or a simple evening in the forest, under the stars. Despite the down-to-earth lyrics about relationships and spiritual cleanliness, the two artists make an obvious, pronounced effort to lead one down a path of pure spiritual ecstasy. It is certainly one of the best collaborative albums of the year. Real World plans to release an album of dance remixes of Nusrat's work this summer. --- REVIEW: The Band, _High On The Hog_ (Pyramid Records) - Linda Scott The Band need no introduction. They have a secure niche in the history of rock and roll. But the niche was secured in the sixties, and not all readers may be familiar with this group. Their history? Four Canadian musicians joined up with a fellow from Arkansas and created a sound that mixed electric rock with rockabilly, blues, country, gospel, Cajun in a distinctive gumbo that would eventually earn them a place in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They actually LIVED in Woodstock, New York in a house called Big Pink. As backing band for Bob Dylan, The Band worked with Dylan on _The Basement Tapes_. Original band members were Levon Helm (of Arkansas), Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel. The Band was a tight group with songs coming from Robbie Robertson, the _de facto_ group leader. But, The Band was never comfortable with touring beginning with Robertson who suffered from extreme stage fright, which was immortalized in the well-known Band song "Stage Fright". Other big hits were "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek" - and the list goes on and on. Stage fright was a condition and not just a song, and The Band seemed to pull back from the audience and have little or no contact with them onstage. The group's drug and alcohol abuse were part of the times and part of the reaction to touring. Somehow they soldiered on together till the friction within the group reached a breaking point. In 1976 The Band called it quits with Martin Scorcese recording the last concert on the film _The Last Waltz_ and Robbie Robertson quickly departed for a solo career. By the eighties, all but Robertson were back together on the road and in the clubs. Following a bout of depression linked with drugs and alcohol, Richard Manuel hanged himself in one of the endless road motels. The Band again fell apart. A few years ago the remaining three members got back together and released _Jericho_, the first album from The Band in 18 years. _High On The Hog_ is the second from this incarnation of the group. The current lineup for The Band on these two albums is the original three: Helm, Danko, Hudson and joined by guitarist Jim Weider, drummer Randy Ciavalante and pianist Richard Bell. _High On The Hog_ seems a strange title choice - but the good news is that starting with the first track, you know it's The Band! They sound the same vocally - outstanding - and the music is a bit different, but still top-notch. Ten tracks show the variety expected from The Band. Vintage Band is right there on track 1 with "Stand Up", the first single off the album. There are some good blues numbers such as "Back to Memphis" and several ballads, "Where I Should Always Be", "Forever Young" and "She Knows", slow things down just a little between the livelier country rockers. Although the album sounds very good, it has this strangely familiar feeling to it; all but one track are cover songs. It's doubtful that an album of covers will ever receive the critical praise that a more creative effort will. The album's diversity comes in part from the variety of artists covered. Bob Dylan songs are cheek by jowl with Jack Dupree's blues and Foster/McElroy's En Vogue hit, "Free Your Mind". Not much new on this album at all except the Band gives each song their unique sound. Robbie Robertson, chief songwriter, is gone, and the impact of his loss is seen in this avalanche of covers. But if you love The Band or the sixties music, you should pick up _High On The Hog_. Even if they don't have the songwriting anymore, the guys still know how to play and how to sing. To hear more about this legendary group, tune in to Arts and Entertainment channel's "Biography" series May 18, 9pm (EST), or check out the band on their latest tour. --- REVIEW: Dadawa, _Sister Drum_ (Elektra) - Jon Steltenpohl The words just roll off the tongue: "Dadawa _is_ the Chinese Enya." It's a comparison that is too easy to draw yet clearly on target. Where Enya swirls Gaelic runes into a soothing and surging mix of pop and new age, Dadawa does the same with Tibetan prayer wheels. Her carefully sculpted vocals emerge and withdraw with fluttering beauty and are punctuated with strikes of a drum and monks chanting. While the texture and production of the album is clearly Enya-esque, there is world music flair not found in western recordings. Where Enya rarely breaks from the melody and pace of a song, Dadawa punctuates her music with short bursts of cacophony struck by her piercing wails and the clatter of metal shakers. The songs on _Sister Drum_ are starkly chilling, spiritual, and curiously foreign. _Sister Drum_ incorporates traditional and religious music from Tibet in a particularly engaging way. Much of the work is reminiscent of Peter Gabriel's seamless merging of modern synthesizers with indigenous instruments. The album represents the first world-wide release of a Chinese album since the 1950s. Despite the current political climate, _Sister Drum_ is a musical reflection of a two year journey through Tibet and the Himalayas taken by Dadawa and her producer/collaborator He Xuntian. The two broke through the walls of communism and oppression to engage the Tibetan culture and take a spiritual journey of the soul. As evidence to the impact of that journey, the song "Sky-Burial" reportedly is so moving to Dadawa that she once experienced an out of body experience while singing it. Although _Sister Drum_ won't provoke such strong spiritual experiences for everyone, it is an invigorating and challenging work. While "Crossing the Ridge" fits in with any of Enya's work, "The Turning Scripture" features glottal chants (an octave lower than any Benedictine monk) which are set against modern choral refrains. To the uninitiated, _Sister Drum_ may be strange and unnerving, but Dadawa opens the ears to rare musical delights and presents a lovely fusion of exotic world music and new age atmosphere. --- REVIEW: Soundtrack, _From Dusk Till Dawn_ (Los Hooligans/Epic) - Sean Eric McGill It was a little less than one year ago when I gave a stellar review for the soundtrack to Robert Rodriguez's Desperado, and both the film and the soundtrack went on to be placed on my top ten lists at the end of the year. And now, here I am writing a review for the soundtrack for _From Dusk Till Dawn_, Rodriguez's latest picture, this one written by Quentin Tarantino. It should come as no surprise that the soundtrack contains all the trademarks that assure you of its maker's origins. There are soundbites aplenty (and since _From Dusk Till Dawn_ is surely one of the most vulgar movies ever made, it stands to reason that the soundbites are, as well - so beware), but like the soundtrack for Desperado, the music has a certain South-of-the-border flavor, featuring artists like Tito & Tarantula, ZZ Top, and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. The contributions by Stevie Ray Vaughan and his band Double Trouble, "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and "Willie the Wimp (and His Cadillac Coffin)" are the two highlights to the album. Vaughan's ability to create a six-minute song with only two minutes of vocals and not have the song become some mindless trek into the realm of "guitar gods" is one of the many things that made him such an incredible performer in life, and one that is sorely missed. Other strong tracks on the album, are "Foolish Heart" by country/pop stars The Mavericks, "Dark Night" by The Blasters and "Texas Funeral" by Jon Wayne - a song which shows the truth in the DeNiro line from The Untouchables: "We laugh because it's funny - and we laugh because it's true." Unlike the soundtrack for _Desperado_, _From Dusk Till Dawn_ actually features some of the score for the film, composed by Graeme Revell. "Mexican Standoff" and "Sex Machine Attack" run about two minutes total, but do more to show the character of the film than all the sound clips on the album combined. And indeed, the only weak link in the album has nothing to do with any of the songs or their contributors, but the film itself and Rodriguez and Tarantino's insistence to infuse the album with bits from the film. On the soundtracks for _Pulp Fiction_ and _Desperado_, the bits from the film were interesting, from Samuel L. Jackson's memorable speech to Antonio Banderas discussing salvation with Steve Buscemi. But in _From Dusk Till Dawn_, there really isn't that much interesting about the film. As it is, unless you have a serious love for B-horror films - or are a mindless follower of Tarantino, you won't get it. The movie revels in its excesses, be it in language (one scene alone featuring Cheech Marin insured the film of an R rating - and of course, it's on the soundtrack), or in violence (a five-minute sequence where body parts and blood continually fly around is surprisingly enough not the climax of the movie). But unlike the movie, the soundtrack for _From Dusk Till Dawn_ could have stood on its own without giving in to the same excess - and Tarantino and Rodriguez would have been better to have let it. (Ed. note: The author has also written a film review, at: http://www.linknet.net/sean/enter/movies/fdtd.htm ) --- REVIEW: The Mysteries of Life, _Keep A Secret_ (RCA) - Reto Koradi Exactly opposite to many other bands, The Mysteries of Life consist of a male lead vocalist (called Jake Smith) and three female musicians, the drummer being Smith's wife, Freda Love. Part of the band members have pasts in bands like Blake Babies (with Juliana Hatfield) and Antenna. But the gender distribution is not the only unusual thing about the Mysteries. While many bands try to create attention by using the maximal number of effects and a remarkable noise level, The Mysteries of Life choose a relaxed, laid-back style with a Van Morrison influence. The result sounds quite unspectacular at first sight, but _Keep A Secret_ improves massively with repeated listening. Smith's vocals remind of Elvis Costello at places. The songs maintain a high quality throughout the album, and despite the slow pace, the music often develops a groove. The album is just a step away from being truly outstanding; although the music grows on the listener, the songwriting lacks the brilliance behind a wonderful songwriter like Costello. But fans of slow, sensible music, covering the gamut from the Velvet Underground to the Counting Crows, should definitely check it out. --- REVIEW: Marry Me Jane, _ Marry Me Jane_ (Sony/550) - Jamie Roberts The only thing I am left wanting on this debut release from the NYC five piece Marry Me Jane, is the knowledge of which songs are/aren't on the soundtrack to the new movie _If Lucy Fell_ (Y'know, that new Sarah Jessica Parker, Ben Stiller Gen-X'er). Marry Me Jane's lyrics could be THE script of Gen-X torment, so break out the inner sleeve and read along - you might see someone (everyone?) you know in these songs. There is a near-perfect balance of sweetness and grit on this first effort. You get the little-girl lilt from vocalist Amanda Kravat, as well as the big grrl vocal authority. The tight control on the energy level gives just enough to bring you through the entire album, and crave more. One gets the feeling Marry Me Jane are not 'spent' from this collection of songs, and could easily come up with a follow-up as beautiful and emotionally charged. Kravat's songwriting is anything but "Ordinary" (an interesting take on what irks urban youth), and really hits home on "You Didn't Kiss Me" - so real, it's frightening!. Dan Petty's guitar work, and the Albetta/Pagano rhythm section don't allow the songs to get too sappy, or overbearing, which is a serious danger in this genre. Now that this is out, I'm waiting (im)patienly for the sequel... --- REVIEW: Mr. Mirainga, _Mr. Mirainga_ (Way Cool/MCA) - Mario J. Lia Have you heard of Mr. Mirainga yet? If you havn't, you soon will. Slowly but surely, Mr. Mirainga is creeping into American homes. Mr. Mirainga (Mer-aine-gay) made their stunning debut with an EP titled _Fuck The Scene_. Now out comes their debut self-titled album, and it's already turning people's heads. The song "Burnin' Rubber" is on the _Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls_. This song burned its way straight up Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. And now with the Adam Sandler-meets-Rancid single "Baglady", Mr Mirainga will be around a while. Some of their favorite bands are the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, and The Clash. These punkish influences show up in songs like "57 South" and "Waterdog". Keeping with the punk tradition, only 5 of the 15 songs are above three and half minutes. Then again, these guys aren't from the New York punk scene. According to bassist Hedge, "We're not part of any scene in particular. We are an Arizona band." Being so close to Mexico, some of those mamba-samba sounds have seeped into Mr. Mirainga's music - such as the wonderfully Latin "Saguarro's Cryin'", and sometimes even fusing the two as in the song "Jalopeno Eyes" - pronounced as it looks, not as pronounced in Spanish. A little pop-punk, a little bit salsa and that's Mr. Mirainga. They're on tour with God Lives Underwater - a show not to be missed. --- REVIEW: 1000 Mona Lisas, _New Disease_ (RCA) - Bob Gajarsky To my mind's eye, punk bands have always been driving, almost simple rock music - inspiring countless imitators, none nearly as successful as the original - while offering different views on well-known songs. The Ramones defined it for a generation, and now 1000 Mona Lisas are attempting to do the same for the 1990's crowd. If the first experience with 1000 Mona Lisas was through their harder, punk version of Alanis Morrissette's "You Oughtta Know", this full length release should keep you coming back for more. Who else would cover Paul McCartney & Wings' "Jet", without sounding incredibly dated and stupid? Instead, they breathe new life into this track, sounding like a live band that got this half-hearted request at a concert. Now, 1000 Mona Lisas don't always do the punk "thing" - some might not call it hard enough to be punk, in the same way that Guns N Roses may not define the true meaning of metal - but their hearts are in the right place. The band shines when the tracks are at their shortest - get the point, riff and hook home, and leave. None of this endless nonsense that drains on and on - check out "Maybe It's All Forgotten", "In The Red" and "I'd Rather Die Than Have To Touch You" - all of which are less than two minutes long, grab the listener's attention and don't let go. Check them out at the local listening booth - and fasten your seat belts for a punk ride with 1000 Mona Lisas. --- NEWS: > PM Dawn is working on a CD-ROM coming out this summer, _PM Dawn According To The World_ and a song called "Holding You Eventually" (which contains a sample from Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On"). > Public Enemy founder, Chuck D has formed his own rap label, Slam Jamz, to be devoted exclusively to rap releases and will issue singles and EPs, each containing about 7 tracks. The first release on Slam Jamz will be an EP from Hyenas in the Desert in early June. >The Rake's Progress will be briefly included in an upcoming Japanese special, which includes the group Tokio "enjoying a weekend in New York City." In addition, their song "Howard Is A Drag" will be included on the soundtrack for the movie _Heavy_, due to released in June. > Rocktropolis will be having an on-line chat with producer Don Gehman (who has worked with John Cougar Mellencamp and Hootie & The Blowfish) at http://rocktropolis.com on March 12, 8 pm EST >The Scout Indie Record store has opened its doors on the WWW at http://www.southwind.net/scout1 > There will be a live Cybercast in RealAudio 2.0 with 7 Mary 3 at New York City's Irving Plaza on Thursday, March 14 from 7:30-10:30 pm on http://www.sonicnet.com > Upcoming Sonicnet live chats, all located at http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat unless noted: Mar. 12 The Wedding Present, 8pm; Mar. 14 Hip-Hop in cyberspace w/ Busta Rhymes, 6pm; Mar. 18 (on Prodigy exclusively) Radiohead, TBA > The Wilmington Exchange Festival is an eclectic gathering of all sorts of unique people, including more than 50 bands, filmmakers, zines, beer and more. It will be held in Wilmington, North Carolina during the week of May 23 - 29, 1996; more information is available from http://www.popes.com/demou/wefest.html --- TOUR DATES AC/DC Mar. 11 Louisville, KY Freedom Hall Mar. 13 Landover, MD US Air Arena Mar. 14 Philadelphia, PA Spectrum Mar. 15 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Mar. 17 East Rutherford, NJ Meadowlands Mar. 18 Providence, RI Civic Center Mar. 19 Boston, MA Fleet Center Aunt Bettys Mar. 11 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Mar. 15 Austin, TX Steamboat Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky Mar. 12 Baltimore, MD Bohagers Mar. 13 Washington, DC 930 Club Mar. 15 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Mar. 16 New York, NY Tramps Mar. 17 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Mar. 18 New Haven, CT Toad's Place Mar. 20 Providence, RI Lupo's Boiled In Lead Mar. 14 Madison, WI Angelic Brewing Company Mar. 15 Duluth, MN R.T. Quinlan's Mar. 16 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue Jackson Browne Mar. 12 Pensacola, FL Bayfront Auditorium Mar. 13 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Performing Arts Mar. 15 Fort Lauderdale, FL Sunrise Musical Theatre Mar. 16 Orlando, FL Bob Carr Pac Mar. 18 Louisville, KY Palace Theatre Brother Cane Mar. 13 Sioux Falls, SD Pomp Room Mar. 15 Chicago, IL Metro Mar. 16 Milwaukee, WI Globe Mar. 17 Des Moines, IA Edge Mar. 19 Champaign, IL Mabel's Combine Mar. 13 Louisville, KY Cherokee Blues Club Mar. 14 Lexington, KY Wrocklage Mar. 15 Toledo, OH Asylum Mar. 16 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall Mar. 17 Columbus, OH Bernie's Mar. 18 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern Cravin' Melon Mar. 16 Savannah, GA Roundhouse Mar. 20 Tuscaloosa, AL Ivory Tusk Arlo & Abe Guthrie Mar. 9 Spokane, WA Met Theatre Mar. 15 New Braunfels, TX Gruene Hall Mar. 16 Austin, TX State Theatre Mar. 17 Houston, TX Rockefeller's Mar. 18 Dallas, TX Poor David's Pub Mar. 20 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom Health & Happiness Show Mar. 9 New Haven, CT The G.Y.P.S.Y. Bar (Yale Univ) Mar. 15 Bryan, TX Dixie Theatre (W/Bottlerockets) Mar. 16 Austin, TX Lubbock Or Leave It(W/Butch Hancock) Kate Jacobs Mar. 10 Wayne, NJ House Of Blixt Love and Rockets Mar. 17 Palo Alto, CA The Edge Mar. 19 Portland, OR La Luna Mar. 20 Seattle, WA Showbox Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers Mar. 11 Greencastle, IN Kresge Auditorium Mar. 13 Providence, RI Strand Mar. 14 Boston, MA Avalon Mar. 15 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre Mar. 16 Lewiston, ME Bates College Mar. 18 New York, NY Academy Mar. 19 Washington, DC 930 Club Mar. 20 Virginia Beach, VA Boathouse Kathy Mccarty Mar. 16 Austin, TX Maggie May's (Sxsw) Mensclub Mar. 10 San Francisco, CA The Kilowatt (W/Dieselhead) Mar. 14 Austin, TX Driscoll Bar Mr. Mirainga/Ruth Ruth/God Lives Underwater Mar. 16 Tulsa, OK Expo Square Pavillion Mystery Machine Mar. 11 Columbia, SC The Elbow Room Mar. 14 Huntington, West Virgina Drop Shop Mar. 17 Toledo, OH Frankie's Mar. 19 Peterbough, ON Trashateria Mysteries of Life Mar. 9 Madison, WI East End Mar. 16 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch O-Matic Mar. 10 Memphis, TN Barrister's (W/Pansy Division) Mar. 19 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's Mar. 20 Orlando, FL Ultraviolet Poi Dog Pondering Mar. 18 Chicago, IL Berlin (Cd Release Party) Professor & Maryann Mar. 9 New York, NY West Bank Cafe Mar. 12 New York, NY Ludlow St. Cafe Mar. 13 New York, NY CB's Gallery Mar. 15 Summit, NJ Common Ground Mar. 19 New York, NY Sine Reeltime Mar. 11 Portland, OR East Av. Tavern Mar. 13 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern Mar. 15 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre Mar. 16 Aurora, CO Doubletree Hotel Ballroom Sister Machine Gun / Gravity Kills Mar. 11 Panama City, FL Club Lavella Mar. 12 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter Mar. 14 Tallahassee, FL The Moon Mar. 16 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Nemesis Mar. 17 Ft. Meyers, FL Pyramids Mar. 18 Stewart, FL Playground Mar. 20 Jacksonville, FL Milk Bar Elliott Smith / The Softies Mar. 11 Minneapolis, MN Bryant Lake Bowl Mar. 12 Fargo, ND Coffee Club Mar. 13 Minot, ND Sweetheart's Coffee Shop Mar. 14 Rapid City, SD Atomic Cafe Swales Mar. 10 Atlanta, GA Blt's Mar. 11 Tuscaloosa, AL The Chucker Mar. 12 Pensacola, FL Sluggos (W/For Squirrels) Mar. 13 New Orleans, LA Monaco Bobs Mar. 15 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck Mar. 16-17 Des Moines, IA Sheffield's Mar. 20 Houston, TX Urban Art Bar They Might Be Giants Mar. 14 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Thirty Ought Six Mar. 9 Tuscon, AZ Luna Loca Mar. 10 Tempe, AZ Nita's Hideaway Mar. 11 Albuquerque, NM Golden West Saloon Mar. 15 Austin, TX Emo's Mar. 17 Boulder, CO Club 156 Uzjsmedoma Mar. 9 New York, NY Wetlands Mar. 15 San Antonio, TX Sluggo's Tavern Mar. 16 Austin, TX Ruta Maya Coffeehouse Mar. 20 Tucson, AZ Luna Loca Cafe Wallmen Mar. 13 New York, NY Coney Island High Weston Mar. 16 Moosic, PA Sea Sea's Wrens Mar. 13 Austin, TX South by Southwest Mar. 18 New York, NY Brownies Mar. 19 Washington, DC Black Cat --- WINNER: Congratulations to the winners in the Consumable/Grass Records giveaway - Jeff Burroway, Bob Devine, Sara Granlund, Anquinette Barry and I. Goiz. --- ADDITIONS: Issue #69 of Consumable inadvertently left out contact information for Revolver and Tim Sparks. Revolver can be reached via e-mail at w21w@aol.com or by U.S. mail c/o William Bates, 5 Townes Square Lane, Greenville, SC 29609. Tim Sparks' _Guitar Bazaar_ (on Acoustic Music Records) can be ordered at 1-800-649-4745. --- ERRATA: As noted by Laurie from Canada, the Odds have had previous major label releases, including _Bedbugs_ in 1993. --- 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 ===