==== ISSUE 76 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [May 16, 1996] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@email.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, Joe D'Angelo, Paul Grzelak, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak, Jason Williams Also Contributing: Al Muzer Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net ================================================================== All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the editor. ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' INTERVIEW: Cracker's David Lowery - Al Muzer REVIEW: Various Artists, _Shots In The Dark_ - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: Ammonia, _Mint 400_ - Mario J. Lia REVIEW: Ride, _Tarantula_ -Tim Mohr REVIEW: Savoy, _Mary is Coming_ - Stephen Jackson REVIEW: MC Eiht (Featuring CMW), _Death Threatz_ - Jamie Roberts REVIEW: Mojave 3, _Ask Me Tomorrow_ -Tim Mohr REVIEW: Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, _Hang Up Sorrow And Care_ - Paul Grzelak REVIEW: Jayne County, _Deviation_ - Jamie Roberts NEWS: Au Contraire, Barenaked Ladies, Jason Becker, Bryndle, Howard Jones, Los Lobos, Sarah McLachlan, Mid Atlantic Sound Surf and Skate Symposium, Sonicnet Chat, White Nights Festival, Zero Hour Records TOUR DATES: Q101 Concert, Ammonia / Skunk Anansie, Bad Religion / Unwritten Law / Dance Hall Crashers, Bloodhound Gang, Boyracer, Jeff Buckley, Dada, Dishwalla, Download, Dread Zeppelin, 50 Feet Tall, God Lives Underwater / Life of Agony, Half Hour To Go, Paris Hampton, Ho-Hum, Hollowbodies, Howard Jones, Killing Joke, Limblifter / Stanford Prison Experiment / Local H, Madball, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Nada Surf, Nature / Acumen, Nields, No Doubt, Ozzy Osbourne / Type O Negative / Sepultura, Patrick Street, Posies / Shake Appeal, Ruth Ruth / Nixons / Grover, Kevin Salem, Slobberbone, Steeleye Span, Ten O'Clock Scholar, Varnaline, Velour, Vitapup, Mike Watt, Weston, Wrens ERRATA THE READERS WRITE BACK! Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: Cracker's David Lowery - Al Muzer As catchy, crunchy and completely memorable as their previous hits, Cracker's latest chart-bound single, "I Hate My Generation," is a refreshing chunk of angry, tonsil-ripping virulence with an irresistible Top 10 hook. Taken from Cracker's third Virgin Records release, _The Golden Age_, the song blasts its way through the sappy ballads, make-believe tough grrrls and fifth generation Pearl Jam posturing on today's charts like a recently-fired postal employee paying the boss a surprise, early-morning visit. "I Hate My Generation" is an odd, but effective, choice for a first single in this, the feel-good era of Hootie. Driven by guitarist Johnny Hickman's manic, juiced-up power chords and distorted metal riffs layered over a heavy, melodic pulse machine-gunned out by bassist Bob Rupe and drummer Charlie Quintana; the song's big hook comes from vocalist/guitarist/songwriter David Lowery - who lets loose with an impassioned yowl and a raw, snarling, end-of-his-rope frustration that jabs a lyrical stake into the heart of just about everyone over the age of 30. Lowery, the former leader of every mid-'80s college student's and rock critic's favorite band, Camper Van Beethoven, has worked hard on _The Golden Age_ . This is his third release with Cracker and - as has been the case since CVB disbanded in the wake of 1989's _Key Lime Pie_ and Lowery began working with Hickman - Cracker's latest is getting its usual lack of respect from the critics. Calling from Thunder Bay, Ontario, during the first week of a particularly grueling North American tour, Lowery is still baffled by a recent Cracker/Paul Westerberg joint album review in a New York City newspaper. In the full-page article, the writer called the former Replacements bandleader "heroic" for pointing out that, "a good day is any day that you're alive." The author then went on to label "I Hate My Generation" as a "cheap collegiate joke" because Lowery "never bothers to tell us why." Sounding road-weary, tired and slightly edgy, Lowery clearly needs to get a few things off his chest. "Sometimes I look at a review and I go 'What the fuck is this person even and did they even listen to the lyrics?' " begins the obviously bewildered singer. "I can't be that oblique. Or, I'll read a review where the writer got a really weird take on what I'm saying, in particular, a lot of people say that I'm always cynical. There are two out of 12 songs on this record with maybe an element of cynicism to them." "I mean, Paul Westerberg. Now, I love Paul Westerberg. But, Paul Westerberg is way more cynical than I am in his songs and that's not what you read about him," Lowery adds, still stung by the review, "I was really mystified and I just don't know what the deal is anymore." "Some woman from the L.A. Times wrote that "Big Dipper" says, basically, the same thing as "I Hate My Generation," "he chuckles. "And when I read that I went, 'Wow!' I mean, what the fuck is up with that? I w as really astounded by that and I thought to myself, 'Well, maybe it's just really oblique. Maybe I fucked up on that song.' " "So, anyway, there was this kid at one of our gigs who asked me for my autograph," continues Lowery. "He's this 17-year-old kid at a club and when I ask him, 'Hey, man, what's "Big Dipper" about?' He can tell me! You know, lately my theory has been, 'Okay, all right, I guess I'm smarter, I'm just going to have to accept it.' Critics," he says jokingly, "are afraid of me because I'm smarter than them." "I think I might be turning this into another one of my 'I'm-mystified-by-music-journalists-interviews,' " he laughs, "and I'm not really trying to. It's actually kind of fascinating to me because I'm really trying to figure out what, exactly, is the deal. I also can't figure out why, even in good reviews of Cracker, there always seems to be this sort of backhanded compliment thing. It's like they [music critics] almost have to be rude to us. It's bizarre. Does everybody think that they're being original?" "I've been accused of being cynical, arrogant, negative, self-loathing, self-indulgent and, you know, sort of angry and such and such," he sighs. "It's like, what the fuck's that about? Of course we're self-indulgent, that's what you guys [critics] want us to be. We're supposed to be self-indulgent - we're a fucking band! Duh," Lowery says in his best Butt-Head imitation. "Let's see, I'm gonna write songs. I'm onna be selfless and write songs for the masses, huh, huh.' You know? Well, fuck that!" It ain't easy being Cracker. After four years, five albums, two EP's and a flood of positive press, Camper Van Beethoven imploded in a shower of anger and acrimony and the various band members moved on to other projects. Drummer Chris Pederson, bassist Victor Krummenacher and guitarists Greg Lisher and David Immergluck formed the very Camper-esque Monks Of Doom and released a few critically-praised albums on Pitch-A-Tent/Rough Trade Records. Lowery laid low for awhile before forming Cracker with long-time friend and pre-Camper bandmate Hickman, bassist Davey Faragher and drummer Rick Jaeger. "Me and John had played together or just sort of fucked around working on songs, playing covers and stuff like that for years before we put this band together," recalls Lowery. Hooking up with Hickman after high school, the duo formed a mutant jam band known as the Estonian Gauchos and played together until Lowery moved north to attend UC Santa Cruz, where he would eventually form Camper. "He's just awesome on stage. He kicks ass," says Lowery of his old friend. "It's great that, years later, we would start working together and have a band and actually get sort of famous." When Cracker's self-titled Virgin Records debut was released in 1992, a legion of Camper Van Beethoven fans joined a new group of people attracted to Hickman's sharp guitar and Lowery's even sharper lyrics. Solid tunes such as "Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)," "I See The Light" and "Happy Birthday" got frequent listener requests, a club tour did relatively well and alternative rock radio got behind the record. Failing to note the gradual shift toward a poppier sound in Camper Van Beethoven's music, critics who'd only recently finally "got" that band reacted to Cracker as if Lowery had betrayed some sacred, unwritten trust and sullied the CVB name by blending country, funk and hard rock influences with witty lyrics and catchy, upbeat pop hooks. Although sales of Cracker's first album were decent, the record never received the press it deserved as critics, for the most part, remained unmoved. The band devoted part of February and most of March, 1993, to recording their second album with producer Don Smith. Lowery, Hickman, Faragher and new drummer Michael Urbano released _Kerosene Hat_ in September and signed a contract for a spring/summer '94 tour as the supporting act for the Spin Doctors and the Gin Blossoms. A funny thing happened on the way to the arena. "Low," the lead track on _Kerosene Hat_, became a major hit. It took several months for the song to build - but, with a video in regular rotation on MTV featuring actress Sandra Bernhard, a sprawling hook that grabbed you by the collar, memorable, shout-along lyrics and an aggressive, air guitar-worthy riff, "Low" and the follow-up singles, "Eurotrash Girl" and "Get Off This" helped the album become a million-seller by the end of the year. Losing Faragher and Jaeger along the way, the band picked up bassist/vocalist Bob Rupe (The Silos, Gutterball, The Bobs) and former Pixies drummer David Lovering and hit the road on a Gin Blossoms/Spin Doctors shed and arena tour that often found the opening act more popular than the two headliners and the headliners frequently wearing "Cracker kicked our ass" hats and T-shirts on stage. "We got booked into that tour when our record was still obscure and stuff," recalls Lowery. "That's just the way the business goes. We did have a lot of fun, though." After a few months off, the band returned to the studio with new drummer Charlie Quintana to record songs for what would eventually become _The Golden Age_. Released at the beginning of April, in its first two weeks on the Billboard charts "I Hate My Generation" bulleted to No. 28 on the "Mainstream Rock Tracks" list and jumped from No. 29 to No. 14 on the "Modern Rock Tracks" chart. A quick scan of the radio dial was usually rewarded with the rude blast of Hickman's guitar and Lowery's urgent, tortured proclamation of disgust. A wildly-diverse record, Lowery's slightly-absurdist, vividly-inventive everyman lyrics and raspy, engaging vocals carry the day on _The Golden Age_. Songs such as the frenetic, almost punk "100 Flower Power Maximum"; a swaggering, slightly funked-up "Nothing To Believe In"; the gorgeously-reflective, tremolo-heavy, "Big Dipper"; a harmonica-driven, Neil Young-ish swamp-rock tune called "Sweet Thistle Pie"; and the yearning, backwards-looking, jaundiced sentimentality and pedal-steel and acoustic wash of the title track have the feel of classics and are written and performed with more authority and accessibility than anything Lowery has done in his frequently brilliant career. "I don't know if _The Golden Age_ is our major pop move," he comments. "But, I really wanted to do a pop record in the sense that this album is fairly eclectic and each song is arranged and instrumented more according to what that song wants or needs rather than having a sort of general 'rock' sound for the entire record." "We go pretty far afield on different songs in the way that, say, Bowie or Roxy Music did," he adds. "Well, David Bowie in the late-'70s, early-'80s, that era. I'm talking about this old idea of pop and rock music, you know? We tried to do a thinking man's version of that era of pop." When asked if there was pressure placed on the band by Virgin Records to equal or surpass the success of _Kerosene Hat_, Lowery says: "Not from the label. The only real pressure we felt was to top ourselves creatively. The only way I know how to make a record is to make it so that everyone in the band feels like we've just done something great. You know, a much better record than the last one. A record," he adds, "you're still gonna be proud playing a year into touring. That you're still gonna dig, you're still gonna dig playing it." "That's the only way that I know how to survive in this business and that's all I've ever done," Lowery says. "And, apparently it works. It's not exactly the direct route to stardom or anything like that. But, it apparently works. With each new record there seems to be a few more people at the shows, we sell a few more copies and we get a few more fans." "And some of our fans," he laughs, "are psycho. There's a lot of psychos in the audience. Do you know that L7 song, "Freak Magnet?" Okay, I'm the boy freak magnet. I'm the male version of that. God! There's a lot of freaky fans. With most of our fans it's really a healthy kind of freaky. But, some of them are a disturbed kind of freaky, too. Occasionally," Lowery adds, "you get somebody who's a little too unbalanced, you know? Comes to, like, seven or eight shows in a row and says really strange things in front of the stage and stuff like that. Sometimes it's scary." As for the meaning behind the lyrics that've caused the latest bout of Cracker animosity amongst critics and are, undoubtedly, a potential well spring of inspiration for "freaky" people everywhere; the 35-year-old singer says that "I Hate My Generation" is: "An overstatement and kind of an outrageous thing to say. I don't really, but, I think that maybe I hate my generation for its self-loathing, negativity and its pointless anger." "A lot of people who are my peers only seem to be able to define themselves negatively - by what they hate," Lowery says with genuine regret. "They sort of delight in the failure of others rather than in their own successes - and I think that's kind of sick, actually." "That's what I was so pissed-off about on "I Hate My Generation." The whole point of the song," Lowery explains, "is 'I hate my generation. Now that I've said it, I feel liberated.' To me, it's a liberating song. It's really fun to play and it's actually a happy song." "Sometimes I just feel that rock lyrics are taken too literally," he laughs. "But, I like the fact that it [the song] kind of stirred up something. You know, people are, like, going, 'Shit, man! "I Hate My Generation." Man, that Cracker!' " (This interview first appeared in Music Paper) --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Shots In The Dark_ (Donna Records) - Sean Eric McGill The music of Henry Mancini has become etched into our mass culture. From the themes to shows like "The Pink Panther" and "Peter Gunn", to songs like "Moon River", Mancini has become one of the more enduring composers of this century. His music has the ability to touch a nerve in out collective psyche, to elicit the response that he or the filmmaker desires. And since we're currently undergoing a seemingly unending wave of tribute albums, it seems only fitting that Mancini get his shot at one. _Shots In The Dark_ features acts from all over the musical spectrum playing their own renditions of Mancini tunes. On some tribute albums, this means trying to get as far away from the original source as you can (witness Toad the Wet Sprocket's laid-back, acoustic version of "Rock and Roll All Night" on the KISS tribute album a couple of years back). But the catch with covering Mancini is that his songs span generations even still, making it more of a challenge for a group to simply do a good rendition of it then it would be to totally go off on a tangent and try to change the tune entirely. For example, the theme to "Peter Gunn" wouldn't be too well served by trying to turn into...say, and ambient piece. "Peter Gunn Theme" always has and always will be straight-forward guitar with a catchy hook. And The Cramps' Poison Ivy does a great job of keeping to the original, while still adding a bit of her own style to the tune. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects to this album is the choice of performers. Sure, someone would think of putting The Cramps on a tribute album - but not too many would think of just Poison Ivy. And even less would think of Oranj Symphonette, Wonderful World of Joey, Wiskey Biscut, and Man or Astroman?. None of these are bands which resonate in the mind of the mass public, and that's just fine. Because these aren't today's hottest artists who were asked to record Mancini tunes - these are people who truly love and appreciate Mancini's work, and were given a chance to record something they really had a feel for. Tracks like "Touch of Evil" by Man or Astroman? and "Lonesome" by Friends of Dean Martinez are both great examples of the superiority of this album as opposed to other tribute albums in the past. While "Lonesome" stays almost rigidly set in the original composition, Man or Astroman? use elements like white noise to add an even more sinister feel to the song than the original. And most of the tracks on _Shots In The Dark_ follow that example. They are either dead-on covers or just a little different - because let's face it - this is Henry Mancini we're talking about here...why try to improve on the hippest cat around? Donna Records can be contacted at PO Box 69188, Los Angeles, CA 90069 --- REVIEW: Ammonia, _Mint 400_ (Epic) - Mario J. Lia Recently there's been a surge in new punk bands, and along with this 'new' punk scene there has been new flavors of punk; the ska-punk of Rancid, the pop-punk of Nirvana. But what happend to rock & roll? Where has it gone? Enter stage right, Ammonia, who effortlessly combine punk and rock & roll to make _Mint 400_ a distinctive treat for anyone. Along with making any type of rock & roll comes the PMRC-minded people who don't like the lyrics. Ammonia's first single "Drugs" has made some radio stations refuse to play it due to the title. Searching further down we come to the song "In A Box" that has the lyrics "Sit in/fall out/I got no life", which sounds similar to the "Tune in, turn on, drop out" catchphrase of the 60's. But as singer/guitarist Dave Johnstone explains it's not like that. "There isn't really that much of a message. "Drugs" is about apathy towards drugs. "In A Box" is about living your life..in a box. Being in Perth [the band's hometown] is feeling closed, not being able to see the world." The first song on the album is "Ken Carter". This song starts out with a very watery sounding intro and, a loud distorted chorus. And then there's "Drugs". Although this song is very simple musically and lyrically, it has been making its way around radio stations, and MTV, along with everyone else, seems to love it. Later down the line comes the aformentioned "In A Box". With its jangly chords played in ska fashion it's sure to be a hit with everyone. However, the music is not always that happy. There are some darker songs such as "Little Death" and "Face Down". "Face Down", as the name implies, is about drowning. The band hails from Perth, Australia and went on to Sydney to record a live session for the alternative radio network, Triple J. And now they are showing the American public what new music is all about. Will they be the next great thing? Very possibly. --- REVIEW: Ride, _Tarantula_ (EastWest) -Tim Mohr In the wake of the band's split, the new Ride album will no doubt show signs of the strain that must have been evident to the members long before they actually called it quits. Unfortunately, rather than a brilliant nova to signify the band's implosion, _Tarantula_ follows apathetically in the footsteps of the largely ignored _Carnival of Light_. The lead single, "Black Nite Crash," sees Ride imitating Primal Scream imitating the Rolling Stones. Andy Bell sings about a "rattlesnake handshake" and the like, lyrics that smack of the most contrived rockisms. The track "Sunshine/Nowhere to Run" borrows bongos from Primal Scream's "Loaded," which were in turn taken from the Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." "Deep Inside My Pocket" adds a melodramatic spoken-word passage to organ tones and guitar solos that recall the Black Crowes. Compared to the time when Ride virtually single-handedly defined the edge of new British music, the latest album represents a great disappointment: from such heights of creativity on albums like _Smile_, _Nowhere_, and _Going Blank Again_ to the depths of imitating other bands, and bands who are themselves so derivitive. Some songs work. "Dawn Patrol" successfully juxtaposes trademark Ride vocal harmonies with a hint of 70s funk derived from the syncopation and organ. This track also hints at Ride's glory period: all the musicians are clearly represented and display nearly unsurpassed dexterity. This is particularly true of the drums, hyperactive and creative but somehow not overdone or intrusive. "Starlight Motel" is a nice loping ballad with 12-string and the country-ish trappings of an accordian and a mandolin. The problem with this album makes the break-up of Ride entirely understandable. Mark Gardner, whose vocals and sensibilities defined the first three Ride records, is almost completely absent from this one. As the band has more and more become Andy Bell's, his sensibilities have proven rather unsavory, leaning with complete sincerity towards cheesy 70s rock and lacking the irony or flair of other bands who successfully tap into the energy and muscle of 70s rock. The most sophomoric teenage metal band couldn't make up better titles for songs than Bell: "Burnin'," "Ride the Wind," etc. Unfortunately for him, the audience that Ride has gathered together over the years is looking for something different: something less American, something less contrived, something less corny, something less crap. People who became Ride fans before the last record will have to wait for Mark Gardner's next project to get any notion of how Ride's fascinating early music will resolve itself; as more or less an Andy Bell solo project, the band on _Tarantula_ bears very little resemblance to Ride. --- REVIEW: Savoy, _Mary is Coming_ (Warner) - Stephen Jackson Not since John and Yoko Lennon has a husband & wife team combined their individual talents with such fortuitous abandon. The synergistic melancholia of Pal Waaktarr-Savoy and Lauren Savoy has given rise to a surprisingly fresh pop album whose sound evokes memories of Lennon's own work, along with that of more contemporary alternative bands like the Breeders, Nirvana, and Jane's Addiction. Pal Waaktaar, of the Norwegian group A-Ha, has spent much of the past few years learning to use a room full of recording gear housed in his Oslo studio. His wife, Lauren Savoy, an innovative director of music videos in her own right, has contributed visual and story ideas culled from a background of film and electronic media, resulting in a album that is both melodically rich and lyrically suggestive. From the smoldering opening verse of "Daylight's Wasting" to the Lennonesque "Half and Hour's Worth," to the haunting title track, Savoy's pastiche of pain and pleasure pays tribute to such musical debts as the Beatles (_Rubber Soul_), Peter Murphy (_Deep_) and the Fixx. In a recent IRC chat session from Norway, Pal Waaktaar mentions his own pop influences ranging from Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins to Country Joe and the Fish and Glen Campbell. Eschewing the studio polish of many pop stylists, Pal and Lauren Savoy maintain the rough edge typical of indie produced records, but with a sophistication born of materials and talents under tight creative control. Savoy is a musical force that conceals its garage band roots under a catchy veneer of pop melodies floating upon an emotional sea of trouble. Like a film noir musical of the Pixies, you can never be sure if that cry in the night you've just overheard is another call for help or salvation. Either way, you're hooked. And while you're waiting for answers to some of life's big mysteries, Savoy gives a reason to listen. For those online hipsters inclined to hi-tech fandom, Savoy recently launched their own web site and are hands-on users of the Internet. If you'd like to learn more about the band, point your web browser to: http://www.sn.no/savoy/menu.htm And while you're downloading those cool web pages, don't forget to play their cd. Because yes, Mary IS coming, but she damn sure won't wait forever. --- REVIEW: MC Eiht (Featuring CMW), _Death Threatz_ (Epic Street) - Jamie Roberts If the West Coast style is what you are down with, then you'll be calling Eiht's new CD the bomb. Heavy handed rhymes with laid back vocals are a West-side trademark (a la Dre, Snoop, etc.). Eiht carries that torch and comes correct with a fluid style of rap that he says "tells tales of life on the streets of Compton". Backed up by Da Foe (Eiht's younger brother), Chill (from N.O.T.R.) and Young Prod, Eiht actually raps about the reality of life in any American 'hood. Eiht's true standout quality is the strength of his street-fables. "Thuggin It Up" (the first single) puts the dangers of comin' up the wrong way above the homeboy-posturing and brings the message across in words anyone can understand. "Thuggin..."'s beats glide along on the keyboard driven, jazzy background that has become popular in more current rap. "Collect My Stripez" brings to light Eiht's gangsta side, and shows either the influence of, or the similarity to Dr. Dre's _Chronic_. Not one to be played, Eiht lays down the law with his show of lyrical strength. "...Stripez" turns out as one of the more bumpin tracks on the CD. Rightfully called the 'Shakespeare of the streets', MC Eiht tells the stories that rap fans expect to hear, in a style that is not overpowering but is head-bobbingly listenable. --- REVIEW: Mojave 3, _Ask Me Tomorrow_ (4AD/Warner) -Tim Mohr The opening song on Mojave 3's debut clearly delineates the band's approach: acoustic song-writing and threadbare production with an unself- conscious aim at highly emotive, vaguely nostalgic melodies and lyrics. "Love Songs On The Radio," the opener, would sit nicely alongside the Cowboy Junkies and Mazzy Star. Mojave 3 consists of two members of Slowdive, one of the definitive "shoe-gazing" bands that ruled British musical exports prior to the more recent Britpop craze. The atmospherics of Slowdive are somehow still present in Mojave 3, though now the feel is derived through entirely other means. Where Slowdive layered electric sounds, Mojave 3 limits itself to acoustic guitars, piano, and understated percussion. The result is magnificent yet intimate. Sacrificing the splendor of a waterfall of distorted guitar, Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell of Slowdive nonetheless conjure a powerful album of much more direct music on _Ask Me Tomorrow_. Of course, the very directness of the music can be unnerving, as the ambient cushion of white noise that buoyed Slowdive no longer diverts attention from the melodies and words of Mojave 3. As the older generation of British bands seek to evolve, the "shoe- gazers" are faced with many paths. The Boo Radleys gained directness by working with tighter song structures and letting the melodies step out of the cacaphony stirred up by the guitars. Ride split up after reverting to hackneyed rock revivalism. Mojave 3 is a bold and successful move from the founders of Slowdive, and proves that their talents are versatile enough to shift instrumentation and production styles while continuing to make quality music. --- REVIEW: Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, _Hang Up Sorrow And Care_ (Park) - Paul Grzelak This newest offering from Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band is a very light-hearted offering to the folk / Celtic music crowd. Maddy Prior, the lead vocalist for Steeleye Span, is in fine voice, and the Carnival Band is ready with a rather diverse collection of instruments (everything from the lute to the kazoo, the recorder to the electric guitar, etc.) The combination creates a rather bright and cheerful album. _Hang Up Sorrow And Care_ tells the story of Old Simon The King, discovered at an Ale House getting utterly drunk. The album is divided into three sections, very different in tone. Each section relates Simon's drunken wits. Part I reflects on the joys of drinking and getting drunk. "The Prodigal's Resolution" describes the joys of inheriting money, and the parties that one can have. "The Leathern Bottel" makes a saint of the man who invents a bottle that will not break or spill when stumbling around. When Old Simon The King begins to become enamoured of the barmaid, his mind turns to reminiscence on women. Part II dwells on various women, including the gentle love of "An thou were my ain Thing" and "Now O Now I Needs must Part". But there are a couple of surprises, such as "O that I had but a Fine man" - a tango (yes, a tango!) about a woman who *really* wants a man, and the classical sound of "Man is for the Woman Made". Of course, there is still a song or two here singing the praises of "The Little Barley-Corne". During Part III, Old Simon The King begins to recall somewhat bittersweet memories of times gone by. This can be seen in the mildly melancholy "Never Weatherbeaten Saile" and "In the Days of my youth". The album concludes with a happy note from "Old Simon The King" himself. This album has a number of fantastic surprises in store for the listener. There is the unusual instrumentation of the Carnival Band that reminds this critic slightly of Gryphon. The vocals of Maddy Prior are raised in a number of a capella tunes, sung in rounds with the gentlemen of the Carnival Band. Even the CD booklet is written and annotated in an old English style. All in all, Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band have a winner here. But be warned - _Hang Up Sorrow And Care_ is *not* an album to be taken too seriously. This is not a recording to listen to with headphones, rather with a small group of friends over a couple of pints of ale. Fans of Maddy Prior, The Carnival Band or Steeleye Span should look into this album. Also, if you are interested in Celtic music, folk music, or the progressive style of Gryphon, take a look at _Hang Up Sorrow And Care_ by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band. --- REVIEW: Jayne County, _Deviation_ (Royalty) - Jamie Roberts The Trans-Gendered DIVA of Punk Rock has released _Deviation_ to coincide with the American release of her book Man Enough To Be A Woman. The book is wild - as are the tunes - and Miss Jayne herself is the consumate wild (wo)man. She is gloriously, and somewhat surprisingly, up-to-date in her music. Her punk rock is not as campy as one would expect, but rather gritty and powerful. Her constant references to being of the 'old guard' being the only downside of _Deviation_, Jayne proceeds to rock the roof off the joint. Jayne's cover of Joan Jett's _Cherry Bomb_ is classic. Hot-as-hell guitar licks combined with her sneering vocal delivery bowls over the listener on this, and every other track. As the Queen of Shock-Rock, County titles her tunes to stun. "Everyone's An Asshole But Me", and "Texas Chainsaw Manicurist" are just a couple of the tracks that will crack you up on this CD. _Deviation_ might be the best combination of raucous rock with a real sense of humor that I have heard in a long time. --- NEWS: > A new progressive music newsletter, Au Contraire, has just released their second issue. The 8 pages in the May issue focus on upcoming releases, news and more with a decided slant towards those people who have Internet access. A year's subscription (12 issues) costs $5 for U.S. residents, and more for those outside the United States; contact aucon@acmenet.net for more information. > The Barenaked Ladies will be appearing in a pay-per-view television broadcast across Canada on June 26th, 1996. The show was videotaped live in Montreal at The Metropolis on April 23. > Guitarist Jason Becker, whose _Perspective_ album was recently released, has his own website located at http://www.guitarists.com > The Bryndle Web Site is up and running. Surfers can find it at http://www.wco.com/~paulg/bryndle/ > Howard Jones will be making an in-store appearance at Border's in Boston on May 18. In addition, he will be participating in a charity softball game later that afternoon, and will be playing a Hammond Organ used in Fenway Park. > Los Lobos will be appearing online prior to their May 16 concert on AOL and the Internet (http://www.wbr.com/loslobos) for a cybertalk at 9:00 EST. > Sarah McLachlan will be participating in an online Internet chat on May 21st at 5:00 pm EST at http://www.sprint.com/sarah > The Mid Atlantic Sound, Surf and Skate Symposium will be held from June 6-8, 1996 in Wilmingon and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, at the Coastline Convention Center. Many local and national bands are slated to play, as well as skateboarding demos and contests, guitar clinics and seminars, a celebrity golf tournament, and many industry music panels. > Upcoming Sonicnet chats include: Skinny Puppy, May 28, 7 pm, EST go to http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat for chat information. > David Bowie and Maxi Priest will headline the Fifth Annual White Nights International Cultural Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia on June 15, 1996. The largest music and cultural event in Eastern Europe, all proceeds will be donated to Russian Children's Orphanages and Hospitals. > Zero Hour Records has its site on the web, located at http://www.zerohour.com --- TOUR DATES Q101 Concert May 26 Chicago, IL New World Theatre (with Cypress Hill, Foo Fighters, 7 Mary 3, Everclear, Candlebox, No Doubt, Stabbing Westward, Afghan Whigs, Garbage, Love & Rockets, Filter, Korn, Cracker, Girls Against Boys, Dishwalla Ammonia / Skunk Anansie May 17 Long Branch, NJ Metro Lounge Bad Religion / Unwritten Law / Dance Hall Crashers May 17 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre May 18 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air Bloodhound Gang May 17 Albuquerque, NM Time Out May 18 Mesa, AZ Nile Theater Boyracer May 17 Portland, ME Zoot's May 23 Cleveland, OH Grogg Shop May 24 Detroit, MI Magic Stick May 25 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle May 28 Ft Collins, CO Tony's May 31 Seattle, WA Off Ramp Jeff Buckley May 19 New York, NY Thread Waxing Space (Poetry Reading) Dada May 17 Milwaukee, WI Rave May 19 Kansas City, MO Hurricane May 20 St. Louis, MO High Point Dishwalla May 17 Houston, TX Urban Art Bar May 18 San Antonio, TX KISS Show May 19 Miami, FL WZTA Show May 21 Memphis, TN Newbys May 22 Nashville, TN Exit Inn May 24 Indianapolis, IN WRZX Show May 25 Detroit, MI Shelter May 29 St. Louis, MO Side Door May 30 Springfield, MO Juke Joint Download May 17 Rostock, GER MS Stubnitz May 18 Potsdam, GER Waschhaus May 19 Coesfeld, GER Fabrik Coesfeld May 21 Arhus, DEN Huset May 22 Gothenburg, SWE Musikens Hus - Evil Eye May 23 Stockholm, SWE Fryshuset - Stroke May 25 London, ENG Camden Underworld May 27 Leipzig, GER Werk II May 31 Munchen, GER Backstage Dread Zeppelin May 17 New York, NY Wetlands Preserve May 18 Philadelphia, PA The Middle East Club May 19 Washington, DC The Bayou May 21 Louisville, KY Phoenix Hill Tavern May 22 St. Louis, MO Galaxy-Mo May 23 Kansas City, MO Grand Emporium May 24 Minneapolis, MN Cabooze May 25 Deerfield, IL Shades 50 Feet Tall May 30 New York, NY Pyramid God Lives Underwater / Life of Agony May 19 Panama Beach, FL Spinakers May 20 Orange Park, FL Shades May 21 Tampa, FL Rubb May 22 Winterpark, FL Fairbanks Inn May 23 Ft. Myers, FL Pyramid Club May 24 Oakland Park, FL Crash Club May 27 St. Louis, MO Pointfest May 29 Toledo, OH UT Auditorium Half Hour To Go May 17 Oklahoma City, OK Samurai May 18 Kansas City, MO The Hurricane May 20 St. Louis, MO Kennedy's Paris Hampton May 27 New York, NY Mercury Lounge May 28 New York, NY Sin-E (filming for a possible movie) Ho-Hum May 23 Little Rock, AR Vino's May 25 Little Rock, AR Juanita's Hollowbodies May 17 Columbus, OH Ludlow May 19 Cambridge, MA Middle East May 20 New York, NY Mercury Lounge May 23 Virginia Beach, VA Town Point Park (w/Luster, Posies) Howard Jones May 17 Philadelphia, PA The TLA May 18 Boston, MA Mama Kin Killing Joke May 18 Amsterdam Paradiso May 19 Belgium Esneux Festival May 20 Paris Elysee Montmatre May 21 Strasbourg Laterie May 22 Lyon Transbordeur May 23 Barcelona Zelestell May 24 Valencia Auditorium May 25 Madrid Canuller Ii May 26 Bilbao Factoria May 28 Toulouse Le Pied May 30 Brest Pavillion Penfold Limblifter / Stanford Prison Experiment / Local H May 17 Detroit, MI Shelter May 18 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts May 20 St Louis, MO Galaxy May 21 Chicago, IL Metro May 23 Dallas, TX Trees May 24 Houston, TX Millenium May 25 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch May 28 Phoenix, AZ The Nile May 29 Los Angeles, CA The Dragonfly May 30 San Francisco, CA Trocadero Transfer May 31 Portland, OR La Luna Madball May 19 New York, NY Wetlands May 23 Richmond, VA Twisters May 25 Danbury, CT Subzero May 26 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Mighty Mighty Bosstones May 17 New York, NY Coney Island High (Anti Racist Action Concert) Nada Surf May 19 New York, NY Knitting Factory Nature/Acumen May 17 Detroit, MI Harpo's May 18 Chicago, IL Dome Room May 19 Champaign, IL Red Herring Nields May 17 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel May 18 Hartford, CT University of Hartford No Doubt May 17 Pontiac, MI Phoenix Plaza May 18 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center May 19 Antioch, TN Veranda at Starwood May 21 Birmingham, AL Sloss FUrnace May 22 Baton Rouge, LA Centroplex May 23 Pensacola, FL Bayfront Auditorium May 24 Atlanta, GA Omni May 25 Sommerset, WI Apple River Amphitheatre May 26 Tinley Park, IL World Music Theatre May 29 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre May 30 New York, NY Roseland May 31 Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall Ozzy Osbourne / Type O Negative / Sepultura May 17 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum May 18 Atlanta, GA Omni May 20 Pensacola, FL Civic Center Patrick Street May 17 Grand Rapids, MI Ladies Literary Club May 18 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall May 19 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center May 22 Northampton, MA Iron Horse May 23 Norwood, MA Norwood Theatre May 24 Pawling, NY Town Crier May 25 New York, NY Bottom Line May 26 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap Posies / Shake Appeal May 20 New York, NY Coney Island High Ruth Ruth / Nixons / Grover May 17 Charlottesville, VA Traxx May 21 Dayton, OH Sanctuary May 23 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall May 24 Memphis, TN 616 Club May 28 Toledo, OH The Underground May 29 Toronto, ON Concert Hall Kevin Salem May 23 Burlington, VT Club Metronome May 24 Portland, ME Granny Killams May 25 Boston, MA Mama Kin Slobberbone May 18 Dallas, TX The Barley House May 24 Columbia, MO The Down Under Bar May 25 Lincoln, NE Kinckerbocker's May 26 St. Louis, MO Cicero's May 29 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax May 31 Madison, WI O'Cayz Corral Steeleye Span Reunion Tour May 30 Alexandria, VA Birchmere May 31 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts Ten O'Clock Scholar May 18 Athens, OH Union Varnaline May 18 New York, NY Tramp's (w/ Bailter Space, Crown Heights) May 19 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Velour May 20 New York, NY Continental Vitapup May 17 Charlottesville, WV Tokyo Rose May 18 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 May 19 Lexington, KY Jefferson Davis Inn May 21 Kansas City, MO Cicero's May 22 Memphis, TN Barristers May 23 Athens, GA Atomic Cafe May 24 Wilmington, NC We Festival May 25 Gainesville, FL Cow Haus May 30 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Mike Watt May 25 San Pedro, CA Sacred Grounds (Dos) May 31 Los Angeles, CA Jabberjaw (Madonnabes) Weston May 22 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill May 28 Casper, WY Club Dance West May 29 Denver, CO Mercury Cafe May 31 Kansas City, MO Daily Grind Wrens May 18 New York, NY Thompson Square Park (Free Show) May 21 New York, NY Brownie's (w/Nectarine) --- ERRATA: In the May 1 issue, the new Cast album was mistakenly referred to as _Change_. The correct title is _All Change_. We apologize for the mistake. --- THE READERS WRITE BACK! (About the Wedding Present) Yeah, Joe, Gedge can be legitimately compared to Curtis, cuz Wedding Present itself sounds like Joy Division on Prozac. That's supposed to be a compliment, I love the band. And if Peel doesn't see the similarities, he's gone bonkers on us. - L.W., Colorado (About Lush) Just a bit of trivia here; "Tinkerbell" on that single (mentioned in the May 1 issue) was actually *recorded* for the previous album, _Split_, but eventually not used for the album. This was mentioned by Miki Berenyi during an interview I did with her last month. She implied that the version on the single was the actual _Split_ recording, though the credits on the single don't reflect that. - Anthony Horan, Australia --- To get back issues of Consumable, check out: FTP: orbit.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/consumable (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. 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