==== ISSUE 51 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [August 29, 1995] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net Sr. Contributors: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford, Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Joe Silva, John Walker Other Contributors: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Kelley Crowley, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Jamie Roberts, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Scott Williams, Britain Woodman 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: Soul Asylum, _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ - Reto Koradi REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys, _Alternative_ - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: Jimmy Somerville, _Dare To Love_ - Ali Sinclair CONCERT REVIEW: Neil Young - Reto Koradi REVIEW: Bob Marley _Natural Mystic_ - Dan Enright REVIEW: Various - _KCRW Rare On Air_ (Volume 2) - Joe Silva REVIEW: Esquivel, _music from a sparkling planet_ - Dan Enright REVIEW: The Presidents of the United States of America, _The Presidents of the United States of America_ - Scott Byron REVIEW: Axiom Funk, _Funkonomicron_ - Britain Woodman REVIEW: John Coltrane, _A Love Supreme_, _Ballads_, _John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman_ - Ali Sinclair REVIEW: Redbelly, _Redbelly_ - Jeremy Ashcroft NEWS: Big Mountain /C.R.E.W., Chicago Online!, CMJ Music Marathon, Sarah McLachlan, Skinny Puppy, Urge Overkill TOUR DATES: Better Than Ezra, Bile, David Bowie / Nine Inch Nails / Prick, Buckwheat Zydeco, Cravin' Melon (some dates with Hootie & Blowfish), Juliana Hatfield, Hum, Kate Jacobs, Phranc, Pro-Pain, Rev. Horton Heat / Hagfish, Silverchair, Speedball, Noah Stone, Ugly Kid Joe / Souls at Zero Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Soul Asylum, _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ (Columbia) - Reto Koradi What should an "alternative" band do if it gets massively successful? Scare off the fans that they never wanted by making a real rock album, in the R.E.M. way? Or choose the most drastic Kurt Cobain way, and go straight to Nirvana? Soul Asylum found yet another option: they just act as if _Grave Dancers Union_ and their huge hit "Runaway Train" didn't happen, and deliver a new album that's a logical sequel to their previous work. _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ starts with "Misery", the first single that's received massive airplay all around the globe. Certainly a great song, with the wonderfully depressive lyrics "they say misery loves company, we could start a company and make misery", culminating is Pirner's near falsetto voice repeating "frustrated incorporated" ad infinitum. Besides this standout track, there's a well assorted collection of different songs. Some harder rock songs ("Shut Down", "Just Like Anyone"), alternated with slow ballads ("Eyes Of A Child", "To My Own Devices") that are often hard on the border of cheesiness. These ballads also take up the flirt with country that they tried on earlier albums; "Promises Broken" could have been an Eagles song. While an occasional slow song is certainly nice, and they have a knack for beautiful melodies, they overdo it somewhat on this album as there are 5 or 6 of them. More convincing are the songs that have both slow and fast parts, sometimes with a noticeable blues feel, where they manage to develop their unique kind of energy. Songs of this category are "Bittersweetheart" and "Strings Of Pearls"; both are potential singles, the latter also has really wonderful lyrics. Most of the lyrics are quite pessimistic and negative. This is in one way surprising; you could think that being a successful musician and having star actress Winona Ryder as a girlfriend would make David Pirner the happiest person on the planet. On the other hand these lyrics fit the music, so we can be glad that Pirner can draw a border between private life and artistic output. It's not difficult to predict that this album will sell less than the exceptional _Grave Dancers Union_. There's still no reason to be disappointed. _Let Your Dim Light Shine_ is a very good album, even if it seems to lack a clear concept and is almost too variable. Soul Asylum are back to actual size, a position where they can feel comfortable, and they're here to stay. --- REVIEW: Pet Shop Boys, _Alternative_ (EMI) - Lee Graham Bridges The well-read Pet Shop Boys have had to make their way up the ropes to stardom next to other successful English bands of the 80's and 90's such as the Smiths, the Cure, Depeche Mode, and New Order. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe know what makes these bands special. "To Americans, pop or rock music is not about enjoyment. English music is about excitement and enjoyment and the thrill of the whole thing," said Lowe during an interview about the Pet Shop Boys' b-side compilation _Alternative_. If this is the case, then Tennant and Lowe have played the role well throughout their recording career, now heading into its thirteenth year. Yet the Boys' tradition of being not only exciting, but dramatic, funny, happy, nostalgic, dark, light, surreal, and true-to-life all at once, is what has endeared them to their fans over the years and made them unique. _Alternative_, a double-CD set, does much more for PSB fans than _Discography_. The former not only covers songs/mixes usually found solely on singles as b-sides, but it covers a greater portion of their career. Collectively, the 36 songs on _Alternative_ show us a different side of the Pet Shop Boys--a side that is more experimental, and yet, more personal - that previous albums have not shown. Lowe remarks, "We've always used the b-side as a way of learning to produce. When we started, the b-side was where we learned to do things ourselves. So it wasn't a throwaway, ever. It's been fundamental to how we progress." This compilation is a showcase of that progression, which becomes more evident upon comparing old and new tracks. "That's My Impression", one of the Boys' first songs, seems rather flat next to the vibrant "Euroboy" or the eerie "Some Speculation". But upon closer inspection, "Impression" is really just a humorous song, no matter how serious it may sound. This is a fine example of how PSB songs can reshape themselves to fit the era or the listener's mood. "I Want A Dog", a song supposedly about loneliness, is "funny," according to Tennant, "but it's also serious and true at the same time." So in this way, no one track can really be deemed better than another--only less serious, less intense, etc. With the lyrics they write for b-sides, Tennant and Lowe must feel like mini-psychologists or some other form of wise men. "Your Funny Uncle" is a crushingly sad song Tennant wrote about the funeral of a close friend. "We Feel Better In the Dark" is a song about clubbing, sex, and/or ugliness. "Miserablism" is ultimately a witty put-down directed at cynicism, while "Jack the Lad" explores the advantage of being mentally unstable or ignorant. "Shameless" is one of the most gloriously satirical tunes ever ("We're shameless / we will do anything / to get our fifteen minutes of fame"). "Violence", a melancholy number, is well offset by "Losing My Mind", (also given to Liza Minelli) an upbeat song about heartbreak. From the orchestral "Overture to 'Performance'", to the song about Hitler, "Don Juan", to the experimental "The Sound of the Atom Splitting" and back to the swing version of "Can You Forgive Her?", _Alternative_ shows us songs written via the extreme moods of Tennant and Lowe as well as songs that could just as easily be found on their "normal" albums. Not only does _Alternative_ give us a clearer picture of the psychology behind the music of the Pet Shop Boys (a group proudly accepting the label "pop"), but it also serves as a tapestry of club life over the past ten or so years, a "historical record of contemporary dance music," in Lowe's words. Consequently, it is one of the top five most important albums of this year and certainly belongs in the collection of anyone respecting the art of songwriting. Regarding _Alternative_, Tennant said, "In the 80's, this sort of music would have been called sleaze. It's a very insidious kind of sound..." Thank God for progression. TRACK LISTING: In the Night, A Man Could Get Arrested, That's My Impression, Was That What It Was?, Paninaro, Jack the Lad, You Know Where You Went Wrong, A New Life, I Want A Dog, Do I Have To, I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too), Don Juan, Don Juan (demo), Domino Dancing, The Sound of the Atom Splitting, One of the Crowd, Your Funny Uncle, It Must Be Obvious, We Feel Better in the Dark, Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend, How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? (Classical Reprise), Losing My Mind, Music For Boys, Overture to 'Performance', Miserablism, Hey Headmaster, What Keeps Mankind Alive?, Shameless, Too Many People, Violence (Hacienda Version), Decadence, Decadence (Unplugged Mix), If Love Were All, Can You Forgive Her? (Swing Version), Euroboy, Some Speculation. --- REVIEW: Jimmy Somerville, _Dare To Love_ (London) - Ali Sinclair _Dare To Love_ marks Jimmy Somerville's return to the record stores and, I'm sure, to the charts - at least in Britain - after an absence of almost four years. And the King of Gay Pop is back with a vengeance! The CD is a varied collection with the unmistakable Somerville pop-disco-falsetto mark: it includes cover versions of "Someday We'll Be Together" and "Hurts So Good" (not the John Mellencamp song - I've been waiting YEARS for someone to refind this gentle-reggae almost-ballad!); throbbing disco "Heartbeat" and "Love Thing", pure love songs "By Your Side" and "Safe In These Arms" and the intense, thought-provoking title track. The pictures on the CD insert show a happy man, and the songs are full of a love of life, even when mourning friends lost to AIDS. It seems to me that the folks who live the hardest lives seem to have the greatest capacity for expressing joy and love. That's what comes across to me from this CD. The title track is about an "older" man, aged 25, being persecuted for his love of a 16-year-old boy "with a mind of his own". Musically and vocally, this song is Jimmy at his best, showing a maturing vocal range and a new strength. Lyrically, this is probably the song most likely to cause controversy this year. After listening to it several times, I found myself examining my own prejudices with a fine-tooth comb. What would my reaction be if my 16-year-old son had a 25-year-old lover? I'd question the man's motives. I'd wonder if he were corrupting my child. I'd want to protect the boy. I'd suspect that there was something not-quite-right with a guy who chose to mix with kids so much younger than him - is that prejudiced? I don't know, because if my 16-year-old daughter had a 25-year-old male lover, I'd have the same reaction. Was he using her? What would the future hold? And is this parental care, or has it reached into the area of intolerable interference in someone else's life? The age of consent is in place - and rightly so, in my opinion - to protect minors from abuse. But sometimes children grow up too soon. They don't all mature precisely on their 16th or 18th birthday. Sometimes a 25-year-old is younger than an 18-year-old. The difference between my son and my daughter would be that my daughter's lover would just have to cope with my caring-interfering. He'd just have to cope with family prejudice. My son's lover would be committing an illegal act and would have not only me and my questions, but the local community, their prejudices, and the Law to worry about. Jimmy has been a champion of gay rights, gay love, since Bronski Beat's single "Small Town Boy" smashed into the British Charts. And the question he provokes is still the same - what right do any of us have to judge someone else's love and turn it into something sordid? Whether the relationship is homosexual, heterosexual or asexual. Yes, this CD is thought-provoking. It's also a great disco record. Don't forget to take it along to all those late-summer parties. Then you can dance all night - whoever you love. --- CONCERT REVIEW: Neil Young, Salzburg, Aug 18 1995 - Reto Koradi The Residenzplatz is a square in the middle of the old city of Salzburg, right beside the famous dome, and only a 5 minute walk from the house where Mozart was born. Certainly a great place to hold a rock concert - and if they ever do it again they might learn that one or two entrances are not enough for around 10,000 people). Neil's supporting act was the Levellers. Not surprisingly (if you're familiar with their recordings), they're a great live band, and gave a very good performance despite some technical problems. The first part of Neil Young's set was completely dedicated to his current album _Mirror Ball_, starting with "Big Green Country" and the great "Song X". Apart from a few slower moments like "Throw Your Hatred Down", this was completely fat-free rock music, stripped down to the bare bones. Simple, but effective, with a band that sounded very compact. For the second part Neil sent the others off stage and played some acoustic tracks. First came a very touching rendition of "The Needle And The Damage Done", a bit later the always brilliant "Hey Hey, My My", which has been evoking even more emotions since Kurt Cobain used the line "it's better to burn out than to fade away" in his suicide note. "Broken Arrow" and another very old song fell off somewhat; they sounded dusted and showed that his early years were not his best. The band came back for the third part, starting with another key song from _Mirror Ball_, "I'm The Ocean". One of the highlights of the concert was a very long version of "Cortez The Killer". Much too soon they went off stage, coming back for only one encore, "Rockin' In The Free World". By ending that with a few minutes of cruel noise, and immediately turning on the lights after leaving stage, they made sure that nobody would even dare to ask for more. No doubt, it was at least partly a very strong concert, especially if you consider it a live performance of _Mirror Ball_. But it's hard to avoid thinking about songs he didn't play. Of course his output has been much too huge to play everybody's favorites, and it's understandable that he doesn't want to play "Heart Of Gold" and "Like A Hurricane" for the millionth time. What's more striking (and disappointing) is the complete absence of material from recent years. No "Mansion On The Hill", no "Harvest Moon", and most of all not a single song from last year's masterpiece _Sleeps With Angels_. This also implies that his characteristic guitar playing style in slow songs was hardly to be heard. It's no accident that Pearl Jam weren't mentioned so far. Three of the band members were there, but, like on the album, they didn't get a chance to play a prominent role. This was Neil Young & a band, and they were no more and no less than Neil Young's very good band. --- REVIEW: Bob Marley _Natural Mystic_ (TUFF GONG/Island) - Dan Enright _Natural Mystic, the most recent compilation of Bob Martley's material, is a nicely packaged CD which includes lyrics, beautiful artwork and photos, the cover art from his catalogue, and a limited discography (they've included the dates the songs were released, but not the albums they appeared on). It also includes "Iron Lion Zion", from his box set, and "Keep On Moving". There is one disparate section - an advertisement for "offical merchandise" (hats and shirts) that seems to contradict the content of the music. "But what about the music?" you're asking yourself. This is not a greatest hits package. It's a collection of music released between 1975 and 1980 reflecting the combination of Marley's deeply held religious/political beliefs - beliefs he not only sang about, but lived. With the exception of a live version of "Trenchtown Rock", (one good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain) the songs focus on "lesser known" songs. For example - "Build your penitentiary, we build your schools/ Brainwash education to make us the fools/ Hate is your reward for our love/ Telling us of you God above/ We gonna chase those crazy/ Chase those crazy bunkheads/ Chase those crazy baldheads out of town" - from "Crazy Baldheads" or the lyrics in "One Drop" - "They made the world so hard/ Everyday we got to keep on fighting/ Everyday people are dying/ From hunger and starvation, lamentation/ But read it in Revelation/ You'll find redemption/ And then you give us the teaching of His Majesty/ For we want no devil philosophy, and the final line - Fighting against ism and skism." If you're unfamiliar with the depth of Marley's songwriting, or you want a broad collection of his more politcal/social/religious material, this is a CD worth owning. I wouldn't recommend it for folks who haven't heard anything by Marley, however. There are no bad or weak Bob Marley recordings, a fact this collection reaffirms. The arrangements, lyrics, and performances are top notch and illustrate why he's transcended being a pop icon, to become a legendary - dare I say it, revolutionary - prophet, who speaks to the hearts and minds of people all over the planet. --- REVIEW: Various - _KCRW Rare On Air_ (Volume 2) (Mammoth) - Joe Silva Culled once again from the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" program, these collections have turned out to be interesting not for the weighty names they bear, but for the subtle unveiling of the performers that they pull off. From the sly/funky/ghostly lead cut by Cibo Matto ("Sugar Water") to the Air Supply/Leonard Cohen style Lloyd Cole gem towards the end ("Famous Blue Raincoat"), the KCRW people hold together this largely acoustic collection while it crosses forth and back over many a genre. While you don't necessarily instantly envision someone like white funk- noire poet MC 900 Ft. Jesus fitting in here, his groovy interlude ("The City Sleeps") nestles in comfortably here, turntable scratches and all. There are more obvious appearances: Joni Mitchell's angelic Camel stoked voice rings over her huge acoustic six string sound on "Just Like This Train," Aimee Mann's delicate, cafe-style vocal on "I've Had It" that reminds us how silly we probably were to spotlight Edie Brickell instead all those years ago, and crabby alterna-crooner Vic Chestnutt showing that for all his annoying down to earthiness, there's something actually flavourful to a track like "Everybody Can Change." While Phillip Glass' "Opening" pulls his typical "shows promise, goes nowhere" and the Cranberries "Sunday" grates ever so slightly, they may be the sole exceptions to an otherwise seamless string of well wrought performances. --- REVIEW: Esquivel, _music from a sparkling planet_ (Bar/None / RCA) - Dan Enright Every once in a while, I get turned on to an artist that's so completely different, they belong in a class by themselves. Juan Garcia Esquivel is one of these rare musicians. Esquivel (who is now 77) was a composer/arranger/megastar in Mexico during the 50s and early 60s. He had a reputation in the U.S., but more for his performances than his recordings. This limited the number of people who know of him at the time, but Irwin Chusid (who produced this compilation) argues his presence in Southern California in the early 60s probably influenced Brian Wilson and Phil Spector. And no wonder. The description - to quote Irwin - "...Spike Jones meets Dali arrangements and Wagnerian magnificance..." is right on the mark. Esquivel recorded some of the first stereo albums for RCA. But his "unique" style and obsessive pursuit of perfection resulted in albums (that in retrospect) were clearly 30 years ahead fo their time. In the liner notes, Herman Diaz, jr. - who brought Esquivel to America from Mexico and produced his albums - shares anecdotes about those sessions, "Everything was recorded live without overdubs. Esquivel would play the piano and conduct simultaneously. I might make suggestions, but he was totally in control of what he did. When dealing with such a brilliant talent, the less involved i got, the better. There was one problem: money. RCA kept an eye on the budget, but Esquivel couldn't care less. We got him the best musicians in New York session after session, but he didn't care about RCA's money or the musicians money, or about overtime. All he cared about was getting the best sound and performance for his arrangements. He was a perfectionist, always. he made some very expensive records. Beautiful - but expensive." And the recordings are incredible. He took chestnuts like "My Blue Heaven," "All Of Me," and "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" (to name just a few - in fact this compilation includes only one original song) and turned them into some of the most twisted "lounge" music ever recorded, or performed for that matter. Words just can't convey what's happening in these songs. At first, the arrangements seem "kitschy," then in subtle (and not so subtle!) ways, they begin to insinuate themselves into your brain. One moment intense and dissonate, the next melodic - almost romantic. And an amazing mix of instrumentation. Best (still poorly) described as soundtrack music for The Jetsons - probably what Jane listens to around the house, or when she and George go out dancing. The accompaning booklet includes interviews with Esquivel, as well as people who worked with him on his various projects. What it fails to do is give information about the songs themselves. This is Bar/None-RCA's second compilation; the original (vinyl) albums are long out of print, yet there's no mention what albums these songs are from or what year they were released. This is a major oversight. It's claimed the first compilation _Space Age Bachelor Pad Music_ has a biographical overview of his work. That's still no excuse for not including the information on this CD. This music isn't going to be for everyone. Like many things in life, it's an acquired taste. But if you like challenges and creativity when you listen to music, Esquivel will meet and even exceed your expectations. I highly recommend him. --- REVIEW: The Presidents of the United States of America _The Presidents of the United States of America_ (PopLlama-Columbia) - Scott Byron Seattle stepson Kurt Cobain's most famous entreaty, "here we are now, entertain us," was meant as a wry commentary. Yet Seattle's newest breakthrough band, The Presidents of the United States of America, seem to have taken Kurt's words as gospel. The Presidents have no political or sociological agenda, their goal is simply to entertain us. And they do. A fine response to the grungy, ultra-serious Seattle mainstream, The Presidents put on live shows that are pure fun (I've seen a few) and that soon drew a sizable following, not to mention the attention of record labels big and small. While the labels lined up to court them, the Presidents released this album on Seattle's _other_ big indie, PopLlama, more known for tongue-in-cheek pop than teen angst. After signing with Columbia, that album has been remastered and is now widely available. It's a lot of fun, too, like the live shows. Most of the songs here are a little silly, but in a good way. They make you smile inside, singing about such things as what they want to do to an annoying cat, their desire for peaches, or the seductiveness of Hollywood. This (lack of?) attitude could get annoying mighty quickly if the music wasn't as much fun as the lyrics. The Presidents are a somewhat straightforward power pop trio, and they put tremendous energy into every song. These tracks bounce around wildly, the musicians obviously loving every moment. Oh, did I mention that Chris Bellew plays (according to the credits) a two-string "bassitar" and Dave Dederer plays a three-string "guitbass"? The booklet also point out that Jason Finn plays "no-string drums." Bellew's singing is as joyous as the playing, half-shouting his odd little tunes. You'll shout right along with him -- this stuff is very catchy. If, like me, you're ready for a short break from the self-conscious seriousness that drives much of today's new music scene, check out The Presidents of the United States of America's new album. And don't miss 'em when they play your town. --- REVIEW: Axiom Funk, _Funkonomicron_ (Axiom/Island) - Britain Woodman Avant-garde rocker Bill Laswell's Axiom label, distributed by Polygram, was founded to distribute world-music, ambient, and other experimental music produced by Laswell and partners like Nicky Skopelitis (his bandmate in the Golden Palominos), Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell (P-Funk alumni), Liu Sola (Chinese folk/blues singer), and "world music" experimentalists like The Master Musicians of Jajouka. The Axiom Funkonomicron is a follow-up to last year's Axiom Ambient _Lost in the Translation_, (see Consumable 2/6/95), a two-disc collection of remixes of past Axiom releases. This two-CD set, though, concentrates on the hip-hop and funky dance music released by the label, but the filler is kept to a minimum (three album tracks from releases by Material, Praxis, and Skopelitis) -- for this set, Bill Laswell brings in Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Gary "Mudbone" Cooper, and George Clinton himself. Herbie Hancock (who became a household name long before US3 with the dancey, Laswell-produced 80s classic "Rock-It"), among others, also appears on the set. Longtime Funkadelic cover artist Pedro Bell drew all the booklet art (including an amusing mini-comic in which the voluptuous Lucy IV is sent to kill Laswell and Bell and bring them to Hell -- unfortunately, this cartoon is reproduced almost too small to read in the CD booklet). Even guitarist Eddie Hazel, on tape, makes a posthumous appearance. The project is dedicated jointly to Hazel (Laswell joins Ween, Mike Watt, and the Beastie Boys in dedicating recent projects to Hazel, who died in 1992) and to Jimi Hendrix, whose "If Six Was Nine" is sung by Bootsy Collins. The first disc includes the aforementioned "If Six Was Nine," Hazel's twelve minute "Orbitron Attack," and Collins' acid alter-ego Zillatron's "Free-Bass (Godzillatron Cush.)" Clinton appears on "Under the Influence (Jes Grew)," dissing the unfunky parts of his current base of operations, Southeast Michigan. Sly Stone co-wrote and sings on the sweet soul ballad "Tell The World." This is, unfortunately, the only Sly Stone material on the set -- it's a great song, but it may not justify the $25-30 purchase price if you don't like the controversial Laswell's ways with ambient, dub, or P-funk style. Most funkateers either love or hate Laswell. The strongest track may well be "Hideous Mutant Freekz", disc two's opener, which recalls the wacko subject matter and addictive vocal hooks of Parliament's heyday. Besides featuring the harmonies of Clinton, Garry Shider, Cooper, and Collins, features a prominent (and ironic) old-school Public Enemy sample. "Sax Machine" is a nod toward the James Brown style of dance music. Although essentially a Maceo Parker (alto sax) vehicle, it also spotlights Laswell's bass and Bobby Byrd's vocals. They even invoke Brownisms like "Get into it, get involved!" "Animal Behavior" is a rerun from Praxis' major-label sojourn (the funk-metal ensemble has recorded two other albums for Laswell's indie label Subharmonic) spotlighting Bootsy's "ain't nothin' but a pah-ty, baby" persona. Umar Bin Hassan and Abiodun "Doon" Oyewole, the Laswell-friendly faction of the Last Poets, contribute vocals to two tracks on disc two. Of them, Doon fares better, sitting in for Hendrix on "Trumpets and Violins, Violins." Overall, I'd recommend looking for this set on sale, if you're interested in what Bootsy and Bernie have been doing between P-Funk All-Stars tours, or are curious about Bill Laswell's funk experiments but were afraid Axiom was too "spacey." --- REVIEW: John Coltrane, _A Love Supreme_, _Ballads_, _John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman_ (Impulse!) - Ali Sinclair The Impulse! label - best known for its quality and innovative jazz albums of the '60s and '70s - has been emphatically relaunched after 21 years. The first releases from the rejuvenated label are reissues of three of John Coltrane's recordings - _A Love Supreme_, _Ballads_ and _John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman_. The recordings have all been digitally remastered and are available on CD and on limited-edition vinyl. The CDs are beautifully packaged with some excellent photos, all the original sleeve notes, and the distinctive Impulse! black-orange-and-white colours. The legendary saxophonist John Coltrane recorded on the Impulse! label for many years - as did many of his friends and proteges. These three recordings provide a good introduction to Coltrane's jazz; both _Ballads_ and _...and Johnny Hartman_ being gentle, almost soothing, jazz - Hartman's smooth crooning flowing with McCoy Tyner's piano, Jimmy Garrison's bass and Elvin Jones' drums. _A Love Supreme_ is a classic example of Coltrane's other, better remembered side - the jazzman reaching out, musically and spiritually, to somewhere no one else has been. For a gentle introduction to Coltrane, start with _Ballads_, listen to _... and Johnny Hartman_, move on to _A Love Supreme_. And then go out and hunt down some more... --- REVIEW: Redbelly, _Redbelly_ (East West Records) - Jeremy Ashcroft Fast cars and rock and roll. Don't they just belong together? There's few things more fun that speeding along in a convertible, top down, with some great loud music blasting out of your speakers. Or even if not a sports car, you might associate the rock dream with a Harley Davidson or a block-long limo whisking the star back to their hotel after a gig. What you _don't_ usually associate with the world of rock is agricultural transport, but Redbelly - formerly known as Tractor - seem to have a thing about the subject. Even their name comes from the name of a particular model of Ford tractor. But is the band name a reflection of the music? I would guess that, for most people, one tractor is pretty much like every other tractor - you've seen one, you've seen them all - and, in a sense, Redbelly suffer the same problem. Though the music is played well, they sound an awful lot like certain other bands - namely, Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. That's not to say every track sounds the same - they do vary the pace and mood from song to song - but just like the tractor is a very versatile piece of equipment, used for all kinds of things, from ploughing up fields to sewing seed, you can't escape the noise of all that heavy machinery. Even in their quieter moments, Redbelly can't escape the rumble of their own heavy machinery. On the positive side, what they do, they do well - and given that this is their debut album, they'll have plenty of time to develop their own distinctive sound. Given that one track, the first single - "Fire In The Hole" - features a backward version of Jimi Hendrix' solo from "All Along The Watchtower", at least they're listening to the masters instead of exclusively to today's genre of the month. If you're a big fan of the Seattle sound and its derivatives, Redbelly should be for you. If not, you'll want to see if their Hendrix takeoffs continue on their sophmore effort. --- NEWS: > Big Mountain will headline the first annual "Concert for the C.R.E.W. (Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers)", an all day benefit at Lake Casitas, CA (near Ojai) on September 23, 1995. All proceeds from the event will go to C.R.E.W., a non-profit youth employment and leadership program based in Ventura County. Gates will open at 12 noon, with performances scheduled from 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $12.00 in advance and $15.00 on the day of the event. There will be many other bands creating a mix of celtic melodies, jazz harmonies, and African drum rhythms, while food and arts and crafts booths will give it a feel of a reggae-fied mini Lollapalooza. For further information, call C.R.E.W. at 805-646-5085. > Jason Scheff, vocalist and bassist for the group Chicago, has been communicating with his group's fans via the Internet. In fact, some fans who have created a sign (stored on Compuserve) and enlarged it have gotten invited backstage after the show. Scheff and Chicago can be reached at 76702.2615@compuserve.com > The 15th CMJ Music Marathon - a three day and four night symposium on the alternative music industry and international music festival - will take place at New York City's Lincoln Center from September 6-9. Two panels which promise to be well attended include "Selling Records in the 21st Century - The Internet vs. the Record Store", moderated by Windy Chien of Sick & Tired and "Sexism & Violence In Music and Video: Can Free Speech Go Too Far?" moderated by Howie Klein of Reprise Records. There will also be a question and answer session with Don Was and "Beach Boy" Brian Wilson about his forthcoming documentary film, "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times". More than 400 signed and unsigned artists from around the world will be performing at the festival. Some bands of note who will play include Belly, Better than Ezra, Boo Radleys, David Byrne, Echobelly, Foetus, G. Love and Special Sauce, Matthew Sweet, Meat Puppets, Mercury Rev, Silverchair and Spearhead. For further information contact CMJ at 516-466-6000. > A video compilation of Sarah McLachlan videos is expected to arrive in stores in time for the winter holiday season. > Skinny Puppy's Dwayne Goettel passed away August 23 in Edmonton of an apparent overdose. > Urge Overkill will be touring in Australia at the time of the U.S. release of their new album. The tour will be in the U.S. around the second week of October, and continue in North America until December. The band also just finished filming a video in California for the U.S. single "The Break". The European single is "Somebody Else's Body". --- TOUR DATES Better Than Ezra Sept. 1 Rochester, NY Horizontal Boogie Bar Sept. 2 Toronto, ON Opera House Sept. 3 Montreal, QC Fonfounes Electrique Sept. 4 Burlington, VT Metronome Sept. 6 New York, NY Academy Sept. 7 New Haven, CT Toad's Place Sept. 8 Boston, MA Paradise Sept. 9 Providence, RI Lupo's Sept. 12 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Sept. 13 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom Sept. 14 Raleigh, NC Marzz Bile Sept. 3 Long Island, NY Rush David Bowie / Nine Inch Nails / Prick Sept. 14 Hartford, CT The Meadows Sept. 16 Boston, MA Great Woods Sept. 17 Hershey, PA Hershey Park Sept. 20 Toronto, ON Skydome Sept. 22 Camden, NJ Sony Entertainment Center Sept. 23 Pittsburgh, PA Starlake Amphitheatre Sept. 27-28 East Rutherford, NJ Brendan Byrne Arena Sept. 30 Cleveland, OH Blossom Oct. 1 Chicago, IL The World Oct. 3 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills Oct. 4 Columbus, OH Polaris Oct. 6 Washington, DC Nissan Pavillion at Stoneridge Oct. 7 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Oct. 9 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Oct. 11 St. Louis, MO Riverport Buckwheat Zydeco Sept. 2 Oyster Bay, NY Planting Fields Arboretum Sept. 3 Lewiston, NY Artpartk Sept. 9-10 San Diego, CA San Diego Street Scene Cravin' Melon (some dates with Hootie & Blowfish) Aug. 30 Spartanburg, SC USCS Aug. 31 Greenville, NC East Carolina Univ Sept. 1 Murrelus Inlet, SC Sandpipers Sept. 2 Atlanta GA Cotton Club Sept. 3 Isle Of Palms, SC Windjammer Sept. 7 Tallahassee, FL FloydUs Music Hall Sept. 8 Tampa, FL (w/Hootie) Sept. 9 Miami, FL (w/Hootie) Sept. 10 Daytona Beach, FL (w/Hootie) Sept. 13 Columbia, SC Bomber Stadium- (w/Hootie) Sept. 14 Raleigh, NC NC State Univ Sept. 15 Greensboro, NC Blind Tiger Juliana Hatfield Sept. 6 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall Sept. 7 Greensboro, NC Univ. of NC Sept. 8 Baltimore, MD Hammerjacks Sept. 9 Washington, DC George Washington Univ. Sept. 10 Charlottesville, VA Trax Sept. 12 New Haven, CT Toad's Place Sept. 13 Cohoes, NY Saratoga's Winners Sept. 14 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Sept. 15 Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall Hum Sept. 1 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom Sept. 2 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre Sept. 5 Kansas City, KS Memorial Theatre Sept. 6 St. Louis, MO American Theatre Sept. 10 Memphis, TN Mud Island Sept. 12 Wichita, KS Cotillion Ballroom Sept. 13 Boulder, CO C.U. Fieldhouse Sept. 15-16 San Francisco, CA Warfield Kate Jacobs Sept. 8 Crete, NE Doane College Phranc Aug. 29 Los Angeles, CA Jabberjaw Aug. 30 San Diego, CA The Casbah Aug. 31 Las Vegas, NV Double Down Sept. 1 Mesa, AZ Hollywood Alley Sept. 2 Albuquerque, NM Golden West Sept. 4 Denver, CO Rock Island Sept. 5 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre Sept. 6 Denver, CO Mercury Sept. 7 Salt Lake City, UT Cinema Bar Sept. 8 Boise, ID Neurolux Pro-Pain Aug. 31 Raleigh, NC Player's Niteclub Sept. 1 Wilmington, NC Mad Monk Sept. 2 Charlotte, NC Jeremiah's Sept. 3 Myrtle Beach, SC Headroom Rev. Horton Heat / Hagfish Sept. 2 Portland, OR La Luna Sept. 6 Palo Alto, CA The Edge Sept. 7 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst Sept. 9 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern Sept. 14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue Sept. 15 Chicago, IL Double Door Silverchair Aug. 30 Montreal, QC Cafe Campus Aug. 31 Toronto, ON Opera House Sept. 2 Chicago, IL Metro Sept. 3 Boston, MA Paradise Sept. 5 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero (Tentative) Sept. 6 Washington, DC Black Cat Sept. 8 New York, NY Academy Sept. 10 Atlanta, GA (TBA) Sept. 12 Los Angeles, CA The Whiskey Sept. 13 San Francisco, CA Slim's Sept. 15 Seattle, WA DV-8 Speedball Sept. 2 Pontiac, MI Phoenix Plaza Sept. 3 Lockport, NY CKEY Festival Noah Stone Sept. 2 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Square Sept. 12 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Square Sept. 13 San Francisco, CA, Nightbreak Sept. 14 Santa Rosa, CA Magnolia's Sept. 15 Portland, OR Mt .Tabor Pub Ugly Kid Joe / Souls at Zero Sept. 1 Roseville, MI The Ritz Sept. 2 Cincinnati, OH Annie's Sept. 3 River Grove, IL Thirsty Whale Sept. 5 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room Sept. 6 Louisville, KY Toy Tiger Sept. 8 Cleveland, OH Odeon Country Club Sept. 10 Cohoes, NY Saratoga Winners Sept. 11 Mount Vernon, NY Low Down Sept. 13 Fort Wayne, IN Pieres Sept. 14 Milwaukee, WI The Rave --- 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) Compuserve, Lotus Notes users only: GO FORUM (Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com), serving Westchester County, NY. 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