==== ISSUE 91 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [November 7, 1996] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, 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, Paul Grzelak, Janet Herman, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson, Daniel Kane, Stephen Lin, Bob Mackin, Al Muzer, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak, Jason Williams 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 | `------------' REVIEW: Kula Shaker, _K_ - Simon West REVIEW: Korn, _Life Is Peachy_ - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: Red House Painters, _Songs For A Blue Guitar_ - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: Chainsuck, _Angelscore_ - Stephen Lin REVIEW: Satchel, _The Family_ - P. Nina Ramos REVIEW: The Urge, _Receiving The Gift Of Flavor_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Various Artists, _Street Dreams New York_ - David Pirmann REVIEW: Various Artists, _Punk Lost & Found_ - Tim Hulsizer REVIEW: Ugly Kid Joe, _Motel California_- Linda Scott REVIEW: Bill White Acre, _Billy's Not Bitter_ - Jon Steltenpohl SOUND BITE REVIEWS: Steve Wynn, _Melting In The Dark_ Plastic Mikey, _Cook Up Something New!_ Brian McMahon, _17 Volts_ - Al Muzer REVIEW: Rasputina, _Thanks for the Ether_ - Courtney Muir Wallner REVIEW: Low and Sweet Orchestra, _Goodbye To All That_ - Lee Graham Bridges CONTEST WINNERS: Merril Bainbridge contest NEWS: Beggars Banquet, Blind Melon, L.A. Love/Social Distortion, Liquid Soul, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonicnet Chats, Stone Roses TOUR DATES: Boozoo Chavis, Vic Chesnutt, Chimera, Phil Cody, Connells, Cracker / Self, Cravin' Melon, Deftones, Fixx, Guy Forsyth, Grant Lee Buffalo / 16 Horsepower / Slush, Gravity Kills / Chainsuck, Boo Hewerdine / Darden Smith, Inti-Illimani, Parlor James, Jars of Clay, Kula Shaker, Liquid Soul, London Suede, Tara MacLean, Teddy Morgan, Doc Powell, Primitive Radio Gods, Pusherman, Sabri Brothers, Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, Skold, Stabbing Westward / Ash / Drill, Stillsuit, Corey Stevens, Test Dept./Sheep on Drugs., Tool, Steve Wynn, Sophie Zelmani, Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Kula Shaker, _K_ (Columbia) - Simon West The latest Britpop sensation: jangly guitars, infectious three-minute pop songs, shaggy haircuts. All vaguely familar. Wait a moment...sitar solos and Sanskrit lyrics? Some mistake, surely? No. The inevitable psychedelic end of the Britpop spectrum is here. Kula Shaker, named after an eighth century Indian emperor, are equal parts Stone Roses, 60s revivalists and spiritual enlightenment. Half the potential audience is groaning softly by now, but we'll press on. A song about Jerry Garcia, another that's a Sanskrit mantra chanted over wah-wah guitars? Interviews featuring lead singer Crispian Mills wittering on about the spiritual revolution, etc? There go most of the rest of you. Here's the surprise. Kula Shaker's debut album, _K_, is a cracker. Ignore (or embrace) the heavy spiritual stuff and the fact that the band spews more symbolic bollocks than The KLF could ever hope for - more 'K' references as well - and you've got a strong candidate for British album of the year. _K_ kicks off with "Hey Dude", an outright shoutalong rocker. Mills' voice slides from Ian Brown whispers to straight-out rock'n'roll swagger, and even manages to sound alarmingly like the twitchy bloke from Stereo MCs in places. Hammond Organ and swathes of guitars. Stop examining the cover (festooned with people whose names start with K, and a great big K), and turn it up. "Tattva", the current single, is a repeated Sanskrit chant backed with the funkiest groove this side of "Fool's Gold", plentiful sitar 'licks', and assisted with Mellotron-washed verses that aren't a million miles shy of "Strawberry Fields Forever". A ten minute club version would probably ensure world domination. "Govinda", "Sleeping Jeva" and "Temple of Everlasting Light" are even more Indian-influenced, and "Temple" extends the 60s influence with some rather Simon and Garfunkel-like acoustic guitar riffs. "Smart Dogs" and "Into the Deep" are remeniscent in mood of that first, world-beating Stone Roses album, infectious layered grooves building slowly up to nice smart tight choruses, and "Grateful When You're Dead" owns the guitar riff of the year. There's still more. 13 tracks on the album, none of which are filler, and my cd came with a bonus cd single containing two non-album tracks and an unremarkable remix of "Tattva". _K_ is an impressive debut, coming out of a British indie scene that's confounded expectations by maintaining an extraordinary level of quality for almost three years now. Kula Shaker might be just the band that nomadic Dead fans are looking for. If they keep the quality up, religions will likely form around this band. --- REVIEW: Korn, _Life Is Peachy_ (Epic/Immortal) - Sean Eric McGill Few albums in recent memory have been as brutal as Korn's 1994 self-titled debut. Oh sure, many albums have come out with some guy screaming about how evil the world is and how it has done him so wrong, but rarely has an album full of so much personal rage been released. Now, two years later, Korn returns with _Life Is Peachy_. And once again, the overriding theme of the album isn't the injustices of the world, but deep-seeded personal anguish. The omnipresent theme on the debut was one of innocence lost and a childhood torn apart by abuse of all sorts, and that theme is present here again on _Life Is Peachy_. "Kill You", about vocalist Jonathan Davis' step-mother will remind listeners of "Daddy" from the first album - only this time around, Davis makes no illusions about his intentions. But this time around, the theme may have run its course. "Mr. Rogers" seems labored in its attempt to blame childhood tragedy on everyone's favorite neighbor, and although "Kill You" is one of the more brutal songs I've personally ever heard, it doesn't pack the punch that "Daddy" or "Faget" did from the first album. Korn's best moments on _Life Is Peachy_ is when they address other issues, such as drug use on "Swallow", or when they lighten up on songs like "A.D.I.D.A.S." (an acronym for "All Day I Dream About Sex", for those of you who didn't catch that in junior high) and the incredibly vulgar "K@#o%!". One of the many things that set Korn's debut apart from other debuts was their raw sound, which hasn't been polished up for _Life Is Peachy_. Davis' lyrics are still quite incomprehensible at times, and the guitars of Brian Welch and James Shaffer seem to be perpetually on the verge of incredible amounts of feedback - but that's not a bad thing by a long shot. Produced by Ross Robinson, _Life Is Peachy_ features those traits and others (including the punctuating rhythm section of Fieldy and David) that have defined the signature Korn sound. With their first two albums, Korn have not only charted a new direction for harder rock, but developed one of the most fanatical fan followings in music (for proof, one need to look no further than the numerous Korn-devoted pages on the World Wide Web). Their music is speaking to a group of people who have felt alienated and abused, but one can only hope that there are other voices in Korn's repertoire - and that they find them before they run the one they are using into the ground. --- REVIEW: Red House Painters, _Songs For A Blue Guitar_ (Supreme/Island) - Lee Graham Bridges Mark Kozelek, better known as the only regular in Red House Painters, makes his fifth journey into recording on _Songs For a Blue Guitar_. While the RHP foundation (Kozelek's voice, clear as glass, aiding the sensation of loss or hopelessness from even the loudest melodies) remains mostly intact, the presentation has changed. Songs were not rehearsed or polished in the recording and production process. "I was tired of being so analytical about the recording process, tired of endless pre-production and using tedious recording techniques with the previous albums. Being so anal, I feel I may have stifled the songs' natural energy," Kozelek remarked. Particularly, _Songs For A Blue Guitar_ utilizes some harder guitar sounds, as have earlier albums. Kozelek said the album "takes a peek at how we're just beginning to get comfortable with the idea of playing loud and the next record will probably have a lot more of it." As a consequence of such experimentation and new musical direction, RHP has severed with their previous label, 4AD. This should encourage Kozelek's changing musical drive and resulting expression. "4AD in many ways had specific artistic boundaries and we're now outside of those boundaries," he explains. Still, initial rumors that the album as a whole would be a hard-rocking one are false. Typical album tracks such as "Have You Forgotten" and "Priest Alley Song" are traditionally RHP, sans percussion - simply Mark's vocals and acoustic guitar; they vary not in instrumentation but in tone and color. Other songs show RHP's growing experimentation with format. "Make Like Paper" is strange in nature - its twelve-minute duration allows a little playing around sloppily on the guitar before slowly unifying and becoming solid. A good song, even if it takes its time in becoming palatable. Later on the album, a cover of Yes' "Long Distance Runaround" clones the music of "Make Like Paper" for a short time, followed by an excellent, laid-back cover of The Cars' "All Mixed Up". The Mazzy Star-esque "Song For A Blue Guitar", featuring a lilting steel guitar and female backing vocals, hangs beautifully in the foreground, begging for attention. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Kozelek and company. Whatever it is depends on Kozelek's sense of tragedy that penetrates Red House Painters' work. --- REVIEW: Chainsuck, _Angelscore_ (Wax Trax!/TVT) - Stephen Lin Imagine a band being described as a combination of Curve, Cocteau Twins, and (early) Nine Inch Nails; the sliding, contoured bass and programmed drums of Curve, the ethereal vocals of Cocteau Twins, and fuzzy guitar and the electronic edge of _Pretty Hate Machine_-era Nine Inch nails; that's Chainsuck in a nutshell. However, to isolate Chainsuck solely within the characteristics of other bands is entirely unfair. It is useful for descriptive purposes, but damaging in terms of recognizing the full potential of the band. Chansuck does not have the ever-droning nature of Curve, which isn't a bad thing; I love Curve. Chainsuck's music is a bit more tangible than that of the Cocteau Twins'. And, there is far less violent anger house within the sturcture of a Chainsuck song as compared to Nine Inch Nails. So, is this a winning formula? Yes and no. _Angelscore_ has beautifully textured music throughout its ten tracks. However, none of the songs has a hook capable of causing the listener to obsess over it, unlike fellow Boston-based band, Letters to Cleo. There are memorable bits here and there, but nothing seems to stick as a radio-friendly single! While this may or may not diminish their commercial success, the album is definitely a success as a whole. Frontwoman and mastermind Marydee Reynolds has paid her dues and is deserving of all accolades bestowed upon her. Several years ago, the voice instructor moved from New York City to Boston to attend the Berklee School of Music. After too many waitressing gigs, and short-lived engagements with Diatribe and Take the Veil, she has finally solidified her vision in Chainsuck. The original lineup (from four years ago) was composed of Robert Trifiro on keyboards, Michael J.F. Smith on drums, Doug Vargas and Lamar Lowder on the production end. "My Only Son" is currently receiving airplay on WFNX in Boston. The response is encouraging. I also believe that the first single, "Prozac," may get second looks; after all, hindsight is 20-20 . While commercial success may escape this band, listeners with a discerning ear may want to tune in to check out this diversified and talented band. --- REVIEW: Satchel, _The Family_ (Epic) - P. Nina Ramos Seattle has been privy to Satchel's wonderful sense of style and grace for a long time. Now, it's time for everyone else to get the chance. With _The Family_ , Satchel brings a collection of charming and enthralling tunes to a national audience. The entire CD plays more like a love letter to one who is almost lost...but not quite. Songs like "Without Love" and "Breathe Deep" only strengthen the feeling of romance that carries through the entire piece. Anyone familiar enough with (vocalist and writer) Sean Smith's style will attest to the traditional, yet unique manner in which all his songs are composed. The production value helps everything flow together in the way many contemporary collections sorely lack. The most heart catching tune is "Time 'O' Year". Starting out with birds chirping and melting slowly to a smooth pounding of piano. This one is a tearjerker. _The Family_ is by far Satchel's strongest testament of their talent; a collection of well thought out, charming and sweet songs. Where most musicians are still looking for the sound that will make their mark, Satchel has found it and run in directions many thought extinct. --- REVIEW: The Urge, _Receiving The Gift Of Flavor_ (Immortal/Epic) - Jon Steltenpohl Rarely does a St. Louis band make it big. The last two of note (Pale Divine and Three Merry Widows) both broke up after getting signed. Hopefully that won't happen to ska, funk, and hardcore newcomers The Urge. Local fans of the band have dreaded the day when The Urge would be discovered, and their killer small venue shows would be a thing of the past. But, when a group like 311 befriends you and takes you touring across the country, well, even a midwest band is bound to get noticed. Not that The Urge wasn't working up to it. With the same lineup for four years, the seven piece band is tight and has carved a reputation providing an incredible live experience. Three excellent independent CD's led up to producer Michael Vail Blum (Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Low Pop Suicide) working with the band and producing _Receiving The Gift Of Flavor_ for independent release. The album sold 20,000 copies on its own before being snatched up by Immortal/Epic records and re-released with an added track, "Take Away". Wailing guitar strikes the flavor alarm with the pulsing "Brainless". The bass flies back and forth and the horns pipe up. Immediately, the album reminds you of a cross between Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Living Colour. There is the driving force behind the music and Steve Ewing croons with a rock and roll attitude and an R&B flair. Then there's the ska-core beat that gets your head bobbing and your brain throbbing. The Urge mixes up so many familiar styles to create its particular sound that a single label would be misleading. There's the R&B, ska, and rock influences juggled up with rap, funk, and punk. Those who have seen The Urge live can rest assured that the album does the band justice. It's a little bit punkier than previous albums, but still keeps The Urge's edge. Those who are new to The Urge will be surprised on first listen. The band refuses to be tied down to a single style. The aptly titled, "It's Gettin' Hectic", starts out ska, moves to a 311 style sound with rap over a hardcore groove, smoothes to a funk sound with quiet horns, and builds right back up. All of this is the space of less than 3 minutes. "Where Do We Go" reflects a serious side of the band with an ode to Dr. Martin Luther King. Except for the morose horns, "Where Do We Go" could pass easily for a Living Colour song. The main targets of most tracks are either people they're pissed at or silly shit. "Drunk Asshole" and "Dirty Rat" are self explanatory, and "Violent Opposition" takes a jab at bad cops. "Open All Night" and "Damn That Shit is Good" are blithering tales of the joys of convenience stores, and "Frying Pan" is a fast, kicking, slamming jam with a funky horn/R&B groove about a mad girlfriend. Like their live shows, The Urge focuses _Receiving The Gift Of Flavor_ on two things: having a good time and tearing up the place. They are ferocious and funky in all the right places. Although newcomers to the national scene, The Urge has been doing its thing since 1987 and the album shows it. This is a seasoned touring band that is guaranteed to turn it out on stage, and _Receiving The Gift Of Flavor_ does a good job of capturing the band at its best. Check out .WAV and RealAudio samples at The Urge's web page at http://www.crl.com/~urge or email the band at urge@crl.com. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Street Dreams New York_ (Clay Dog) - David Pirmann Recently a number of albums featuring New York City subway musicians have been released, including the slickly packaged studio recording _Subplay_ and the acclaimed album by Patti Rothberg, _Between the 1 and the 9_. The recent release _Street Dreams New York_ is notable as the first album actually recorded in the subway (the others were were recorded in studios with obvious results). _Street Dreams'_ raw sound is at the same time an advantage and a disadvantage; some songs, like "The Saddest Day of My Life" by Asheba and the One Vibe Band, has the background noise of crowds and subway trains obscuring the music. However, the unproduced sound does justice to Kathleen Mock's strong folk-rock vocals and acoustic guitar on her songs "Touch Your Hair", "You Should Know" and "It Must Have Been an Angel". Mock, probably the most important "find" on this album, also appears on "Subplay" and hopefully will follow in the footsteps of fellow underground artist Patti Rothberg by releasing a complete solo album. But until she does, she remains a highlight of these collection discs. The songs are mostly original compositions, and as is probably expected from an album of subway musicians, the collection is rather eclectic. A number of tracks features the didjeridoo performances of Simon 7 and Didjiworks; for those unfamiliar, a didjeridoo is an Australian instrument that doesn't sound like anything else - and what better place to find a didjeridoo master than in the New York City subway? The blind folk-pop group Herman Ferman is represented by two tracks, the unremarkable "Nothing" and the introspective "End of the Line" (yes, the band's three members are all completely blind). Rounding out the collection are songs influenced by blues, jazz, rock, folk, and African tribal music, performed by brother and sister Roger and Tan Ridley and Briton Paul Clements. Overall, _Street Dreams_ provides a good look at the underground music culture of the New York subway, and offers a few real gems. In addition, part of the proceeds benefits the AIDS support organization LifeBeat, making it a worthy effort all around. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Punk Lost & Found_ (Shanachie) - Tim Hulsizer Although this disc was released several months ago the coolness factor of the tunes more than makes up for any slowness on my part. It's on Shanachie Records, which right away surprised me because they generally do folk-related releases, but I popped this sucker in and was swept away on a sea of punk bliss. The basic concept of the album is rare tracks, most of which were only available on vinyl, and some of which were never released at all. That's not all: the second concept is that many of these tracks are by bands that feature people who later went on to greater success in other projects. There's a fantastic track called "Shakin' All Over" by Generation X (Billy Idol's old band) and the rest is just as cool. There's the 101'ers (featuring Joe Strummer of the Clash), The Nips (featuring Shane MacGowan), Riff Raff (featuring Billy Bragg), The Radiators From Space (featuring the Pogues' Phil Chevron), and more. Other than the big-name factor, the songs themselves are absolutely fantastic. Some of the best ones are by the bands that contain no famous folks. "Where's Captain Kirk" by Spizzenergi is a triumph of hooks and quirky lyrics, and it's coincidentally a track I have been searching for on CD for years! Eater does a good cover of Lou Reed's "Waiting for the Man", and the classic song "Smash it Up" by The Damned is thrown on here for kicks (and kick it does). Another track that struck me quite favorably was the impossibly-named tune, "I'm in Love With the Girl On the Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk" by The Freshies. An excellent compilation (which has become something rare these days of cashing in on trends), and it deserves to be heard. _Punk Lost & Found_ makes a great addition to anyone's CD collection; particularly to collectors seeking that rare punk track, but it can easily be appreciated by the average music lover as well. --- REVIEW: Ugly Kid Joe, _Motel California_ (Evilution Records) - Linda Scott If it seems like you just read a review on Ugly Kid Joe, you're probably right. Their 1995 release, _Menace to Sobriety_, was an above average release that seemed to go nowhere. Compared with the previous multi-platinum releases of the _Ugly As They Wanna Be_ EP and the _America's Least Wanted_ LP, _Menace_ had some problems. The big sellers were heavily assisted by the powerhouse singles "Everything About You" and "Cat's In The Cradle" which peaked at #3 and #6 respectively on the Billboard singles chart. The short story here is the third album didn't do as well, UKJ left Mercury Records, and they began working in a garage studio on new music. Evilution Records is their own label which basically gave the guys a free hand. The result is _Motel California_. Familiar name, right? UKJ likes those satirical twists. In the early days, they opened for headliners Pretty Boy Floyd. The permanent band name was born on that tour. Formed in California in 1989, the band has experienced some staff changes, but the major players have always been Whitfield Crane (vocals), Klaus Eichstadt (guitar), and Cordell Crockett (bass). UKJ is now looking to re-establish themselves as a successful 90s rock band, and _Motel California_ has a lot riding on it. The album is a mixture of heavy, raw, hard rock and rock with some lovely, delicate ballads. The band leads off the album with its heaviest tracks, and you might wonder if you've gotten the UKJ album in the player. "It's A Lie" and "Dialogue" are in your face - rocking hard with driving beats and raw lyrics. The remaining rockers are not as driving and of more interest to the general rock fan. A highpoint are the three ballads, "Would You Like To Be There", "Undertow", and "12 Cents". Crane has a wonderful voice, and he and the band deliver these perfectly. Without the ballads, the album isn't a winner. Several songs have the same arrangement of talking leading into a crash of rock guitars. The strangest song on the album is "Message Saved" with the band playing and an answering machine tape running. The tape is so loud and distracting that the listener loses the music. Also, Crane's voice just doesn't seem suited to the Motorhead type of music at the beginning of the album. The lyrics don't seem to be anything special on a number of songs. In fact, it seems that the whole album could have used more time in creation and production. The band produced _Motel California_, and some more experienced help could have made a difference. UKJ is a proven band, but on this album they seem to be flailing around looking for the way back. All bands need to grow and change, but some firm direction has to be set, and time has to be spent getting the new concept ready to go to the fans. --- REVIEW: Bill White Acre, _Billy's Not Bitter_ (Touchwood) - Jon Steltenpohl _Billy's Not Bitter_ is a great little independent release that's reminiscent of The Lemonheads, Michael Penn, and Weezer. Given the long list of awards, credits, and brushes with greatness listed in his bio, it is truly a wonder that Mr. Bill isn't bitter. From being picked Billboard's best song writer by Frank Zappa in 1994, producing such bands as Spew and Chyanna Davis, and fronting a band called Big Planet, Bill White Acre has been on the verge of breaking on the scene for a few years now. White Acre brings catchy pop with novel new arrangements to us on this delicious little platter that's sure to catch the attention of the major labels. _Billy's Not Bitter_ does a lot of things right. First, the tunes are familiar without being common. The music is founded around the alterna-pop standard guitar, bass, and drums line-up with an occasional detour to White Acre's unique unplugged sound. (In 1994, _Guitar Player_ magazine praised White Acre as one of "those rare young players blessed with both precocious chops and bold stylistic vision.") _Billy's Not Bitter" is steadfastly minimalistic without sacrificing layer upon layer of sonic twists and turns. White Acre produced the album himself, and his previous experience as a producer lends a balance and perspective to the whole album. White Acre's lyrics tell tales of befuddled love and range from quirky to philosophical. "All 4 Love" paints the portrait of a mother who prostitutes herself while her son plays in the room next door. "All 4 Love" could be a nice little cliche on moral decay, but White Acre takes the routine a step further to the mother's suicide and the son taking up the family business for his sister. "Counting" is probably the best bet for a single off _Billy's Not Bitter_, but don't hold your breath given White Acre's history of obscurity in the face critical acclaim. Instead, help keep Billy from being bitter. Take the bull by the horns and write to oralsect@aol.com for the lyrics and more info. --- SOUND BITES REVIEW: Steve Wynn, _Melting In The Dark_ (Zero Hour) - Al Muzer Featuring Thalia Zedek and Chris Brokaw from Come, former Dream Syndicate/Gutterball guy Steve Wynn rips through some of the coolest 'billy-rooted crunch-rock since Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs influenced Robyn Hitchcock to emulate John Lennon on acid way back when. The unbridled joy with which Wynn cranks out what are, without doubt the best tunes of his career, captures and holds your attention throughout what is unarguably one of the best discs released this year. REVIEW: Plastic Mikey, _Cook Up Something New!_ - Al Muzer Featuring an amazingly sharp sense of pop song craft and wistful, Tony (Edison Lighthouse) Burrows-caliber vocals bounced off cool, Samba-fied jazzed beats, a Violent Femmes sense of musical and lyrical playfulness, and minor lounge, funk, soul, new age and Charlie Brown piano flourishes - these guys sound sort'a like a hip version of Gerry Rafferty done up as Ben Folds Five for the '90s. For more information, contact Brian Hutzell, 2512 W. Leland, Ste. #1, Chicago. IL 60625 or via e-mail at aladdin@suba.com REVIEW: Brian McMahon, _17 Volts_ (Crab Pot) - Al Muzer Former Electric Eels founding member Brian McMahon has mellowed considerably over the ensuing years since that obscure, in-yer-face, pre-punk musical barrage's 1972 debut. Now a song-driven minimalist with a innocent sense of whimsy and a wide-eyed, endearing quality about him, McMahon putters his way casually through 17 extremely lo-fi, thoroughly winning, garage rock influenced, keyboard-fueled, Lou Reed-circa-Velvet Underground tunes as done by a supremely buzzed Wreckless Eric/Alex Chilton disciple. For more information, contact Crab Pot Records, 1535 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60622 --- REVIEW: Rasputina, _Thanks for the Ether_ (Sony) - Courtney Muir Wallner Melora, Julia, and Agnieszka are Rasputina, an all cello band who are fascinated with nineteenth century romanticism and the use of fantasy as a means of expression. Their music is a combination of dark, heavy melodies which swoon upward and downward in a direct contrast to Melora's tiny soprano vocals. Melora, who hails from Kansas and played with Nirvana on the last leg of their final European tour, is Rasputina's primary songwriter. Julia is from Canada, Agnieszka from Poland and each share a love of Victorian history. Melora placed an ad looking to form an all cello band and discovered upon meeting Julia and Agnieszka that they all attended the same nanny school in Manhattan. Soon after they formed Rasputina, A Ladies Cello Society was born, which is the enactment of their music and love of history into their daily lives. Whether they actually extol the true values of the domestic sphere of nineteenth century women is debatable, rather they appear to incorporate the parts that appeal, such as the hoop skirt, corsets, and long skirts and mix it with twentieth century ideals- giving themselves the freedom to choose how to lead their own lives. They can choose to perform with their skirts hiked up around their thighs while barefoot, and wearing their long hair down and twisted into dreadlocks, and feel empowered rather than scorned. And by choosing to mesh the best of both worlds, it looks as if Rasputina has created an atmosphere where they can feel at home. That is the joy of being able to examine history with hindsight; one can take what one likes and leave the rest. Rasputina's debut _Thanks for the Ether_ is a medley of warbling vocals and music that is as complex as it as simple - simple in the sense that the music is unpretentious and is pure in it's intention. The music is driven solely by three cellos and accompanying vocals. The complexity is found in the spectrum of emotions inveighed into each song, such as in "Transylvanian Concubine", which chronicles the historical story of the Vampire. As in "Mr. E. Leon Rauis", after stumbling upon an old photograph of a young gentleman, they took their own images of fantasy and decided what may, or may not, have become of him during his lifetime. The expression of human emotion and the telling of exotic fantasies was what made nineteenth century art so appealing. And the idea of female empowerment was the reality of a few select women who were strong enough to take it, and the fantasy of everyone else. Rasputina, with all the fanfare their foresisters would have appreciated, takes these dreams and makes them their reality. --- REVIEW: The Low and Sweet Orchestra, _Goodbye To All That_ (Interscope) - Lee Graham Bridges With their debut album, the members of The Low and Sweet Orchestra say _Goodbye To All That_- goodbye to punk, goodbye to standard rock instrumentation, but also goodbye to making a lasting impression on the smart record shopper. Most of the band's (you didn't think it was really an orchestra, did you?) members have punk roots. Guitar and banjo player Zander Schloss was a member of The Circle Jerks. Schloss and lead vocalist Mike Martt were both members of Thelonius Monster. Accordion player James Fearnley had previously torn things up with Irish punkers The Pogues, thus adding to the atmosphere of Irish, American country and western, and other European influence. Those who buy this album may be excited upon hearing such an interesting mix of aural flavors, then realize that the musical structure still leaves something to be desired in terms of intricacy and originality. On a more basic level, the songs were not likely made from an effort at artistic expression but a need to ensure the final product would have a user-friendly appeal. However, it is the lyrics, not the music, that is the greatest inherent problem with this album. The songs deal with heartache, lost love, and hardship much the way Warrant or Poison dealt with sexuality: senselessly, not attempting to motivate the listener to feel vicariously what is being conveyed musically to some extent. Without realism. Bands getting their start in the industry could be told a million times that lyrics need to be either creative, completely unintelligible (but adding to harmony), or nonexistant to make an impact on an experienced, discerning listener, but many bands would still write songs like these. For all their lyrical and musical enthusiasm, the Low & Sweet take themselves too seriously, to a melodramatic effect. Martt's vocal texture initially reminds the listener of Bruce Springsteen and/or John Popper, but even the lyrics themselves pander to a too-simple aesthetic similar to pop songs of a very by-gone era. "The most punk thing you can do is expose your emotions, your sadness and joy. The edge lies not in the volume but the emotion," remarked Schloss. Very well said - but the Low & Sweet's one-sided songwriting, while user-friendly as mentioned before, doesn't achieve the unique edge they aspire to. --- CONTEST WINNERS: The winners for copies of Merril Bainbridge's Top 10 single, "Mouth" (on Universal Records), are: Christian Saboro, Adrian Buckley, Dov Wisebrod, P Kalapa and Arabella Clauson. Congratulations to all winners, and thanks for everyone who entered. --- NEWS: > Beggars Banquet, the label which has at one time or another had artists such as The Cult, Charlatans, Bauhaus, Go-Betweens, Love and Rockets and Gary Numan on their label, has established a Web Site which not only includes the general news and reviews on the label's releases, but also an area where people can post their "Records Wanted" (as a free forum) of any Beggars artist that is no longer available. The site is located at http://www.beggars.com > The release of Blind Melon's forthcoming documentary home video, _Letters From A Porcupine_ will be celebrated with a free, all-ages screening of the video at Wetlands in New York City at 8 pm on Wednesday, November 13. The video will be released on November 19. > L.A. Live is broadcasting the Social Distortion concert from the Hollywood Palladium on November 15 at their Web site, http://www.lalive.com > Liquid Soul, the ten piece acid jazz group from Chicago, recently reissued their self-titled debut on Miles Copeland's newly formed Ark 21 Records. _Liquid Soul_, originally released on the band's own Soul What Records, was reviewed in Issue #81 (July 11) of Consumable Online, and can be located on our website at http://www.westnet.com/consumable/1996/07.11/revliqui > A new unofficial Smashing Pumpkins web site has opened up online - interested surfers can find it at http://www.ping.be/~ping1977/page/index.htm > Sonicnet chats coming up include They Might Be Giants on Nov. 7 (7 pm EST) and Blind Melon on Nov. 8 (7 pm EST); all chats are located at http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat/ > The Stone Roses have officially broken up, former lead singer Ian Brown announced. Former bassist Mani has recently hooked up with Primal Scream. --- TOUR DATES Boozoo Chavis Nov. 9 Abbeyville, LA St. Teressa's Hall Nov. 17 Opelousas, LA Trail Ride Vic Chesnutt Nov. 11 Charleston, SC Music Farm Nov. 12 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 Nov. 14 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Nov. 15 Brooklyn, NY St. Ann's Nov. 17 Wilmington, DE Rehobothe Beach Chimera Nov. 12 Ewing, NJ Trenton State University (with Jeffrey Gaines) Phil Cody Nov. 7 Toledo, OH Underground Nov. 8 Pittsburgh, PA Civic Arena Nov. 10 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop Nov. 12 Milwaukee, WI Rave Bar Nov. 13 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry Nov. 15 St. Louis, MO Side Door Nov. 16 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck Connells Nov. 12 Scottsdale, AZ Rockin' Horse Nov. 13 West Hollywood, CA House Of Blues Nov. 14 San Diego, CA Brick by Brick Nov. 15 San Juan, CA Coach House Nov. 16 San Francisco,CA Slim's Cracker / Self Nov. 13 Newark, DE Stone Balloon Nov. 16 Troy, NY Rensselear Polytech. Inst. Cravin' Melon Nov. 7 Danville, VA Sir Richards Nov. 8 Richmond, VA Alley Cats Nov. 9 Washington, DC The Bayou Nov. 11 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Nov. 12 Boston, MA Bill's Bar Nov. 13 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar Nov. 14 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Deftones Nov. 7 Long Beach, CA Tower Rec./KROQ-FM show Nov. 9 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre Nov. 10 Albuquerque, NM The Zone/KZRR-FM show Nov. 12 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch Nov. 13 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit Nov. 14 Houston, TX The Abyss Nov. 15 Dallas, TX The Galaxy Nov. 16 New Orleans, LA Tipitinas Nov. 17 Atlanta, GA The Point Fixx Nov. 14 Morgan, NJ Club Bene Guy Forsyth Nov. 14 Waco, TX Burgers & Blues Nov. 15 Houston, TX Satellite Club Nov. 17 Austin, TX Antone's Grant Lee Buffalo / 16 Horsepower / Slush Nov. 10 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 Nov. 12 Seattle, WA Showbox Nov. 13 Portland, OR La Luna Nov. 16 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour Gravity Kills / Chainsuck Nov. 12 Kalamazoo, MI Warehouse Nov. 13 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room Nov. 14 Milwaukee, WI Mojeska Nov. 16 Minneapolis, MN 1st Avenue Boo Hewerdine / Darden Smith Nov. 7 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern Nov. 9 Eugene, OR John Henry's Nov. 10 Portland, OR Alladin Theatre Nov. 12 Davis, CA Palms Playhouse Nov. 13 San Francisco, CA Hotel Utah Nov. 14 Monterey, CA Morgan's Nov. 15 Santa Monica, CA McCabes Nov. 16 San Juan Capistrano, CA The Coach House Nov. 17 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Inti-Illimani Nov. 14 Davis, CA University of California-Davis Nov. 16 Stanford, CA Lively Arts Parlor James Nov. 13 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill Nov. 14 Santa Monica, CA Ash Grove Jars of Clay Nov. 8 St. Petersburg, FL Mahaffey Theater Nov. 9 Jacksonville, FL Velocity Nov. 10 New Orleans, LA House of Blues Nov. 15 Santa Barbara, CA UCSB Event Center Nov. 16 Irvine, CA Bren Events Center Kula Shaker Nov. 12 Boston, MA Paradise Nov. 14 Toronto, ONT Opera House Nov. 15 Pontiac, MI 7th House Nov. 16 Chicago, IL Double Door Liquid Soul Nov. 14 San Diego, CA Hurrican Nov. 15 Los Angeles, CA Luna Park Nov. 16 San Francisco, CA Elbo Rom London Suede Nov. 12 Grenoble, Fra Summum w/Boo Radleys Nov. 14 Paris Bataclan w/Boo Radleys Nov. 15 Le Mans, Fra Salle D'allones w/Boo Radleys Nov. 16 Bordeaux Krakatoa w/Boo Radleys Tara MacLean Nov. 11 Toronto, ON C'est What Nov. 15 Ottawa, ON Zaphod's Nov. 17 North Bay, ON Wylders Teddy Morgan Nov. 7 San Marcos, TX Cafe on the Square Nov. 14 Wichita, KS Panama Reds Nov. 15 Lawrence, KS Jazzhaus Nov. 17 Kansas City, MO Grand Emporium Doc Powell Nov. 16 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavilion Primitive Radio Gods Nov. 12 State College, PA Crowbar Nov. 13 Pittsburgh, PA Grafitti Nov. 14 Indianapolis, IN The Patio Nov. 15 Columbia, MO Blue Note Nov. 16 St. Louis, MO Galaxy Pusherman Nov. 12 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Nov. 13 Detroit, MI Shelter Sabri Brothers Nov. 11 Ashland, OR Southern Oregon State College Nov. 12 Bloomington, IN Lotus World Music Festival Nov. 13 Chicago, IL Gateway Nov. 14 Toronto, ON Roy Thompson Hall Nov. 15-16 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies Nov. 7 Tuscaloosa, AL Old Train Station Nov. 8 Macon, GA Elizabeth Reed Music Hall Nov. 9 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's Nov. 10 Chattanooga, TN The Bay Nov. 12 Atlanta, GA Smith's Old Bar Nov. 13 Birmingham, AL The Nik Nov. 14 Columbia, SC Elbow Room Nov. 15 Charleston, SC Music Farm Skold Nov. 7 Dayton, OH Sanctuary Nov. 8 Grand Rapids, MI Intersection Nov. 10 Cincinnati, OH Topcat's Nov. 11 Nashville, TN Ace of Clubs Nov. 13 Denver, CO Snake Pit Stabbing Westward / Ash / Drill Nov. 12 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue Nov. 14 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall Nov. 15 Cleveland, OH Odeon Nov. 16 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall Stillsuit Nov. 8 Purchase, NY SUNY Purchase Nov. 9 Fitchburg, MA 490 Club Corey Stevens Nov. 7 Burlington, VT Club Toast Nov. 8 Utica, NY Captain Trips Rain Forest Nov. 10 Ft. Myers, FL WRXK Festival Nov. 12 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall Nov. 13 Dayton, OH McGuffy's Nov. 14 Ft. Wayne, IN Pierre's Nov. 15 Sommers Point, NJ Brownies Nov. 16 Cleveland, OH Wilbert's Bar & Grille Nov. 17 Toledo, OH Steven Jay's Test Dept./Sheep on Drugs. Nov. 10 Tampa, FL The Empire Nov. 13 Boston, MA Mama Kin Nov. 14 Phillidelphia, PA Middle East Nov. 15 New York, NY WestBeth Theater Nov. 16 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom Nov. 17 Albany, NY QE2 Tool Nov. 11 Kansas City, MO Memorial Hall Nov. 12 St. Louis, MO American Theatre Nov. 14 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom Nov. 15 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall Nov. 16 Cincinnati, OH The Garage Steve Wynn Nov. 14 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Nov. 15 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Sophie Zelmani Nov. 11 Boston, MA Kendall Cafe Nov. 12 New York, NY Arlene's Grocery Nov. 13 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel Nov. 15 Chicago, IL Urbis Orbis Nov. 17 Minneapolis, MN Bryant Lake Bowl --- Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest continuous collaborative music publication on the Internet. To get back issues of Consumable, check out: WWW: http://www.westnet.com/consumable FTP: ftp.quuxuum.org in the directory /pub/consumable ftp.prouser.org 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 (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. Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online, 409 Washington St. #294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 ===