==== ISSUE 60 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [November 13, 1995] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford, Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Britain Woodman Also Contributing: Rey Roldan Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak, Jason Williams Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net ================================================================== All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this document must be obtained from the editor. ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' INTERVIEW: The Beautiful South - Rey Roldan CONCERT REVIEW: Mike Peters, Fez, New York City - Bob Gajarsky CONCERT REVIEW: Weezer, The Warfield (San Francisco) - Courtner Muir Wallner REVIEW: Meat Puppets, _No Joke!_ - Mario J. Lia REVIEW: Mike Scott, _Bring 'Em All In_ - Reto Koradi REVIEW: PM Dawn, _Jesus Wept_ - Tim Hulsizer REVIEW: _Means To An End: The Music of Joy Division_ - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: Tindersticks, _Tindersticks_ - Tim Mohr REVIEW: Flaming Lips, _Clouds Taste Metallic_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Guru, _Jazzmatazz Vol. 2: The New Reality_ - Britain Woodman REVIEW: Henry Threadgill, _Makin' A Move_ - Ali Sinclair REVIEW: Tenderloin, _Bullseye_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Joan Armatrading, _What's Inside_ - Ali Sinclair REVIEW: Eric Andersen, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ - Jon Steltenpohl NEWS: Counter Aid '95, Natalie Merchant's CD Video Single, Poemfone, Sonicnet happenings TOUR DATES: Joan Armatrading, Ben Arnold, Banco de Gaia / Emergency Broadcast Network, Barkmarket, Better Than Ezra (With Dambuilders), Bjork Boiled In Lead, Billy Bragg, Combustible Edison, Cornershop, Cravin' Melon Dance Hall Crashers, Eastbound / Grotus, Electrafixion / Echobelly For Love Not Lisam, Green Magnet, Kate Jacobs, Freedy Johnston King Missile / Urchins / John S Hall, Knapsack, Lizard Music, Mana Natalie Merchant, Mike Peters Acoustic Tour, Phish, Ruth Ruth/Everclear 7 Mary 3, Skirt, Sky Cries Mary, Spacehog, Stanford Prison Experiment Tenderloin/Psyclone Rangers, McCoy Tyner, Urge Overkill ERRATA Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: The Beautiful South - Rey Roldan The Beautiful South has always been one of those bands that should be big, like Tuscadero, David Gray, and Moxy Fruvous. But being one band in a major label's pot of simmering acts can be a disheartening thing. Originally signed to Elektra at a time when they had to compete with such label-mate luminaries as The Sugarcubes, The Pixies, and The Cure, their brand of smooth provincial pop was no match for the sales figures and indie cred that those bands had. In fact, Elektra had to resort to promoting the band by referring heavily on their previous incarnation, the seminal and very much respected Housemartins, to stir any interest instead of letting the music speak for itself (much like Elektra is currently doing with ex-Galaxie 500 Dean Warham's band, Luna). "At first, we tried to steer clear of any mention of The Housemartins", says ex-Housemartins (natch!) drummer and currently one of the Beautiful South vocalists (they have three) Dave Hemingway. "We hoped people would take us on our own merit, but [our origins] kept following us." The comparisons are hard to escape especially with ex-Housemartins singer and another current Beautiful South vocalist Paul Heaton and his unmistakable high octave bluesy voice. "I've come to embrace [the Housemartins] questions, and now I can look fondly on the band, not like before." Currently sporting a new label (Mercury) and a greatest hits package _Carry On Up The Charts_ (reviewed in a February issue of Consumable), which is the third highest selling album in UK history (behind only Michael Jackson and Phil Collins), The Beautiful South are ready to kick in their assault on the US. "We've always had a good hold of the US, especially with our tours, but the sales figures have never been the best," he explains. "It seemed as if [Elektra's radio promotions department] didn't know what to do with us. Hopefully Mercury's will be able to figure it out." Musically, The Beautiful South are an odd pop band. Chock full of three part harmonies, a solid rhythm section, and an energetic brass section, their brand of music would seem to attract more of a mellow 70s fanbase that one that is very much steeped in crunchy guitars and brash atmospherics. But the main difference is the ironic content of the lyrics. Sometimes blacker than pitch but often with a humorous ironic twist, a normal track listing for a Beautiful South record can speak about spousal murder, masturbation, and shoplifting all the while skipping to an easy-listening pop beat. "I've never really thought about all the murders in our songs," laughs Hemingway. "I guess there really is a lot, ain't there?" While _Carry On Up The Charts_ tends to focus on the more semi-innocent love songs like "Sail This Ship Alone" ("they said that if I burned myself alive/ That you'd come running back"), a general overview of their full-length albums betrays a sinister underbelly of slayings, from the tell-tale heart-esque "Woman in the Wall" ("Well he was very rarely drunk but very rarely sober/ And he didn't think his problem was his drink/ But he only knew his problem when he knocked her over/ And when the rotting flesh began to stink") from their debut _Welcome To The Beautiful South_ to the serial murders of a lover's family of _0898_'s "Something that You've Said" ("So if you walk into your house and she's cutting up your mother/ She's only trying to tell you that she loves you like no other"). Through the course of a full record, whole communities of characters are slayed, maimed, or are so emotionally wounded that they might as well be dead for all intents and purposes. "I guess you can say we're serial character killers," he laughs. "I guess you can say that I'm fascinated by serial killers, but I don't really follow them. Just recently, a couple in Gloucester [Fred West and his wife] were convicted of killing over ten people. However, he hanged himself before he went to trial, and now his wife is on trial for ten murders, even though the actual number is closer to thirteen." A common thread along the Beautiful South discography is violence against women, namely wives and lovers. "I Should've Kept My Eyes Shut" from the album _Choke_ follows a daughter who witnesses her father strangling her mother. The aforementioned "Woman in the Wall" has a husband kill off his wife and then proceed to bury her in the wall. "We don't just kill women in our songs," he corrects. "We kill a lot of men too. I don't want people to think we're misogynists, because we're not. We are, in fact, feminists," he states unflinchingly. "One of the problems Briana [Corrigan, former female vocalist] had was the focus of the lyrics. She found offense with a number of our songs, and many times we've changed lyrics when we realized that she was right." One of the last straws unfortunately was the catchy single "36D," from _0898_ (which is the UK equivalent to a 1-900 sex line). With a refrain of "36D, so what?/ Is that all that you've got?", the song reeks of women-as-objects sentiment. "Briana took offense to the lyrics to that song, and she ended refusing to sing on that song," he replies. "But the misogyny of the song was not intended at all. She misunderstood the point of the song. And now looking back at it, I sometimes regret that the song was released at all." Fortunately, Hemingway and band are sidestepping many controversial subjects these days and focusing more on La La Love songs. "The violence of the lyrics was reflective of Paul [Heaton]'s state of mind back then," Hemingway says. "For a while, Paul was writing very violent songs because he had a lot of pressure that he needed to release. But recently, he has been writing love songs. Lately, his domestic situation has been really nice, with his girlfriend and stuff." So now instead of blood-spewing across lyrics sheets, there are titles such as "Prettiest Eyes" and "One Last Love Song," and a faithful cover of Harry Nilsson's number one hit of 1969 "Everybody's Talking." But it's not all shiny, happy love songs skipping to a smiley beat. Interspersed amongst the heart-pounding romance is the trademark Beautiful South black humor. "Paul's attitude and songwriting may change unexpectedly any minute," Hemingway warns. Who knows, the next song title Paul scrawls across his songbook may just be "Everybody's Talking about Her One Last Prettiest Eye." --- CONCERT REVIEW: Mike Peters, Fez, New York City - Bob Gajarsky The Alarm were one step away from becoming an alternative rock super-group, and making the jump from college radio to pop music without compromising their integrity. The two groups to whom the Alarm were most often compared, R.E.M. and U2, are still around today and selling millions of albums. But, for reasons unknown to this critic, the Alarm could never take that next step. Former lead singer Mike Peters has gone solo and is on tour in anticipation of his 1996 debut release. Unlike other singers who eschew their past (Morrissey immediately leaps to mind), Peters let there be no doubt about how his fame arose. Interspersing songs with anecdotes from the Alarm's past - the attempted kidnapping of a British journalist, to force him to see how "great" the pre-Alarm (Seventeen) were, or an introduction of a fan who was quite literally the world's biggest Alarm fan - Peters created a friendly atmosphere which made the audience realize how fortunate they were to be in attendance. Rather than take on the air of a huge pop star, Peters instead came across as a long-lost relative, performing at a family gathering. And the smile on his face - when the crowd of less than two hundred people sang along with nearly every song - was priceless. The classics were all there - "The Stand", "Rain In The Summertime", "Strength", "Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?", "Rescue Me" - and Peters introduced a couple of his new songs, which were performed with the same passion and integrity which gripped his previous hits. The chills in this author's spine were present through most of the other audience members. Peters also performed a few rare (only performed live) B-sides; these were recently recorded by Mike on an album titled _Second Generation_, which consists of ten songs, half electric and half acoustic. The album is available in the U.S. by phoning 716-827-1244 or writing to MPO at PO Box 213, Buffalo, NY 14220-0213. Web surfers can order it through Peters' Web site at http://www.demon.co.uk/alarmpo - the cost is $15 + $2 shipping. There's always the opportunity to see a band in a large setting, *after* they've made it big - it's much more difficult to see a rock superstar in smaller, intimate venues. Peters' return to his roots is something that absolutely should not be missed - possibly the event, for any fan of the Alarm (or any modern rock fan), of the year. --- CONCERT REVIEW: Weezer, The Warfield (San Francisco) - Courtner Muir Wallner At first the evening seemed like any other before a Weezer concert, with young adolescents and high school students milling about the place donned in their signature Levi's and miscellaneous haircolors. Only this was the final show on a long tour and the excitement hung anxiously in the air as the line grew larger in front of The Warfield. Mykel and Carli, Weezer's loyal friends and fan club organizers, chatted effortlessly with a group of fans waiting to be granted admission. (Earlier, Pat Wilson, the drummer of Weezer, and his wife Jen Wilson, had attended an informal gathering of fan club members and friends, organized by Mykel, Carli and others.) Inside the euphoria grew as fans greedily bought up every Weezer article for sale. The atmosphere was one of anticipation and cheer as opposed to previous Weezer shows, where coolness and tough aggression abounded. Perhaps this was due to the particular audience, or the Warfield's unique design. One could choose the mosh-pit right next to the stage, the "standing only" area that was guarded and controlled by the staff, or choose to have a few drinks at one of the many tables in the back. And the view was wonderful no matter where you went. That Dog opened and then Teenage Fanclub followed, putting on a great show. After a rather long break, the theme song to Battlestar Gallactica seeped out into the audience and the crowd went wild. A cardboard Chewbaca stood quietly over the to left side of the stage as lead singer and guitarist Rivers Cuomo hobbled efficiently with the use of his cane over to his mike (due to the brace on his leg). Bassist Matt Sharp and guitarist Brian Bell, came running onto the stage, arms flailing and then Sharp screeched his comical greetings for all to enjoy. Without any further ado, they burst into "No One Else." The show had begun. These guys put on an utterly fantastic show. While playing guitar during one of their newer songs, "Getchoo," Cuomo played the keyboard with the tip of his guitar. And of course, Sharp and Bell made up for Cuomo's lack of mobility by dancing, jumping, swinging their butts in the air, you name it. Petra Haden, from That Dog, snuck out on stage during "My Name Is Jonas" and let off a eery wail, startling the crowd and Cuomo alike. And as if the crowd willed something special to happen during "Buddy Holly" by their overwhelming cheers and screams, rainbow colored streamers came flying through the air and landed on the audience, like a true symbol of the festivity and finality of the event. Before we all knew it, the show was over. Outside the tour bus young fans lined up in the hundreds it seemed, as the band finished up with their ritual Sega hockey game, sans Brian Bell. Eventually a car pulled up for Cuomo, who smiled appreciatively as he exited the bus and signed autographs before he was whisked away to his hotel. Sharp was on board, opening and admiring a gift from a fan, and Bell, who was more daring, walked freely amongst the crowd, hugging and talking to fans, and posing for pictures. This show was the last until next spring, Cuomo told the crowd, and it was visible from the grins upon everyone's faces. --- REVIEW: Meat Puppets, _No Joke!_ (London) - Mario J. Lia In 1980 the Meat Puppets broke onto the scene with their _In A Car_ EP. Since then they have continued to push the boundaries and expand the musical horizon. _No Joke!_ their ninth album goes out and reaches outer space. This new album starts where the last album, _Too High To Die_, ended. It includes the same weird artwork as always but this time some of it is drawn by non-band members of the Kirkwood family (Catherine and Elmo). Once again it is produced by Butthole Surfer guitarist Paul Leary. This time Leary adds to the recording even further by playing lead guitar on "Inflatable". The Meat Puppets have always had a country-ish song or two on their albums and this one is no exception. However, the tempos are a little more brisk and chords jingle with distortion. Texture is added to some songs by the use of the Hammond B3 organ and piano as well as the use of the cello on the chamber hall sound of "Head". No matter what music you are into you will like this album. If you liked _Too High To Die_ or any other Meat Puppets album _No Joke!_ will fill with more of the same great stuff. And if you haven't really been into them, now is the time to try them. Whether it's the rock & roll of "Poison Arrow" or the raw energy of "Scum" this album will become a favorite. No joke! --- REVIEW: Mike Scott, _Bring 'Em All In_ (Chrysalis/EMI) - Reto Koradi Mike Scott may sound like a new name to many, but he has been around for quite some time, leading the Waterboys for more than 10 years. He dissolved the band in '93 and relocated from Manhattan to Scotland. His journeys through the world, finally having found the right place, are a major topic in the lyrics of his first solo album _Bring 'Em All In_, mainly in the key track "Long Way To The Light" (with the great line "but if you wanna give God a laugh, tell him your plans"). This is a very personal, intimate and passionate record, not only in the poetic lyrics, but also from the musical point of view. He plays all instruments himself, and recorded it on simple equipment. The production is almost too low-fi, with partly audible tape noise, but it ensures that the music goes straight to the heart. The main elements are his vocals and the acoustic guitar, spiced with some keyboards and electric guitars. Not only the occasional harmonica revokes memories of Bob Dylan, if you imagine Dylan having a much better voice and the energy that he lost long ago. And what a fine songwriter Mike Scott is! The spectrum goes from "She Is So Beautiful", a classic ballad that belongs on every list of greatest love songs, to the upbeat, groovy "Building The City Of Light". Mike Scott shows once more that folky singer/songwriters are not a thing of the past. Good music is not a question of following current trends; this album has the quality that it takes to stand the test of time. And if you are more into harder stuff, it still makes a wonderful Christmas present for your beloved ones. --- REVIEW: PM Dawn, _Jesus Wept_ (Gee Street/Island Records) - Tim Hulsizer I consider PM Dawn to be my "guilty pleasure". I know it's a bit cheesy, but I can't help it because they sound so good. As you probably know, they had a big hit a few years back with a song called "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss," which borrowed the undeniably catchy riff from "True" by Spandau Ballet. That seems to be half of PM Dawn's philosophy; take a great tune from an old song, add some soul-searching lyrics, and whip up a hit song. The sad thing is, I fall for it every time, hook line and sinker. This time out the group is sampling hot and heavy, lifting grooves from Joni Mitchell, Deep Purple, and 808 State among others. The results are the usual successful mixture of rolling 70's/80's pop melodies with contemporary beats and sound production, and the lyrics of course are still out there as far as ever. Prince Be AKA Reasons, is the head honcho lyricist of the group, and he's decidedly different. I just read in an interview that he decided not to talk for three weeks last May when he turned 25. Another time he was at a radio station and he claims he asked the listening audience to come take his unlocked Pathfinder truck if they wanted it (apparently nobody was listening, because it was still there with the keys in it when he came out). He goes out of his way to turn his brain inside out when he writes his songs. Love, souls, religions, it's all here...after two albums of goofy searching, our pals have embraced Christianity, and they aren't shy in devoting every second of the album to it. Now, I'm hardly the most religious fellow on Earth, but for some strange reason I like this album. A lot. It's a combination of things, I guess. First, my favorite 808 State song is "Pacific," and PM Dawn has chosen that as one of their samples. Second, nearly every song, though pretentiously deep in the lyric department, embeds itself in your brain, causing you to sing it all day. Third, the last song on the new album is an 8-minute medley of Prince's "1999," Talking Heads' "Letting the Days Go By," and the now-classic song "Coconut". Lastly, in their mandatory incomprehensible intro track, they include a sample of Linus from a Peanuts cartoon, talking about the Great Pumpkin (a thinly veiled reference to God, no doubt). So what if they're too serious for their own good? So what if they borrow the tunes for the first 5 songs from other groups? PM Dawn does it with style...and _Jesus Wept_ is a smooth, stylish ride indeed. --- REVIEW: _Means To An End: The Music of Joy Division_ (Virgin) - Lee Graham Bridges It seems that a Joy Division covers compilation would be a good idea --besides, many people have been interested to see how musicians react to this fantastic (if not a bit psychologically disturbed) band. This was finally realized with _Means To An End_, a 14-song tribute to one of the most prominent influences on modern rock. Unfortunately, it is less an honor to the band than it should be. The new renditions range from "pumped full of drugs" ("New Dawn Fades") to sluggish ("Transmission") to outright weirdness ("As You Said"). In all, about one-third of the covers are in some way interesting, uniquely different, bringing something new to regular perspectives of the original. The remainder is pretty lame--merely a copy of the original greatness with a modern kind of twist. Let's focus on the good covers. Moby's uncharacteristic guitar-strangled cover of "New Dawn Fades" is phenomenal--one of the few modern versions to match the strength of the original. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" has been interestingly (if not a bit more sweetly) reconstructed, with the same melody but a feminine voice that is less somber than Ian Curtis's on the original LWTUA. Kendra Smith did well with her cover of "Heart and Soul", and the cover of "As You Said" by Tortoise is quite unique. Finally, let's not forget the fine vocals of Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan on the cover of "Isolation", done by Starchildren. Overall, though, the album is rather disappointing. The songs are without much flavor, sporting flat vocals and in most cases, chancing little or no deviation from the original Joy Division melodies. Real tributes, too infrequently witnessed here, mean some special input from the band--and in this sense _Means to an End_ is not truly worthy of the title "tribute album." Perhaps it would have been more interesting if there were a wider variety of types of artists (e.g. Garth Brooks helping out on the Kiss tribute album). Nonetheless, being more inspired by originals, I would rather suggest purchasing Joy Division's _Substance_ or the recent (but rather unnecessary) compilation _Permanent_. Track Listing: She's Lost Control - Girls Against Boys; Day Of The Lords - Honeymoon Stitch; New Dawn Fades - Moby; Transmission - Low; Atmosphere - Codeine; Insight - Further; Love Will Tear Us Apart - Stanton-Miranda; Isolation - Starchildren; Heart & Soul - Kendra Smith; 24 Hours - Versus; Warsaw - Desert Storm; Walked In Line - Godheadsilo; Interzone - Face To Face; As You Said - Tortoise --- REVIEW: Tindersticks, _Tindersticks_ (London) -Tim Mohr Even without exaggerating, the Tindersticks are an extraordinary band. Unlike most anything in the current musical landscape, their songs emerge from arrangements of strings, horns, xylaphones, and other fairly unusual instruments for a pop or rock recording. And yet the record remains sparse and brooding rather than over-blown and tacky. The result is experimental in the strict meaning of the word; their sound, however, has little to do with bands normally tagged "experimental." On their second album Tindersticks continue to amble their dusky path through an arid countryside that bares similarities to regions plowed by Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Red Hill Painters, American Music Club, Souled American, or PJ Harvey. The deep, ragged voice that moderates Tindersticks has a forlorn expressiveness that inspires a loyal following, though it is not grating enough to animate the complementary hatred that Tom Waits' voice does. The opening track, "El Diablo En El Ojo," is a harbinger of the album to come: a slow bass, whispy organ, and vocals are eventually joined by a spooky string ensemble and climax in a dissonant frenzy. Other tracks utilize different arrangements to the same affecting end. "Snowy in F# Minor," for example, is slightly faster, adds piano, and is urged on by some brass and a wooden flute. Tindersticks integrate all the diverse instrumentation into an earthy, unassuming album with none of the pretense or grandiosity that might come to mind when strings, horns and rock are combined. Their writing process must approach actual composition; rather than ordinary rock ballads with expensive decorations sprinkled on, the songs seem to have been envisioned as multi-instrumental from the start. This adventurous approach to writing makes Tindersticks very difficult to describe without scaring people off: very few bands will use just a few odd instruments to build a song if they are going to go to the trouble of calling in a string ensemble or a brass section or whatnot. The lack of overkill, the sparse, open feel, is a saving grace. But so few bands manage this restraint that writing about a band that uses strings automatically induces skepticism as people recall hulking monstrosities like Guns N Roses' "November Rain" or Extreme's outings with full orchestra. Atmospherically, the Tindersticks second lp is a latenight masterpiece, an addition to the Mazzy Star/Drugstore (Drugstore's Isobel Monteiro appears on _Tindersticks_) section of your collection. An album to listen to alone, a musical comfy chair into which to collapse at the end of the week. --- REVIEW: Flaming Lips, _Clouds Taste Metallic_ (Warner) - Joe Silva The label exec who's been pounding on Wayne Coyne's Dad's garage door to tell him and the other Lips that they've nabbed enough real world success now that they can stop being goofy and write more hits, has yet to be heard by the inhaitants inside. Top forty chart positions and Batman aside, there's nothing on _Clouds Taste Metallic_ that sounds the least bit tainted by the fact that they may have made the racks at Wal-Mart. On the outside, this all still sounds like a series of fragmented ruminations on the "Why Things Are" level - like a small clique of middle class adolescents, way stoned and mulling over things like the origins of a bag of candy orange slices. This is all sloppily pasted with Elmer's to an off-kilter, unmanicured sonic vision of the rock universe. In other words, it doesn't matter how Yes came up with all those complicated songs that suburbia is forced to redigest daily, this is as close as they'd care to come. On the inside though, _Clouds_ is wholly relevant to scores of future people - teen heads who hang out on Main Streets everywhere with shlocky dye jobs and MTV as their sole means of making sense of what possibility lies beyond their pre-fab existence back home. The cosmic pertinence therefore is not so much that being joyfully weird is a possibility, but the joyful possibilities that being weird can afford. There's only so much importance you can attach to growing up in today's America, if you can already map your existence full circle back to your parent's living room ethics. So even without the tuneful catchiness of a "She Don't Use Jelly," The Lips shouldn't be dismissed as cartoonish alterna-rockers randomly musing into their microphones and driving haphazard melodies through their not necessarily well ajusted amplifiers. For all of the mild disorder built into the structure, _Clouds_ is no "whatever sticks" venture. By the time they get to their stride with "Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus With Needles," there's already serious otherworldliness afoot. It's the vibe that the post- partum Sonic Youth seem to latch onto less frequently - a spacey guitar line hovers in the background while up front while Steven Drozd drums, miked clean and mixed up high, create the naked tension down in front. Being track two, it's like the post launch high - a soaring feeling that if you're not sure about whether or not you should be here, the fact remains that it's a little too late to do otherwise. When you land eleven tracks later, having waded through sleigh bells, projector noises, and assorted guitar wanderings, you realize the extent to which the Lips can and have traveled. With the "aurally excited version" of "Bad Days," Coyne (jokingly or not...) becomes the latest rock fellow to worship at the altar of the lost and demented surf God. The Brian Wilson-ness of the tune, filled with the wonder of buzzing guitars, is (again, jokingly or not...) undeniable. It comes off monumental, a blissful touchdown with off the cuff harmonies and toy marimba/xylophone flourishes. Pushing any further examination away, _Clouds_ is an aural continuum done in high Slurpee fashion - brightly coloured, middle fidelity confection that you know will hurt if you drink it too fast. But that's also essentially a major part of the fun, isn't it? "Where does space end?" indeed. --- REVIEW: Guru, _Jazzmatazz Vol. 2: The New Reality_ (EMI) - Britain Woodman A major turning point in the hip-hop/jazz crossover of the mid-90s came in the summer of 1993, when two albums were released:_Hand On The Torch_ by US3, a group of British DJs given full run of the Blue Note catalog, and Guru's _Jazmatazz Vol. 1_, an experimental jazz/rap crossover record that took Guru's ten years of jazz experimentation with Gang Starr to the next level -- live musicians. Although Guru's album had all the credibility, US3's album sold like hotcakes, becoming jingle-bait for everyone from Betty Crocker to HBO. Two years later, Guru's back, and promoting a "new reality." "I'm here to give direction," he states on the lead-off track, "'cause I'm The Lifesaver." Backed by crossover group The Solsonics, he offers observations and inspirations between cuts in spoken-word form, as well as kickin' it in collaborations with everyone from Jamiroquai to Donald Byrd. The thing that seems to have caught many rap fans off-guard about this album is that such a hot album could be made without cusswords, a lyrical staple. This is part of Guru's plan to reach younger people than would otherwise have the option to listen to this record. DeLores Tucker ain't got nuttin' on Guru. Although a lot of the content is inspirational (as in the standout track, "Count Your Blessings"), Guru's not preachy (or, even worse, Anthony Robbins) and this disc has some great music. You'd have to really, really, really, hate rap music, in fact, not to enjoy _Jazzmatazz Vol. 2_. -- REVIEW: Henry Threadgill, _Makin' A Move_ (Columbia) - Ali Sinclair When I was about fifteen years old, our class music teacher, Mr. Humphries, decided to give us a lesson in avant-garde jazz. First he played us a couple of recordings: then he sent each of us into the store room to collect an instrument, any instrument: as long as it was something that we did not know how to play (we were lucky: our school was very arts-and-music minded, and most of us could play something-or-other, whether it was symphony-quality violin or oboe, or a simple xylophone or penny-whistle). And then, switching on the reel-to-reel tape recorder, he ordered us to play and play and play... and later, when we listened to the "music" we had created, it sounded just like the "avant-garde" stuff we'd been listening to earlier... a cacophony, a noise, a musical Tower of Babel with everyone following their own thread and meeting in time, rhythm or harmony only occasionally, by chance. That is what Henry Threadgill's _Makin' A Move_ could have sounded. But it doesn't... instead, he takes rock, jazz, classical rhythms, a striking lead guitar, a brass band (at least, a tuba or two) cellos and guitars... and creates a musical masterpiece. It's not a CD for the top twenty, and I doubt that any of the tracks will be heard on popular, commercial radio, but this man's music should be HEARD... for example, the third track on the CD, "Official Silence", is more evocative and atmospheric than a lot of the music currently filling cinemas as soundtrack: it is dark and criminal, with a semi-comic melody, like a large Mr. Plod the Policeman tracking a bungling burglar down a dark back street full of alleys and dustbins and running tom-cats... I like this CD. It's chaotic, like Van Gogh on a stormy night. You can't classify it or file it: it has a style of its own, like a Martian circus. It's not jazz, it's not classical, it's not rock--but there's something of each in there. It's an adventure. It's life--and it's alive! I'm off to find some more Henry Threadgill recordings... --- REVIEW: Tenderloin, _Bullseye_ (Qwest/Warner Bros.) - Joe Silva With all due deference to Toto and his master, Kansas can be a fairly off kilter locale. Williams S. Burroughs aside, venturing into the somewhat tranquil town of Lawrence, Kansas, one doesn't expect to come across a lit up marquee with a band roster that features the likes of the sonically caustic (and probably now forgotten..) Kill Whitey. But it happens. And therefore it makes sense that Tenderloin can gravitate there as well - gathering en mass to put together a few pounds of serious American and not quite rockabilly-ish clatter. Leaning towards the school that encompasses the good Reverend Horton Heat (the band bears several ties to that camp) the Buttholes, Mojo Nixon, the Allmans and possibly Geoge Thorogood, Tenderloin is the band you expect to find drowning out the WWF match on the big screen at the bar you come across when wandering the back roads of Alabama. A one-time Sub Pop release of "Supernatural Bolonga" initially drew interest, but _Bullseye_ is not quite hit the mark material. The The guitars are done in stainless steel (yawn) distortion, undercut by double bass drum thumps and splashes of vaguely processed harmonica lines. Ernie Locke country growls atop what sometimes collapses into a down home rumble ("Hearty Beef Party") and generic 4/4 riff working ("Alabama Hammer"). But there are moments when Tenderloin almost gets it back in order despite Locke. "Mystified" is a salvaged moment, but it fades quickly. "Inseminator" tries to pull a Twin Peaks/Doors spookyness, but the psuedo-darkness can't be upheld despite what turns out to be Locke's best moment on mouth organ. Musically and otherwise, one's better off with one foot in the Rev. Heat camp and the other in the Motorhead realm. As a band that attempts to straddle the breach between the two, Tenderloin are best left to stew a while longer. --- REVIEW: Joan Armatrading, _What's Inside_ (RCA) - Ali Sinclair The latest collection of songs from British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, _What's Inside_, is as energetic as her long-ago-1970's and 80's albums such as _Walk Under Ladders_ and _The Key_ (remember "Drop The Pilot" and "Love and Affection"?) The songs are personal but not private, emotional but not silly, strong but not fierce. Her voice is warm, round: the guitar, like a friend. She pours herself into the songs: she says that she writes songs because "it is as natural as breathing". She tells stories and draws portraits with music and words--and smiles through the song. "Everyday Boy" and "Trouble" are examples of Ms. Armatrading at her best, and "Merchant Of Love" is outstanding. Some of the tracks are more blatantly commercial: I prefer the deeper, thoughtful numbers. With thirteen numbers to choose from on _What's Inside_, there's a wide range of Armatrading styles, with something that should find favour with each and every one of her fans--and new listeners, too. --- REVIEW: Eric Andersen, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ (Plump Records) - Jon Steltenpohl The first thing that stands out about Eric Andersen's album _Ghosts Upon the Road_ is the picture of Andersen himself staring directly out of the cover and into your eyes. At first glance, he appears to be a haggard, hard-luck individual, but when you stare back into the image on the cover, the gruff appearance is transformed into a quiet, gentle soul. Andersen's voice comes across the same way. It sounds a little rough and tired, but after a careful listen, Andersen's voice reveals itself to be tender and understanding. With a batallion of acoustic guitars, shimmering back-up vocals supplied by Shawn Colvin, and atmospheric keyboards, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ is a typical modern folk album. "Typical" in this case means that it's better than 90% of the music you can normally find on your radio dial. Andersen's imagery is gritty and a little too honest to be comfortable, and he tends to take a song to its stark, silent depths. For the enlightened who have their CD rack filled with Green Linnet and Philo/Rounder albums, _Ghosts Upon the Road_ nestles itself fairly well next to modern folk greats such as Bill Morrissey or possibly David Wilcox. Listeners without a background in modern folk will note that _Ghosts Upon the Road_ was produced by Steve Addabbo who has worked with Suzanne Vega and Shawn Colvin. In fact, the album features many of Vega's band from the _Solitude Standing_ era including keyboardist Anton Sanko and bassist Michael Visceglia. Also prominent on the album are John Leventhal on guitar and Andy Newmark on percussion. Andersen chooses a different musical path than Vega. His songs are not as pop oriented, and the lyrics are often musical portraits of past journeys. What this means in practical terms is that Andersen inspires eyes closed contemplation instead of chorus sing-alongs. _Ghosts Upon the Road_ was originally released in 1988 and has now been re-released on Plump Records. However, re-releases seem to be a large part of Andersen's career. Andersen was part of the early folk and singer- songwriter scene in the 60's that included such luminaries as Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, and Bob Dylan, and he had his big break in 1972 with the album, _Blue River_. The follow-up album to _Blue River_ was to be a classic, but the master-tapes mysteriously disappeared before any copies were made. The loss devastated Andersen's career, and for almost 20 years, his music just wasn't the same. It wasn't until the 1988 release of _Ghosts Upon the Road_ that Anderson re-emerged in the U.S. Then, in 1991, his lost album was miraculously recovered and released as _Stages: The Lost Album_. Since then, Andersen has released a few albums on Rykodisc with Rick Danko of The Band and Norwegian artist, Jonas Fjeld, under the name of "Danko Fjeld Andersen", and Plump Records has re-released _Ghosts Upon the Road_. For more information on Eric Andersen, contact Plump Records at 1-800- PlumpCD or on the internet at Plumprec@aol.com. --- NEWS: > Counter Aid '95, where music performers man the registers at various retail outlets across the country to help raise money for those living with HIV/AIDS, is scheduled this year for December 2. Some of the stars who have currently signed up include: (New York) Evan Dando, Juliana Hatfield, Lisa Loeb, J. Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr.) and Sponge; (Los Angeles) Coolio, Mike Inez (Alice In Chains), Johnette Napolitano, Martin Page, Weird Al Yankovic; (Atlanta) Speech (of Arrested Development); (Miami) Rembrandts; (Minneapolis) Jayhawks. More artists are being added daily. > Natalie Merchant's new single, "Wonder", will be released in enhanced CD format at no extra cost. This will combine the video for the single as well as two audio tracks, one of which is the previously unreleased "Baby I Love You". In addition, Merchant will be appearing on the Tonight Show on November 24. > Poemfone: The Web Site - the best of new spoken word live, recorded and on the Internet - will be released in January. For those who are interested in seeing what it's like before then, there will be performances on Thursday, November 16 from 9:30-midnight at the @ Cafe in New York City. Hosted by Jordan Trachtenberg, spoken word performances will be given by Penny Arcade, Nicole Blackman, M. Doughty of Soul Coughing, Anne Elliott, Bobby Miller, Hal Strowitz, Sparrow and Edwin Torres. > Sonicnet happenings: Nov. 13, Mystery Melrose Theatre (8 pm); Nov. 14 Superchunk (5 pm); Nov. 15 Bob's conscious party with Jim Carroll (8 pm); Nov. 20 Dead Milkmen (6 pm); Nov. 27 Hardcore conferences XI hosted by Roree Krevlin with Ignite. Sonicnet can be accessed on the WWWW at http://www.sonicnet.com --- TOUR DATES Joan Armatrading Nov. 16 Madison, WI Civic Theatre Nov. 19 Minneapolis, MN State Theatre Nov. 21 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre Ben Arnold Nov. 15 Brookline, MA The Tam Nov. 16 Boston, MA South Station (WBOS-FM Concert) Nov. 17 Albany, NY The Metro Nov. 22 Brookline, MA The Tam Banco de Gaia / Emergency Broadcast Network Nov. 16 Boston, MA Axis Nov. 17 New York, NY Palladium Nov. 18 Philadelphia, PA Asylum Nov. 21 Atlanta, GA Masquerade Nov. 22 Orlando, FL Embassy Nov. 23 Miami Beach, FL Cameo Barkmarket Nov. 13 Madison, WI O'Kayz Coral Nov. 14 Kansas City, MO Daily Grind Nov. 15 Omaha, NE Cog Factory Nov. 16 Lawrence, KS Replay Lounge Nov. 18 Boulder, CO Club 156 Nov. 21 Seattle, WA Moe Club Nov. 22 Portland, OR Satyricon Better Than Ezra (With Dambuilders Nov. 6-Dec.11) Nov. 13 Baltimore, MD Hammerjack's Nov. 14 Wilmington, DE Stone Ballroom Nov. 16 Charlottesville, VA Trax Nov. 17 Norfolk, VA Boathouse Nov. 18 Richmond, VA Floodzone Nov. 20 Dayton, OH McGully's Nov. 21 Louisville, KY Brewery Nov. 22 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights Bjork Nov. 14 New Haven, CT Palace Theater Nov. 16 Providence, RI The Strand Nov. 17 New York, NY Roseland Boiled In Lead Nov. 15 Davis CA The Palms (acoustic) Billy Bragg Nov. 14 Seattle, WA Backstage Nov. 15 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom Nov. 17 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue Nov. 18 Chicago, IL Double Door Nov. 20 New York, NY Tramps Combustible Edison Nov. 15 Philadelphia, PA Silk City Nov. 16 New York, NY Tramps Nov. 17 Providence, RI Met Cafe @Lupo's Nov. 18 Cambridge, MA Middle East Downstairs Cornershop Nov. 13 Boston, MA Paradise Nov. 14 New York, NY Irving Plaza Nov. 15 Washington, DC Black Cat Nov. 17 Atlanta, GA Masquerade Nov. 18 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle Nov. 20 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Nov. 21 Philadelphia, PA Nick's Nov. 23 Toronto, CA Hoseshoe Tavern Cravin' Melon Nov. 15 Statesboro, GA Legends Nov. 16 Athens, GA Ga Theater Nov. 17 Clinton, SC Pres College Nov. 22 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's Dance Hall Crashers Nov. 15 Houston, TX Deep Phat Nov. 16 Austin, TX Electric Lounge Nov. 17 Ft Worth, TX Engine Room Eastbound / Grotus Nov. 14 Long Branch, NJ Brighton Bar Electrafixion / Echobelly Nov. 13 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 Nov. 14 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre Nov. 16 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Nov. 17 Chicago, IL Metro Nov. 18 Cleveland, OH Odeon Nov. 19 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall Nov. 21 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre Nov. 22 Montreal, QC Club Soda For Love Not Lisa Nov. 14 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck Nov. 15 Tulsa, OK Ikon Nov. 18 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre Nov. 20 Salt Lake City, UT Bar & Grill Nov. 21 Los Angeles, CA Lava Lounge Nov. 22 Hollywood, CA Dragon Fly Green Magnet Nov. 15 Boise, ID The Neurolux (w/godhead silo) Nov. 17 Eau Claire, WI The Golden Chair Nov. 18 LaCrosse, WI The Warehouse Nov. 19 St. Louis, MO Cicero's Nov. 21 Denton, TX The Argo Nov. 22 Austin, TX Emo's Kate Jacobs Nov. 17 Hoboken, NJ City Hall Coffee House Freedy Johnston Nov. 13 Burlington, VT Club Metronome Nov. 15 Baltimore, MD 8*10 Nov. 16 Piermont, NY Turning Point Nov. 17 Long Branch, NJ Metro Lounge King Missile / Urchins / John S Hall Nov. 18 New Brunswick, NJ Court Tavern Knapsack Nov. 15 Denton, TX Argo Nov. 16 Austin, TX Emo's Nov. 17 Monroe, LA Loose Caboose Nov. 21 Richmond, VA Twisters Nov. 22 Lexington, KY Wrockladge Nov. 23 Huntington, WV Drop Shop Lizard Music Nov. 13 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill Nov. 15 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour Nov. 16 Silverlake, CA Spaceland Mana Nov. 17 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavillion Nov. 18 Tucson, AZ Convention Center Nov. 19 El Paso, TX UTEP Natalie Merchant Nov. 15 Berkeley, CA Community Theatre Nov. 17-18 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre Nov. 20 San Diego, CA Symphony Hall Nov. 21 Mesa, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre Nov. 22 Tucson, AZ Civic Center Mike Peters Acoustic Tour Nov. 13 Ithaca, NY Haunt Nov. 14 Wilmington, DE Kelly's Logan House Nov. 15 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar Nov. 16 Washington, DC Bayou Nov. 17 Richmond, VA Twisters Nov. 18 Atlanta, GA Smith's Olde Bar Nov. 19 Raleigh, NC Brewery Nov. 20 Baltimore, MD Club Midnight Nov. 21 Camp Hill, PA Zee's Underground Phish Nov. 14 Orlando, FL U. of Central Florida Nov. 15 Tampa, FL Sundome Nov. 16 West Palm Beach, FL West Palm Beach Auditorium Nov. 18 N. Charleston, SC N. Charleston Coliseum Nov. 19 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Coliseum Nov. 21 Winston-Salem, NC Lawrence Joel Coliseum Nov. 22 Landover, MD US Air Arena Ruth Ruth/Everclear Nov. 14 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall Nov. 15 Atlanta, GA The Point Nov. 16 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's Nov. 17 Washington, DC 930 Club Nov. 18 New York, NY West Best Theatre Nov. 20 Providence, RI Met Cafe Nov. 21 Syracuse, NY Lost Horizon 7 Mary 3 Nov. 14 Vancouver, BC Town Pump Nov. 15 Portland, OR La Luna Nov. 16 Seattle, WA Weathered Wall Nov. 18 Colorado Springs, CO Rack N' Roll Nov. 20 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights Nov. 21 Chicago, IL Cubby Beat Nov. 22 Milwaukee, WI Unicorn Skirt Nov. 16 Columbia, SC Elbo Room Nov. 17 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia St. Pub Nov. 18 Augusta, GA Red Lion Sky Cries Mary Nov. 13 Long Beach, CA Csu Long Beach Nov. 15 Los Angeles, CA UCLA Nov. 16 S Juan Capist., CA Coach House Nov. 17 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour Nov. 18 Phoenix, AZ Gibson's Nov. 19 Tucson, AZ Club Congress Nov. 22 Salt Lake City, UT Cinema Bar Spacehog Nov. 13 Las Vegas, NV Freemont Street Nov. 14 Phoenix, AZ Electric Ballroom Nov. 15 San Diego, CA Backdoor @SDSU Nov. 16 Los Angeles, CA Palace Nov. 18 Denver, CO Bluebird Cafe Nov. 20 Omaha, NE Capitol Bar Stanford Prison Experiment Nov. 15 San Jose, CA Cactus Club Nov. 16 San Francisco, CA San Francisco University (Noon) Nov. 22 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour Tenderloin/Psyclone Rangers Nov. 12 New York, NY Coney Island High Nov. 13 Cohoes, NY Saratoga Winners Nov. 15 New London, CT El N Gee Nov. 16 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass Nov. 17 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 Nov. 20 Tallahassee, FL Cow Haus McCoy Tyner Nov. 16-19 Boston, MA Charles Hotel Nov. 20 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Urge Overkill (dates subject to change) Nov. 22 Chicago, IL The Metro Nov. 24 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre Nov. 25 Milwaukee, WI TBA Nov. 26 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue Nov. 28 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre --- ERRATA: The band touring with Ash in the U.S. is China Drum not China. 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