==== ISSUE 98 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [January 18, 1997] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Paul Grzelak, Janet Herman, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann 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: Space, _Spiders_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Various Artists, _ A Tribute to Mott The Hoople_ - Al Muzer REVIEW: Lemonheads, _Car Button Cloth_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Wilco, _Being There_ - Scott A. Miller REVIEW: The Odds, _nest_ - Bill Holmes SINGLE REVIEW: No Way Sis, "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" - Tim Mohr REVIEW: The Year Of Graham Parker - Daniel Aloi REVIEW: Various Artists, _Scream_ - Bob Gajarsky INTERVIEW: Gouds Thumb - Al Muzer REVIEW: Various Artists, _Punk-O-Rama Vol. 2_ - Simon Speichert REVIEW: Dots Will Echo, _Get Your Hands Off My Modem, You Weasel_ - Al Muzer REVIEW: Linda Perry, _In Flight_ - Reto Koradi NEWS: Blondie, Fleming and John, MuCoMo Coffee Break, Tom Petty, Squirrel Nut Zippers TOUR DATES: Aphex Twin, Chalk Farm / Wild Colonials, Connells, Goldfinger / Reel Big Fish, Nanci Griffith, Huey Lewis & The News, Jesus Lizard, Mars Needs Women, Metallica, Porno For Pyros, Poorhouse Rockers, Professor & Maryann, Royal Fingerbowl, Sebadoh, Stillsuit, Type O Negative / Sister Machine Gun / Drain S.T.H., Vallejo Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Space, _Spiders_ (Universal) - Bob Gajarsky You may have noticed our European correspondents putting the debut record of Space, _Spiders_, in their top 5 of *1996*. It's no accident that Europe has fallen in love with this British band and if there's any justice in the world, America will as well. The four-piece outfit of Tommy Scott on vocals and bass, Jamie Murphy on vocals and guitar, Franny Griffiths on keyboards and Andy Parle on drums bears relation to their Britpop neighbors only in their decidedly British accents and their country of origin. Weird without being incomprehensible, different while maintaining the aura of pop, Space somehow produce a wonderfully original record without ignoring their musical predecessors. Many of the tracks offer two or three completely distinct styles within four minutes of pop bliss. While most albums can be captured in a few key phrases such as techno, industral, or synthpop, _Spiders_ defies such categorizations. Possibly the closest comparison to Space would be the psychedlic dance beats of Shaun Ryder's groups, Happy Mondays and Black Grape. After all, songs such as "Mister Psycho", "Voodoo Roller" and "Major Pager" approach the best of Ryder's groups' output. However, the part that may be most challenging for music fans raised on a mentality of "3 singles, 3 mid level tracks, and 4 filler tunes" is that these standout songs are neither indicative of the album, nor its best tracks. That honor lies with the three British top 20 singles which helped _Spiders_ debut at number five on the British charts and become so popular as an import that Universal had to move up its release date for the album by several weeks. Those singles *do* display all the diversity Space has to offer. "Me and You Vs. The World" harks back to the early British pop of the 60's in that same vein as the Kinks and Herman's Hermits. Mexican cha-chas, a la Ben E. King's "Spanish Harlem", is the background for a Burt Bacharach meets alternative lounge music - sprinkled with some xylophones - on "Female of the Species". Juan Esquivel would have an absolute field day with this one. The third single and leadoff track, "Neighbourhood", is probably the standout song on this collection full of stars. Spy theme music serves as the mural which Space use to paint a Pulp-ish sounding hit. Even the lyrics are quirky - their neighborhood consists of the local transvestite, the serial killer vicar who lives at 666, the big butch queen, and the folks who make a living off of crime - but are never there because they're all doing time. Vocalist Tommy Scott explains the method behind their writing madness, "I get my ideas from Quentin Tarantino movies and Looney Tunes cartoons. We'll never write ordinary love songs. We're more likely to write 'I met a girl and she's in love with me so she poisoned my entire family'." The diversity doesn't end there. Funk and white suburbia rap also make their presence on different cuts and, if there weren't already enough twists and turns on _Spiders_, the group end the album with a pure techno track - no vocals - "Growler". It doesn't hit 160 beats a minute, but it could easily fit in at a rave. _Spiders_ is why full length albums were invented, instead of singles. The only common thread among the fourteen tracks, besides the band, is Space's committment to altern-pop sensibility. Because of its diversity, _Spiders_ may prove to be too smart an album for generic record buyers. But for anyone who appreciates an album that from start to finish never lets up - and never lets the listener down - _Spiders_ is a must-have. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Moth Poet Hotel: A Tribute to Mott The Hoople_ (Triad/Nippon Columbia Japan) - Al Muzer It's about time someone got around to paying proper tribute to Mott. And who better to oversee the project than former Love Affair/Mott The Hoople keyboardist Morgan Fisher? Finally beginning to receive the recognition they've long deserved, the general tendency has been to view Mott The Hoople as glam-rock one-hit wonders who got lucky when they hooked up with David Bowie (who penned "All The Young Dudes" for the band's 1972 album of the same name) - and who, just as quickly, sank back into relative obscurity once Ziggy moved on. The first rock band to play Broadway, and the musical instigators of a riot at London's Albert Hall that resulted in a ban on all rock shows at the venue for the next few years; Mott The Hoople were important (albeit unsuccessful) contributors to the British music scene long before Bowie's interest was initially piqued. An integral factor in the sound and atmosphere of the final two "official" Mott The Hoople albums, as well as the two half-hearted efforts recorded under the aegis of "Mott" that followed the departure of singer/songwriter/guitarist Ian Hunter; Fisher's production and keyboard work throughout most of this outstanding disc helps maintain a sense of cohesiveness despite the wide (and wild) variety of musicians involved. Recorded, save two tracks, by some of Japan's best rock, punk, folk and alternative bands (as opposed to the "cutesy-pop" acts that normally clutter that nation's charts); the CD not only serves as an updated reminder of one of rock's most underrated influences - it's also an effective showcase for several Japanese groups who would otherwise remain secrets of the far East. The CD kicks off with an uplifting version of "All The Young Dudes" that features enthusiastically-mauled lyrics sung by an assortment of Moth Poet All Stars who obviously don't choose English when asked their language of choice. Osaka's Easy Walkers follow with an exceptional, slightly-Stones, very cranked rip at "Rock 'N' Roll Queen" that features a phlegm-spewin' harp solo, a spunky bass lick and buzzin', Keith Richards-fueled dual guitars. Despite an all-Japanese vocal, there's absolutely no denying the brilliant riff and infectious melody of "Honaloochie Boogie" - Ian Hunter's finest moment and certainly an opportunity for The Yellow Monkey to add yet another outstanding single to their collection (the band had a No. 1 album on the Japanese charts in 1995) of hits. Hiroshi Yamaguchi's Heat Wave check in with a majestic, seven-plus minute version of the introspective "Ballad Of Mott" that positively soars thanks to violin, harmonica, tin whistle, mandolin and acoustic guitar offset by Fisher's wheezing melodion and Dave Hatcher's resonating, northumbrian pipes. Brian May's rollicking take on "All The Way From Memphis" finds the former Queen ax-wizard earning extra points for his one-man guitar/bass/keyboards act; while sampled bits from an old Mott live recording, Cozy Powell's over-the-top skin bashing, and Hunter himself turning up in the studio to lay down backing vocals - helps elevate the track to near-classic status and makes it an instant stand-out. Following May's thunder would seem a considerable task for anyone, which is why Kazufumi Miyazawa's stark, acoustic guitar/harp/spoken-word (Japanese, of course) folk rendition of "I Wish I Was Your Mother" makes perfect sense. The High Lows' exuberant, party-time version of "The Golden Age Of Rock 'N' Roll" picks up the tempo; which seems to goad The Privates into 'Pistol-whipping the proto-punk, "Death May Be Your Santa Claus," into submission in slightly under seven minutes. The disc winds down with a spacey, Manfred Mann-meets-Umma Gumma re-working of the formerly delicate "Trudi's Song" as performed by Shake (sha-keh); and ends with an unusual, yet catchy, kaleidoscope of Music History 101 from Fisher that ripples with a static-funk beat, Mott-ready keys, a chooglin', T-Rex guitar riff, Lou Reed-caliber vocals and an almost "Creeque Alley"-ish lyrical history of Mott. Not quite as electrifying as the original versions (and what tribute album is?); the conclusion of _Moth Poet Hotel_ will more than likely find you pushing the "repeat" button on your CD player rather than digging through your old vinyl for a copy of Brain Capers - which says a lot about Fisher's labor of love. Join the Mott The Hoople mailing list by e-mailing: majordomo@pobox.com and typing "subscribe hunter-mott" as the body of text in your message. For those of you with access to a good source of import records, (or, if you're a good American distributor looking for something unique to add to your catalog) the disc is on Triad/Nippon Columbia Records, #COCA-13627. --- REVIEW: Lemonheads, _Car Button Cloth_ (TAG/Atlantic) - Joe Silva When it became clear that beatific pop beast Evan Dando would probably not become another rock casulty (at least not before handing in another proper album), the news set off a spike on the intrigue meter. You had to wonder how much his well-reported excesses in the wake of decent airplay had affected his output. Then there was all that tambourine wagging during his entourage status in the wings of the Gallagher Britpop circus over the last year to up the curiosity factor. But like a more durable version of Gram Parsons, Evan has survived all of this and knocked out a solid, if not slightly skewed collection of new material. What seems to shine through _Car Button Cloth_ is more Dando's appreciation for a wide range of pop flavours than his ability or current willingness to project any sort of unified vision. But this may be one of the few non-positive issues you can take with this release overall. With one or two commercially viable pop entries logged here for career continuity (and because he probably just can't help it), the album careens off in directions as theologically disparate as cheesy western send-ups and psuedo-garish rock poses. What that probably says about Dando, is for all of The Lemonheads' college/indie roots, he always maintain an affinity for hooks and wound up, unmannered guitars no matter how they manifest themselves. So for much of _Car Button Cloth_, Evan appears less of a wistful Gen-X crooner than a well rounded muso that has the divine sense to work up engaging tunes and letting them flourish without being overly kneaded by their progenitor. For proof, there's the spot on single "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You" co-masterminded with Eugenius focal point Euguene Kelly. Well honed Lemon-regular Tom Morgan contributes the serio-comic "The Outdoor Type," and ex-Dinosaur Jr. drummer Murph helps to propels numbers like "Something Missing" and "One More Time." Yes, "6ix" is apparently about some well placed clothes hanger in the fashion world that Evan shamelessly references, but it's essentially useless to ponder. More entertaining contemplations can probably be had by trying to place the retro keyboard lines in "C'mon Daddy". True to form and mussed around the edges, _Car Button Cloth_ may not quite satisfy as many Mrs. Robinsons as he has in the past, but it is yet another Evan dandy. --- REVIEW: Wilco, _Being There_ (Reprise) - Scott A. Miller Try to remember the year you first really heard rock and roll. The way you memorized the songs, all of which seemed to actually be about you. The way you practically worshiped your favorite band and couldn't wait to get to the record player and play whole albums over and over again. The way you wondered why radio stations didn't just put albums on and let them play because albums were much better than the singles the stations were playing anyway. The way you knew being in a rock band was the only future you could imagine. Wilco frontman and songwriter Jeff Tweedy apparently remembers. Wilco's second release, the two-disc _Being There_, finds him mining his own love for late '60s and early '70s rock to come up with 19 songs that pay tribute to classic rock without sounding as tired as, say, the classic rock radio format. "I wanted our influences to be right on the surface on this one ... I really wanted it to be 'Wilco quotes from their, or maybe your, record collection," states Tweedy. And if you've seen some of the media attention paid to _Being There_ so far, you'll find out he's succeeded. There are songs like "Monday" and "Say You Miss Me" that have Rolling Stones written all over them. "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)" shows Tweedy listened to a little Beach Boys while growing up and maybe caught a few episodes of public television's most famous kids show, "Sesame Street." (The album is dedicated to Tweedy's newborn son, Spencer.) There's a loose "let's go into the studio and jam" feel to many of the songs. "Misunderstood" and "Sunken Treasure" both stretch out more than six minutes long. Disc Two's last song, "Dreamer In My Dreams," was recorded live in the studio and appears to end two times before finally calling it a day. But the fact that a few songs aren't as tight as most '90s rock and roll doesn't mean _Being There_ doesn't have focus. Disc One has more straight-ahead rock songs. Disc Two is prettier. Tweedy tried to make both discs about "the emotional experience of songwriting from the inside out." And his voice is still that perfectly flawed, easy-going instrument it has been since Tweedy's Uncle Tupelo days, sounding a lot of times like a less world-weary John Mellencamp. There's very little on _Being There_ that hearkens back to Wilco's excellent first album _A.M._. There's no "Casino Queen;" no "Box Full of Letters." But from the album's noisy opening on Disc One to Disc Two's "last encore at the roadhouse on a hot summer night" end, Tweedy shows you don't have to make the same record twice to prove you're a great songwriter. Making two records at once, though - now _that's_ the stuff that makes kids want to be a rock and roll star. --- REVIEW: The Odds, _nest_ (Elektra) - Bill Holmes This is the fourth album by the pride of Vancouver, Canada, and it's great to watch a band mature into an unselfish, cohesive unit. The Odds are blessed with two gifted yet diverse songwriters who blend their vision, swallow their egos, and let the whole band cook up the goodies. Building upon last year's stellar _Good Weird Feeling_, which juxtaposed heart-wrenching ballads with classic pop, _nest_ is another sampler platter of melodic, harmonic, creative songs that should garner them some long overdue recognition in the United States. The Odds are fuller and fatter this go-round, adding snippets of trumpets and keyboards along with inventive background vocal arrangements. As I was trying to settle on a word to describe the overall sound of this record, I remembered the first time I heard _The Beatles_ (a.k.a. the "White" album) and was struck by the fact that such a potpourri of music was still somehow linked by a common thread. Couldn't pin that one down, either. Now I'm not going to hang the Beatles mantle on these guys; Oasis can live with that albatross. There are a few tips of the cap, of course. Check out the Harrison guitar leads and Macca-like rhythm piano of "Suppertime", or the Lennon-ish closing piece "At Your Word". Crowded House fans will savor the beautiful vocals, acoustic guitars and organ wash in "Heard You Wrong" and "Nothing Beautiful Lasts". Maybe even a little vintage Squeeze in "Hurt Me"? There's a lot going on here - the call-and-response vocals of "Say You Mean It Wondergirl", the in-your-face guitar riffs of "Tears And Laughter", the rock-meets-rumba beat of "Night's Embrace"...not a duff track in the lot. But for the essence of the Odds, just slip this disc into the player and listen to the killer 1-2-3 punch that starts it off. "Someone Who's Cool" is the prototype ear grabber - chunky guitar, killer backbeat, and a sing-along chorus that will have you blowing out the car speakers. The fact that it's also funny, literate and self-depreciating despite it's la-la-la chorus just takes it up another notch. Bang - track two's slide guitar and pleading vocal slides you into mid-tempo heaven, more manna from Canada! By track three's snap-snare intro and ringing guitar, it's too late - you're hooked for the ride. There's no doubt that these guys are solid and versatile musically - they can rock the house with anyone or play with restraint, and the production and arrangements (kudos to Steven Drake) are top-notch. But if you coast on the melodies alone you might find yourself humming the infectious refrain from "Nothing Beautiful Lasts", only to realize later that it's written from the perspective of a cockroach! But don't let that "odd" perspective throw you - gloss past the wordplay and you'd miss such gems as "out come the stars, pinholes of light in a moth eaten blanket held over the night" ("Out Come Stars"), or this cautious confession from "Make You Mad": "When I call you beautiful /It's cause I can / and when you think I'm sucking up / I sort of am..." Craig Northey and Steven Drake, the guitarists and vocalists, are a powerful tandem, but don't sell the rhythm section short. Bassist Doug Elliot's vocals are a key ingredient in the band's exquisite harmonies, and drummer Pat Steward is solid and vibrant without ever sounding "busy". Here's the topper - as good as they are on record, as a live band they step it up a notch. Do I have any complaints about this record? Well, after the last song, it ends... --- SINGLE REVIEW: No Way Sis, "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" (EMI U.K.) - Tim Mohr This single presents an intriguing situation, where a group of Oasis-copycats take the real Oasis to task for copying old songs. Apart from the various levels of irony on display, the No Way Sis cover of the New Seekers song-cum-cola advertisement is a terrific piece of Oasis-style rock. Added to the song are background vocals of "shake along with me," mocking No Way Sis's heroes for ripping off "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" in their hit "Shakermaker." The b-sides include two oasis-style-but-no way sis-written tunes, an up-tempo instrumental, "Quick Sand Song," and the wistful acoustic "Good Times," presumably sung, like the Noel-sung b-side on every Oasis single, by the ersatz Noel of no way sis. Some might say this is the nadir of Britpop's derivative tendencies, but on the other hand it is difficult to criticize a band that imitates a band who admit to imitating the Beatles (though Oasis did think up their own name). While many bands slyly left from other groups or songs, No Way Sis, unlike Northern Uproar (Oasis) or Heavy Stereo (Slade) or Gene (the Smiths) or Elastica (Wire) or Pulp (Laura Branigan's "Gloria", itself taken from the Italian Umberto Tozzi), are willing to give credit to the original authors and freely admit they are aping their heroes. This makes them not dissimilar to many bands from a period whose credentials are rarely questioned, namely the Beat/British Invasion era that saw the rise of many bands with covers of old favorites: the Rolling Stones with "Not Fade Away" or "Time is on my side" or "Route 66," the Beatles with "Twist and Shout" or "Chains," the Animals with "House of the Rising Sun," the Searchers with "Love Potion Number 9," Manfred Mann with "Doo Wah Diddy" - the list is endless. No Way Sis have, incidentally, signed a five-album deal with EMI U.K. --- REVIEW: The Year Of Graham Parker (multiple releases) - Daniel Aloi Quick! Name an artist that had eight releases in 1996. No, not Pere Ubu, not Mannheim Steamroller, not the Grateful Dead. Try some little guy from England. Amid a flurry of multiple-label activity in reissues, live albums and compilations on both sides of the pond, Graham Parker released a new studio album in the fall, _Acid Bubblegum_ (Razor & Tie) which does indeed rock. With a tight band behind him, Parker kicks into some venomous and sharply critical songs - including "Turn It Into Hate," "Impenetrable," and the corporate protest song "Beancounter." One song in his recent acoustic "grown-up" vein is the ballad "The Girl at the End of the Pier," whose subject jumps off as the mellow arrangement comes to a close. More typical of this new pink Parker is this line in "Sharpening Axes": "I don't appeal to the masses, and they don't appeal to me," sung in a wizened, almost tired voice. Parker even knocks a soul icon in "Obsessed With Aretha:" "You might even say the girl's still got soul - but not that much." GP plays all guitars; the band includes Rumour bassist Andrew Bodnar and Blondie's Jimmy Destri on keyboards. In his own label bio (also posted on the Razor and Tie website), Parker describes his more diligent fans thus: "Goldmine-reading, vinyl-browsing, obscure-B-side-hunting, proud (and extremely boring) Pink Parker-owning (get a life, why don't you)." He wants fans to skip everything else and buy _Acid Bubblegum_. Fat chance. He knows us too well to expect that. Those fans will welcome the newly remastered landmark 1979 album _Squeezing Out Sparks_ (Arista) CD, which includes the onetime promo-only collector's item _Live Sparks_, a sequential live version of the album, with "Mercury Poisoning" and "I Want You Back Alive" added. The live performances are rather flat compared to the album versions, but this remains a godsend for those who never found a copy of the original promo LP - and vindicates Parker's topping the Village Voice critics' poll for 1979. The liner notes by Ira Robbins provide an informative historical context, and Parker's essay - on the quagmire of creative dead-ends and musicians' egos in the making of the album - are almost as entertaining and informative as the aural document they describe. Still, Parker can't recommend it, for pragmatic reasons: "On my last royalty statement from Arista, I owed them eight hundred thousand dollars - so you won't even be doing me a favor!" On the independent "tribute" CD _Piss & Vinegar: The Songs of Graham Parker_ (Buy or Die) some artists have varying success with GP's songs as they rub shoulders with such Parker friends and fans as The Figgs (who incited epic pub-rock frenzy when they both opened for and backed Parker on his recent tour); the Smithereens' Pat Dinizio (with Frank Black on "Local Girls"); 22 Brides ("You Can't Be Too Strong"), the Health and Happiness Show ("Stupefaction") and Neal Casal ("Black Honey"). Tribute maven Jon Tiven does a laconic version of "Fool's Gold." On the whole the album is an interesting mix of styles and reworkings of familiar material, and it's a good way for non-fans to discover the artistry behind all the songs - but you're left with this nagging certainty: Nobody sings 'em better than Parker. To that end, you can check out some of these other '96 releases: a 3-CD box set of career highlights on Demon Records (U.K.), as well as _The Best of Graham Parker and the Rumour_ (Polygram U.K.), _Graham Parker and the Episodes Live in New York, NY_ from 1995 (Rock the House/Classic Records/Razor & Tie), _BBC Live in Concert_ (Windsong) and a Penguin audiobook of Parker reading Jack Kerouac's _Visions of Cody_. That's enough to keep any Graham cracker busy throughout '97. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Scream_ (TVT) - Bob Gajarsky Friday evening itinerary in the big city - any big city that has an active nightlife and a college. And the soundtrack to the motion picture _Scream_ could easily be a representation of the diary of one of those youths... 7:00 PM. Go out with friends to see the movie "Scream", watch Drew Barrymore get star billing and appear for a minimal time in the film, and combine comedy and thrill in one flick. 9:30 PM. On the way back from the movie, hear Bono ("With Or Without You" era) sound-alike Gus with a remarkably slowed down cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper". 10:00 PM. Hit the local college fraternity party. They're not quite ready to break into R.E.M. yet, so as the teaser, The Connells rock on their new song, "Bitter Pill". One of America's lost bands - and having accomplished what For Squirrels could only dream of - hits their target audience once again, 12:00 AM. Fraternity party is starting to turn into a mosh pit. Melding Nine Inch Nails with a dance beat, listen to industrialists Sister Machine Gun with their previously-released "Better Than Me". Decide that it's a good time to hit the clubs. 1:00 AM. Soho record a hit song without stealing riffs from Johnny Marr - this time, they just take the whole song. Icicle Works' underground 80's hit (and their only American breakthrough), "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)" gets a somewhat predictable cover, but on such a good song, the expected works well. 3:00 AM. She's not just for Twin Peaks anymore. Julee Cruise teams up with Dimitri of Deee-Lite (as The Flow) for the Interdimensional Mix of "Artificial World". A jam packed dance floor grooves to Cruise's luscious melody rising just above Dimitri's delicious beats. If BT and Tori Amos hooked you, this will also wet the musical palate. 7:00 AM. Moby's "First Hand Hive" brings the raving crowd back to earth. 'Tis a good thing that the beats are slow, almost ambient - it would be hard to maintain a fast pace this late into the evening/morning. 11:00 AM. Brunch is over. So's the evening. Nick Cave's "Red Right Hand" somehow is a soothing, relaxing end to an evening's worth of excitement. The only question that remains: with all the aforementioned songs on the _Scream_ soundtrack, and a cabaret meets rock cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" by The Last Hard Men (a group of Skid Row's Sebastian Bach, Kelly Deal of the Breeders and ex-Smashing Pumpkin Jimmy Chamberlain), why are there any copies left in the record store? --- INTERVIEW: Gouds Thumb - Al Muzer Although you'd never guess it after hearing the band's self-titled Critique/BMG Records debut, or their explosive near-hit "29"; in a previous incarnation, Gouds Thumb were one of New Jersey's most successful cover bands. Playing the tri-state club circuit as The Sense, drummer Bernard Willimann, vocalist/guitarist Connor and bassist Jeff Kral were a popular, if somewhat unfulfilled, group of musicians just a few short years ago. After hooking up with guitarist/vocalist Walter Craven in 1994, however, the foursome decided to ditch the Pearl Jam tunes, change the name of the band, and set to music the original lyrics Connor had been writing all along. "Adding Walt to the group," begins Connor during a recent phone call, "seemed to open up so many more doors for us musically. It made all the difference in the world for us. Walt turned a pretty decent band into a great, I think, band." At about the same time Craven signed on, a bit of (Jersey Shore alternative station) FM 106.3 airplay for a Sense original ("Carnival") resulted in a sizable increase in the crowds that flocked to the just re-christened band's numerous gigs. The attention - and one amazing live gig - were all that Crazed Management's Johnny Z. needed to convince him of Gouds Thumb's unlimited potential. Hands were clasped, dreams were aired, backs were slapped, signatures were scribbled and, in a surprisingly short period of time, a 12-song wallop of a debut hit the racks and "29" immediately began turning up on play lists across the nation. An overnight sensation some six or seven years in the making. "We didn't really know what to expect at first," reflects Connor on his band's increase in stature on the rock 'n' roll pecking order. "It's an isolated sort of thing, you know, the record company tells you you're getting played in one part of the country - but you're in a different time zone playing to, like, 10 people on a Tuesday night and aren't there to hear it." "After awhile, it just sounds like people talking, you know. It's hard, really, to envision your song being" he pauses and resumes thoughtfully, "but, then, when we finally show up in those cities and towns and there are actually people there to see us play. People who know our songs and sing along with them." "There's nothing better than playing great songs for a great crowd," interjects the previously quiet Craven. "You know, it's really important to us," he adds, "that the songs we write and record are good enough." "And strong enough," offers Connor picking up the new thread. "That we'll enjoy playing them two years down the road," finishes Craven. "One of our major concerns when we were making the record," adds Connor, "was that there were no 'dead' spots on it. You know, those tracks you, skip over each time you listen to it." "I think we did alright," Craven says softly. E-mail Gouds Thumb at: goudsthumb@aol.com; visit their web site at: www.themusiczone.com/crazedworld; or, write to Critique Records at: 50 Cross Street, Winchester, MA 01890. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Punk-O-Rama Vol. 2_ (Epitaph) - Simon Speichert _Punk-O-Rama Vol. 2_, the followup to the ever-successful, _Punk-O-Rama_, is meant to further introduce people to the "sick and twisted world of Epitaph". How true. This CD should probably be called "Epitaph-O-Rama", as it only gives the listener insight into the punk label's roster, but I'm not saying that's a bad thing. This album features a host of America's great punk bands, and their "catchy melodic hardcore" sounds. Some of the groups featured are Rancid, Pennywise, NOFX, SNFU, and Bad Religion; most of the popular ones. However, even those already into the hardcore scene will like this, as it features some semi-rarities; the folks at Epitaph decided to make this album better than it already is by including a previously unreleased DFL song, and a track from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (featuring members of NOFX, Lagwagon and No Use For A Name). All in all, 17 tracks from today's greatest punk bands, it sells for $4 (yeah, that's right, 4 bucks), if you're a new or old punk fan, you'll like it. I know I did. TRACK LISTING: Coffee Mug - Descendents, Perfect People - Pennywise, Cashed In - Pulley, Only The Good Die Young - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Mutate With Me - The Humpers, Side Kick - Rancid, Bullion - Millencolin, El Coo Cooi - Voodoo Glow Skulls, Hate - The Joykiller, Code Blue - TSOL, Whatever Didi Wants - NOFX, Gruesome Gary - Down By Law, Just To Get Away - Poison Idea, Thought Control - DFL, Don't Have The Cow - SNFU, Give You Nothing - Bad Religion, Jukebox Lean - New Bomb Turks --- REVIEW: Dots Will Echo, _Get Your Hands Off My Modem, You Weasel_ (D.W.E.) - Al Muzer A boisterous, slightly psychedelic collision of everything good that's happened to music during the last 30 years; Dots Will Echo are, without doubt, one of the finest purveyors of epic, elaborately-produced radio pop to ever rear their grinning, hook-filled heads and harmonize on a sweetly-voiced chorus of "Oooohhhs." As sonically inspired as fellow Jersey popsters, Lizard Music or The Wrens; DWE alternately recall the Who, XTC, the Beatles, Shoes, the 'Pistols, Beach Boys, Replacements, Mott The Hoople, Ziggy, Cheap Trick, Donovan, The Residents, Big Star, Sweet, Beck and Jeff Lynn - while crafting a uniquely personal, always interesting, frequently hummable, generally inspired collection of radio-accessible potential multi-platinum. This genius three-piece also deserves a major pat on the back for covering the one track on the _Sergeant Pepper_ album everyone skipped (George Harrison's "Within You Without You") and for actually making the former mystical snooze-fest listenable. While the entire record is a dazzling pop masterpiece in its' conception, scope, execution and overall effect; track No. 99 - a solemn, thoughtful, torchy, piano and tears version of "The Flintstones" theme song - was what guaranteed this group a spot on my Top 10 list a mere three weeks into the new year. For further information, contact D.W.E. at PO Box 22 Glen Rock, NJ 07452. --- REVIEW: Linda Perry, _In Flight_ (Interscope) - Reto Koradi Being late with your reviews for a change has one advantage: there is no need to make speculations about the possible success of the album. So in the case of Linda Perry's first solo effort, all that remains to be given is an answer to questions like: Why did it flop? Did it deserve it? Even after repeated listening, you can't really say that she did anything terribly wrong. Unfortunately she didn't do anything terribly right either. Only rarely does she deliver the punch that made the smash success of the only 4 Non Blondes album. Instead of that, she sails on calmer waters, more in a singer/songwriter style. But while the songs are all nice and pleasant, they just don't have the quality to grab you. Combined with weak lyrics, this causes the album to remain superficial. What Linda Perry needs for her next album is the assistance of a gifted songwriter, help with her lyrics. and a producer that gives her an occasional kick. Even if numerous worse albums sold many more copies than Ms. Perry's last year, this exceptional voice deserves better material. --- NEWS: > Blondie will have a reunion, with a disc of all new material to be released sometime in 1997. Three songs have been produced by "TV Mania", which is an alias for Duran Duran members Nick Rhodes and Warren Cuccurullo. All other tracks are supposed to be produced by Mike Chapman; currently, the band has not decided whether or not to tour with the new material. > Fleming and John have been busy in their home studio working on their followup-album to _Delusions of Grandeur_. Ben Folds plays piano on one track ("Laughing Out Loud") and the duo have added strings to two songs appearing on Folds' forthcoming album. The new Fleming and John album is due out in spring of 1997, to be followed by a worldwide tour. > Former 4 Non Blondes lead singer is on MuCoMo's CoffeeBreak Interview, at http://www.mucomo.com ; future interviews include Imperial Drag (January 22), Social Distortion (February 5), and Frosted (February 19). > Tom Petty is in the midst of playing 20 sold out shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco full of covers, acoustic versions, rarities, and his hits. Opening bands for the shows will include or have included the Wallflowers, Pete Droge and Frank Black, among others. > The Squirrel Nut Zippers have been invited to perform at President Clinton's Inaugural Ball on January 20 in Washington, and were the first confirmed band on the festivities. --- TOUR DATES: Aphex Twin Jan. 25 Melbourne, Australia Big Day Out Jan. 27 Sydney, Australia Big Day Out Jan. 30 Osaka, Japan Bayside Jenny Feb. 1 Tokyo, Japan Liquid Room Chalk Farm / Wild Colonials Jan. 18 Reno, NV Little Waldorf Jan. 20 Boise, ID Neurolux Jan. 21 Salt Lake City, UT Bar & Grill Jan. 23 Ft. Collins, CO Mountain Tap Jan. 24 Vail, CO Garton's Saloon Jan. 25 Steamboat Springs, CO Inferno Jan. 26 Aspen, CO Double Diamond Jan. 28 Breckenridge, CO Josh's Jan. 30 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater Jan. 31 Steamboat Springs, CO Inferno Feb. 1 Aspen, CO DoubleDiamond Connells Jan. 18 Tallahasse, FL Floyd's Music Hall Jan. 19 Orange Park, FL Shades Jan. 21 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter Jan. 23 Hattiesberg, MS Blues Alley Jan. 24 Jackson, MS Hal & Mal Jan. 25 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre Jan. 28 Oklahoma City OK Bricktown Brewery Jan. 29 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch Jan. 30 College Station, TX Dixie Theatre Jan. 31 Dallas, TX Trees Feb. 1 Houston, TX Satellite Drain S.T.H. Jan. 23 New York, NY Coney Island High Jan. 30 Grand Rapids, MI Reptile House Goldfinger / Reel Big Fish Jan. 21 Chicago, IL Metro Jan. 22 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue Jan. 23 Dayton, OH University of Dayton Jan. 25 Cambridge, MA Middle East Jan. 26 Providence, RI Lupo's Jan. 27 Burlington, VT Toast Jan. 28 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre Jan. 29 New York, NY Tramps Jan. 30 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill Jan. 31 Washington, DC 930 Club Feb. 1 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Nanci Griffith Jan. 22-23 Lexington, KY Kentucky Theatre Jan. 24 Grand Rapids, MI Calvin College Jan. 27 Madison, WI Madison Civic Center Jan. 28 Duluth, MN Duluth Auditorium Jan. 30 St. Paul, MN O'Shaughnessey Auditorium Jan. 31 Des Moines, IA Hoyt Sherman Auditorium Huey Lewis & The News Jan. 29 San Francisco, CA Hilton Ballroom Jesus Lizard Jan. 19-20 Cambridge, MA Middle East Jan. 21 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Jan. 22 Providence, RI Lupo's Jan. 25 New York, NY Irving Plaza Mars Needs Women Jan. 24 Augusta, GA Caffeine Jan. 25 Columbia, SC Elbow Room Jan. 26 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 Jan. 29 Charlotte, NC Fat City Jan. 30 Asheville, NC 31 Patton Jan. 31 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia St. Pub Feb. 1 Huntington, WV Drop Shop Metallica Jan. 24 Denver, CO McNichols Arena Jan. 28 Ames, IA Hilton Coliseum Porno For Pyros Jan. 21 Raleigh, NC Ritz Jan. 22 Charlottesville, VA Trax Jan. 24 Norfolk, VA Boathouse Jan. 25 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom Jan. 27-28 Boston, MA Avalon Jan. 30 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Jan. 31 New York, NY Roseland Poorhouse Rockers Jan. 23,30 Fells Point, MD Parker's Jan. 24 Abingdon, MD Oh Brianst Jan. 31 Havre de Grace, MD McGregor's Professor & Maryann Jan. 21 New York, NY Fez Jan. 28 New York, NY Luna Lounge Jan. 30 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Feb. 1 New York, NY Hotel Galvez Royal Fingerbowl Jan. 19-20 New York, NY Luna Lounge Jan. 21 Philadelphia, PA Silk City Jan. 22 Red Bank, NJ Downtown Cafe Jan. 23 Washington, DC State Of The Union Jan. 24 Red Bank, NJ Downtown Cafe Jan. 26 Boston, MA Green Street Grill Jan. 28 Philadelphia, PA Silk City Jan. 29 Red Bank, NJ Downtown Cafe Jan. 30 Washington, DC State Of The Union Jan. 31 Boston, MA Kirkland Cafe Sebadoh Jan. 21 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall Jan. 24 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club Jan. 25 Gainesville, FL Florida Theatre Jan. 27 Palm Beach, FL Respectable Street Cafe Jan. 30 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf Jan. 31 Houston, TX Fitzgerald's Stillsuit Jan. 17 Albany, NY Bogie's Jan. 19 New York, NY Wetlands Jan. 22 Burlington, VT Club Toast Jan. 23 New London, CT The L&G Type O Negative / Sister Machine Gun / Drain S.T.H. Jan. 21 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre Jan. 22 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Jan. 24 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Jan. 25 Burlington, VT Club Toast Jan. 26 Montreal, QC Fou Founes Embassy Jan. 28 London, ON Embassy Jan. 29 Huber, OH Sanctuary Jan. 31 Toledo, OH Asylum Feb. 1 Peoria, IL Madison Theater Vallejo Jan. 18 Nacogdoches, TX The Roads Jan. 22 Hattiesberg, MS Tal's Jan. 23 Tuscaloosa, AL Ivory Tusk Jan. 24 Auburn, AL Lil' Irelands Jan. 25 Mobile, AL Monsoon's Jan. 27 St. Simons, GA Island Rock Cafe Jan. 29 Charleston, SC Cumberlands Jan. 30 Augusta, GA Red Lion Pub Jan. 31 Atlanta, GA Smith's Olde Bar --- 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 (URL) 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 ===