==== ISSUE 104 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [April 1, 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, Janet Herman, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Simon West, Lang Whitaker Also Contributing: Dan Birchall 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 | `------------' INTERVIEW: Chris DeGarmo, Queensryche - Dan Birchall REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Private Parts_ - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: Aerosmith, _Nine Lives_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Ben Vaughn, _Rambler '65_ - Bill Holmes REVIEW: Various Artists, _Rare On Air: Volume 3_ - Janet Herman REVIEW: T-Rex Reissues - Al Muzer REVIEW: Aretha Franklin, _The Early Years_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: The Clouds, _Collage_ - Scott A. Miller REVIEW: Wondermints, _Wondermints_ - Bill Holmes INDEPENDENT REVIEWS: Valerie Ghent, Willard Grant Conspiracy - Bob Gajarsky Internal Neurotic Universe / Mike Dalton / Thom MacFarlane - Al Muzer NEWS: Atlantic/Mammoth, Dodgy, The Figgs, Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Slobberbone, Yer Blues TOUR DATES: Art Alexakis, Bloodhound Gang, Bobgoblin, Boiled In Lead, Churn, Shawn Colvin / Freedy Johnston, Cordelia's Dad, Cowboy Mouth, Cravin' Melon, Daddy Longhead, Darlahood, Descendants, Dots Will Echo, Mary Ann Farley, Five-Eight, Gefkens / Joe Lies / Oral Groove / Knockout Drops, Humble Gods, Irving Plaza (New York Concert Hall), Jewel, King Britt, Marilyn Manson / Helmet / Rasputina, John Mellencamp / The Why Store, Metallica / Corrosion of Conformity, New Bomb Turks, Orange 9MM, Orbit, Professor & Maryann, Rasputina / Cranes, Samples / Stir, Samples / Guster, Shonen Knife, Sick of It All, Sister Hazel, Elliott Smith, Stillsuit / Downset / Earth Crisis, They Might Be Giants Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: Chris DeGarmo, Queensryche - Dan Birchall It's been more than two years since the release of Queensryche's last album, _Promised Land_. Not to say that the band's members have been idle, by any means - they toured throughout much of 1995, and 1996 brought the release of Promised Land the computer game, a dual CD-ROM set for Macintosh and Windows systems. And of course, they've been writing more songs! Fourteen of those songs - fifteen, if you're in Japan - are included on the band's new album, _Hear In The Now Frontier_, being released in the United States on March 25th, with various other release dates - seemingly in a state of constant change - for the rest of the world. This latest leap in a new direction - or several directions at once - is very diverse. In general, it sounds less produced than most of Queensryche's previous works. Some songs have a hard edge which may shock recent devotees of the band, while others could almost be used to lull children to sleep. The sound has already been compared to grunge, disco, and nearly everything between. Overall, the album may come as a bit of a surprise to existing Queensryche fans, but I expect the sound to be much more accessible to a general audience. With only two songs over five minutes long, this album could also generate plenty of radio airplay for the band. Guitarist Chris DeGarmo makes his debut as a lead vocalist on one track. I spoke with him in early March, as the band prepared for the launch of the album. Consumable: Two and a half years it's been - how do you see the world differently now? When _Promised Land_ was in the works, there were rumors about personal lives in turmoil. At this point, you all seem to be more stable. Chris DeGarmo: Well, stability is relative, isn't isn't? (laughs) We're all just at different levels of insanity... There were certainly - within the band - some tumultuous lives going on, and I think at any given time there's some turbulence and some smooth air in there as well, to use flying analogies. But I think we're in a good state right now. We had a really enjoyable time with the project. The writing came effortlessly, really - we were feeling very prolific, I guess, when we finished touring with _Promised Land_. And the two and a half year separation between these two releases is short by Queensryche standards. Certainly comparing us to something like Rush's discography and their ability to seem to turn around projects in like nine months or whatever it is, we seem related to the tortoise or something. But it just takes what it takes, and for some reason, we can't, given the touring that we do and that sort of thing. This seems to be about our cycle. Also, we don't just want to put anything out. We have to get to the point where we're feeling good about what we have, and we have and we have an internal standard that we're trying to hit. That's kind of the yardstick that we go by on everything, and in the case of the last one, it just took us longer to get ourselves positioned to where we felt we had something to offer. C: So you're your own worst critics, basically. CD: Yeah, I think so... (laughs) But I'm happy to say our chemistry is very strong, and we're nurturing it. We wanted to actually release this a little sooner. We waited a bit - quite a bit actually - for the production [producer Peter Collins] to come. And don't we all wish that sometimes when we were ready to undertake something, that the world could revolve around us? But with the exception of being a child, it's a fleeting moment, so we had to wait for other schedules to fall in sync with us, or we might have been able to put it together six months earlier. We're doing good, and everyone's very excited about this, and we're already putting together presentation ideas now. C: For the tour? Has it gotten any more specific? CD: It's going to start in June - probably around the third week of June, probably around the Northwestern area of the country, and we're going to do all of the U.S. first. C: As a change. CD: Yeah, it is a change. We've done it coming from outside North America on most of the other tours, or at least the ones within recent memory, and so we're going to do it a little different this time, not wanting to be too predictable. C: Any chance of finally getting to Australia? CD: I hope so. I'd really like to see us get a chance to present the band over there. But we would like to have an audience over there, someone over there interested to see the band, and I think our exposure in Australia is still somewhat elusive. I don't know exactly how we're perceived over there, or how we fit in, so we're still kind of trying to assess our place (laughs) over there. In a few new territories we've been doing some interviews - we got South Korea and Singapore and some other Pacific Rim areas, what were formerly Eastern Bloc European countries. And you probably know, there are fans out there in a lot of different places. It's just trying to put it together so that we can bring a presentation to all those places, and it gets a bit complicated. C: And then you have somewhere where you have two fans in the whole country, and you can't rent an arena for two people. CD: Yeah. I wish we could, I'd love to just drag the show all over the world and play it, but unfortunately it's not quite as easy as that. Hopefully we'll get to more places this time. Right now, it's still a little ambiguous. C: Do you think you'll reach out to a more mainstream rock audience with this album? CD: I don't know. I really don't have a crystal ball. I know that we did something that is where we're at, at the moment, and that's all we've ever tried to do with any of these things - capture the band at the moment, what's on our minds, what interests us. There are a lot of other variables that create the end result, as far as how it's commercially received and all those kinds of things. I really just don't have any idea, and I never have, with any of them. (laughs) I'm being really honest - I just don't know. I hope people enjoy it. If we really spent a lot of time trying to figure out what everybody wants, what everybody expects and what we should do based on where we've been and where we've going, I mean, it all gets terribly complicated. I think we've just trusted the voice inside, so to speak, and it's worked out. So I really don't know. It's all open open territory. (laughs) C: How does it feel to sing lead vocals? CD: It's great, it's fun. I've been singing on our albums for a long time, and I felt I could give a different perspective on it than Geoff. In the interest of open-mindedness, everybody was cool on it. At least they didn't kick me out! (laughs) That's what happens when Geoff leaves the studio for the afternoon. C: The song "The Voice Inside" got me wondering, what sort of background, or current viewpoints do you have in the way of philosophy, or beliefs floating around? CD: Well, I think in terms of philosophies, there's been a thread running through most of our material, perhaps not very early on when we were just beginning the composition process. I think at some point we've gravitated toward affirmation of self and free thinking, coming at it from a number of angles. People finding their own wings, and trusting their passions and fortes in life, and trying to resist much of the social conditioning that we're surrounded by. So it's a philosophy of starting with the individual, really, and recognizing the power of the individual, in an age when we feel crushed as an individual, honestly, and the system works toward suppressing the individual. Yeah, I think there's a philosophy. I don't think it's that we try - we didn't sit down with a game plan a long time ago and map it all out. I know for Geoff and I, because we write most of the lyrics, it's just what interests us, and it seems to be inspiring. You need to be able to pose something, you need to be inspired. That's what seems to inspire us, the possibilities. It's endless fuel for composition. An open mind, all the possibilities. I'll never run out of stuff to talk about. C: Do you feel that there's a common thread on this album? The first two songs describe society being screwed up, and the last one, "sp00L", is optimist and says to keep working for change. CD: Yeah, I think in our attempt to not make a concept or thematic album, when we actually got done with it and had to sit and sort of figure out what we'd done so we could explain it to people (laughs) inevitably, there wind up being some common links, really. Maybe it's just that there are a lot of individual diverse separate takes on that sort of thing. It wasn't by design, it's more by accident that it's all kind of like that. Now that it's done and we step back away from it, it's connected to what we've done, but just in a different way. C: Rumors are circulating that you won't make any videos for this album, due to dissatisfaction with the airplay they receive on MTV. CD: The visual landscape is something that is certainly exciting to the band, we enjoy going off in that direction. As far as actual videos, we're not closing the door, ever, to making music videos for the songs. But we create imagery for the fans via the show - we come up with special imagery away from things that we've done in videos. If no one can see a video, it becomes pointless to make. Many of the videos we've done are very expensive, and we would rather put the money into visual presentations that we know people will see, and that means the ones that we are presenting. We understand that especially with a career as long as ours, we've had some nice collisions with public taste and with the decision-makers at these video channels who decide whether bands are relevant to their current tastes, and that sort of thing. We understand that it's a different scenario each time we come out with a record - it's a different environment. So if we felt our stuff would get exposed, we'd do it. But it's all kind of a crap-shoot to some degree. I'm not going to say that we're not going to make any videos. I know we haven't made any yet, and I don't see any on this week's intinerary. But certainly we're not closing the door on that. C: And if you spend less money on broadcast videos, you have more left to spend on the tour. CD: Yeah, and ultimately, other things as well. We know when we bring our show someplace, we have total control over what people see, and what they experience. If we don't cut a video that maybe wasn't going to get cut anyway, maybe we can afford to stay out a little longer, play a few more shows, because we can afford to pay everybody a little longer. At some point, you have to figure out what the goal is, what it is that you're trying to do. Honestly, videos have never been a guarantee. We were fortunate to have a project where we had some videos in heavy rotation, and people responded really nicely to those. But we also know that we won't be guaranteed heavy rotation throughout our career, nor will any other band. And that's just the way it is. I understand it, and I think we really could do some great videos for stuff on this, and we may do that, but we're putting together the show right now, and I'm more excited about putting resources and energy into that, 'cause I know that's going to happen, as opposed to wondering whether someone feels we'll fit in with their version of what music is right now. C: So even if the album is comparatively raw, the tour show is still probably going to be some incredible phenomenon. CD: Well, those are big adjectives. I won't say that we're going to follow in keeping with the spirit of the recording, which is as you said, more direct, more stripped down. This isn't going to be a tour with the moving sets. We had something within the grooves of Promised Land last time, we really designed the bar scene and the whole thing. You can hear it with the segues and everything on the album. This is different - we did that kind of tour, and I know that a lot of people really enjoyed that very much, but we, in the interest of providing some diversity as well, don't want to do the exact same thing we did last time. At the same time, there are some elements of the Queensryche presentation that I think people are going to expect from us, and I don't think we'll disappoint in that area. But I think it'll be a little more raw this time - I don't know how to describe it. It's going to be good, we always go out wanting to put together a very quality show with an emphasis on great sound first, making it a show that people come to and it sounds really good. And hopefully something as well that's visually inspiring. I won't use your elaborate adjectives - I would like for people to come to our show and feel inspired or moved somehow. If we can accomplish that, I will be very happy. C: Similar goals for the album? CD: Yeah. The songwriting thing, it's a little more selfish - when we do the show, we know we're presenting to people we know. As a songwriter, I think you have to be true to yourself first, and I think we've done that, and by doing that, we've been able to find other people who are interested in what it is we do, as opposed to at some point changing the strategy all of a sudden and creating albums based on what we think other people think we should do. That gets you into this terrible house of mirrors, and you can't find your way back. C: Some other critic described one of the songs on this album as "epic and self-indulgent." CD: (laughs) Oh, self-indulgent, that little two-word thing has followed us around for God knows how long. Of course it's self-indulgent! I mean, what is a painting? What is a drawing? It's self-indulgent. A song is self-indulgent. What else should it be? Other-indulgent? Of course that depends on what your goal is, that goes with it. C: Integrity. CD: Yeah, and ultimately, we assume risks with that. We assume the risk that people may not enjoy the version of where we are at a given time, and commercially there are risks too. But the payoff as part of the band is huge. It's such a great feeling to do what is steered from within us. And if it all gets taken away somehow, if it all falls apart, that's something so solid to hang onto. It's a matter of pride and conviction, really staying to what it is that you want to do, knowing of course that you can't please everyone. If you can accept that, it helps you stay to what you want to do. The moment you try and please everyone, you compromise to some degree. That doesn't mean you can't be a nice person or something like that, particularly with forms of expression. But expression says it all right there, it really does. Expression is of thyself. It's not "I'm going to express what other people think I should be expressing." (laughs) That starts you down this really weird road of losing all perspective on what it is that you're trying to do, you know. Unfortunately, it is a business these days for a lot of people, and they treat it as a bar of soap or a box of cornflakes, so we get a lot of interesting offerings from a lot of different directions. The Queensryche Internet magazine is available at http://www.scream.org or for more information, e-mail editor@scream.org --- REVIEW: Soundtrack, _Private Parts_ (Warner) - Sean Eric McGill It comes as no surprise that the soundtrack album to _Private Parts_ is full of various bits from Howard Stern's radio career. However, the surprise may be just how many bits there are. Of the twenty-nine listed tracks on the album, a full fifteen of them are culled from the movie (most of which are bits of Stern on the air). These bits serve to bookend a mixed bag of harder, alternative, and classic rock - with artists ranging from Marilyn Manson to Ted Nugent. And while this does give the album a _Singles_ meets _Dazed and Confused_ musical sort of feel, as a whole, it doesn't hold up well. The movie out-takes are also part of the problem. Had they concentrated solely on clips of Stern on the air, then they would truly warrant their stature on the album. But with so many of them being scenes from the film (many of which would either require a lengthy lead-in or visuals to truly appreciate), the effect is nulled somewhat. There is some synergy to the groupings of the songs and the movie clips with which they are paired. New songs like Marilyn Manson's "The Suck for Your Solution" and others are set with movie clips from the later part of Stern's career. And by the time we get to Van Halen's "Jamie's Cryin''", we're hearing movie clips depicting the early stages of the Stern mythology - when the music may have been better - but he sure as hell wasn''t as good as he is now. Of the newer crop of songs, two groups made up of ex-members of Jane's Addiction serve up the best, with The Red Hot Chili Peppers (minus Anthony Kedias and replaced by an uncredited L.L. Cool J.) and Porno for Pyros giving the best two performances on the album. "Hard Charger" by Porno for Pyros is also notable for being the first time Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins and Perry Ferrel have recorded since the break-up of Jane's Addiction. Other new selections, ranging from interesting parings such as Howard Stern and Rob Zombie ("The Great American Nightmare") and Ozzy Osbourne and Type O Negative (a cover of "Pictures of Matchstick Men") are interesting on the first couple of listens, but don't hold much weight. And while it was nice to see "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Smoke on the Water" on the album, hearing those songs again was neat the first few times, but left me longing for something more. Then again, Stern has always prided himself in his ability to manipulate the media to fit his needs. The soundtrack for _Private Parts_ is no exception. It's got hip new artists like Marilyn Manson for the kids, Van Halen for the adults, and some movie clips to promote the film more than it already has been. And even if this attempt does come close to pleasing everyone on paper, the execution could have been better. --- REVIEW: Aerosmith, _Nine Lives_ (Columbia) - Linda Scott If the current crop of rock musicians is depressing you, or if you think your money isn't buying you much entertainment, then get out and get _Nine Lives_, the latest, greatest album from Aerosmith. When Da Boys from Boston are on a groove, their albums rock. _Nine Lives_ was two years in the making, getting that groove. Manager: fired. Producer's work: discarded. Substitute drummer's work: discarded. Despite dire predictions, when the band got together with new producer Kevin Shirley (silverchair, Journey), the groove was there, 13 tracks ripped out, and _Nine Lives_ is possibly the best Aerosmith album yet. First of all, it's good just to hear them again. Steven Tyler's vocals are as sharp as ever. Cool lyrics have the trademark Aerosmith sexual double meanings that leave you smiling and the sticker people confused. The rest of the guys? They are absolutely right on. Lead guitarist Joe Perry still smashes those solos although they don't seem as plentiful here or mixed high enough for Perry fans. Brad Whitford is still one of the best rhythm guitarists around, and Joey Kramer sounds like he is playing with sticks of dynamite. Tom Hamilton gives a solid bass underpinning to every song. The music and the vocals and the lyrics are perfect. A number of listens are needed to get everything so you won't be setting this cd aside after one play. Leading off is "Nine Lives" which is a real Aerosmith rocker. This one has got to be a single sometime. Next up is "Falling In Love (Is Hard On Your Knees)", the first single. It's getting a lot of rock airplay now so if you aren't singing along with Steven by now, you might try the Alternative Section. "Hole In My Soul", "Kiss Your Past Goodbye" and "Full Circle" are midtempo ballads that remind of "Crazy" - but hotter. Then there are some new kinds of sounds for Aerosmith: the punky "Crash", the industrial (Joey Kramer on the trashcans) "Something's Gotta Give", the eastern "Taste of India", and "The Farm" with Wizard of Oz samples. Aerosmith tries out this and that, but everything still has great rock roots. _Nine Lives_ will lift your spirits because as Joe Perry says, "We don't play mope rock. We're here to entertain." The US disks have an enhanced cd section which is a lot of fun to play with. This is an interactive section, not just text and pictures to look at. You can play along with the band using your space bar or your virtual pick (available free through the web site). You get a rating as you move through the song, like "miserable" or "too laid back" showing you it ain't easy to keep up with Joe Perry. If you like rock and Aerosmith, then you'll love their latest album, _Nine Lives_. --- REVIEW: Ben Vaughn, _Rambler '65_ (Rhino) - Bill Holmes "If it sounds good in a car, why not record it in a car?" - Ben Vaughn, 1996 Probably the only people not shocked to hear that Ben Vaughn recorded his new CD inside his 1965 Rambler American ("the Fender Telecaster of cars", says Ben) are his fans; they know that Ben is capable of just about anything. So what to do after less accessible side projects like _Cubist Blues_ (recorded with Alex Chilton and Suicide's Alan Vega) and the pairing with Kim Fowley? Vaughn uses his zaniest concept to date to create his best record since _Dressed In Black_. Two songs are co-written with Bill Lloyd, and they're both killer. The opening track "7 Days Without Love" rocks, complete with feet slapping on the car's floorboard. "Boomerang" combines Vaughn's megaphone-induced vocal with an instrumental punch straight out of the Sir Douglas Quintet. (I'd believe they were actually on the track but I know he couldn't have fit them in the car). "Rock is Dead" is an example of Vaughn's wit, an ode to the future when there's "a blank space on your TV/where the music channel used to be" and "abandoned tour buses scattered across the hills". Outside of the sitar solo on "Levitation", the stripped-down arrangements force Vaughn's songs to be judged on their own merits. One listen to a simple melody like "Song For You" and those who are not Ben fans may be quickly converted. A Vaughn album is always a mix of surf, pop, country, rockabilly and anything else he can get his hands on. _Rambler 65_ is no different, with pop oddities like "Perpetual Motion Machine" (suggesting his work for TV's "Third Rock From The Sun") countered with bluesy wisps like "Beautiful Self Destruction". An actual Rambler ad is even tossed in just to keep you honest. Vaughn claims he was able to record the record in six afternoons because "everything was a first take because I just wanted to get the hell out of the car!" Cramming a small mixing board, effects pedals, a turntable, mikes and a reel-to-reel inside a car with the windows rolled up is about as intimate as you can get. And while recording in a car has other drawbacks besides leg room, but Vaughn made the best of them. With airplanes flying overhead every so often, he finally gave up avoiding them and included one as the opening intro to "The Only Way To Fly". Typical Vaughn, using whatever is necessary to deliver the goods, and it works. And yes, there's an engine solo. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Rare On Air: Volume 3_ (Mammoth) - Janet Herman Following up two previous releases, Mammoth Records and the Los Angeles radio station KCRW have just released a third compilation of live performances from their morning show. To put it mildly, one listening to this cd might very well be inspired to move to Los Angeles. The compilation offers up a wide range of performers ranging from classic performers like Patti Smith to newer and upcoming acts such as Fiona Apple, The Wallflowers and Ben Folds Five. The disc starts off with the Cowboy Junkies doing a beautifully smooth rendition of "State Trooper" by Bruce Springsteen and then cuts into a wonderfully raw and acoustic Patti Smith performing "Dancing Barefoot". Fiona Apple does a piano-only version of "Never Is A Promise", one of her more poignant songs (if it's possible for Apple to be more poignant than she already is) from her recent album _Tidal_. Other more well known artists on this compilation include Stereolab, Luna, Meshell Ndegeocello, Guided By Voices and James Taylor. Lesser known artists appearing on _Rare On Air_ include Booth & the Bad Angel, Remy Zero, Tindersticks, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. The song "Fall In Love With Me" performed by Booth & the Bad Angel sounds eerily similar to the dreamy songs and melodies used on the _Twin Peaks_ soundtrack; the reason for this is that both were composed by Angelo Badalamenti. The variety of artists and performances on _Rare On Air Volume 3_ make it a welcome addition to any collection. Fans of the appearing performers will definitely want it for the live performances, and for those who don't know all the artists who appear here, this is an excellent sampler to get you started on some of the best and up-and-coming artists around - especially if you're not up to the task of moving to Los Angeles. --- REVIEW: T-Rex, _The Slider_ / _Tanx_ / _Zinc Alloy And The Hidden Riders of Tomorrow_ (Polygram Chronicles) - Al Muzer Frequently disregarded as superfluous teeny-bop noise unable to establish an American audience, Marc Bolan and T-Rex are now cited as a major musical influence by a large portion of the pop elite and are suddenly big business in the country that rejected them nearly 25 years ago. Despite charting with "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" early in 1972 (No. 10) and then creating a minor stir on these shores with _The Slider_ later that same year, America proved to be a frustrating market for Bolan, a major superstar in Britain at the time these three records were originally issued. Hot off the success of '71s _Electric Warrior_ and still riding the "Bang A Gong" buzz; industry predictions for _The Slider_ ran high and an American version of Bolan-mania (or T-REXtasy) was widely-predicted. Receiving a respectable amount of label support and released amidst a flurry of promotional fanfare, "Telegram Sam" struggled to reach No. 67 on the charts before vanishing that summer; while tracks such as "Metal Guru," "Rock On," "The Slider," "Baby Boomerang" and "Baby Strange" - all of which would've sounded great on the car radio - never stood a chance. Bolan's fuzzed out and bastardized Chuck Berry riffs, spunky proto-boogie beats, diminutive, semi-androgynous appearance and quirky lyrics about kissing cars, automatic shoes, Purple Pie Pete and silver-studded saber-tooth dreams never found favor with radio programmers eager for the next Cher, Argent or Eagles single; and T-Rex, after a brief, marginally successful American tour, returned home to bask in the glory of a fan frenzy similar to Beatlemania and plot their next move. Taking his glammish image to the extreme on 1973s _Tanx_, Bolan scared off yet more of middle America with a silver-tinted, feather-boaed, half-naked, heavy-lidded, eye-shadowed, thoroughly suggestive album cover. Not as immediately gratifying a piece of ear candy as the collection of singles that was its predecessor, _Tanx_ nonetheless boasted several tracks on a commercial par with Bolan's bopping best, most notably "Born To Boogie," "Rapids" and "Mister Mister," showcased convincing, albeit brief, traces of metal, psychedelic and blues influences, contained lyrics that occasionally made sense (to others besides Bolan) and expanded the reflective muse previously explored by the Jeepster on "Main Man" with "Highway Knees," "Life Is Strange" and "Broken Hearted Blues." Credited to Marc Bolan & T-Rex, a lifestyle of rock and roll excess had considerably dulled Bolan's once sharp pop sensibilities and 1974s _Zinc Alloy_ - his answer to the commercial failure of _Tanx_ - finds the band on the brink of dissolution, his shamefully lightweight songs swamped in overproduction, Yoko-caliber backing vocals provided by girlfriend Gloria Jones, "Interstellar Soul" (which features a chorus of "Bullshit! Bullshit!") as the only track that hits any sort of mark, and all traces of the happy-go-lucky Bolan bop replaced by pasty-faced, second-hand funk and the sort of faux hippy mysticism that made his pre-abbreviation days so forgettable. All three Chronicles reissues feature singles, B-sides and non-album material as bonus tracks. _The Slider_ includes "Cadillac," "Thunderwing" and "Lady"; _Tanx_ boasts a holiday message (wishing you a "superfunk Christmas") from Marc and the pre-_Tanx_ singles "Children Of The Revolution," "Solid Gold Easy Action" and "20th Century Boy"; while the otherwise abysmal _Zinc Alloy_ includes "Midnight," "Sitting Here" and the excellent "The Groover" - all recorded during sessions for _Tanx_. --- REVIEW: Aretha Franklin, _The Early Years_ (Columbia/Legacy) - Joann D. Ball Aretha Franklin is, without a doubt, the Queen of Soul. But before she belted out "Respect" and defined soul music for Atlantic Records in the late 1960s, Aretha was a pop songstress for Columbia Records. During her seven year tenure at Columbia, Aretha sang everything from standards and show tunes to jazz and refined blues. _The Early Years_ , the latest release in Columbia/Legacy's Rhythm and Soul Series, captures the best of Aretha's early career and highlights her incredible voice and inspired delivery. Columbia Records' legendary John Hammond obviously recognized Aretha's unique talent when he signed the 19-year old in 1960. But as the fourteen tracks here suggest, Aretha was just too much for the conservative label to handle. For example, Aretha puts her own indelible and unmistakable stamp on jazz vocalist Dinah Washington's "This Bitter Earth," "Drinking Again," "Nobody Knows How I Feel This Morning" and "Evil Gal Blues." And on "Laughing on the Outside," "Without the One You Love" and "God Bless the Child," Aretha transcends lush string arrangements and high-brow trappings with her emotionally-charged gospel vocals. Aretha's ability to make the most of Columbia's offerings is also obvious on "Walk on By." She transforms Burt Bacharach's pop classic by adding her characteristic brand of sassiness and spirit in such a way that it easily outshines the more restrained Dionne Warwick version. Similarly, on "Skylark" and "Cry Like A Baby," it's obvious that Aretha was on the verge of bursting loose creatively and pouring forth something that would forever transform American music. And _The Early Years_ is a tribute to the development of that incredible voice, emotion and power. TRACK LISTING: This Bitter Earth, Without The One You Love, Cry Like A Baby, Trouble in Mind, Muddy Water, Walk On By, Skylark, Drinking Again, Evil Gal Blues, Laughing On The Outside, God Bless The Child, Take A Look, Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning, I Wonder (Where Are You Tonight) --- REVIEW: The Clouds, _Collage_ (Altered/Ichiban) - Scott A. Miller If you look at The Clouds of Sydney, Australia, long enough you can see anything you want - quirky pop band, grrrl punks, or metal heads. The Clouds can be light and fluffy, dark and ominous or just a little silly. _Collage_ is a collection of old demos, songs from the band's debut _Penny Century_, and material from the EPs _Beetroot_ and _Aquamarine_. These songs have made the band a staple on the alternative charts down under since 1990 and it makes you wonder why this four-piece hasn't hit in America as often, especially in an era when practically every female-fronted band from Boston to Seattle was getting a listen and a web site. The CD opens with the driving "Aquamarine," which highlights the band's penchant for sonic assault, particularly through David Easton's guitar work. It's a nice song but it doesn't prepare you for the second track, "Bubble Baby." Opening with a thumping mid-tempo drum beat, "Bubble Baby" is squashed by a few hammered organ chords, then rebuilt from the ground up as guitar, bass, incidental percussion, lead vocals, background vocals and finally the opening drum riff are layered in one at a time. About 3:19 later, you realize the song never stopped building for a single second, and that the two-beat "break" right before Jodie Phillis wails the word "sin" was just an accent mark. The third song, "Immorta," again stars Easton's guitar, this time in an opening riff that reaches into your chest cavity and vibrates its way up the back of your head. The harmonies and interplay of lead vocalist Phillis and bassist/vocalist Patricia Young float across the top of the guitar action like, well, clouds. In fact, each song seems to bring a new approach to the standard guitar-bass-drums-vocal lineup. If there's one staple to each of the disc's 12 tracks, it's the blending of Easton's ferocious guitar with the nimble vocals of Phillis and Young. "So Close" and the Jimmy Webb classic "Wichita Lineman" showcase the vocals at their prettiest. The massive "Boy of Air," complete with John Bonham-like drumming by Raphael Whittingham, answers the musical question "what would it sound like if Sinead O'Connor got off her high horse to front a metal band?" This is the second American album by The Clouds and it proves the band is as talented as any alt-rock creation in the states. The band is back in Australia touring and working on new material. If _Collage_ is any indication, this may be the calm before a much-welcome storm. --- REVIEW: Wondermints, _Wondermints_ (Big Deal) - Bill Holmes Years ago, a struggling guitarist named Jimi Hendrix had to break in England before his own homeland would recognize and support his talents. Thirty years later, a Los Angeles band is making ends meet by recording for a Japanese label. Fortunately, Big Deal, a New York label, has licensed the debut record and made it available and affordable for American audiences. Anyone who has the Hollies tribute _Sing Hollies In Reverse_ (eggBert Records, and if you don't, stop reading and go buy it now. I'll wait!) was no doubt enthralled with the version of "You Need Love" - picture perfect pop, the kind that allows you to plunk for a full CD without a moment's hesitation. I did, and although this is not a pop album with "hit singles" busting out of it, most of it is jaw-dropping great. (Okay, maybe there's a single - the Posies meet Rubinoos sound of "In A Haze" just kills me.) "Shine"'s shuffling beat, bongos and psychedelic guitar will appeal to anyone who enjoyed the deeper side of 60's records, the meat behind the hit singles (indeed, one could sing Joe South's "Hush" over this melody and not be far off). "Fleur-de-lis" has all that 1980's Britpop bounce that will make even cynical heads spin (the piano is straight out of "Oliver's Army"), but in place of the gruff vocal of an Elvis or Nick there's the candy-sweet harmonies fans of this band have come to love. Yet it's not all retrospective - slip "Thought Back" onto Jason Falkner's recent release and no one would know the difference - and that's a compliment! Brian Wilson supposedly claimed that if he had the Wondermints back in 1967, he "would have taken _Smile_ out on the road". While post-sandbox Brian has to be taken with a grain of salt (he recently called "Grumpier Old Men" one of the three best movies ever made), one listen to the stunning "Tracy Hide" will confirm that this was said on a day when all the sand grains aligned properly. Hypnotic and haunting, "Tracy Hide" blends the effortless falsetto choruses, harpsichord rhythms, kettle drums and other studio nuances that instantly transport the listener to The Golden Age Of Brian. If this had been the flip side of "Good Vibrations", no one would have complained. Besides this record, the band has a couple of (now out of print) singles, and "Carnival Of Souls", here as the records closer, is featured on _Yellow Pills #2_. The band has also released a CD of cover songs, which - you guessed it - is only available as a Japanese import. Some things never change. --- INDEPENDENT REVIEWS: Valerie Ghent, _Unstoppable_ (West End) / Willard Grant Conspiracy, _3 AM Sunday At Fortune Otto's_ (Dahlia) - Bob Gajarsky Internal Neurotic Universe, _Bigger Than Plastic_ (Style) / Mike Dalton, _Poker_ (Melon) / Thom MacFarlane, _Longtime_ - Al Muzer New York-based writer/performer/producer Valerie Ghent is heading directly against the currents of today's trends on her independent debut release, _Unstoppable_. While many artists are trying to create a lo-fi, flawed sound (and consequently spending many times their budget to appear "chic"), Ghent took the reverse tactic - focusing her limited budget while yearning to make every note and instrumentation sound perfect. Evoking comparisons of a soulful Nu Shooz - really! - Ghent takes the listener on a picture-perfect walk through a flawlessly produced wall of sound in which all keyboards, lead vocals, sampling and drum programming was performed by Ghent herself. The standout track is probably "Truth", which chronicles the tragedies which befell the citizens of World War I Russia by Josef Stalin - and opens with Valerie's mother vocalizing in Russian "Truth crushed to the earth shall rise again." "Justice" has a swinging cabaret-feel to the song, with Ghent sounding like a younger Liza Minelli, and most of the other tracks echo a similar R&B/pop feel which dominated the scene in lesser forms years ago, but has been largely ignored today. Ghent is no newcomer to the music scene - her resume includes performing with Dizzy and the Romilars (who opened for Depeche Mode on their first ever New York City gig), Nursery School (who landed a top 30 hit on the dance charts) and touring with Debbie Harry. These credentials probably helped her land prominent behind-the-scenes musicians such as Knox Chandler of the Psychdelic Furs to contribute on other instrumentation. _Unstoppable_ is avaiable through major New York City retailers or through the artist's homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~valghent What might have happened if Nick Cave and Bob Dylan played a set together in the evening in the wild west? Massachusetts' Willard Grant Conspiracy offers one possible answer to this question on their Dahlia Records debut, _3 AM Sunday At Fortune Otto's_. Acoustic guitars are the heart and soul of WGC, but the rest of the body is neatly fleshed out with mandolin, harmonica, and nearly every other instrument which isn't brass or a synthesizer. "The Only Story I Tell" captures the feel and soul of the entire disc - in a small cabin out in the west, nearly brooding, somewhat slow, and introspective. Modern rock fans might even notice a similarity to slower Indigo Girls cuts or U2 tracks circa _The Joshua Tree_. Bookended by two hidden tracks, the latter of which is a 26 minute walk through a myriad of sound effects, steel pedals, and the vague recollections of popcorn popping, _3 AM_ doesn't succumb to commercial pop standards. Dahlia Records can be searched online at http://world.std.com/~dahlia Even cooler than they were on 1995s _Damned, Damaged And Desired_, Dave, Ray and Joe of Internal Neurotic Universe have used the time since their last release to sharpen their already impressive songwriting skills, mature magnificently as musicians, discover matching white chemical suits, and mutate into something much louder, and much bigger, than the sum of its parts. One of the most signable bands floating around the Garden State at the moment, INU's _Bigger Than Plastic_ is bursting with a loose, breezy, snotty attitude and one of the crispest sounds since Nirvana went and let itself get huge. Featuring something for just about everyone, INU cram an aggressive punk-like energy, NIN-inspired metallic sheen, Jon Spencer-ish psychedelic wash and Lemon Dando-caliber pop hooks into a churning bed of electro-jangle alterna-pop that just don't quit. An essential listening experience. Style Records can be reached at PO Box 3796, Trenton, NJ 08629 On the Jersey Shore club scene for what seems like forever, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Mike Dalton checks in with an excellent example of radio pop at its finest. Opening with a Beatles-tinged bit of sing-along jangle called "Walked On My Lover," Dalton and friends shift to a mellow funk groove for "Mystery"; harmonize beautifully on an uplifting slice of Squeeze-pop called "Somebody Else In Mind"; get choked up and sentimental on a gentle, Crowded House-worthy ballad; bring tears with the country-chartable "For You"; get all smooth, soulful and Seal-like for "So Why Be?"; and then turn around and out do Marshall Crenshaw, Bryan Adams and the Finn Brothers on "Carnival Head." The second half of the CD is as equally a compelling reason to become a Mike Dalton fan as the first. "Train To Glory," "Ocean," "The Waiting Game," "Mary Jane" and, in particular, "Crowded Roads," all showcase a performer in full command of his gift, aware of his strong (and weak) points, and justifiably confident in his musical direction. By the way, "I Won't Bail On You" is, simply put, a hit waiting to happen. Melon Records can be contacted at PO Box 556, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742 Thom MacFarlane's been called many things during his life-long quest for the perfect song. Tagged as a "retro-pop" artist, "ready for the majors," "a human jukebox" and a "pop genius". Me? I think the guy is probably the brightest musical talent to ever stick a plug into a wall socket connected to a New Jersey power supplier. The "retro" label is applicable if only because Thom is smart enough to appreciate that the reason music by artists such as The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkle, Elvis Costello, Steelers Wheel, Jonathan Edwards and Bob Dylan holds up today is that it was based on simple melodies and honest, heartfelt lyrics. MacFarlane's respect for classic songwriting influences means that every track on _Longtime_ is solidly-rooted in lyrics and melodies that would hold together were every instrument to be removed from the mix. In fact, the accompaniment on a few tunes is nothing more than Thom (who lists the Lute among the nine or 10 instruments he plays on the record) backed by guitar or piano and double-tracked vocals. And, while certain songs do feature guest artists such as Blondie drummer Clem Burke or Marbles guitarist Mike Grau (cool guitar-as-whale noises!!) helping out, MacFarlane is, for the most part, a one man studio entity capable of recreating the warmth of a full band on his own. Moving easily from quieter, more introspective moments of singer/songwriter regret and longing ("Song For Judith," "Turn Away," "One More Waterloo" and the title song); to classic folk-pop story/songs like "Edith and the Kingpin" and "Jesus Was An American"; to the sort of bright, car radio-ready jangle that would make Matthew Sweet, XTC's Andy Partridge or the average record consumer (that means you) sit up and take notice ("Fascist Fingers," "In Between The Sheets" and, in particular, "Mary") - _Longtime_ is a future classic that becomes more essential with each listen. For more information, contact Thom MacFarlane at 42 Country Village Court, Bayonne, NJ 07002 --- NEWS: > The Atlantic Group and Mammoth Records, who entered into a worldwide join venture in September 1992, have mutually agreed to end their relationship. Under terms of the agreement, Mammoth president Jay Faires has relinquished his position as Atlantic Records Vice President of A&R, and Florida group Seven Mary Three has signed directly with Atlantic. The group's new album, _Rock Crown_, will be released on June 3. > The British group Dodgy, whose _Free Peace Sweet_ disc was scheduled to be released in the States in January (nine months after its original U.K. issue), are now looking for another American label. Problems between the band and Mercury over the choice of a single and future plans have led to the group seeking American distribution elsewhere. > Mike Gent of The Figgs reports that the band has left Capitol after the release of its sophomore effort _Banda Macho_ last year. The four-piece from Saratoga Springs, NY, will seek a new label for its next album, making it three albums, three labels. In the meantime, the band will again back Graham Parker, a man accustomed to frequent label switches, on a tour this summer in support of a live Graham Parker and The Figgs album released by Razor and Tie (http://www.razorandtie.com). The album was recorded when the band backed Parker on his _Acid Bubblegum_ tour last fall. > Paul McCartney's latest album, _Flaming Pie_, is due to hit stores on May 20. There will be guest appearances by his wife Linda, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne and Steve Miller. > Morrissey's new album, _Maladjusted_, is slated to be released on his new label (Mercury) in September. However, as Morrissey's album titles and release dates have often been subject to change, this information may be modified before the fall arrives. > Doolittle Records (http://www.doolittle.com) is set to release Slobberbone's sophomore effort _Barrell Chested_. The band, which played the South by Southwest music festival for the second year in a row, is currently putting together a tour that will take it throughout the midwest this summer. > Yer Blues Band is the name of a supergroup that Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller have put together. Artists participating on _The Smokestack Sessions_, due for release in late spring or early summer, include Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and Denise Johnson, Cast's Liam Tyson, Andy Bell (formerly with Ride), the Charlatans' Martin Blunt, members of Ocean Colour Scene and more. The album contains covers of ten obscure blues classics, and seems to be a British version of the Hindu Love Gods. --- TOUR DATES: Art Alexakis Apr. 1 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill Apr. 2 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl Apr. 3 Detroit, MI 7th House Apr. 4 St. Louis, MO Side Door Apr. 5 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck Apr. 6 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Apr. 8 Boston, MA Middle East Apr. 9 New York, NY Mercury Lounge Apr. 10 Washington, DC Birchmere Bloodhound Gang Apr. 1 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Apr. 2 New York, NY Tramps Apr. 4 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Apr. 5 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Apr. 6 Tampa, FL WXTB-Livestock Apr. 11 Indiana, PA Hadley Union Bobgoblin Apr. 6 Dallas, TX Bar Of Soap Boiled In Lead Apr. 1 Santa Fe, NM Second Street Brewery Apr. 3 Tucson, AZ The Rock Apr. 4 Las Vegas, NV The Wet Shop Apr. 8 San Francisco, CA The Boomerang Apr. 9 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst Apr. 10 Davis, CA Palms Playhouse Churn Apr. 1 Salt Lake City, UT Cinema Grill Apr. 3 Portland, OR Satyricon Apr. 4 Seattle, WA Showbox Shawn Colvin / Freedy Johnston Apr. 2 Steele, WA Paramount Theatre Apr. 3 Portland, OR The Roseland Theatre Apr. 5 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre Apr. 9 Ventura, CA Ventura Concert Theatre Apr. 10 Las Vegas, NV The Joint/Hard Rock Hotel Cordelia's Dad Apr. 4 Clinton, NY Kirkland Arts Center Apr. 6 Amherst, MA Black Sheep Apr. 7 Marlboro, VT Marlboro College Cowboy Mouth Apr. 4 Baton Rouge, LA LSU Parade Grounds Apr. 10 Cleveland, MS Delta State Univ. Cravin' Melon Apr. 4 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's Apr. 5 Raleigh, NC Lawn Party Daddy Longhead Apr. 2 Athens, GA 40 Watt Apr. 4 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 Apr. 5 Rchmond, VA Twisters Apr. 6 Baltimore, MD Memory Lane Apr. 7 Philadelphia, PA Upstairs @ Nicks Apr. 8 New York, NY Brownies Apr. 9 Providence, RI Met Cage Darlahood Apr. 1 Iowa City, IA Gunnerz Apr. 2 Washington, IL Rosies Apr. 3 Milwaukee, WI Rave Bar Apr. 4 Indianapolis, IN World Mardi Gras Apr. 5 Tampa, FL WXTB Livestock Apr. 8 East Lansing, MI Small Planet Apr. 9 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection Apr. 10 Cleveland, OH Peabodys Down Under Apr. 11 Cincinnati, OH Top Cats Apr. 12 Chicago, IL Double Door Descendants Apr. 1 Milwaukee, WI Modjeska Theater Apr. 2 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's Apr. 3 Louisville, KY Brewery Apr. 4 Nashville, TN Performance Hall Apr. 5 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theater Dots Will Echo Apr. 4 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Mary Ann Farley Apr. 3 New York, NY Sidewalk Cafe Apr. 8 Northampton, MA Brewery Apr. 10 Northampton, MA Fire & Water Five-Eight Apr. 1 Valdosta, GA Shooter's Apr. 2 Orlando, FL Sapphire Supper Club Apr. 3 Tampa, FL Rubb Apr. 4 Tallahassee, FL Cowhaus Apr. 5 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish Apr. 9 Jackson, MS Hal & Mal's Apr. 10 New Orleans, LA Howlin Wolf Gefkens / Joe Lies / Oral Groove / Knockout Drops Apr. 4 New York, NY Tramps Humble Gods Apr. 1 Boston, MA Middle East Apr. 2 Albany, NY Qe2 Apr. 3 New York, NY Coney Island High Apr. 4 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga Apr. 5 Cleveland, OH Odeon Apr. 8 Columbus, OH Chelsie's Apr. 9 Cincinnati, OH Top Cat's Apr. 10 St. Louis, MO Galaxy Irving Plaza (New York Concert Hall - http://www.irvingplaza.com) Apr. 4 Moe./Ominous Seapods Apr. 7 Squirrel Nut Zippers Apr. 10-12 Radiators Jewel Apr. 1 San Francisco, CA Berkeley Community Theatre Apr. 2-3 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theatre Apr. 4 San Diego, CA Rimac Arena King Britt Apr. 5 Las Vegas, NV Utopia Apr. 8 Gainesville, FL Simon's Marilyn Manson / Helmet / Rasputina Apr. 9 Little Rock, AR Barton Coliseum John Mellencamp / The Why Store April 6-8 Minneapolis, MN Northrup Auditorium Metallica / Corrosion of Conformity Apr. 1 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Arena Apr. 4 Hartford CT Hartford Civic Center Arena Apr. 5 Providence, RI Providence Civic Center Apr. 6 Albany, NY Knickerbocker Arena Apr. 8 Landover, MD U.S. Air Arena New Bomb Turks Apr. 8 Louisville, KY Backstage Cafe Apr. 9 Lexington, KY House Of Heresy Apr. 10 Peoria, IL Bradley Student Center Orange 9MM Apr. 1 Tampa, FL Rubb Apr. 3 Raleigh, NC Brewery Apr. 4 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Apr. 7 State College, PA Crowbar Orbit Apr. 3 Milwaukee, WI Rave Bar Apr. 4 Chicago, IL Metro Apr. 7 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern Apr. 10 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Professor & Maryann Apr. 6 New York, NY Acme Underground Rasputina / Cranes Apr. 3 Seattle, WA Moe's Apr. 4 Portland, OR La Luna Apr. 7 Los Angeles, CA Dragonfly Samples / Stir Apr. 1 Columbia, MO The Blue Note Apr. 3 Charlottesville, VA Trax Apr. 4 Lewisburg, PA Bucknell University Apr. 5 Philadelphia, PA Villanova University Samples / Guster Apr. 6 Morristown, NJ Morristown Theater Apr. 8 New Haven, CTToads Place Apr. 9 Baltimore, MD Bohagers Apr. 10 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom Shonen Knife Apr. 9 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Apr. 10 Sacramento, CA El Dorado Sick of It All Apr. 1 Buffalo, NY Showplace Theatre Apr. 2 Burlington, VT Club Toast Apr. 5 New York, NY The Roxy Sister Hazel Apr. 9 Auburn, AL Supper Club Apr. 10 Tuscaloosa, AL The Varsity Elliott Smith Apr. 1 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar Apr. 4 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle Apr. 5 Beloit, WI Beloit College Apr. 8 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy Malone's Apr. 10 Cambridge, MA Middle East Stillsuit / Downset / Earth Crisis Apr. 4 Lindenhurst, NY The Pit They Might Be Giants Apr. 2 Tokyo, JP Milk --- 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 (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 ===