==== ISSUE 113 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [June 24, 1997] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, 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, Patrick Carmosino, Janet Herman, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West, Lang Whitaker 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: The Wu-Tang Clan, _Wu-Tang Forever_ - Lang Whitaker REVIEW: Seahorses, _Do It Yourself_ - Tim Kennedy REVIEW: Meat Beat Manifesto, _Original Fire_ - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: Mansun, _Attack of the Grey Lantern_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Jean Michel Jarre, _Oxygene 7-13_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Mundy, _Jelly Legs_ - David Landgren REVIEW: Old 97's, _Too Far To Care_ - Scott A. Miller REVIEW: Motley Crue, _Generation Swine_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Save Ferris, _Introducing Save Ferris_ / Buck O Nine, _Twenty Eight Teeth_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Katell Keineg, _Jet_ - Reto Koradi REVIEW: Maypole, _Product_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Empirion, _Advanced Technology_ - David Landgren REVIEW: Joe Tullos _The Scoundrel's Waltz_ - Linda Scott ERRATA: Frogs NEWS: Aloha Concert Jam, Anchorage In Brooklyn, B-Real/Ice Cube, Groove Society, John Hiatt, Michelle Malone, Offspring/Jello Biafra/F.S.U. TOUR DATES: Buck-O-Nine, Cravin' Melon, File, Five For Fighting, Furthur Festival (incl. Black Crowes/more), G3 (Joe Satriani / Steve Vai / Kenny Wayne Shepherd), Irving Plaza , Rickie Lee Jones, Wayne Kramer, Don Lewis Band, Lollapalooza (Tool headlining), Michelle Malone, John Mayall, Mindset, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult / Radio Iodine, No Doubt / Weezer / Lunachicks, Ozzfest (Ozzy Osbourne / Type O Negative / Machine Head /more), Poorhouse Rockers, Racer 17, Silver Jet, Sister Hazel / Cowboy Mouth, U2, Young Dubliners THE READERS WRITE BACK! (Julian Cope, Nancy Boy, Sinead O'Connor, Yeats Tribute) Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: The Wu-Tang Clan, _Wu-Tang Forever_ (Loud) - Lang Whitaker Big business, in the the past few years, has taken to corporate mergers and then using their pooled resources in order to trump their competition. Taking a page out of Forbes, The Wu-Tang Clan seems to have discovered the secret to success: they've found a unique style that works, and they've farmed the hell out of it. After a wildly successful debut album (_Enter the Wu-Tang; Return to the 36 Chambers_), the 9-member super group took a time-out and went out and did their best to take over the world. Besides starting everything from their own clothing line (Wu-Wear) to their own bevy of 1-900 numbers, they also managed to release five solo albums, which were all produced by the leader of the Wu-Tang, the RZA (pronounced Riz-uh). The Clan is officially comprised of 9 equal members, but it's easy to see two levels emerging within the Wu. RZA stands supreme over all, because without his production and business abilities, the Wu would be just another rap group. The primary group of rappers are coincidentally the same group who have all released solo albums: Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Genius, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon. Each MC has his own distinct style and an instantly recognizable voice. The remaining members (U-God, Inspectah Deck, and Masta Killah) are kind of like the substitutes on any championship team - they may be second string on the team they are currently on, but on any other team they'd be the go-to guys. _Wu-Tang Forever_, the Clan's sophomore double-CD sold more than 600,000 copies in its first week of release. Clocking in at just under a mind-numbing 2 hours, the Wu-Tang uses their first group effort in three years to make a statement: they're back. The first disc starts with the Wu-Tang mission statement, "Wu-Revolution", that lays down the Wu-Tang ideology: a hodge-podge of 5% Nation credos, professional wrestling references, and Numerology superstitions. The following track, "Reunited", sets a great standard for the rest of the album, as RZA builds a platform using only drums and a whining violin. The violin starts building on itself, as it eventually becomes a full violin section, sawing away. Particularly mind-bending is RZA's production on the song "For Heaven's Sake". Built around a simple bass and high-hat drumbeat, RZA takes a piano line and loops it on the verses, and then speeds it up and flips it into reverse for the choruses, all without altering the tempo of the backbeat, providing a fabulously flexible background. Also standing out on the first disc is the song "A Better Tomorrow", notable for not only its smooth jazzy sound, but also for the Wu-Tang's espousing of a positive message, as the Clan discourages the gang-banging and blunt smoking behavior that is glorified in most rap music. The second disc is a little more experimental. Given that, its few shortcomings are understandable. The lead track on the second CD is RZA's "Intro", a spoken word gauntlet where RZA disses all the other MC's who have tried to dip into the Wu-Tang well of tricks. "Intro" is followed by the first single off the album, "Triumph". "Triumph" gives every member of the Clan a chance on the mike, with ODB acting as the ring master directing traffic. The song "Impossible" is also ingenious through its simplicity. The bass line never changes throughout the song, but the overlaying piano chords carry the melody. Towards the end of the second disc, the material starts to get a l ittle old. On its own, the last few songs have phat tracks behind them, but the lyrics are not very inspired. 2 hours of straight Wu-Tang is a *lot* of Wu. If the Wu-Tang clan is really as strong and unified as they claim to be, I hope they realize that it is the skills of the RZA behind the production boards that makes them special. The fact that RZA produced the solo albums of every member of the Clan shows how trusted he is, and well he should be. His work on tracks such as the aforementioned "For Heaven's Sake", and his instrumentation on songs like "Black Shampoo", where he combines a piano, a drumbeat, and a harmonica to form a thick backbeat for the love song, are better than any of the recycled crap Puffy Combs keeps trying to pass off on us. The voices of Method Man and Raekwon both have a strident urgency that form a nice counterpoint against the aptly named lyrical flow from Genius and the urban legends of Ghostface Killah. Ol' Dirty doesn't get too many chances to expand past his usual court jester persona. The other three Wu-Tangers never rap with much regularity. Guest rapper CappaDonna returns on 5 tracks, and there are also appearances from Street Life and Tekitha. Included on the double CD is an enhanced multimedia section that is playable on Mac or Windows. I ran it on a Power Mac with 32 megs of RAM, and it was still pretty slow and generally unresponsive. It's too bad, because it's a great looking program. You get to go inside the Wu-Mansion and look around. There is a room for each member of the clan (ODB has a padded cell, Method Man has a leather and cigar filled library, etc.), and after visiting all the rooms, you are allowed access into RZA's chamber. I got bored waiting around and didn't make it all the way through, but it looked visually interesting. As an overall entity, the Wu-Tang Clan has built up such a strong fan base that no matter what they put out there, it will sell. _Wu-Tang Forever_ shows why they have such die-hard fans, and it also shows us the genius that is Wu-Tang. Wu-Tang Forever? I hope so. --- REVIEW: Seahorses, _Do It Yourself_ (Geffen) - Tim Kennedy How do you take up your career again after a disaster as lamentable as the last days of the Stone Roses? After a five year interlude, a second album of admittedly epic Zep-like proportions is ollowed by the mysterious departure of the superb drummer, and the appalling loss of form of the singer. The fans are tormented by cancelled gigs on both sides of the Atlantic - and the press gets nastier. The final UK tour was marked by two things - the stunning guitar of John Squire and the sad demise of Ian Brown's voice and his loss of confidence and poise on stage. The escape route that Squire took was to find a band from nowhere - well from York in fact. Dylan did this when he took up with The Band. Bowie picked up the Rats, from Hull, and called them the Spiders From Mars. Neil Young found a ready-made band when he adopted Crazy Horse (The Rockets). In all cases except maybe Dylan, the solo artist took total control of the band and dominated the output. This album is eagerly awaited by hordes of patient Roses fans who became born-again air guitarists with the advent of the _Second Coming_. Surprising then that Squire allows his sidemen to write several of the songs, and only rocks out - to great effect - on a couple of numbers. Notably, the gloves come off on "Love Is The Law", a modern rock classic. The new band are more intent on writing songs than providing a platform for Squire to improvise and ad-lib. The latter works of Paul Weller are an appropriate comparison. However each tune is sumptuously served up with Squire guitar. At times there are echoes of such greats as the Byrds and Moby Grape - an eclectic mid-sixties (North) West Coast spirit of musical adventure. Like Weller's, the songs are introverted and indicate some heartsearching. This was never a feature of the often macho songwriting style of the Roses. The lyric-writing debut of a certain Liam Gallagher appears on "Love Me And Leave Me" which is a notable example. The line 'I don't believe in Jesus' echoes the Lennon song "God", and the song sets out a romantic manifesto more generous than Lennon's belief in "Yoko and Me". Noel should let his brother write more. Another soulsearching song "The Boy In The Picture" unexpectedly lets rip, Zep-esque. The arrangements, by Bowie's old producer Tony Visconti, are excellent, featuring strings and even, lawks amighty, a theramin. Vocalist Chris Helme is in fine voice and rubs it in a bit with some complicated vocal tricks at certain points. He comes over as a less over-the-top Brett from Suede - and is a fine counterpart to Squire. The bass is every bit as solid as that of Mani and responds in style to the guitar improvisations. This is not an immediate album. It needs time to take in the light and shade, the thoughtful arrangements, but there are enough tasters here to show that Seahorses are going to more than justify Squire's already distinguished reputation at home and abroad. Squire's restless need to experiment with song structure augurs well. According to recent reports, former Roses Ian Brown, Mani and Reni are working together on Brown's solo album. There is every possibility that with the shackles of expectation removed, an album every bit as exciting will emerge. --- REVIEW: Meat Beat Manifesto, _Original Fire_ (Nothing/Interscope) - Lee Graham Bridges For those who adore the groovy, nonstop dance terrorism of Meat Beat Manifesto, who crave Jack Dangers' trademark electrofunk sound...here comes _Original Fire_, 67 minutes of remixed, rare, and previously unreleased tracks to hold MBM fans over until the next album is released. I hate to start a review with criticism, but "Helter Skelter '97," the first track and one of the current singles (receiving airplay on MTV's _Amp_), is underimpressive. That's not to say that it's no good. It certainly conforms to the already excellent standard of instrumentation, production, and composition that MBM is well known for. However, the song's structure is a bit simplistic and the message a bit overstated in comparison to the other _Original Fire_ gems. Still, there's something quite creepy in the way the anonymous speaker mutters "it's in my brain now" again and again that draws the listener in, and just in time for the second track, and my personal favorite. "It's The Music" starts off with 40 seconds of televangelistic, ranting speech on the evils of music ("this beat that the devil today has nurtured and fostered is inspired by the powers of hell"), which causes kids to smoke weed, "rip off their clothes," and "act like animals." The glorious backing track then kicks in. About two minutes in, the preacher speaks again, and the rhythm track gets even funkier. Some kind of xylophone (or perhaps this is the rumored aquaphone Jack owns, which is like a much more expensive version of filling several glasses with water and beating them) goes nuts in the background, some heavy bass kicks in along the way...but the song is so intricate, varied and multilayered, funky and intense, it is beyond description, except to say that the entire CD is worth buying for this track. It's absolutely brilliant. Then follows the yin-yang of "I Am Electro" and "I Am Organic," both originally recorded in '93. If it was not obvious from the titles, the former is populated almost entirely by electronic sounds, while the latter includes more funky sounds, heavy bass, analog drum sounds, etc. "Radio Babylon" has been sampled by Prodigy, the Chemical Bros., and Future Sound Of London since it first appeared on the scene in '89. Somewhat slower and more relaxed than many other MBM tracks, cloudy, fuzzy textures and a spacious aural quality really stick out on this track. It appears on _Original Fire_ in its original form. (What a surprise.) The Luke Vibert remix of this track is a definite contrast to the original, however: sped-up, frenetic and fun, full of thick, heavy bass tones and several simultaneous rhythms combined. "I Got The Fear Pt.5" is incredibly funky, and reminiscent of work done by EBN (Emergency Broadcast Network, the multimedia superterrorists) on 1993's _Telecommunication Breakdown_. Of course, this should be no surprise as Jack Dangers performed on, produced, engineered, and mixed said album. The Mix 2000 of "It's The Music" was assisted by Freaky Chakra, and is a very groovy, infectious version. The toxic remix of "Asbestos Lead Asbestos" (orignal version can be found on MBM's critically acclaimed _Subliminal Sandwich_) starts off with sounds of the sea and one simple, droning vocal, and then cuts to a gritty, ear-shredding backing track. The vocals, though, are a bit clearer than the original. Overall, a properly sinister version. The Orb's remix of "Radio Babylon" (the Beach Blanket Bimbo Land mix, for those keeping score) brings an amazing end to an incredible album. It looks, smells, tastes, and feels like what could be the beginning (or end) of a 1997 sequel to one of the greatest albums of all time, _The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld_, even though such a gift will probably never see the light of day. Still, this remix is a return to the Orb's days of a more linear, more design-intensive, yet consistently trippy style. The crazy start-stop beats and repeated patterns characteristic of _Ultraworld_ re-emerge on this remix to the same mesmerizing effect. _Original Fire_ proves that Jack Dangers and company, although certainly not unpopular, are one of the best kept secrets in music. It is an absolute must-have disc for all lovers of electronic music, MBM fan or not. --- REVIEW: Mansun, _Attack of the Grey Lantern_ (Epic) - Bob Gajarsky Whenever a hyped British band comes to American soil, the instinctive Yank reaction is to recoil and hide from the latest Brit export. Sometimes this reaction is justified - especially when a Brit music tabloid brazenly asks if a band is better than the Beatles after just one single - but, every so often, there's a band whose debut album surpasses that hype. In 1997, that band is Mansun. In an unbelievable move, EMI U.S. passed on the band, allowing them to join the Epic umbrella (in light of EMI's recent closings, think they might regret missing out on the group?). And the four piece calling themselves Mansun have whipped out an eleven song debut which brings to mind the kind of album that only graces our eyes once every couple of years. _Attack of the Grey Lantern_ opens with "The Chad Who Loved Me" (complete a nearly two minute instrumental beginning), with its tip of the hat to the John Barry scores in the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, which evolves into a more epic performance. This is just a prelude to the first American single, "Wide Open Space", which carries the same passion as Radiohead's "Creep". "She Makes My Nose Bleed" teases the listener with a "Supersonic" guitar to prove that yes, Mansun can rip off the Beatles just as well as Oasis before launching back into another Radiohead-like track. Lead singer (and producer) Paul Draper, guitarist Dominic Chad, bassist Stove King and drummer Andy Rathbone wind up with an interesting combination landing somewhere between Radiohead and the Manic Street Preachers, but - in the tradition of great bands - blazing their own path at the same time. "Taxloss" sees Draper's voice nearing Suede's Brett Anderson as his bandmates tiptoe around the glam rock of Bowie and T-Rex, "Egg Shaped Fred" is a sing-along which could be the poppiest side of Nirvana, and "Mansun's Only Love Song" is a slower track which, while not a ballad in the true sense of the word, still stands out for its power. On the American release of _Attack of the Grey Lantern_, "Take It Easy, Chicken" (the band's debut single) replaces the song of a transvestite priest, "Stripper Vicar". And, here, we can see Mansun paralleling the path of another truly band - the Smiths. Morrissey already talked about the vicar in a tutu, and Draper also speaks of the transvestite with nylons, heels and nails on the closing track "Dark Mavis" (which ends with a piece from "The Chad Who Loved Me". Just as Morrissey and Marr would ensure that each single release was the equivalent of a mini-album, and that B-sides weren't throwaways - but tracks to be heard - Mansun has taken similar steps to ensure their own form of bang for the buck. An incredible 32 tracks were recorded and released during 1996 in Mansun's native U.K., and included on the "flip-side" of their various singles. The only remote criticism here is that the album clocks in at only 11 songs and 55 minutes, while the band clearly had enough material for a much lengthier disc. Through it all, Mansun show an unusual reverence towards the 80's bands of their youth. Although Draper proclaims that 'If I didn't think we could be bigger than R.E.M., I'd give up', he also states that 'We're the 90s ABC', while Andy Rathbone (at 24, the elder statesmen of the group) declares that 'The only other band I'd like to have been is in Duran Duran'. Please, Mansun, don't sell yourself short. While _Rio_ may have been entrancing to a worldwide gaggle of teenage girls (and will still strike a weak point in this critic's collection), this British group doesn't need a new video channel to capture the hearts of music lovers. And just like the debut albums _The Smiths_, _The Stone Roses_, the Manic Street Preachers' _Generation Terrorists_, _Suede_ or Oasis' _Definitely Maybe_, this is - to lovers of British music - essential. --- REVIEW: Jean Michel Jarre, _Oxygene 7-13_ (Epic) - Joe Silva Looking at the chronology alone, the first installment of _Oxygene_ arrived at a time when the record buying world was probably least interested in grand thematic gestures, particularly of the synth kind. But while still in the throes of all things spiky and anarchic, the British somehow still put the record at the number 2 spot in the charts and other international acclaim was not far behind. Twenty years further along Jarre, probably getting more than a faint whiff of the electronica atmosphere, returns to the bins with seven more meditations on his original theme. Somewhat canonized by the current electro-stocracy (The Orb's "Toxygene" being the principal nod to his legacy), this is probably a sound move. Having just heard the original, for the moment I'd probably opt for the reconstituted version. _7-13_, also composed and performed largely on classic equipment (2600 ARP, Theremin, Mellotron), maintains the sonic flavour of the original while also having seemingly benefitted from being conceived in the wake of the all techno/ambient/house revolutions that have recently preceded it. Jarre eschews the orchestral impulses of the first for the weight of more pronounced hooks and grooves on the second. While _Oxygene_ did the business, the sound is closer kin to the backdrops used in the sci-fi thrillers of the 50's than the exercises of his Krautrock contemporaries that causes Julian Cope to lather so. More Georgio Moroder and less Florian Schneider, _7-13_ plays more like very hip Doctor Who-isms with added structure and verve. The four note intro of "Oxygene 7" proclaims that from the get go, and by the time you arrive at "Oxygene 10" the promise remains fulfilled. The beats are consistent, but not quite dance-floor ready. The big name remixers of the day, who often work with much less solid content, could probably launch Jarre into further infamy with little effort. The only faux pas appears during the final cut where Jarre, probably looking for a minor chord exit to the opus, accidentally pockets some melody from the godawful Leo Sayer hit "When I Need Love." But the more epic moments, like the effective Theremin passage that sits five minutes deep into "Oxygene 9," more than atones. 55 million lifetime sales and twenty years more savvy, the man who once recorded an album, pressed one copy (which was auctioned off to charity), and destroyed the masters, has probably a fair amount of intrigue and musical aplomb to dispense to whippersnappers and afficianados alike. --- REVIEW: Mundy, _Jelly Legs_ (Epic) - David Landgren A long line of talented musicians, from U2 to Sinead O'Connor, hail from Ireland. Continuing the tradition comes Mundy, from a town called Birr, so small (pop. 4 000) you need a magnifying glass to find it. But that doesn't stop him from creating some full-bodied rock'n'roll. I can see why, with "Life's Just A Cinch," people make the comparison to Nirvana, with its blend of acoustic guitar during the verses and heavy electric guitar for the chorus. Mundy, however, resists the comparison, and claims a folk heritage along the lines of of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Maybe when Mundy pens the songs they sound folky, but once his backing members literally electrify them, they take on a punchier tone. In general, the production is sharp and clear, the lyrics can be decrypted without the liner notes (which is just as well, 'cause his handwriting is unreadable!), and, sign of a musician with experience playing live, all the songs snap shut without studio fadeouts. The album starts off awkwardly with "Reunion". It's hard to put the finger on what's at fault; the song just drags. The second song however, "Pardon Me," is where Mundy really gets into the stride of things. The song is powered by a subterranean bassline, ringing guitar work, with the verses sung in restless urgency and a soaring chorus that is inspired and inspiring. "Song For My Darlin'" is a longer, quieter ballad, a blend of acoustic and fuzzy electric guitars and toms. A heartfelt longing, and when he says "I shave my face almost every day now," you have to remember that Mundy is only 21 -w hich means that when I was born I was listening to Alice Cooper and other bands too embarrassing to mention. But I digress. I've had my attempts at writing lyrics, and, well, I've kept my day job. It's not I who could have come up with "I put you on a train, you should have heard the engine's laughter." in "Gin & tonic Sky". "Blown Away" and "The stone" are more showcases for Mundy's talent. It seems that songwriting is effortless to him. The lyrics, the arrangements all seem to come naturally. I bet he had a lot of fun in his busking days. People must have thrown pennies in his guitar case and said "Man, you should be recording these songs". And this is where Mundy differs radically from the only other busker-turned-pro that comes to my mind, to whit, Gordon Gano and the Violent Femmes. The production (by Youth, ex-Killing Joke) of the album doesn't try to capture the barebones on-the-street-corner sound, but takes advantage of the studio, and puts it to good use. Much of the richness also comes from his fellow musicians who should be given their fair share of the credit, Cion (Stan) O'Callaghan on drums, Shane (Fitzer) Fitzsimons on bass, Stephen (Steo) Farrell on electric guitar and Rosie Wetters who lends a touch of cello to a couple of tracks. My favourite track on the album is "Springtown". A letter to friends left behind in a small town... something I can personally relate to. "How are they in Springtown,/can you still drink the water that flows 'neath the sports park?/Is there still apples in the castle to steal/and how does it feel to be stuck there?" A common theme to his songs is the personal observation of the loss of friends, people going, travelling far away, going their way. The album closes with "Private Paradise", wherein Mundy himself says "You'll never see me again, cause I'm going away/Somewhere I can be on my own, all alone/Where all is calm." Mundy writes from the heart. There are a few flaws here and there; hackneyed phrasings ("You're running low on coal/I'm running low on soul"), sometimes a tendency to bury songs in overworking. However, it's easy enough to forgive. As things stand I'm patient enough to give the lad ten years or more to see how he turns out. If he can survive the hype, he'll go a long way. Wish him good luck. --- REVIEW: Old 97's, _Too Far To Care_ (Elektra) - Scott A. Miller Loud, raucous, big: these are the words that come to mind when I think of the freight train that used to barrel down the tracks right in back of my best friend's house about 10 years ago. Twice a day, you could count on a little house-shaking, decibel-raising, window-rattling visit from "the neighbors" as we used to say. The Old 97's Elektra debut _Too Far To Care_ is like that train: loud, raucous and big. And I've been playing it twice a day (sometimes more) almost like clockwork. From the opening train-out-of-control rhythm of "Time Bomb" to the last fuzz-box wails of "Four Leaf Clover," a duet featuring Exene Cervenkova (ex-X), this gem rocks, rolls, careens, stomps its boots, tackles the navel-fixated American alternative scene in the mud and gets up laughing. Don't just take my word for it. New York City's Vin Scelsa (WNEW), one of the last DJs on American commercial radio truly paid to play whatever he wants, recently played six songs in a row from this album on the air. It was seven, if you count that fact that he played "Just Like California" TWICE. When was the last time you heard six songs in a row from the same band, from the same album, on a radio show that wasn't having a "rock block weekend"? Hailing from Dallas, the Old 97's blast a rocking brand of alternative country that's big on electric guitars, snare drums and honkey-tonk themes like getting a girl, losing a girl, wishing you could get a girl and burning down the nightclub because you lost the girl and 1800 miles away. What sets them apart from virtually every band, no matter the genre, are the catchy vocal and guitar hooks that populate every single song on the album. "Salome" is as beautiful as "Niteclub" is hilarious. "Barrier Reef" paints a drunken southern lounge-lizard scene that Jimmy Buffett would be proud of while "Big Brown Eyes" sits on a neat turn of a phrase in the chorus: "You make a big impression for a girl of your size, now I can't get by without you and your big brown eyes." Rhett Miller handles most of the singing with a nod to Jeff Tweedy's Uncle Tupelo output and Ken Bethea's guitar is a tall mixed drink of twang, melody and crunch. But if I had to hand out a most valuable player award I'd give it to drummer Philip Peeples. It's hard to imagine this quartet, named for the 1906 ballad (and 1950's Johnny Cash hit) "The Wreck of the Old 97," without his bag-of-bones stick work or steam-train snare beats. Wally Gagel (Folk Implosion, Tanya Donnelly, Superchunk and Sebadoh) engineered, produced and mixed the newest. Jon Rauhouse of Grievous Angels provided pedal steel and banjo. Formed in 1993, the Old 97's aren't really a new band. The band's two in die albums, _Hitchhike to Rhome_ (Big Iron Records) and _Wreck Your Life_ (Bloodshot Records), are highly regarded for all the same reasons _Too Far To Care_ is such a winner. --- REVIEW: Motley Crue, _Generation Swine_ (Elektra) - Linda Scott Vince is back! 1992 Motley Crue fans thought they'd witnessed the band's demise when the Crue fired lead vocalist Vince Neil. The band subsequently picked up John Corabi, made a self-titled album, and watched record and tour sales plumment. Meanwhile, Vince Neil's band produced a couple of mediocre albums. Now _Generation Swine_ announces what bassist Nikki Sixx said couldn't happen - Vince Neil rejoins Motley Crue. It's been five years since the split, and the album was written without Neil. How good can it be? Very, very good. _Generation Swine_ has that aggressive, groove-laden Crue sound. It rocks like _Dr. Feelgood_ but goes into territories the doctor didn't dream of. Chief songwriter Nikki Sixx didn't spend the last five years in a cave. He's been influenced by new musical styles and personal experiences. Lyrically, the album goes beyond what the Crue has written before. Musically, it's a solid Crue base with a growth beyond what may have been expected from this band. _Generation Swine_ is all over the place from hard rock to ballads, from Neil doing lead vocals to Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee doing the honors. The first single from _Generation Swine_ is "Afraid". This track is a hard rocker with great guitar from Sixx and bassist Mick Mars. It lets the fans know Motley Crue is back. Hearing just this one cut from the album might get the rock fans thinking that the Crue has taken on the role of rock savior. It might happen as an incidental, but the band isn't interested in playing the old time rock and roll all the time. _Generation Swine_ has some lovely ballads in "Glitter" (which they worked on with Bryan Adams), "Rocketship" (written for Sixx's wife), and "Brandon" (written for Lee's son). "Brandon" features a string quartet with Lee on vocals, and "Rocketship" has Sixx on acoustic guitar and lead vocals. "Anybody Out There" is a ballistic punk rocker that should give the band and fans a real workout in concert. There's a techno feel to some of the songs like "Let Us Prey" (co-written with John Corabi). So, lots of different personalities, lots of different sounds. This isn't the 80's Crue anymore. They're keeping their base - fans and music - but moving on to where new listeners can get on board. Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee do a lot with the Internet. Their official web site, http://www.motley.com or http://www.generationswine.com, is run by a fan. The band keeps the site current with photos and information on Crue and related plans. A summer tour is planned, but details are not final at this point. The band promises that wherever they go they will play some old and some new Crue. Motley Crue has gotten its second wind - see them, hear them and prepare to get blown away. --- REVIEW: Save Ferris, _Introducing Save Ferris_ (Epic/Starpool) / Buck O Nine, _Twenty Eight Teeth_ (TVT) - Bob Gajarsky Ska has officially entered America's pop music party, but rather than knocking on the front door, it has come in through the bedroom window. With the last wave of ska encompassing the 2-Tone bands such as the Specials and the English Beat (later morphing into Fine Young Cannibals and General Public), this style of music was nearly dormant in the 80s, with the periodic newcomer such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Fishtone attempting to revive the lost art of horns, fast rhythms, and party tunes. However, with the "overnight" (read: 10 years of touring all over the place) success of No Doubt on their watered down breakthrough success album, _Tragic Kingdom_, other acts such as Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger are getting the chance to strut their stuff. Two more entrants to the big ska pool at the record store are California's (surprise!) Save Ferris and Buck O Nine. Save Ferris may owe its name to a John Hughes film, but its roots are firmly planted in the late 70s and early 80s. Though lead singer Monique Powell's vocals and good looks draw instant comparisons to No Doubt's Gwen Stefani, the music on this album draws on those 2-Tone bands and even early eighties groups such as Altered Images. And occasionally, they'll toss in a surprise; "Superspy" has a touch of 30s swing, not unlike what the Squirrel Nut Zippers have done. The traditional "life is fun" lyrics are here as well, typified on "Under 21", where our heroine just wants to get into a free concert...and what's wrong with that? Although _Introducing Save Ferris_ originally was released in 1996, it has recently been re-issued by Epic. San Diego's Buck O Nine is a seven piece outfit fronted by lead vocalist Jon Pebsworth. Rather than fully embracing the 2-Tone bands, Buck O Nine owes more to the Clash, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello and other new wave British bands with a three piece horns (trumpet, trombone and saxophone) section tossed in for good measure. The strongest part of _Twenty Eight Teeth_ is the writing - rather than the tracks existing *only* in the range of ska, these songs could have viable hooks if performed by other bands - and that's the true sign of good writing. "Steve Was Dead" and "My Town" could have been stolen from Joe Jackson's repertoire, and "Little Pain Inside" might have been bastardized from an R.E.M. outtake session. But it's on songs such as the title track, "Nineteen" and their nearly flawless cover of Jackson's "I'm Your Man" are just a few of the highlights on this surprising record. --- REVIEW: Katell Keineg, _Jet_ (Elektra) - Reto Koradi It is a rare occurrence, but you probably know the sensation: you hear an artist for the first time, and after only a few minutes you feel that you are listening to something very special, the music seems to bypass the ears and brain, and goes directly into your heart and soul. This is what happened to this reviewer almost 3 years ago when Katell Keineg was appearing as supporting act of Luka Bloom. Buying her first album and seeing her in a full concert only enforced this feeling. Unfortunately, not many people took notice of _O Seasons O Castles_, one of the outstanding albums of recent years. So it is a positive surprise that she gets the chance for a second shot with _Jet_. The most striking quality of Katell Keineg is her voice. She has an amazing range, can sound clean or dirty, and effortlessly goes from a whisper to a scream. On _Jet_, she shows that ability across diverse material, from the poppy "One Hell Of A Life", some haunting slow songs, over the almost traditionally Celtic "Enzo" to more upbeat and rough tracks. The lyrics are poetic and very sensitive. Even though large parts of the album are on a high level, some of the songs are less convincing. While variability is a good thing, sometimes she seems to get lost in putting too much into one album. Maybe focusing on her own qualities would be better than being influenced by trends like adding tape noise to songs (which is of questionable value in most cases anyhow). While the material on _Jet_ does not quite reach the level of her debut album, it still proves Katell Keineg's exceptional qualities, and we can only hope that it will sell better than _O Seasons O Castles_, so that we get the chance to hear much more from her. --- REVIEW: Maypole, _Product_ (Sony/Work) - Linda Scott Maypole is currently on tour opening for the Wallflowers. Connected by former Wallflowers' guitarist Tobi Miller, the bands must make for a thoughtful evening. Like the Wallflowers, Maypole has intriguing lyrics. Analyzing lyrics for two such bands at one concert must be heavy going. Seen live, better to let the words and thoughts just slip past you and hear the music as one piece, an aural experience. In addition to Miller, Maypole is Hans Hitner (guitar, vocals), Miiko Watanabe (bass), Hugh Mangrim (drums), and Chris Frankfort (tremofect/lap steel). All songs are written by Hitner who says he uses a writing technique called bombing - start with a feeling, add randomness, and let your mind take you away. Just as you think you've grasped the meaning of part of one song, the words shift away, and the new lyrics reflect back on those behind altering the interpretation. So the lyrics are full of hidden meanings and multiple interpretations, a la early R.E.M. The music, though, is surprisingly straightforward. Miller sets the band's musical direction, and his major influences are the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Other influences are the Clash, Police, Rocket from the Crypt, and the Replacements. The sound is very much alternative and very familiar. Without those strong lyrics done in Hitner's gravel voice, there wouldn't be much new here. Somehow the familiar musical style mixes with the bizarre lyrics to arrive at an interesting, unusual sound that anyone can listen to. _Product_'s first single is "Concrete Shoes" which is a catchy tune with some indepth lyrics that seem to be about heroin or water but are really about bitterness, suicide, the contras. Despite the lyrics, you could be humming this song after the second listen. A little lighter track is the first, "Going Dutch" which has some puzzling lyrics as well but a jaunty tune. The band has some heavy things to say in _Product_, but they don't mind if you don't get the point. Listen to the music, but let the lyrics go by like clouds. --- REVIEW: Empirion, _Advanced Technology_ (Wanted) - David Landgren In the land of techno, for an introduction to the state of the art, one could do worse than to track down _Advanced Technology_. Empirion is a three piece band, in the shape of Oz Morsley, Bobby Glennie and Jamie Smart. This album features some excellent tracks, without ever falling into some of the cliches that abound in the genre. They have their own web page up at http://www.wanted.demon.co.uk, where we learn that all of the tracks on the album range from 120 to 140 bpm. Which is another way of saying that this stuff cranks. Like the title track "Advanced Technology", a radar beam on the horizon slowly moving into focus that suddenly snaps into the main groove. A classic exposition of how techno builds a song up by layers, one rhythm and then another being brought into play. "Ayahuasca", starts off as a sort of feel-good late model Simple Minds number. As it warms up, however, the percussion fires up and the melody fleshes itself out it starts sounding like recent Severed Heads (now there's someone to look for). Unfortunately, here, the long synth washes over the top tend to give it a bit of a been-there-done-that feel. Probably the best track on the album, "ph1" is definitely groovy. Well paced, interesting samples, infectious rhythm, this is a song that benefits from being played loud. The mood sharpens up and becomes tenser with "Quark", with its industrial beacon strobing out on the off-beat, before going completely demented towards the end of the song - as if a virus took hold of it to bendit to its own purpose. This being the longest track, at over eleven minutes, there's room to move. More serious beats from a distant galaxy in the shape of "Narcotic Influence 2", a slowly mounting mist of distortion suddenly dissipates as the song cuts to the beat. The tune builds up in a crescendo to the one vocal sample looped over and over again "Giving them drugs, drugs, drugs". Followed by the punchline "Taking their lives away?" Right. If readers are already familiar with Empirion, it is probably due to the sister track "Narcotic Influence 1". The most hardcore track on the album would probably be "Ciao", a stroboscopic industrial mindsnap or "Jesus Christ", with its ratchetty hypnotic beat. The name of the song is no doubt inspired by the various radio preachers sampled for the mix. Both deserve to be played loud. And now for something completely different, the album closes with a long ambient techno lullaby that covers a lot of ground in ten minutes. At different times I am reminded of Future Sound of London, Aphex Twin, curiously enough, even David Byrne's _Catherine Wheel_. Seventy four minutes, thirty three seconds of music. Difficult to cram more on a single CD. --- REVIEW: Joe Tullos _The Scoundrel's Waltz_ (Dinosaur) - Linda Scott _The Scoundrel's Waltz_ is the debut album from Joe Tullos. Born and raised in Louisiana, Tullos and his guitar are part of the New Orleans music scene where he's played all the city's hottest clubs. He's played and recorded with some Big Easy big names including The Neville Brothers, Better Than Ezra, The Meters, and others. Tullos performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to rave reviews. So while he may not be well known to the rest of the world, he's got a solid homestate base. Signing with Dinosaur Entertainment gave Tullos the means and facilities to launch his first album. Tullos brings talent of all kinds to the table. He is a talented musician on several instruments, he has a clear, pleasant voice for lead vocals, and he is a great lyricist. _The Scoundrel's Waltz_, named for the overindulgent's gait, tells 11 stories from Joe Tullos' life. And Tullos sings lead and backing vocals, plays guitar, organ, dobra, and banjo. While he could have been a one man band here, he elected to bring together a truckload of 7 talented musicians. From Blind Melon comes drummer Glen Graham, bassist Brad Smith, lead/rhythm guitarist Rogers Stevens. From the hot band Squirrel Nut Zippers comes Jimbo Mathews (banjo, piano, horns, backing vocals), Ken Mosher (sax, backing vocals, guitar), and Tom Maxwell (guitar, clarinet, backing vocals). The wide variety of instruments and musicians adds a level of professionalism and texture to the album. A newcomer who can pull this together has to be taken seriously. The seventh musician is producer Mike Napolitano (Blind Melon's _Nico_) who does the honors on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and bass. Class act Trina Shoemaker, Grammy award winner for her work on Sheryl Crow's album, was the engineer. With all these musical ideas, the album has a variety of sounds. Within the album and within a track, there are rock licks, folk sounds, pop, funk and even jazz vibes. Quite a musically interesting album with high marks for lyrics. Tullos' vocals are mixed high enough that you can hear/understand him and the lyrics are also printed in the liner. Tullos is not a world class singer, but he is way above average, so check him out. If you never hear anything but the first track, "Love Generator", you would want to hear more. You might also think this was a solid rock album, but it's not. A question is how Tullos plans to support this album. It deserves to be heard outside Louisiana, but tours are required, and he has no band at this point. Finding musicians of the caliber and cohesion that played on _The Scoundrel's Waltz_ might be tough, but Joe Tullos is no slouch. He has gone through hard times for his music, and he will make something happen. Give this debut album a chance! Joe Tullos has the talent to make it - get in on the ground floor. --- ERRATA: > Last week's issue which reviewed the Frogs neglected to mention some of their other releases, including those issued as far back as 1988. For further information on the Frogs' discography, check your favorite Web browser. --- NEWS: > The 6th annual Aloha Concert Jam will take place on June 28 and 29 in Long Beach, CA. Presented by Ocean Spray, the festival will feature the sounds and culture of Hawaii at the Rainbow Lagoon Park. Slack guitarists from the Dancing Cat Records label will perform, along with Leabert Lindsey, recipient of several Hawaii Music Awards, and the Makaha Sons, noted for their traditional Hawaiian sound, and many other performers. For further information on ticket prices and the festival, contact 909-606-9494. > This week at the Anchorage in Brooklyn: Thursday, June 26 - Project Dark, Blank Slates; Friday, June 27 - Scanner, Main, Tweaker, Sticker; Saturday, June 28 - Liquid Sky Music featuring Soul Slinger, del Mar, Odi and Ani, Dimitri, Khan, DJ Wally and DJ Spooky. More information is available at http://www.creativetime.org > Cypress Hill's B-Real and Ice Cube have reconciled, ending a long feud, to collaborate with Shaquille O'Neal and KRS-One on "Men Of Steel", the title track from an upcoming feature film. > Groove Society presents a twist on the Internet concert scene by offering live video and audio from select clubs and events in North America, including online registration, live DJ requests, a world party guide, and more. Check out http://www.groovesociety.com/GRV_Nation for more information. > The unoffical John Hiatt web page has a new address; it is located at http://www.tiac.net/users/pfl/sor.htm > Michelle Malone will be appearing online at http://pseudo.com for a performance and live chat on Tuesday, June 24, from 9-10 pm EST. > Jello Biafra (of Lard and formerly Dead Kennedys) and Offspring's Dexter Holland have joined forces to establish a benefit foundation, F.S.U. (alternately for Fuck Shit Up, Freedom Starts Underground, or Friends Shall Unite). Its aim is to provide support for social services, assist those less fortunate, help maintain and restore a healthy environment, and take part in the fight for human rights. The first three concerts to provide funds for F.S.U. are the Offspring shows June 29 at the Ventura Theatre in Ventura, CA; June 30 at the Glass House in Pomona, CA, and July 2 in Santa Cruz, CA. Chosen grantees for these first events are AIDS Project Los Angeles, Poor Peoples United Fund, Trees Foundation and Amnesty International. --- TOUR DATES: Buck-O-Nine Jun. 24 Raleigh, NC Brewery Jun. 26 Washington, DC Black Cat Jun. 27 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill Jun. 28 Cambridge, MA Middle East Jun. 29 New York, NY Wetlands Cravin' Melon Jun. 26 Nashville, TN Dancin' In the District Jun. 27 Winston Salem, NC Ziggys Jun. 28 Wilmington, NC The Forum Jun. 29 Greenville, NC The Attic File Jun. 25 Bethesda, MD Twist & Shout Jun. 26 Bethlehem, PA Godfrey Dniels Jun. 27 New York, NY Tramps Jun. 28 Amagansett, NY Stephen Talkhouse Jun. 29 Escoheag, RI Big Easy Festival Five For Fighting Jun. 24 Cambridge, MA Middle East Jun. 26 Danbury, CT Tuxedo Junction Jun. 30 New York, NY Fez Furthur Festival (incl. Black Crowes and many more) Jun. 24 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Jun. 26 Virginia Beach, VA Virginia Beach Amphitheatre Jun. 28 Camden, NJ Entertainment Center Jun. 30 Scranton, PA Montage Mountain G3 (Joe Satriani / Steve Vai / Kenny Wayne Shepherd) Jun. 24 Cleveland, OH Nautica Stage Jun. 25 Canandaigua, NY Finger Lakes Jun. 26 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Jun. 27 Pittsburgh, PA I.C. Light Jun. 28 North Tonawanda, NY Melody Fair Jun. 30 Minneapolis, MN Northrop Auditorium Irving Plaza (New York concert hall; http://www.irvingplaza.com) Jun. 26 My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult / Radio Iodine Jun. 29 Guru Rickie Lee Jones Jun. 24 New York, NY Irving Plaza Jun. 26 Boston, MA Paradise Jun. 27 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts Jun. 29 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse Wayne Kramer Jun. 24 Detroit, MI Alvin's Jun. 25 Chicago, IL Double Door Jun. 26 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Jun. 27 Iowa City, IA Gabe's Oasis Jun. 28 St. Louis, MO Side Door Jun. 30 Kansas City, KS Grand Emporium Don Lewis Band Jun. 27 Newburgh, NY Driscoll's Lollapalooza (Tool headlining) Jun. 25 West Palm Beach, FL Coral Sky Jun. 27 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Jun. 28 Charlotte, NC Blockbuster Jun. 29 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Michelle Malone Jun. 26 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest Jun. 27 Chicago, IL Shubas Jun. 28 Atlanta, GA My Sisters Room Jun. 29 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Pride John Mayall Jun. 26 San Diego, CA Humphrey's Mindset Jun. 24 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's Jun. 25 New Orleans, LA Monaco Bob's Jun. 27 Fort Worth, TX Impala Jun. 28 Little Rock, AR Vino's Jun. 30 St.Louis, MO Kennedy's My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult / Radio Iodine Jun. 26 New York, NY Irving Plaza Jun. 28 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's Jun. 29 Washington DC 9:30 Club No Doubt / Weezer / Lunachicks Jun. 24 Holmdel, NJ Pnc Bank Arts Center Ozzfest (Ozzy Osbourne / Type O Negative / Machine Head / more) Jun. 24 Denver, CO Mile High Stadium Jun. 26 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Jun. 28 Las Vegas, NV Sam Boyd Silverbowl Jun. 29 San Bernardino, CA Blockbuster Pavillion Poorhouse Rockers Jun. 28 Ocean City, MD Talbot St. Cafe Racer 17 Jun. 27 New York, NY Cooler Silver Jet Jun. 24 Baltimore, MD Bohagers Jun. 25 Washington, DC 930 Club Jun. 27 Sea Bright, NJ Tradewinds Jun. 30 New Haven, CT Toad's Place Sister Hazel / Cowboy Mouth Jun. 24 Corpus Christi, TX Piranha Jun. 25 Austin, TX Stubbs Jun. 26 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit Jun. 27 Dallas, TX Trees Jun. 28 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown U2 Jun. 25 Madison, WI Randall Stadium Jun. 27 Chicago, IL Soldier Field Young Dubliners Jun. 24 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl Entertainment Center Jun. 25 Ames, IA Peoples Jun. 26 Sioux City, IA Main Street Jun. 27 Minneapolis, MN Caboose on the West Bank Jun. 28 Chicago, IL House of Blues Jun. 29 Iowa City, IA Gunnerz --- THE READERS WRITE BACK! > I wish you continued success with Consumable. I look forward to reading every issue. Also wanted to let you know (and maybe others) that Julian Cope's last album _Interpreter_ is finally coming out in the U.S. on Cooking Vinyl. (This was reviewed in the February 13 issue of Consumable). Julian's official (and VERY well done) web site can be found at http://www.headheritage.co.uk. You can order his (impossible to find in the U.S.) self-released CDs such as _Rite_, _Skellington Chronicles_, _Droolian_, etc. from the site. - E.U. > I know the review I read was old (May '96). But I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to read such a glowing review of the band Nancy Boy, by an obviously enlightened writer. I saw the band in the UK this past March and was *very* impressed. And off-stage they were the most friendly, down-to-earth group of individuals I have met in the music industry. I only hope they will play somewhere on the East Coast soon! - Cathy A. > The review (of Sinead O'Connnor) makes me curious - the version of _Gospel Oak_ released in Australia and the UK only has four tracks, despite this review's assertion that there are six. Even stranger is the fact that the review only mentions the four songs on the UK version, though it states that final track "4 My Love" comes "smack dab in the center" of the CD. Well, whatever's after that track (what exactly wasn't mentioned in the review) isn't on the original EP. Just another artifact for the trivia database... - A.H., Australia > I was interested to read the news about the new Yeats tribute album. (How would one) order or purchase this album? - M.F., Tokyo (Ed. Note: According to a publicist for the Yeats project, it can be purchased in the United States at stores such as Borders, and should be easily obtainable in the United Kingdom). --- 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 ===