==== ISSUE 118 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [August 7, 1997] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gaj@westnet.com Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Patrick Carmosino, Janet Herman, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Jiji Johnson, 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 Also Contributing: Dan Birchall, Derek Langsford, Malcolm O'Neill Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com ================================================================== 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: Bettie Serveert - Al Muzer REVIEW: Bettie Serveert, _Dust Bunnies_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Seven Mary Three, _Rock Crown_ - Scott Slonaker REVIEW: David Byrne, _Feelings_ - Joe Silva REVIEW: Paul Weller, _Heavy Soul_ - Tim Kennedy CONCERT REVIEW: Jimmy Wilson Group and guests (Ween) - Al Muzer REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random_ - Derek Langsford REVIEW: Pat MacDonald, _Sleeps With His Guitar_ - Reto Koradi CONCERT REVIEW: Michael Penn - Joe Silva REVIEW: Various Artists, _DubMission2 The Remixes_ - Malcolm O'Neill REVIEW: Finneus Gauge, _More Once More_ - Dan Birchall REVIEW: Teenage Fanclub, _Songs From Northern Britain_ - Tim Kennedy NEWS: Kip Winger TOUR DATES: Allman Brothers / Sister Hazel, Boston, Cake Like, Cowboy Mouth, Darlahood, Government Mule / Sweet Vine, Life of Agony, Lollapalloza, Lunachicks, Matchbox 20, Megadeth, Sinead O'Connor, Poison Idea, Radiohead, Sister 7, Size 14, Supertramp, Tsunami, Vision of Disorder, The Why Store, World Party, Wu Tang Clan / Rage Against the Machine / Atari Teenage Riot Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: Bettie Serveert - Al Muzer Only a fool or someone with a poor command of the English language would accuse Bettie Serveert of producing "happy" pop music. Despite bright, occasionally jangly riffs, shimmering hooks, an obvious love for radio-friendly melodies and the clear, coy voice of singer/guitarist/songwriter Carol van Dijk; the deep lyrical focus and thoughtful instrumental approach taken by the Netherlands four-piece on _Dust Bunnies_ makes Aimee Mann sound like Up With People! in comparison. By pitting van Dijk's deep, compassionate, rainy day observations against the deceptively warm backing of Peter Visser's Neil Young-inspired guitar heroics and the solid rhythmic pulse laid down by drummer Berend Dubbe and bassist Herman Bunskoeke, the "open diary" feel and heart-on-sleeve slant of the group's vocals is nicely offset by an instrumental sound perfectly-suited for Top 40 radio. Everyone's favorite Dutch treat when their debut effort, _Palomine_, snuck its way up the alternative charts in 1992, the understated music and warm, heartfelt lyrics on songs such as "Leg," "Tom Boy," "Kid's Alright," "Balentine," "Brain-Tag" and the wistful title track were a perfect counterbalance for the anger and aggression popular at the time, and the album became one of the surprise hits of the year. "One of my biggest dreams, seven or eight years ago, was to visit the states at least once in my life, you know?" marvels Dubbe during a recent phone call from Amsterdam. "And now we've been over there so many times that it's actually quite amazing. We never planned on, or dreamed of, the level of success _Palomine_ eventually reached or the attention the record brought us. I mean," he chuckles, "we started the band with the intention of playing out no more than a couple of times a month just for the fun of it." Still attempting to come to terms with the "overnight" success thrust on them courtesy of their debut, the group barely had time to recover from an exhausting global tour when they found themselves - ready or not - back in the studio working on _Lamprey_, their not-quite-as-well-received 1995 follow-up effort. "There was a lot of strain," Dubbe comments on the recording process for Lamprey. "There were a lot of monkeys on a lot of backs for that album. The hardest part, for us, was starting out with nothing, which we basically did, and then, all of a sudden, bang! We were overloaded with attention and found ourselves trying to live up to our reviews." Suffering from an overly-busy instrumental approach and a feeling of general restlessness, Lamprey, while coming close to stacking up song-for-song against Palomine, failed to make an impact on the charts or, for that matter on the fans and critics who'd so openly embraced the band a mere three years earlier. "This is a much brighter sounding album," Dubbe says of _Dust Bunnies_. "The second record became much darker and more somber than we wanted it to become. It was written during a period when there was a lot of uncertainty within the band. Plus, that second record thing [sophomore slump]?" he asks. "Well, we actually had it!" Re-focusing on the simplicity of their debut while retaining just enough edge from their second effort; the recently released, 13-song _Dust Bunnies_ is a glowing commercial and artistic achievement. "This takes us back to, like, the first record," offers Dubbe. "But, without the sloppiness of that album. The pre-production time we spent in this little hole in New York City with Bryce [Pavement/Spacehog producer Bryce Goggin] before we entered the studio really, I think, helped the record in the long run. Bryce was actually going, 'Well where are you going with that part? Why did you play that there?' " he laughs. "And we actually had to answer to someone, which was a little difficult. I think it really paid off on the record, though." Recorded with Goggin behind the boards near Woodstock, New York, at Todd Rundgren's Bearsville Studios, songs such as "Rudder," "Geek," "Co-Coward," "What Friends?" and "Story In A Nutshell" have already drawn considerable press, MTV and radio attention while the band's upcoming arena tour with The Wallflowers and Counting Crows should be all it takes to completely convince casual fans that Bettie Serveert's _Palomine_ was no fluke. "We're really looking forward to those shows," Dubbe says of the Crows/Wallflowers/Serveert bills. "It'll be three weeks spent in big arenas - which is gonna be totally new for us and, I think, a little weird. It should be a real adventure. Oh, yeah, we're also looking at a small tour with Son Volt to happen sometime not long after that." "You know," he adds thoughtfully, "the next few weeks are gonna be where it either happens for us, or it doesn't. A lot of people who don't know us at all are gonna see us play - whether they want to or not - so these shows are really important." "We just played on a bill with Ben Folds Five," he says as he quickly changes the subject, "which, I think, was a totally weird combination of bands. I mean, we've got great songs. Those guys've got great songs x but, still, for some reason, we just didn't seem to connect musically." "There were two very distinct camps of people in the crowd," Dubbe laughs as he recalls a wall of stone-faced non-fans. "Although I did see more than a few Ben Folds Five fans who looked like they were enjoying our music the longer we played." "I really love sitting up there behind the drums," he chuckles. "You can see everything. You know, there are more and more shows where I see more and more people singing along with Carol. And more shows with a lot of girls - and a lot of men - out there pining for her." "Although, sometimes," he says quietly, "it does get a little bit scary up there. A little weird looking out into the crowd and seeing so many people so intensely involved in the music - and so many people so intensely involved in the lead singer." --- REVIEW: Bettie Serveert, _Dust Bunnies_ (Capitol) - Joann D. Ball Bettie Serveert delivers yet another sonic treat on their third release_Dust Bunnies_. The thirteen tracks here showcase Carol van Dijk's unique vocals and Peter Visser's brilliant fretwork, which are the foundation of the band's unmistakable sound. Like their pleasurable debut _Palomine_, this latest collection features the quartet's irresistible bash and pop. Here it is served up in heaping portions on "Geek," "What Friends?" and "Rudder." And on the short ditty "Story in a Nutshell," the Betties even incorporate some of the wit and bubbliness characteristic of Lemonhead Evan Dando. But the real gems here are slower, introspective tracks like the acoustic "Dust Bunny" which alternate with the more typical uptempo rockers. Hardly uneven or ragged, this arrangement complements Bettie Serveert's musical abilities and van Dijk's lyrical acumen. Life is indeed an up and down experience, and this is captured in the songs individually and on the disc as a whole. That van Dijk is a keen observer of perspectives, feelings and experiences is evident on "Pork and Beans" and "Fallen Foster." Through her deceptively simple lyrics, she manages to reveal the complexities of daily life in such a manner that the listener can easily connect with the songs and their subjects. Without a doubt, _Dust Bunnies_ is a real Dutch treat. So go ahead and indulge - you'll be glad you did. --- REVIEW: Seven Mary Three, _Rock Crown_ (Atlantic) - Scott Slonaker One thing one certainly might not expect upon pressing play with the sophomore disc from Florida's Seven Mary Three in the CD player is an immediate Beatles reference. "Mean Mr. Mustard says he's bored," goes the opening line to "Lucky". 7M3's debut album, 1995's platinum _American Standard_, owed more to the crunching arena-rock of Live and early Pearl Jam, with singer Jason Pollock's nuanced growl distinctly recalling Metallica's James Hetfield. The band also bears the dubious distinction of being one of the last "grunge" bands to hit big. This, naturally, targeted them for a large amount of the backlash that emerged from grunge's death throes. _Rock Crown_ does manage to diversify the quickly-monotonous two-pitch arsenal of its predecessor (loud riffers/overwrought ballads) somewhat, but Seven Mary Three still comes off as largely the same band trying too hard escape a now-undesirable classification. In fact, they seem frightened of the riffy thudding that made them a teenage favorite; only a handful of the fifteen tracks really shake the speakers. Nevertheless, some of the band's attempts to branch out do connect. "Needle Can't Burn (What the Needle Can't Find)" chugs along fluidly in a Hootie-in- fast-mode groove; it's tuneful enough to hum. "People Like New" is a piano-based ballad that actually succeeds surprisingly well (before being tarnished by gratuitous guitar wanking at the end). "Make Up Your Mind" is another hushed tune that clicks due to Pollock's initial vocal restraint (the lack of such being a major problem with the slower numbers on _American Standard_). "What Angry Blue?" throws in some dobro and "na-na-na" backing vocals, cleverly copping Stone Temple Pilots' "Big Empty" in the process. And the aforementioned "Lucky", despite the poorly disguised lyrical inspiration, does possess an appealing acoustic hook. Unfortunately, for every new ingredient that works, two don't. "Houdini's Angels" fails to build its lush orchestral backing into anything tangible. "Player Piano" is a clumsy stab at jazz. The spare "Times Like These" and "I Could Be Wrong" float by without much impression at all. "Honey of Generation", one of the few songs that moves at faster than mid-tempo speed, buries itself beneath completely toneless and overwrought vocal histrionics by Pollock and dopey lyrics ("It's the honey of generation/Makes you forget/Where you came from"). Tom Morris' production tries to create some live-in-the-studio ambience, especially on the multitude of acoustic songs, but the sounds that emerge often end up sounding canned and forced. And with so little going on musically within the frequently-spare arrangements, too much ends up depending on Pollock's cryptic and cliched lyrics (although his pacing and phrasing are improving somewhat). The problem with _Rock Crown_ is not the fact that Seven Mary Three are trying to do different things; in fact, I applaud any band's efforts to diversify musically. It's just that 7M3's new direction is going to completely alienate their younger audience that picked up on the band's pit-ready, Metalliskynyrdly debut. How many of those fans are going to be happy with a record that has exactly three tracks (and really only one good one, the title track) that might be able to stir those same feelings? (The middle third of the album, in fact, consists entirely of ballads.) Seven Mary Three may eventually turn into a band that's comfortable with both of its faces, but for now, it seems as though they have sacrificed their meal tickets for spotty experimentation. A handful of jewels do point towards a light at the end of the tunnel for Seven Mary Three, but this _Rock Crown_ is largely a dubious honor. --- REVIEW: David Byrne, _Feelings_ (Luaka Bop/Warner) - Joe Silva Since this project started to get airtime, Byrne has made much noise about his coming to believe in the verite of the home studio ethic and that much of this LP was born in that very fashion. And thousands of indie outfits bear out this same notion annually with sometimes no than a four-track rig and a couple of grand to get their discs pressed. But when the term "home studio" passes across David Byrne's lips, he's apparently not speaking in quite the same tongues as those who exist in and about the lo-fi arena. Not fifteen seconds into the lead track ("Fuzzy Freaky"), with its phat wah-wah intro and thick rhythmic undertow, you realize that no one who's shared much close artistic space with Brian Eno, is going to suddenly jettison twenty years of forward musical thinking to resemble some sub-Superchunk pop unit. In fact, Byrne has once again, taken his left-ish field musical vision and conjured an album that's as sonically compelling as anything that's beared his name. There may not be the eerie urban perfection of _Fear of Music_, or the brilliant pastiche of his _Life In The Bush of Ghosts_ project he co-sired with Eno, but Byrne continues along the same omni directional path that all of his solo material has benefitted from. By now, he's almost entirely slipped from radio's consciousness into the limbo that is hyper-critical acclaim, and by that travesty, records as well executed as this release, will most likely be ignored. _Feelings_ carries on in the same strong second-wind form as the previous, self-titled LP demonstrated. For all the other-worldly music that Byrne probably saturates himself with, the appearance of the Salsa-fied "Miss America" alongside the oddball grooviness of the opener "Fuzzy Freaky" and the plaintive grace of "A Soft Seduction" shows that Byrne has remained rooted in a largely balanced musical perspective. Casting his many faces across these fourteen tracks, Byrne addresses almost all of his strengths and characteristics that have endeared him to the devoted over the past two decades. To find another rhythmic intuition as flawless, married to a lyrical balance that's just grim enough, just humorous enough while being butted up against intellectually cool pop melodies, is not a simple thing. The collaborations (Devo, Morcheeba, The Black Cat Orchestra) seem to bear enough fruit, and hodge-podge moments like "The Gates of Paradise" show that in just over three minutes, Byrne can also move with as much effortlessness between as many styles (jungle, country, pop). There are a few moments of depleted magic though, and if you were saddled with a partner, pets, four children and x amount of disposable income, opting for the last LP might be slightly more satisfying. But given more time in its company, there's a fair chance that _Feelings_ may warrant a retraction of the previous statement. --- REVIEW: Paul Weller, _Heavy Soul_ (Island) - Tim Kennedy Paul Weller has a huge and adoring UK following, many of them dating back to the late seventies heyday of the Jam. He is probably the most respected figure of his generation still in music. His comeback since the implosion of the Style Council has been meteoric. The last album _Stanley Road_ to these ears was not a consistent affair, ranging from moody and downright depressing to suddenly euphoric and inspired. However it was celebrated by the UK critics, and sold truckloads at home. The latest offering is a more consistent performance, with a homely sound being created by the efficient backing of Ocean Colour Scene. Weller's songs are soundly constructed, and nicely offset with occasional sixties flashbacks. If Weller has a godfather it would not be McCartney, but Neil Young. Both share the same grim determination to see the job through, and frequently seem desolated. Their songs seem to rail at the unfairness of the situations of these two icons of late 20th Century rock and roll (well apparently). Not that unfair, say all of us. The light touch of Weller's late seventies work is present in "In Suze's Room" (one may recall "Fly" from _All Mod Cons_). Elsewhere the mood is more sombre, though at times a little funky. The emphasis is on 'heavy' more than on 'soul'. This is not an album of innovation, but rather one which displays an unerring dedication to the craft of the rock song, and will be eagerly welcomed by his legions of admirers. --- CONCERT REVIEW: Jimmy Wilson Group and guests (Ween) - Al Muzer Promising to be one of the strangest nights of musical mayhem in recent New Jersey history, the "special guests" hinted at in the ads for this bill were the real reason a long line of happily-chattering surfers, jocks, metal heads, frat boyz ('n' grrrls), country music fans and skate punks lined the sidewalk outside The Saint (Asbury Park, New Jersey.) a full half hour before the doors were scheduled to open. Busy from the moment the first group of excited customers had their hands stamped, club manager Scott Stamper slammed into counters, beer coolers, garbage cans, door frames and anything (and anyone) else behind the bar that remained stationary long enough to get in his way as he insanely attempted to keep up with the continuous demand for "more beer!" while Petey cranked up the music and the place quickly filled to capacity. Wandering up to the bar with heavy-lidded eyes and a sheepish look on his face, Deen Ween seemed pleasantly baffled when he overheard a couple discussing the last time they experienced the Jimmy Wilson Group live. "What," he drawled incredulously as he grabbed another cold one from a dangerously oscillating Stamper, "you mean to tell me that you've seen the Jimmy Wilson disaster before and actually came back for more? Wow!?!" The band (actually a weird combination of assorted Moist Boyz, Ween members and whoever else happened to feel like climbing up on stage for a song or two) chose that moment to burst into a wigged-out version of a Chris Harford tune (with Chris on vocals) that segued into a Vanilla Fudge-like take on "Aquarius (Let The Sun Shine In)" that somehow became a mutant rendition of King Crimson's "Cat Food" that, in turn, shifted into a Wayne Kramer-ized assault on the blues that was followed by a doodlin' version of "Fire On The Mountain." While the group took a second to catch their breath, Deener ambled up and strapped on a guitar for a slammin' blast of Funkadelic's "Red Hot Mama" that briefly became "21st Century Schizoid Man," "If Six Was Nine" and "Fire" before Gene (who had somehow found his way on stage during a Doorsy rendition of Hendrix' best acid vision) burped out a crazed solo that devolved into a manic wall of feedback and noise. With the club officially packed and the full Ween contingent now strapped in, Gene and Deen broke into "I'm Dancing In The Show Tonight," "The Mollusk" (featuring a bizarre Jacques Cousteau underwater keyboard break), "The Golden Eel," "The Blarney Stone" (bitchin' trombone solo!) and a whole bunch'a other songs from their Elektra album, _The Mollusk_ (as well as a few blasts from the past) that I was simply way too buzzed to write down. Fulfilling the crowd's expectations for musical brilliance, sick humor and a totally twisted weirdness that went beyond anything witnessed in scenic Asbury Park since the last time the same group of musicians shared (more than) a few bottles and broke a few strings on the Saint's stage - The Jimmy Wilson Group's latest assault on music will long be remembered (by those actually sober enough to recall it) as one of the concert highlights of the summer. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random (not a tribute to Gary Numan)_ (Beggars Banquet) - Derek Langsford Beggars Banquet state this is not a tribute album, rather a set of songs that were "solid and could be translated for a wider audience." Beggars continue to walk that fine line between hiding their embarrassment and making money off the UK music press's favorite whipping boy, Gary Numan, the late 70s/early 80s synth pioneer. Beggars boast that they had more tracks offered than could fit on two CDs yet some of the rumoured big names such as Tori Amos and Nine Inch Nails are notably absent, some relatively unknown artists are present, and only 60 mins of music is on each CD. Despite this apparent deflation of the expectations, the final product admirably achieves its goal and amply illustrates why many are reevaluating Gary Numan some 17 years after his peak success. The tracks are mostly from Numan's Beggars Banquet catalog (78-83) with two somewhat unexplainable exceptions - 1986's "I Can't Stop" (one of Numan's less likeable songs) given a brooding treatment by newcomers Peck Slip and 1994's "Absolution" by Amanda Ghost - a decidely dull rendition of his most recent single. The other tracks include straightforward covers ("We Are So Fragile" - Jesus Jones), pulsating dance interpetations ("Stormtrooper in Drag" - St. Etienne), song obliteration with rap overdub ("Films" - Underdog) and keyboard noodlings with little attention to the original song ("Joe the Waiter" - The Orb). The interpretations run the gamut from excellent (a Hendrix/Reznor influenced "Poetry and Power" - Gravity Kills), intriguing (Chris Holmes's refreshing rework of "Remember I Was Vapour"), novel (a Lene Lovich/Siouxsie inspired "She's Got Claws" - Posh), and dull ("Are Friends Electric?" - An Pierle, a Belgian Tori Amos soundalike with Sheryl Crow envy). While some songs are given new life by the artists (Kenickie - "I'm An Agent", EMF - "We Are Glass", Dubstar - "Everyday I Die", Moloko - AFE), others seem stale before you reach the first chorus (Republica, Windscale). Many of the new crop of artists are cliched, simply recycling influences of the last 30 years like so many of the "new" bands (there's even a Queen sample from the early 70s). But there are notable interpretations from Matt Sharp (Weezer, The Rentals) and Damon Albarn (Blur) - "We Have a Technical", The Magnetic Fields - " I Die: You Die", Jimi Tenor's "Down in the Park", and Bis - "We Are So Fragile". Like all "tribute" albums one's first impressions are always shaded by the comparison with the originals. Various artist compilations also always suffer from lack of sonic continuity. Treating each cover separately may not be a good indicator of the overall experience but I have come full circle. _Random_ is not the mixed bag I first thought it was. I now appreciate most of the interpretations and really like many of them. It may even have taught me to appreciate some styles that have previously left me cold. Maybe this will introduce fans of these performers to Numan's songs and even provide Numan with a much looked-for boost in viability as he launches his new album n ealry September, again on his own UK-only label. An album of techno mixes _Random II_ is due soon but _Random_ itself is well worth the effort to search out. Look for it "filed under Numan". --- REVIEW: Pat MacDonald, _Sleeps With His Guitar_ (Ark21) - Reto Koradi It's a new name on the cover, but Pat MacDonald is not a freshman. Timbuk 3 was the name of the band he formed with his wife Barbara K., spawning at least minor hits with songs like "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades". While the Neil Young reference in the title indicates that MacDonald has not lost his wit, the trademark cynicism and social criticism of Timbuk 3 is largely absent from his first solo album. This more serious approach enables MacDonald to showcase musical qualities that could hardly be expected from him. In the foreground is an expressive and full voice, combined with some very fine playing on the acoustic guitar. A prime example is the breathtakingly beautiful ballad "Missing". Sensible and deep lyrics like the ones in "Like Water" ("wish I wish I could find, a way to get inside you, a way inside your crazy head, but you're like water, slippin' through my hands") are prevalent over most of the album. Really reminiscent of Timbuk 3 is only "The History Of Man", which rather cynically treats the vast topic in 4:30 ("Cicero couldn't keep his big mouth shut, so Anthony wreaked some havoc on his butt, then lost his to Cleopatra, that slut"). A good deal of irony is also in the title "Stupid Simple Song", which may be rather simple, but far less stupid than most songs by other artists. _Sleeps With His Guitar_ is an album that does not make use of any cheap thrills; it sounds unspectacular at first listen. But it shows a degree of honesty and dedication that is rarely found. Unfortunately this is not what is needed on the mass market, so Pat MacDonald is likely to join the club of great underrated artists, with people like T Bone Burnett. But this should not stop you from enjoying this wonderful album for your own private pleasure. --- CONCERT REVIEW: Michael Penn, Live at Southern Tracks Atlanta - Joe Silva Somewhere midway during this set, which was being recorded for a future local radio broadcast, Michael Penn somewhat sheepishly confessed to not being known for having a massive stage presence. But before his fairly new outfit began their next tune, he added in a Woody Allen-ish deadpan that he'd take part of the responsibility for that circumstance if the audience would own up to their share as well. Now three records into his career, that statement is a subtle but honest jab coming from the man who was awarded MTV's Best New Artist award more than six years ago and then quickly dropped off the radio map. In fact, the week after he won that award, RCA inexplicably canned a follow-up single and video that was almost sure to cash in on the radio/video success of his initial hit "No Myth." You can place the blame in any number of places (poor marketing strategy, the rise of grunge, etc), but not even Penn knows for certain how he became almost instantly forgotten. His second record (_Free For All_) went virtually unpromoted and was followed by a period of corporate restructuring that left him with virtually no means to record or sign elsewhere. But now amidst the low watt glow of multi-coloured lava lamps, indian carpeting, and fantastic acoustics, Michael's band helps him re-emphasize why that was all a great wrong-doing. Showcasing only material from his new release _Resigned_, Penn's voice boomed across these softened surroundings and giving these tunes a even more compelling face than they had when they were initially laid to tape in this very room. While he sings, Penn latches on to an blank stare that is aimed at a nowhere point in the back of the room as he begins the reserved first verse of his new single "Try. " But when he meets the chorus a few moments later, there is an intensity to the timbre of his voice and the band's mood that locks the entire room into the verve of the moment. Superb keyboardist Jebin Bruni is revealed a moment or two later as Penn's ace in the hole. Bruni helps morphs the grittier bits of the song's radio release into a stirring bit of atmosphere that will hopefully not be lost when the electric version of this band hits larger venues during their summer opening slots for Sheryl Crow. Later Penn heads into a stunning version of "Strawberry Fields Forever" and his voice makes an eerie but striking fit for Lennon's that along with Bruni's actual mellotron passages recalls all that was haunting and beautiful about this thirty year-old classic. Other highlights include "Like Egypt Was," a semi-psychedelic upbeat number about Los Angeles facing the millenium and the X-file like circumstances surrounding a woman's last few moment in a local hospital. Combined with stellar pop moments like "All That That Implies" and "Me Around," the brief set was tremendously satisfying glimpse of what his shows will deliver on the road. And while Penn may never raise eyebrows with his performing demeanor, he is nonetheless right now in strong shape vocally and the tunes bear out how sound his writing still is. The only unfortunate aspect to the evening may have been that this small setting was probably the optimal way to appreciate what's best about Penn and _Resigned_, and that the rest of the concert going AOR fans that Sheryl Crow will draw to her feet will not be able to fully appreciate his worth in a short set, hampered by lousy arena acoustics and loud cries for the beer guy. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _DubMission2 The Remixes_ (Qwango/Island) - Malcolm O'Neill While both dub and ambient tend to rely on studio technology and a fair amount of repetition, the end results can be substantially different. The ethereal sounds of ambient attempt to paint sonic landscapes to soothe the soul but dub is usually something more of a physical adventure. Originating in the 60/70s from the low-tech studios of Jamaica, early dub (Lee Scratch Perry and Scientist to name two of the heavier hitters) would strip a track down to its basic rhythm and then add back guitar, horns, and vocal sounds with lots of echo, phasing and left/right speaker hopping. Modern technology has made life a little easier for new dub artists (such as the excellent The Mad Professor) and 50% of dub now originates from worldwide sources outside of Jamaica. Showing the evident influences of the old hands and current flavours of techno, _DubMission2_ contains examples of the new Dub generation remixing tracks by established reggae artists such as Gregory Issacs, Black Uhuru, Sly & Robbie, and Burning Spear. Although the compilation might appear to be stocked with filler (you get two versions of "Boof'n'Baff...", two versions of "Night Nurse", and two versions of "Demolition City"), this is to afford you the opportunity to compare dub's various styles and some of its occasional dramatic contrasts. Thievery Sound Systems version of "Boof'n'Baff...", which starts with the emphasis on drum and bass before really taking off, wins out over the two versions by Fila Brazillia. Brazillia's first remix takes a traditional stance with a few sound effects thrown in for good measure, but the techno-rich second remix is disappointingly too much like a Trenchtown Alex Patterson. "Demolition City" reworkings are trad-Dub (Smith and Mighty) versus crazy Dub (Graveyard City), with the latter maintaining lots of action over, above, and beyond the basic rhythm. "Night Nurse" two different treatments come from the laid back style of Kruder and Dorfmeister and Cottonbelly's asian-influenced and provocative remix that features some really great bass. "Rockers HiFi" starts and finishs with twittering birds (environmental dub) and sandwhiches dance beats in between. But the track's electronic bass was etched without feeling. In contrast, SubDub use great bass lines with trad-Dub sounds (sharp guitars/echo/vocal) here, but things with some awful, whining electronic sounds (upholding The Mad Professor thesis of knowing where and when to use sound effects). Best of all was Ion Loops "Ion Storm" with it's solid nix of dub and drum and bass. The vocals were almost conventional but the sounds were wild, weird and wonderful making you want to hear more from this team. As a good intro to modern dub that may make you want to delve into its past, then this will serve you purposes. As the now deceased dub poet Michael Smith said "Give me little dub music right here so tonite." --- REVIEW: Finneus Gauge, _More Once More_ - Dan Birchall It seems easy to compare Finneus Gauge to Echolyn. After all, the Gauge are led by Chris Buzby, former keyboard wizard for Echolyn. Familiar sounds pop up here and there throughout their work. Both bands have five members and hail from the greater Philadelphia area. And both bands blend progressive rock and jazz. After listening to the new Finneus Gauge CD, _More Once More_ a few times, though, the ease of comparison is gone, and I'm left to face the fact that - but for a few scattered moments - this is a horse of a completely different hue. The differences in a nutshell? Echolyn was a progressive rock band which dabbled with jazz, fronted by the fiery, "in-your-face" vocals of Ray Weston. Finneus Gauge, on the other hand, is a jazz quintet which crosses over into progressive rock, and features the airy, passionately breathy Laura Martin. These changes result in something difficult - if not impossible - to define. Finneus Gauge's list of ingredients - 'jazz, rock, fusion, funk inflections' - is so broad that one might expect nearly anything to transpire during the album's 72 minutes, and transpire it will. Five-second clips from this recording, played on "Name That Tune," would have contestants guessing everything from Marilyn Monroe to Dream Theater. Martin's vocals are backed by brothers Chris and Jonn Buzby, who play keyboards and drums respectively. Rounding out the quintet are Scott McGill on guitar and Chris Eike on bass. With an average song length of six minutes, there's plenty of time for extended jazz, rock and fusion jams and solos, including two purely instrumental pieces totalling more than nine minutes. Lyrically, the self-deterministic angst beloved by Echolyn fans is complemented by a wry song or two in the style of The Bobs, and even tracks resembling traditional 'torch songs.' The overall result is a repertoire which would sound perfect in any small, cozy club known for hosting insanely trendy jazz, rock and poetry, and probably populated by a too-hip-to-live crowd of art music connoisseurs sipping cappuccinos or microbrews. I doubt Finneus Gauge would appreciate being wedged into the "lounge act" pigeonhole - or any other - but if we could get music this good in lounges, the stigma usually associated with the genre would fade quickly. The album is diverse - ask ten fans for their favorite song, and you'll probably get eleven answers. I've got some ideas about which songs will appeal most to fans of Echolyn, Dr. Demento or The Bobs, but this is music for intellectuals, and any attempt to second-guess your tastes would be disrespectful. Listen to it for yourself, and just try to draw comparisons to whatever you've heard before - I double-dare you. This being the Information Age, you can e-mail finneus-gauge@juno.com, or view their homepage at http://ghostland.com/finneus.html for more information. --- REVIEW: Teenage Fanclub, _Songs From Northern Britain_ (Creation/Sony) - Tim Kennedy The latest offering from the Glasgow beat combo is certainly no departure from their established reputation for making understated, subtle yet uplifting melodic guitar music. The last album, 1995's _Grand Prix_, was many UK critics' choice for album of the year (the year when *that* Oasis album appeared). Fans of REM, Neil Young and The Byrds will immediately warm to this band, who combine a 'wall of sound' approach with superb timing and a gift for great tunes. They have smoothed off the rough edges that characterised the early material and this CD is the best yet. The boys appear to have settled down happily with their wives and/or girlfriends and moved house to their beloved Scottish countryside. The sleeve of this CD is various tasteful pictures of odd corners of Scotland. They sing about finding true love, about rediscovering the beauty of their country. In short they are in a good mood. This CD is a great antidote for depression, although those of a more cynical cast of mind may condemn this as shallow escapism. They never wrote protest songs in the past, though they often displayed humour. The current crop of tunes will no doubt make many more friends, coming as this CD does on the crest of a wave of guitar pop purveyed by artists often of lesser ability. --- NEWS: > Kip Winger will be performing the national anthem before the Seattle Mariners' home game on August 20. --- TOUR DATES (Please confirm with site before travelling): Allman Brothers / Sister Hazel Aug. 7-8 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheater Aug. 10 Minneapolis, MN Northrop Auditorium Aug. 12 Columbus, OH Polaris Amphitheater Aug. 13 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center Aug. 15 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Park Aug. 16 Chicago, IL New World Music Theater Aug. 17 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Boston Aug. 11 San Diego, CA Summer Pops Aug. 13 Concord, CA Concord Pavillion Aug. 14 Reno, NV Reno Amp. Aug. 16 George, WA Gorge Cake Like Aug. 14 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe Aug. 15 Portland, OR Satyricon Aug. 17 San Francisco, CA Kilowatt Aug. 19 San Diego, CA Casbah Aug. 21 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland Cowboy Mouth Aug. 16 Croton, NY The Bayou Blues Festival Darlahood Aug. 11 Cleveland, OH The Odeon Aug. 12 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Aug. 16 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork Aug. 19 Scranton, PA Tinks Aug. 20 Pittsburgh, PA The Metropol Government Mule / Sweet Vine Aug. 13 New York, NY Irving Plaza Aug. 17 Vernon, NY Vernon Downs Radio Show Life of Agony Aug. 13 New York, NY CBGB Aug. 14 Providence, RI Club Met Aug. 15 Island Park, NY Industry Aug. 16 Portchester, NY 7 Willow Street Aug. 17-18 Albany, NY QE 2 Lollapalooza (Tool/Prodigy/Korn/many more) Aug. 13 George, WA Gorge Amp. Aug. 15 San Jose, CA Shoreline Aug. 17-18 Los Angeles, CA Irvine Meadows Lunachicks Aug. 12 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl Aug. 14 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga Matchbox 20 Aug. 8 Ft. Wayne, IN Allen Mem. Col. Aug. 9 Indianapolis, IN WRZX radio show Aug. 11 Cleveland, OH The Odeon Aug. 12 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Aug. 14 Washington, DC WHFS radio show Aug. 15 Norfolk, VA WROX radio show Aug. 16 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork Aug. 17 Utica, NY WOUR radio show Aug. 19 Scranton, PA Tinks Megadeth Aug. 12 Detroit, MI State Theater Aug. 14 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom Aug. 15 Boston, MA Great Woods Aug. 16 Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall Aug. 18 Pittsburgh, PA Ice Garden Arena Aug. 19 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Aug. 21 Orlando, FL Tsunami Sinead O'Connor Aug. 12-13 San Francisco, CA The Warfield Aug. 15 Las Vegas, NV The Joint Aug. 16 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theater Aug. 18 Denver, CO Paramount Theater Aug. 21 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Poison Idea Aug 15 Redmond, WA Old Firehouse Aug 16 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe Radiohead Aug. 12 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Aug. 13 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol Aug. 15 Detroit, MI State Theatre Aug. 16 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic Aug. 18 London, ON The Nac Aug. 19 Toronto, ON Arrow Hall Aug. 20 Ottawa, ON Congress Center Sister 7 Aug. 15-16 Telluride, CO Fly Me To The Moon Size 14 Aug. 19 Chicago, IL Metro Supertramp Aug. 11 Concord, CA Pavillion Aug. 14-15 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre Tsunami Aug. 15 Philadelphia, PA Silk City w/Ida Aug. 16 Washington, DC Black Cat w/ Ida Aug. 17 New York, NY Brownies w/Ida and Beekeeper Vision of Disorder Aug. 15 New Haven, CT Tune Inn Aug. 16 Syracuse, NY Hungry Charlie's Aug. 17 Cambridge, MA Middle East Aug. 18 Moosic, PA Sea Sea's Aug. 19 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga Aug. 20 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop The Why Store Aug. 16 Berrien Sprgs., MI Berrien Cnty Youth Fair World Party Aug. 12 Denver, CO Paramount Aug. 14 Boulder, CO Fox Aug. 16 San Francisco, CA Fillmore Aug. 17 Los Angeles, CA Mayan Wu Tang Clan / Rage Against the Machine / Atari Teenage Riot Aug. 9 West Palm Beach, FL Sky Amp. Aug. 11 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amp. Aug. 12 Antioch, TN Starwood Amp. Aug. 13 Charlotte, NC Blockbuster Pav. Aug. 21 Mansfield, MA Great Woods --- 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 To subscribe to Consumable, send an e-mail message to consumable-request@westnet.com with the body of the message stating "subscribe consumable". To unsubscribe, send a message to the same address stating "unsubscribe consumable". 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 ===