==== ISSUE 119 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [August 19, 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: Derek Langsford 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: Plumb - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Geneva, _Further_ - Tim Mohr REVIEW: Spearhead, _Chocolate Supa Highway_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Morrissey, _Maladjusted_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Artificial Joy Club, _Melt_ - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: Belle And Sebastian, _If You're Feeling Sinister_ - Patrick Carmosino REVIEW: 10,000 Maniacs, _Love Among the Ruins_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Hal (feat. Gillian Anderson), "Extremis" - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: Eddi Reader, _Candyfloss And Medicine_ - Lang Whitaker REVIEW: Various Artists, _Abstract Vibes 2: More Vibes_ - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: My Life Story, _The Golden Mile_ - Patrick Carmosino REVIEW: Scanner, _Delivery_ - Lee Graham Bridges REVIEW: Sugar Plant, _After After Hours_ - Tim Mohr REVIEW: Hazel, _Ariana_ - Eric Hsu NEWS: Chemical Brothers, HAL, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Artist (formerly known as Prince), Rolling Stones TOUR DATES: Baboon, Bailter Space / Sunday Puncher, Beck / Sneaker Pimps, Big Top Tour (incl. Juan Atkins, Banco de Gaia, 808 State, Loup Garou, Moby, and many more), Boston, Meredith Brooks, Common Sense, Counting Crows / Wallflowers / Engine 88, Cowboy Mouth, Cravin' Melon, Dandy Warhols / Polara, Danielson/Soul Junk, Darlahood, Fluke, Life of Agony, Matchbox 20, Megadeth, Sinead O'Connor, Pie Tasters, Powerman 5000 / Coal Chamber / Sevendust, Radiohead, Sister 7, Tsunami, Vision of Disorder, Wu Tang Clan / Rage Against the Machine / Atari Teenage Riot Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: Plumb - Bob Gajarsky While Nashville has been evolving as a writer's and musician's heaven, much of the sounds emanating from the Tennessee city have veered somewhere between country or secular pop. With a hard-edged guitar sound crossing the outer edges of trip-hop, the foursome known as Plumb hope to show on their self-titled debut album that their hometown can offer more than just your typical music fare. The foundation of Plumb was laid when lead singer Tiffany Arbuckle was performing the typical low-pay work in the studios - background vocals for some bands, and additional session work - when the Nashville-based Essential label offered her the opportunity to expand on her own - fronting, writing, and leading the band now called Plumb. This debut was formally released through Essential and Silvertone Records. Ms. Arbuckle exposes much of her soul through _Plumb_'s lyrics - witness the haunting and touching "Willow Tree". Based on an aunt who made alcohol the most important aspect of her life, the chorus of the song - 'Take the second right at the second light / Pass Cherry Street, go left / It's the second house with a willow tree / I'll be there waiting' - is almost verbatim directions on how her returning husband could get back to their house. "She (my aunt) put alcohol in the #1 spot of her life," Arbuckle recalls, "in turn putting everything else, including her marriage, below that. It's a song reminding you that alcohol addiction or addiction of any sort isn't good. The top priority, next to your Maker, should be a spouse then family, etc. - not booze. When anything gets in the way of that, the outcome is pain." The breathy and soft "Endure" recalls some of Arbuckle's inspirations - the Sundays' Harriet Wheeler and Natalie Merchant (while in 10,000 Maniacs). In the wake of the successful Lilith tour, this radio-friendly track could be the song which propels Plumb into the spotlight. "Unforgivable" is a rocker which alternately moves from in your face guitar to a more passive, relaxed atmosphere and (to me) stands out, even if it's not the first single. The lyrics are written from the viewpoint of Arbuckle's best high school friend, and her stepfather's constant deriding comparisons to his 'natural' daughter. "He (her stepfather) tore her down verbally and emotionally. Somehow, this abuse played a molding part in who she is today. But the hope in the song is the bridge - it's forgiveness. Nothing you have done, or has been done to you is unforgivable. Whether it is the father or the daughter - everything can be forgiven through the grace of God." Another alterna-rock track with pop sensibilities is the leadoff single, "Sobering (Don't Turn Around)". Imagine Garbage or Sneaker Pimps moving the loops to the background, and turning up the amplifier, and you'll have an idea of how Plumb is taking one of the musical flavors of the month and turning it 45 degrees. Through it all, Plumb and Arbuckle try to look towards the future. "We try to encourage people based on the pain we have experienced. With every valley, there is a mountain top to look forward to; that hope is in each song, and is what we're all about." Plumb will be on tour with labelmates Jars of Clay throughout late 1997. --- REVIEW: Geneva, _Further_ (Nude/550 Music) - Tim Mohr To their credit, Geneva are one of the few recent bands to aspire to make music of truly epic quality, music capable of inspiring awe and passion. Even more extraordinary, perhaps, is the fact that their efforts in this direction are proven entirely successful on their debut, _Further_. Geneva make music that soars and swoops, music with a tragic beauty and sense of catharsis only found in masterpieces like Radiohead's _The Bends_ or Ride's _Nowhere_. Opening with cascading guitars, "Temporary Wings" explodes with rolling bass, drums, and more layers of guitars like the start of a lost Ride album. Then the vocals careen in from above, a choir boy striving for some otherworldly release. The second track is one of the pre-album singles, "Into The Blue," and has the sense of drama and sweeping, wide-screen aspiration of Radiohead. A smooth bass and jangle guitar intro yields the lyrics, "On a day like today, nothing gets better, come what may/I could just disappear...into the blue" before a crescendo of guitars is unleashed alongside, "Can't you show me what to do? Won't you?" The boyish male vocalist Andrew Montgomery never reverts to the near-spoken-word passages that Radiohead recently used on parts of _OK Computer_. Certainly, he has a sense of dynamics that flow with the song structure and words, but he is always singing. Because of this, the album has a melodic consistency that, even without the harmonies that Ride used to put together on their early recordings, rivals almost any of the current British bands. Musically, _Further_ is almost a throwback to the early 90s heyday of bands such as Slowdive or, again, Ride, though the variation in guitar tones and effects leaves the album difficult to date. In addition, some of the arrangements are left very open, then supplemented with live string parts. Geneva also turn in some quieter songs, following the lead of Nude label owners, Suede. Even on these pieces, though, there are interesting bits to distinguish their pensive moments from other bands': the papery drums on "God Of Sleep" provide a good example. In short, Geneva are doing something quite unique in many respects, while yielding a rending universality as a result of the efficiency with which they articulate the emotional foundation of each song. The restrained desperation with which the lyrics are delivered, the catharsis that musically is invoked, the incongruity of the high-pitched voice before a hailstorm of sound, and the waves with which the songs build all make _Further_ an instant classic destined to contend with _The Bends_ for most affecting album of an era. --- REVIEW: Spearhead, _Chocolate Supa Highway_ (Capitol) - Joann D. Ball Spearhead's mastermind, Michael Franti, creates, narrates and delivers in the African-American musical tradition of Gil Scott-Heron and Curtis Mayfield. He also updates the 411 disseminated by hip-hop pioneers KRS-One of Boogie Down Productions and Chuck D. of Public Enemy. Along with Spearhead members Ras I. Zulu, Carl Young, David James and Trinna Simmons, Franti tells it like it is over serious grooves and beats on the band's second release, _Chocolate Supa Highway_. On this 15-track session, Franti and company prove that hip-hop is more than the CNN of Black America as Chuck D. once suggested. With _Chocolate Supa Highway_, Franti loudly proclaims that "hip-hop is our world-wide Internet...about inspiration, not information." And this inspiration network connects hip-hop to soul, funk and jazz, as well as to reggae, folk and African rhythms. The cultural and musical internet session begins after a successful log-on through the brief intro "Africa On Line." On the title track, Franti raps in a deep, rich baritone about his observations of African-American life and the contradictions of American society on the eve of the Year 2000. The reggae vibe on _Chocolate Supa Highway_ is the direct result of Spearhead's slot on the 1996 Smokin' Grooves tour. Spearhead particularly connected with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, and Franti reunited with Melody Maker Stephen to produce the record. "Ganja Babe" is a hot, slow, sexy groove celebrating herbs and women that is filled with references to 70s songs (among them "Sweet Thing," "Close to You," and "Summer Breeze") and nursery rhymes. And Stephen Marley's guest appearance on "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)" is in many ways a nineties variation on father Bob's "I Shot the Sheriff." Other delights here are the folk-tinged, acoustic guitar-based "Tha Payroll," and "Wayfarin' Stranger." On the latter, guest singer Joan Osborne does an incredible job contributing folk purities in the tradition of Joan Baez. Musically, the _Chocolate Supa Highway_ is a smooth ride at a comfortable speed, not too fast or slow. The bass pumps hard and smooth under the messages on "Keep Me Lifted," "Food for Tha Masses" and "Madness in Tha Hood (Free Ride)." The record's first single, "U Can't Sing R Song" is a particularly sweet offering filled with Isley Brothers' influenced backing vocals, saxophone, strings and other seventies R&B stylings. The Isleyinfluence is also present on "Gas Gauge (Tha World's in Your Hands)" which samples the classic "Groove With You." Take a 65-minute ride on the Spearhead's _Chocolate Supa Highway_. Then visit the band's Capitol Records website at http://www.hollywoodandvine.com/spearhead --- REVIEW: Morrissey, _Maladjusted_ (Mercury) - Bob Gajarsky Every time that Steven Patrick Morrissey has faced a crossroads in his career, the enigmatic vegetarian has risen to the challenge and produced a blockbuster album. When there were questions following the breakup of the Smiths, Morrissey blew away critics and stunned fans with the spectacular _Viva Hate_ and its Smiths-like single "Suedehead". After stumbling sharply with _Kill Uncle_, Mozz returned in top form, with a touch of the hat to T-Rex, on _Your Arsenal_. So, with the disappointing showing of _Southpaw Grammar_, it was hoped that _Maladjusted_ would showcase the return to the top of the alternative heap for Mr. Morrissey. Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be. I'll admit by stating that I have a huge affinity for Morrissey, back to his days with the Smiths and his solo career. All his B-sides remain in my collection, some of which stand out (just as Oasis') as 'just as good as the A-sides'. So my feelings on previous Morrissey albums have usually fallen under the category of "It's not the Smiths, but it's still real good'. This time, on all fronts, he has produced a lackluster effort. The first single, "Alma Matters", would be widely talked about among Morrissey fans - if it was one of those B-sides. It lacks any of Morrissey's well-known verbal witticisms, and musically forms a bridge between "Break Up The Family" and the B-side "Swallow Round My Neck". The only other potential single, "Ammunition", also moves at a similar pace. A bellweather track for Morrissey fans to determine their fondness for _Maladjusted_ would have to be "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday", from 1992's _Your Arsenal_. Most of the songs on _Maladjusted_ proceed at the same slow pace which made "Someday" either loved or hated among Morrissey's devotees. The biting "Sorrow Will Come In The End" is an apparent snipe at his former Smiths bandmates who won court damages against Morrissey and Marr. Unfortunately, Steven expresses his venom at the cost of foregoing any sense of musical interest - the closest comparison would be to a failed attempt at spoken word. Similar lyrical misadventures occure on "Roy's Keen", which could be "Hairdresser On Fire", part 2, while the title track extends on "Late Night, Maudlin Street"; musically, however, both lack passion and creativity. The final track, "Satan Rejected My Soul", stands out as a _Southpaw Grammar_ reject, but at least brings up the pace of _Maladjusted_ to tolerable. On a new label (Mercury in the States; Island in his native land), Morrissey has delivered an album which will not only avoid bringing any new fans into his camp, but likely will drive some loyalists away. It's too bad that a man who has produced fifteen years of brilliant work could release a non-descript, even boring, album known as _Maladjusted_. --- REVIEW: Artificial Joy Club, _Melt_ (Interscope) - Sean Eric McGill I've just spent about three hours listening to _Melt_, Artificial Joy Club's first album on Interscope Records. During those three hours, I've enjoyed all the songs and even started to learn most of the words, but couldn't figure out what exactly it was about the band I liked so much. I couldn't exactly review the band by saying "They rock!", could I? Then, it finally hit me like a Nuke Laloosh (the character portrayed by Tim Robbins in Bull Durham) fastball. It was the words - or more specifically, the sub-references that attracted me. Of course, a lot of bands use sub-references in their songs. Just as many put their lyrics behind catchy, almost radio-friendly alterna-pop. But what separates Artificial Joy Club from those bands is that they do both - and do both so well. And _Melt_ is certainly one of the better releases I've heard this year. Led by vocalist Sal, Artificial Joy Club's sound is, for lack of a better description, somewhere along the lines of Fiona Apple and Liz Phair. Sal's lyrical work, however, doesn't follow the usual route of bludgeoning you over the head with the meanings. There are more sub-references in this album than the entire Tarantino filmography, with references to everyone and everything from the infamous Dr. Kevorkian to Steve Austin to lesbian porno and yes, even Tarantino, showing up at various points in the album. This isn't to say that the album is lightweight, by any means. While the songs are all catchy and well-crafted, songs like "I Say" and "Cheeky Monkey" especially show a sense of lyrical depth mixed with wit that you don't find everyday. And while that lyrical imagery can throw you a little at times (the line "crusty as a worn out Penthouse" caused me to laugh audibly), it's refreshing to find. A Canadian import, Artificial Joy Club have been around since 1993 and had two previous releases as Sal's Birdland. I haven't heard those albums, and can only guess at how closely they resemble _Melt_, but if they are even close, then there is no reason why this band shouldn't already enjoy a good following. Perhaps it can be chalked up to how the music industry look at rock bands fronted by females in the days before Melissa, Alanis, and others. But whatever the case may be, Melt certainly warrants attention. It's a stand-out album to draw an end to what has at best been a lack-luster summer season, and if that's not a good reason to like it, what is? The first single from Melt, "Sick & Beautiful" is currently enjoying airplay on a station near you - and if not, bug the station. Artificial Joy Club can be found on the web at http://www.sympatico.ca/ajc --- REVIEW: Belle And Sebastian, _If You're Feeling Sinister_ (Enclave) - Patrick Carmosino If you're feeling charmingly and cleverly sinister is more like it. This septet from Glasgow recalls the wit and whimsy of many classic artists that have come before them...a dark Go-Betweens perhaps? or a not dark enough Magnetic Fields...pop/folk sensibilities that haven't been felt since the Woodentops...the perceptions of Nick Drake. Surely it's all too much a short cut to thinking that causes these comparisons but they are meant quite complimentary. I can get a bit more into it and tell you that singer/songwriter Stuart Murdoch's cuplets rank up there with any of the other 'poet laureates' of rock (yikes!). The l.p.'s opener "The Stars Of Track And Field" finds Murdoch rhyming "discus" with "Widnes" which is perhaps the best twosome since a tall, right lurky lad from a town somewhat south of Glasgow rhymed "spanner" with "piano". "Like Dylan In The Movies" matches some great Lou Reed-style third person-isms ("Lisa's kissing men like a long walk home") with a title whose simile matches the best of what Reed woirshipper Lloyd Cole has ever come up with. The title track's "She was into S&M and bible studies. Not everyone's cup of tea she would admit to me." is one "Sinister's" best two-fers. The music is filled with folk/indie pop ethics and sixties pop fun The fact that "Sinister" is chock full of major chord zaniness is the biggest surprise since Johnny Marr's happy, jangly chimes were a match for Morrissey's misery. The dry, less-than-cosmopolitan feels are provided by guitar, bass, drums and a small string section as well as tasteful vibes and things like that. Belle and Sebastian, like their fellow Scots the Pastels have thrived on their relative obscurity. This makes it all the more pleasantly surprising that they are in the process of gaining a small but definite cult following in the US, gaining the crowd that remembers the virtues of the late great Drake and his ilk. Much kudos to a label whose founder's claim to fame is signing Guns 'N' Roses, for seeing the values and the art in a group like B&S. But of course...most of the kudos to Mr. Murdoch and this year's top batch of musical misfits. --- REVIEW: 10,000 Maniacs, _Love Among the Ruins_ (Geffen) - Jon Steltenpohl After a short break following the exit of Natalie Merchant, 10,000 Maniacs have returned with a new album, a past member, and a new member. _Love Among the Ruins_ features the old core (Buck, Drew, Gustafson, and Augustyniak) joined with early member John Lombardo and his bandmate Mary Ramsey. Lombardo was with 10,000 Maniacs through 1985's _The Wishing Chair_, and later teamed up with Ramsey to form John and Mary. But there was never a big separation between the two bands. Buck and Augustyniak guested on John and Mary's albums, and Ramsey played violin and viola on both _Our Time in Eden_ and the MTV Unplugged album. The new 10,000 Maniacs album, _Love Among the Ruins_, is a decent effort that holds its own weight, but doesn't quite match up to the best of 10,000 Maniacs' work with Natalie Merchant. Listening to Merchant's _Tigerlilly_ alongside of _Love Among the Ruins_, it's clear where the talent lines were drawn. Merchant had the melody and soul, and the band had the musical vision. So, while _Tigerlilly_ presents a soulful voice and lyrics backed by an average band, _Love Among The Ruins_ features an incredible band fronted by an average lead singer. In both cases, the end result is a better than average album with a few faults. Not that Ramsey doesn't have her strong points. As the lead vocalist for John and Mary, her simple voice melded perfectly with the sparse musical backdrop. But, the new band is still playing for a bold voice as if Merchant never left, and Ramsey's soft voice can't quite fill the void. In this respect, _Love Among the Ruins_ feels much like the last 10,000 Maniacs album featuring Lombardo. On _The Wishing Chair_, Lombardo's music and Merchant's lyrics were starting to come together, but Merchant still hadn't found her voice. It wasn't until _In My Tribe_ that Merchant broke through. Unfortunately for Ramsey, she's trying to push a weak, falsetto voice into the forefront of a 6 piece band. It's a quite a change from just her and Lombardo, and she hasn't completely made the transition. With John and Mary, songs like "Piles of Dead Leaves" shifted eamlessly from a strong alto to lilting falsetto. But on most of _Love Among the Ruins_, Ramsey goes against her strengths, and the result are strained tracks like "A Room for Everything." Still, when everything comes together, the songs are engaging. "More Than This" is the best song of the album, and the Roxy Music cover features everything you look for in a 10,000 Maniacs song. Buck's mandolin is used sparingly with pinpoint accuracy. The melody flows quickly and sticks in your head, and Ramsey's voice is quiet, yet confident. Ramsey and the band also shine on "Rainy Day" and "Love Among the Ruins." All three of these songs are excellent Adult Contemporary tracks and should capture the attention of VH-1 fans. "Shinning Light" is also enjoyable and is reminiscent of the early 10,000 Maniacs sound. It stands out with a Hammond Organ and the band's patented "white man's funk" rhythm section. Admittedly, _Love Among the Ruins_ is a few steps back for 10,000 Maniacs. Without Merchant, the band has lost a good portion of its soul. Still, the new album has its high points, and if you aren't expecting Merchant, it's an enjoyable album. Fans of 10,000 Maniacs from the early 80's and fans of John and Mary will enjoy _Love Among the Ruins_, and based on the strength of the best tracks, the new band's next album should be a classic. --- REVIEW: Hal (feat. Gillian Anderson), "Extremis" single (Virgin) - Lee Graham Bridges "Atom by atom, molecular beams / transport me away to the place of my dreams" is how Gillian Anderson begins her spoken vocals in the latest single, "Extremis," from Hal, a sound collaborative between UK "sound alchemists" Black State Choir, and Grill, a French metal outfit. The new single is an introduction to a double-CD compilation of tracks compiled by Anderson herself called _Future -A Journey Through The Electronic Underground_. As the title indicates, the album chronicles superior techno, ambient, trip-hop, and drum-n-bass from the past and present. "Extremis" without Anderson's vocals would be a less than inspiring track. With the suddenly exploded number of electronic musicians trying to make a unique sonic statement, there is little room for Hal's too regular, unstimulating sound, at least as demonstrated in the single's original version. The backing track is made pedantic through the regularity in rhythm and sample purity, although the piano line is rather nice. If Hal is attempting to establish a more pop-like fagade, the effect is stultified. However, Anderson's breathy, whispered vocals will certainly put X-Files fetishists in utter bliss, not to mention mere bypassers. Even the most passive listener will take notice of Anderson's delivery of the final lines: "I don't want to hear about the future...I want to see it...I want to feel it...I wanna taste it." Compared to the original version of the song, the remixes are much more animated, and unlike most CD singles, actually _complement_ the original mix. The "download" mix enters with wicked low bass tones, returns to a semblence of the original, then busts open a healthy dose of drum-n-bass-esque beats. The "qatarra" remix is similarly energetic and even more evocative and dance-friendly. The story of Hal is far from over, and any current impressions of the band's output are bound to change. A second single, "Ostiak," has been recorded, and a follow-up to 1996's _Gorilla Conspiration_ is in the works, which is to feature the luminous Mona Soyoc, singer for France's Kas Product. --- REVIEW: Eddi Reader, _Candyfloss And Medicine_ (Reprise) - Lang Whitaker It's a lot like the way you feel when you're on your first date, sitting next to your true love in a darkened movie theatre. Emotions rage inside your belly: Should I go for it? Will I be accepted? And then in a flash it happens.....and the next thing you know your fingers are intertwined with those of the person you're in love with. All of the insecurities and turmoil inside you boil down into a gumbo of delicious joy and ecstasy. That weightless gravity is exactly the way you feel the first time you hear Eddi Reader wrap her voice around a melody. On _Candyfloss And Medicine_, which is only Reader's third solo album, Reader bounces through a collection of songs that showcase her captivating tones beautifully. The best way I can think of to describe Reader's sound is The Cranberries minus the pubescent vocal cracks and teen-age angst. Reader, who originally hails from the UK, more or less mines the same vein that 10,000 Maniacs uncovered before Natalie Merchant defected - mature, airy, acoustic-based songs with a hint of world groove to them. The first song on the disc, "Glascow Star", takes its beat from two guys slapping their knees, and then takes off from there. "Semi-Precious" asks "Why do the ones/ who love the most / hurt the most?" Good question, Eddi. Other standout tracks include "Lazy Heart" and "Sugar on the Pill". All of the songs on _Candyfloss And Medicine_ dwell in the same folk family, except for a brief detour into lounge music halfway through the disc. As an album, _Candyfloss And Medicine_ holds together extremely well - you can almost sit and listen all the way through over and over again. Collaborating with Reader on this record are a disparate collection of performers, who surprisingly mesh very well. Reader produced the entire album herself, with co-production help coming from Teddy Borowiecki (who formerly sat in with k.d. lang and Jane Siberry) and Boo Hewerdine, who hooked up with Reader before in the Trash Can Sinatras. Also appearing on several tracks is renowned bassist David Piltch. Although I had heard of her, I had never heard Eddi Reader sing before listening to this album, and I was shocked at how good it was. I listened to it for about a week straight, which is world record length for me. If you've ever fallen under the spell of 10,000 Maniacs or The Cranberries, I highly recommend giving Eddi Reader a shot. I bet she casts her spell on you, too. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Abstract Vibes 2: More Vibes_ (Qwango/Island) - Lee Graham Bridges Without a second glance, the cover art from the new _Abstract Vibes 2: More Vibes_ compilation would almost lead you to believe this is another one of thousands of banal, supposed drum-n-bass lineups or otherwise self-proclaimed "techno!" collections. Ah, but no. _More Vibes_ is "an international collection of the best in chilled jazzy beats, celestial grooves, and dubadelic funk." Right on. This compilation is *brilliant*. It is completely soulful, 100% smooth, superbly dublike and funked-over. Of course, merely putting a compilation together is not an incredible feat, but Qwango (an offshoot of Island Records) and the actual compiler, Bruno Guez, have done a nice job picking a diverse crowd of musicians to present. For the genre specific, "Abstract Vibes" most likely refers to "abstract" hip-hop, also occasionally called (regretfully) "trip-hop" by the press. Some experts in the field include DJ Spooky and Tricky, but of course, artists featured on _More Vibes_ are no novices. The ten tracks presented are mostly instrumental, long sets of nonstop rhythmic ecstasy. Louise Rhodes croons, bold and buxom, through the rugged, mechanical beat of Lamb's "Trans Fatty Acid", and Vanessa Darby similarly rides her languid, alluring vocals rough-shod over the pounding rhythm of Lascelles' "Butterfly". Invisible Hands repositions us in the cosmos with the truly celestial funk of "In Between Times". "Mirror" by Paint is a sexy, gentle romp through the forest, by the bayou. Archive's "Old Artist" matches all kinds of dated sound textures (violins, deep primal drums, etc.) with light synth tones to moderately funky effect. "Gangsta S**t" makes a very jazzy appearance courtesy of DJ Cam. _Abstract Vibes 2: More Vibes_ introduced me to all the artists featured on the disc save the Sneaker Pimps and Lamb, and I was quickly impressed by the sheer, lasting groovability of all the work here. This is positively one of the best buys among compilations recently released, and well deserves to be bought by all. TRACK LISTING: Archive: "Old Artist", Sneaker Pimps: "6 Underground" (Fila Brazillia Remix #1), Lascelles featuring Vanessa Darby: "Butterfly", Lamb: "Trans Fatty Acid", Invisible Hands: "In Between Times", Small World: "Shuttle 3-5-8", DJ Cam: "Gangsta S**t", Ceasefire: "She Don't Lie", Paint: "Mirror", The 13th Sign: "Take Me To A Distant Bass". --- REVIEW: My Life Story, _The Golden Mile_ (Parlophone U.K.) - Patrick Carmosino My Life Story certainly rank right now as the top Brit import that no American company seems to want any part of (but they'll put fookin' Bush out, eh?). My Life Story comes out of a certain unintentioned genre of street urchin lounge (i.e. Pulp, Divine Comedy) but where Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon come off as dark and precious, MLS's sound is a somewhat brighter, more accessible thing altogether. Of which I prefer depends on the mood, I suppose. Tracks like "12 Reasons Why I Love Her" and "Suited & Booted" have an 80's drama queen feel that hasn't been felt since Marc Almond's _The Stars We Are_. Both start out with orchestral flourishes that haven't been heard since the golden age of M.G.M. and flow into finely produced pieces of poppingdom.. With steady horn and string sections following virtually everywhere that the melodies go, MLS sports a assemblage of musicians that resembles Dexy's Midnight Runners with an incredibly better sense of style. Lines like "All dressed up and I'm in my prime" (from "Suited") are crooned with a mix of bravado, excitement and desperation from My Life Story's frontman Jake Shillingford. Other highlights, like "Strumpet" show that MLS can put the strings and the timpani away and lay down driving, Brit-pop guitar with the best of them. More ace pop flourishes are provided by "Sparkle"(which has an intro that reminds one of B-Movie's "Nowhere Girl") and "April 1st". Things at times do get a bit overwrought, like on "Mr. Boyd" where the string section arrangement gets dramatically nutty as well as the emotional piano coda at the end. Better ballads by MLS are evident here like "You Can't Uneat The Apple" and "November 5th". Such is the risk of the tightrope that is drama queen pop, where one could disappear into the abyss of kitsch at any given moment. On "The King Of Kissingdom", MLS actually falls the other way on that tightrope...into the splendour of camp with its 2/4 beat. My Life Story is certainly one of the answers for those seeking relief from the easy comfort of Brit-pop. They have brought back the need to be seen, the need for style in the face of utter poverty, the need for romanticism in a way that outclasses the Romo movement that lasted in the UK for about a lunchtime, the need for flourish in the face of boredom...the need to do something more than play a fookin' tune. --- REVIEW: Scanner, _Delivery_ (Rawkus) - Lee Graham Bridges An overwhelming surge of media attention (some might say hype) has surrounded the compositional activities of Robin Rimbaud, aka Scanner, for some time. The novelty of his brand of expression (the inclusion of private phone conversations made public in his music) seems too much for the American press to take. Rimbaud calls himself a _flbneur ilictronique_, an electronic "wanderer" or "idler". He listens in on cellular and cordless phone conversations with (what else) a police frequency scanner--then steals those airwaves and sets them to music. Of course, the names, addresses, and personal ID's have been eliminated, and often times even the pitch of the voices is altered. Other found sounds from fax transmissions, satellite communications, and the like make their way into the mix as well. Several years and a handful of full-lengths and 12-inchers after his musical beginnings, Rimbaud sticks a bit of a wrench in the works with _Delivery_, circumventing fans' expectations for the followup of his previous works. Before I listened to the CD (being a newcomer to the work of Scanner), I was expecting something similar to the work of sonic/multimedia terrorists EBN, a la _Telecommunication Breakdown_. _Delivery_ turns out to be far removed from that level of hyperactive energy - but equally intriguing and intoxicating. Unlike the impression given by the media, the album is surprisingly focused more on music itself, and a less electronic quality of music overall than the press led us to believe. Often times, it is difficult to understand the words being said in the conversations included on certain tracks; they are either too quiet or too fuzzy. This in itself brings _Delivery_ away from the "realistic drama" quality of entertainment many people, including Rimbaud, expect from private dialogue. At the same time, the mere fact that the speech is unintelligible provides a new ingredient for ambient composition. "Digital Anchor" is very reminiscent of certain moments on David Byrne and Brian Eno's _My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts_; quiet, low-fi human phone noise winds its way through a minimal wah-wah sort of sound. "Heidi" is definitely the most disturbing track and perhaps also most indicative of the style Rimbaud has been noted for. He matches the very angry, distorted yet distinguishable voice of a man issuing his girlfriend a stern, repetitive warning: "Don't lie to me!" An unsettling ambient melody trods along in back. "If a girl came in my bedroom today, and we had sex, I would tell you..." the man tells her, as sounds of people applauding and cheering eerily bubble to the surface. While there are many electronic and radio-infused moments on _Delivery_, they are fewer than Rimbaud has presented before, such as on his first full-length CD, _Spore_. Previous conversations on Rimbaud's records range from discussions about infected female genital piercings, to a threatening phone call Rimbaud received at 15, to a woman speaking about her boyfriend's death in an automobile accident. "I found your wedding ring in a box of screws." "Do you love me enough to come over tonight?" Things like that. But most tracks on _Delivery_ contain little or no radio noises or eavesdropped conversations. "Barcode" is funky but light, mimicking Aphex Twin's penchant for distorted beats and pairing them with easygoing synth tones and interestingly selected snippets from orchestra performance. "Throne of Hives" is very sincere and beautifully engrossing, yet moody - almost cryptic near the end; crisp, wonderfully dark trumpet and string melodies are interspersed with odd, misshapen beats and reverbed guitar samples. "Hunting Your Lost Face" brings trumpets and strings into the mix again, accompanying both exotic and distorted drumbeats, presenting the most elevated melancholy on the whole album at its conclusion. "It's interesting that people often don't comment on the music at all," Rimbaud told Alternative Press. He was, in fact, involved in the industrial scene of the early 80's, and even today is an able guitarist, a piano player of 20 years...the list continues. _Delivery_, a shining, mesmerizing work, demonstrates Rimbaud's accomplished musicianship more completely than anything. Rimbaud, who has performed live at the Royal Festival Hall, spoken at conferences next to Bill Laswell, Eno, Peter Gabriel, and Derek Jarman, and will be "curating" a series later this year at the Knitting Factory London, said "it wouldn't surprise me to learn that my albums are archived in the record shops under some all-purpose section labelled 'perve.'" So this is complete voyeurism then? "I don't deny that I enjoy listening to these things as much as anybody. Most people are voyeurs. Everyone wants to watch, but no one wants to be the one being watched." But Rimbaud belives that privacy is fast becoming obsolete in the face of new technology. "What I do fits in with the culture of surveillance that we live in," he said to Raygun. "You're being watched the whole time. Does it bother you or not? Should there be such a thing as privacy?" --- REVIEW: Sugar Plant, _After After Hours_ (World Domination) - Tim Mohr The promise of late night atmosphere in the album title of Sugar Plant's debut is kept with Mazzy Star styled laments and a cohesive flow of hushed melancholy. The Japanese duo have recorded a pre-dawn soundtrack to rival any of the past masters of the genre, from Galaxie 500 to Mojave 3. The record opens with a bubbling electronic ambient overture before launching, gently, into the slow, acoustic-based sound and breathy female vocals that characterize these hymns to loneliness and longing crafted in sometimes awkward yet poignant English verses. On the second song, "4," Chinatsu and Shin'ichi sing, "you don't know how much cold my limb is/do you make me warm in your wings?/I wish you to see the stars in my mind/and do you make me warm?" Sugar Plant's arrangements feature bits of vintage keyboards, electric guitar, and antiquated synth gurgles, but rest largely upon simple frameworks. Sometimes, as on "Behind The Door," Sugar Plant add layers of guitar psychedelia that point towards Galaxie 500 or the more subdued moments of My Bloody Valentine. A sense of tarnished majesty builds in songs such as "drifting" that can also be compared to Suede's ballads, "Breakdown" or "Saturday Night." In an ode to the wee hours, "I Hate Morning," they sing, "pale blue light is my friend/where is my quiet bed?/heavy head makes me down so down/I hate morning." Sugar Plant sound like the Mazzy Star of the future: each Mazzy Star album has moved further from the country psychedelia of Opal, the band from which Mazzy Star developed. Sugar Plant have no connection to any heritage like that, and are therefore free to reproduce the feel without the specific form. The result is a spacey melancholia that seems to float on its own, perhaps expressing contemporary uneasiness even more accurately because of the untethered musical approach. The debilitating, dry heat of Mazzy Star's desert landscape is here approximated in a cold, rainy climate that is harder to identify but that proves equally compelling. --- REVIEW: Hazel, _Ariana_ (Candy-Ass) - Eric Hsu I didn't know much (or anything) except that I was wandering through Mod Lang Records in Berkeley and this song "Mr. Magazine Man" was playing and I bought their EP on the spot. "Mr. Magazine Man" is an instantly memorable song which really shows of Hazel's strength: their dueling X-like male and female vocals. energetic and speedy punky chordal rhythm section. The vocals simultaneously reel off different letters to the editor and the song sparkles with a sense of life and energy. The female belted out the words "I've got something that you can't stand!" and I couldn't stop listening. It turns out that this is a hip band now in Portland, formerly from Seattle, and formerly known for bubblegum grunge songs. In fact, their drummer and female singer, Jody Bleyle, is none other than guitarist Jody from the ultra-hip Team Dresch. Go figure. But in this band she's putting a punk engine in the folk songs of guitarist Peter, along with bassist Brady Smith and Peter Krebs. And they are also known for having a strange middle-aged hippie named Fred Nemo dancing furiously during their shows. He doesn't appear on the record (no footsteps or whips cracking or things breaking). Anyway, this EP has music that is mercifully distant from grunge cliches. The EP is named after the first and weakest song "Ariana" which highlights the compelling but somewhat wavering vocals. But any vocal that spits out (repeatedly and in one quick breath) "staple my eyes back, you pull out my heart" can't be too bad. Jody sounds noticeably better on the other songs: the confusingly named "Title Track" has a fine duet of melodic "ba baddas" and "Ohio Player" starts off in standard pop territory and wanders off into a beautiful and passionate cry of "Oh no, I will not do it even though you push me to." The EP ends with "My 2nd Chance" which is saved from being somewhat average (sloppy playing and sloppy melody) by the mournful and striking sound of the harmonies on the repeated line "hold the hand that holds yours". They make good music, they play with passion, their singing is at its best gripping and moving and they have something creative going. All of their songs have something decent and listenable about them and they are worth a listen. From their interviews, it seems like Fred the dancer is no longer with them. But they sound like an energetic band with a sense of melody and honesty and I suggest you look them up. If your local record store doesn't carry them, try Candy-Ass Records, P.O. Box 42382, Portland, OR, 97242. --- NEWS: > The Chemical Brothers have finished filming their new video, "Elektrobank". The updated track listing for the single includes an album version/radio edit/Dust Brothers mix of the title track, "Not Another Drug Store" featuring vocals by Justin Warfield, "Don't Stop The Rock" and "These Beats Are Made For Breaking". > The techno/ambient music collective HAL will be appearing on a Sonicnet chat on August 19 at 5:00 pm. HAL's one-off single with X-files actress Gillian Anderson, "Extremis", has helped the group generate a bit of notoriety. > Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died on August 16 in London, England, of an apparent heart attack. Previous musical collaborators with Khan included, among others, Peter Gabriel and Eddie Vetter. > The Artist (formerly known as Prince) is joining Muhammad Ali's campaign against intolerance by writing a theme song for the World Healing Project and performing in a benefit concert. Scheduled for October 9 in Los Angeles, the show will include Celine Dion, with more guests expected to join including Sheryl Crow, Tony Rich, and The 3 Tenors. > The Rolling Stones' first new studio album in three years, _Bridges To Babylon_, will be released on September 30 and prelude the band's worldwide concert tour. Contributors to the album include Billy Preston and Me'Shell Ndegocello, as well as producers Don Was and the Dust Brothers. --- TOUR DATES (Please confirm with site before travelling): Baboon Aug. 22 Ft. Worth, TX Impala Aug. 23 Lubbock, TX Kitchen Club Bailter Space / Sunday Puncher Aug. 29 New York, NY Knitting Factory (w/ Space needle) Aug. 30 Philadelphia, PA Nicks (Bailter Space only) Beck / Sneaker Pimps Aug. 27 Oakland, CA Kaiser Auditorium Aug. 29 Portland, OR Timber Park Aug. 30 Seattle, WA Memorial Stadium Big Top Tour (incl. Juan Atkins, Banco de Gaia, 808 State, Loup Garou, Moby, and many more) Aug. 27 Chicago, IL Riviera Aug. 29 Cleveland, OH Nautica Park Aug. 30 Boston, MA Wallace Civic Center Aug. 31 Asbury Park, NJ Atlantic Park Boston Aug. 21 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Aug. 22 Pueblo, CO Colorado State Fair Aug. 25 St. Paul, MN Minnesota State Fair Aug. 27 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Aug. 29 Syracuse, NY NY State Fairgrounds Aug. 30 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center Aug. 31 Allentown, PA Fairgrounds Meredith Brooks Aug. 20 Minneapolis, MN Canterbury Aug. 22 Chicago, IL Downtown Parking Lot Q 101 Aug. 23 Cincinnati, OH Point State Park Aug. 24 St. Louis, MO Galaxy Aug. 26 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theater Aug. 27 Nashville, TN 328 Performance Hall Aug. 31 Portland, OR Waterfront Park Common Sense Aug. 23 San Diego, CA Belly Up Aug. 24 Los Angeles, CA USC Aug. 26 Las Vegas, NV Ocean Pacific Aug. 29 Pomona, CA The Glass House Aug. 30 Redondo Beach, CA Caprice Aug. 31 Mission Beach, CA Catamaran Counting Crows / Wallflowers / Engine 88 Aug. 20 West Palm Beach, FL Coral Sky Ampitheater Aug. 21 Tampa, FL Sundome Aug. 23 Birmingham, AL Oak MT Ampitheater Aug. 25 Houston, TX Cynthia Mitchell Pavilion Aug. 26 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center Aug. 28 Kansas City, KS Sandstone Ampitheater Aug. 29 St.Louis, MO Riverport Ampitheater Aug. 31 Minneapolis, MN Target Center Cowboy Mouth Aug. 23 Detroit, MI WHYT Planet Festival Cravin' Melon Aug. 22 Raleigh, NC Raleigh Civic Center Aug. 28 Spartanburg, SC Uscs Aug. 29 Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues Aug. 30 Wilmington, NC The Forum Aug. 31 Isle of Palms, SC The Windjammer Dandy Warhols / Polara Aug. 19 New York, NY Coney Island High Aug. 20 Baltimore, MD Fletcher's Aug. 22 Washington, DC 930 Club Aug. 25 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Aug. 27 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill Aug. 28 Providence, RI The Call Aug. 31 Boston, MA Middle East Danielson/Soul Junk Aug. 21 San Diego, CA Casbah Aug. 22 Los Angeles, CA Impala Cafe Aug. 24 San Francisco, CA Kilowatt (Danielson only) w/ Ghost Aug. 25 Portland, OR EJ's Aug. 26 Seattle, WA Velvet Elvis w/ Roadside Monument & Pedro the Lion Aug. 28 Stevenson, WA (Soul Junk) Aug. 29 Stevenson, WA (Danielson) Darlahood Aug. 24 Milwaukee, WI Rave Aug. 26 Birmingham, AL Five Points Music Hall Aug. 27 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre Fluke Aug. 23 Atlanta, GA House of Blues Aug. 28 Myrtle Beach, NC House of Blues Aug. 29 Washington, DC Wilmer's Park Aug. 30 Atlantic City, NJ Atlantic City Racecourse Life of Agony Aug. 31 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Matchbox 20 Aug. 22 Chicago, IL Univ of IL/Chicago Aug. 23 Detroit, MI WHYT radio show Aug. 27 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre Aug. 29 Austin, TX University of TX at Austin Aug. 30 Houston, TX KBTZ radio show Aug. 31 New Orleans, LA House of Blues Megadeth Aug. 21 Orlando, FL Tsunami Aug. 22 Ft Lauderdale, FL Sunrise Theatre Aug. 23 Tampa, FL Manatee Civic Sinead O'Connor Aug. 23 Chicago, IL The Vic Aug. 24 Detroit, MI Meadowbrook Aug. 26 New York, NY Beacon Theater Aug. 28 Boston, MA Harborlights Aug. 30 Washington D.C The Ballroom Pie Tasters Aug. 21 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Aug. 22 New York, NY Tramps Aug. 24 Northampton, MA Pearl Street Aug. 25 Providence, RI Living Room Aug. 26 Cleveland, OH Agora Aug. 27 Rochester, NY Water Street Aug. 28 Pittsburgh, PA Grafitti Aug. 29 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts Aug. 30 Roanoke, VA Ghost of Hollywood Powerman 5000 / Coal Chamber / Sevendust Aug. 20 St. Louis, MO High Profile Aug. 22 Dallas, TX Galaxy Club Aug. 23 Austin, TX Emo's Aug. 24 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit Aug. 28 Phoenix, AZ Mason Jar Aug. 29 Hollywood, CA Palace Radiohead Aug. 22 Montreal, QC Metropolis Aug. 23 Boston, MA Harborlights Aug. 24 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Aug. 26 New York, NY Hammerstein Sister 7 Aug. 23 Chicago, IL Martyr's Tsunami Aug. 28 Providence, RI The Call with Ida Aug. 29 Boston, MA Middle East w/Ida Aug. 30 Rochester, NY Bug Jar w/Ida Aug. 31 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern w/Franklin Bruno Vision of Disorder Aug. 22 York, PA Fenix Aug. 23 New York, NY Irving Plaza Aug. 25 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom Aug. 26 Richmond, VA Twisters Aug. 27 Albany, NY Bogie's Wu Tang Clan / Rage Against the Machine / Atari Teenage Riot Aug. 23 Auburn Hills, MI Palace Aug. 24 Burgettstown, PA Starlake Amp. Aug. 25 Toronto, ON Molson Amp. Aug. 27 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center Aug. 28 Noblesville, IN Deer Creek Aug. 29 Tinley Park, IL New World Theatre Aug. 31 Maryland Heights, MO Riverport Amp. --- 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 ===