==== ISSUE 149 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [July 27, 1998] Editor: Bob Gajarsky E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva, Lang Whitaker Correspondents: Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino, Krisjanis Gale, Emma Green, Paul Hanson, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Chelsea Spear, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann Also Contributing: Franklin Johnson Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription information is given at the end of this issue. ================================================================== 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: John Bush, Anthrax - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: Anthrax, _Volume 8 The Threat Is Real_ - Sean Eric McGill REVIEW: Beastie Boys, _Hello Nasty_ - Franklin Johnson REVIEW: John Fogerty, _Premonition_ - Bill Holmes REVIEW: Drugstore, _White Magic For Lovers_ - Simon West REVIEW: Various Artists, _Amp 2_ - Krisjanis P. Gale MINI REVIEWS: Dario G / Catatonia - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Pulp, _Countdown 1992-1983_ - Simon West REVIEW: Tripping Daisy, _Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Shonen Knife, _Happy Hour_ - Chelsea Spear SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: _Baseketball_ / _Welcome To Woop Woop_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Front 242, _Live Code_ - Krisjanis P. Gale COMPILATION REVIEWS: Human League, Sugarcubes, Cravin' Melon - Bob Gajarsky NEWS: B-52's, Black Crowes, Consumable Online, Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Waits TOUR DATES: Tori Amos, Beastie Boys, B 52's / Pretenders / Royal Crown Revue, Black Crowes, Blue Oyster Cult, Connells, Cravin' Melon, Culture Club / Human League / Howard Jones, Dakota Moon, Front 242, Nanci Griffith, HORDE Tour, Irving Plaza, Joan of Arc, K's Choice, Lilith Fair, Metallica / Jerry Cantrell / Days of the New, Phish, Phunk Junkeez / Clutch, Smokin' Groovies Tour, John Taylor, Third Eye Blind / Our Lady Peace / Eve 6 THE READERS WRITE BACK! Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: John Bush, Anthrax - Sean Eric McGill I must be honest. I've not a fan of the interview process, the idea of just letting someone answer a question without any interjections from myself. But, I still do interviews from time to time, and I enjoy doing them with people who I really like as musicians, which is why I jumped at the chance to interview Anthrax's John Bush. The band, who have just released their latest album, _Volume 8 The Threat Is Real_ (Ignition), have always been pioneers in the hard rock field, and John and I sat on the other side of a phone line recently and spoke about the new album, touring, and a few other subjects. Consumable Online: It's been three years since _Stomp 424_ was released... John Bush: Well, not exactly three (laughs) more like two and a half. CO: Well, what has gone on between then and now? JB: Well, even though it's been a couple of years, it's not like we were sitting around picking our ass. We were writing and touring - obviously you got out tour for about a good year or a little longer after you release an album. And then the process of writing began, and for us it takes a little longer, especially on this record because we really wanted to concentrate on taking it to another level. So we really, really scrutinized on everything and worked super-hard on it and that process took about eight months. We started recording it, and then we took a break for a couple of months where we went on tour with Pantera, as well. It may seem like it was a long period of time when there was not much going on with Anthrax, but we were very busy. CO: And this album certainly does have a different sound on it; it's easy to see where all three of the albums that have come out since '93 have had a very different sound on them. JB: I totally agree with that. As a matter of fact, I'm real proud of the fact that I think every record I've done with the band is very different from one another. CO: When you came into the band, there was this fairly standard Anthrax sound that we had heard since _Spreading the Disease_ . Did you bring something into the band, or did they get you and say "OK, now we can do all this other stuff we want to do"? JB: Well, you know, my ego wants to tell me that maybe that I opened the band up to other styles of writing that they felt they were unable to achieve with Joey Belladonna. I mean, I don't think that necessarily he was the reason, I'm sure everything he did with Anthrax was really positive. Just maybe the band was ready to take a step and to do something different just because. It might not have changed without a personnel change or maybe I was the catalyst to it, but in any case, I do think that the band was ready to say was just ready to say "OK, we got to grow a little more here, and this is the way we're gonna do it" But you know, we're still a crushing rock band, and feel like we can do all kinds of stuff as witness to our record. It was important for us to take a step up in songwriting, I think that's the area we really grew in. We just became better writers, and we just seem to make the most out of whatever the length of a song is - four-and-a-half or five minute song or whatever, we feel like we get the most out of every second of that song. CO: You've been with the band for six years now, and the band itself has been around fifteen years. Why has Anthrax made it fifteen years, when most can't seem to make it the six you've been with them? JB: I know, it's amazing. Well, you know that's a good question, and without sounding arrogant, I just think we must be really good. That's got to be one reason. Obviously, there's a demand for hearing Anthrax music. I think it's a band that's always been creative and done different things and willing to stick their neck out and say "We're going to try this and it might actually turn people off but it'll probably turn as many people on" and I think that's a great thing to do. And I think that on this record, I think it's exaggerated. Everyone's telling me that, and I know I feel that way, but people are telling us "Wow, this is really a diverse record". And I think this is kinda like the exclamation point on the band's career - I mean, I don't want it to be the end, but I just think that Anthrax has always been a band willing to take those kind of chances, and I think that's what keeps it fresh, and I think that's why it's an interesting group. There's a loyalty, even though sometimes we fight like cats and dogs, but deep down there's a loyalty and belief that we're really a great band. CO: Well, you talk about a band that's never been afraid to take a risk, I remember when Vibe magazine named "Bring the Noise" the best rap track of the year when that came out. JB: Well, yeah, there you go. "Bring the Noise" is one of the most increbible live songs ever. Sometimes I sit back and just freak on how crazy the crowd goes on that song. When we were touring with Pantera, it was like the highlight of the whole fuckin' show for any band, so that is an amazing song. And again, it goes shows that Anthrax is willing to do that. And it's probably one of the main reasons the band has had so much longevity and hopefully will have more. I mean, five more years, and that's a twenty-year career and that's a lot to be said. CO: And then you'll have done and been a part of something very few have. JB: Exactly, especially these days. You can sell five million albums on one album and then be history on the next one, and that's too bad. People are very, very narrow minded these days, and not only that, but their attention spans are minute. CO: And it's always easier to come out and do really well on your first album and then have people go, "OK, so now what have you got?" And if it's not what they were expecting, then they'll go find something else more often than not. JB: Yeah, because people spend so much time writing material before they get signed, that's why they have all these great songs. Then all of the sudden they have to make a second record, and it is difficult. But then again, remember that the public is so fickle these days, and with the evil that is MTV, and I say that with a bit of a tongue-in-cheek attitude, it creates this "Ah, that's great!" and then next week "That's great! Fuck last week!" and all that does if hurt the bands, because they're like "Well now what do we do?" CO: We are kinda stuck with MTV; there's really not much we can do about it at this point, although I do think it helps a bit that they're not playing as many videos as they used to. JB: I love that - I wish there weren't any videos. I wish it was "The Real World" and "Singled Out" all day long. CO: I thought it is. I flipped through there four times last week and every time it was "Road Rules". JB: I know, it's like "What the fuck is this?" CO: Are there any bands that you're particularly into right now? JB: I'm totally into the Foo Fighters newest album, I can't stop listening to it. I loved the last Faith No More record a lot, I thought it was brilliant and am very disappointed that they've called it quits. There's this band we just discovered out of England because we were there doing publicity called the Radiators that are fucking great. I'm looking forward to hearing the new Fear Factory album because I think they're a good, solid band. There's some great new music out there, and I try to stay away from anything too trendy, I like people who try to create their own identity, and that's not that easy to do. CO: The band is down to a four-piece in the studio, occasionally having guest musicians. On tour, do you bring someone with you? JB: Yeah, Paul Crook, who actually engineered our record and plays guitar on it is on the tour with us and he was on the previous tour, as well. He's like the fifth guy, even though he's not technically it, but he's almost more valuable than that because he engineered our record, and he plays lead - he just has all kinds of talent spewing from his pores. CO: How did you end up wanting to do music as a living? JB: I was exposed to music when I was about five years old by my older brother playing Beatles records, so I was lucking to have someone older than me turn me on to stuff, and I think it always was a part of me. Nobody really was musically inclined in my family, but I think that by the time I got into junior high I was just so into music, and it seemed like me and a circle of my friends were just kinda adventurous when it came to listening to different kinds of music and finding new bands, and we would be the ones finding someone and turning everyone on to it. We were in to that, and there's always a group that's like that, and then there is the mainstream. And then someone turned me on to singing - it was basically because I had this persona of a rock singer because I was kinda popular and a little bit of a big mouth and I fit that stupid stereotype. Which is funny because in a weird way I'm nothing like that, and people actually comment on that, that I'm the kinda anti-lead singer. It was just something that I really got into, and as I matured and got older I realized that I was really into it and started paying attention to how music is made and all that, and now I take it extremely serious. CO: How did you end up with Anthrax? JB: Well, I was in a band previous called Armored Saint, and we released five records and were around for about nine years. We never really achieved the success that Anthrax did, but we still had a world-renowned name, and they were aware of me based on that, and I guess they figured that when they parted ways with Joey Belladonna that my singing style would compliment their music. So we got in contact and eventually jammed and there was that chemistry and the rest is history. CO: In the live sets now, since you have three albums worth of material that you recorded with the band, is that pretty much what you concentrate on? JB: I think we're gonna play everything across the board, but we will exaggerate this record which is what you usually do when you have a new album. But we'll play stuff all the way through, and my goal is to play a couple of different songs from the old stuff. I don't want to play the obvious songs of older Anthrax, I want to do something different because I think people are just sick of that. I just want to experiment a little bit. --- REVIEW: Anthrax, _Volume 8 The Threat Is Real_ (Ignition) - Sean Eric McGill I began my review of Anthrax's last album, Stomp 442, with these words: "By conventional wisdom, Anthrax shouldn't be in existence. After more than a decade at the top of the metal pack, the future didn't seem to bode well for the band. They were, after all, a heavy metal act - not grunge, and as so many of the top acts of the eighties fell to the wayside during the first part of this decade, Anthrax seemed to be set up to suffer the same fate." Well, it's now 1998, and Anthrax still hasn't bowed out. Instead, they've come out with _Volume 8 The Threat Is Real_, easily the most diverse and challenging album of their now fifteen year career. In fact, if you didn't have the album cover sitting there in front of you, there are quite a few songs on Volume 8 which you wouldn't even recognize as being Anthrax. "Toast to the Extras", complete with a country twang, is the most obvious case of the band trying something different than they have on previous albums, but that's not to say that the whole album is like that. For those of you who remember Anthrax as the kind of band that could peel the paint off walls, there's plenty here for you. Tracks like "Born again Idiot", "Inside Out" and "Killing Box" are among the most brutal the band has released since the early 80's. Still a four-piece, the band - like on their previous release - uses a couple of guests to add to their sound, most notably on this release Dimebag Darrel and Phil Anselmo from Pantera. Also, touring guitarist Paul Crook is featured heavily on the album (not to mention he engineered and co-produced the album) alongside the remaining lineup of John Bush, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante. Written, produced, and recorded by the band at their own studio between their departure from Elektra Records and signing with Tommy Boy imprint Ignition Records, Volume 8 is full of honest, aggressive songs. It is easily the perfect catalyst for Anthrax as they approach the second half of their second decade as a band. And when you step back and take a look at the big picture, that's probably the biggest compliment you could pay the album and the band. Fifteen years into a career; they're still writing relevant songs and not hanging on to the success of the past. There are a lot of bands that came out fifteen years ago who don't even exist anymore, not to mention the bands that are out today that won't even be blips on the musical radar a decade and a half from now. But for reasons ranging from their personalities to (most importantly) the sheer quality of their music, Anthrax has made it where few others have. Volume 8 is nothing less than one of the best albums of the year, and easily the best of their career. --- REVIEW: Beastie Boys, _Hello Nasty_ (Capitol) - Franklin Johnson I hate hearing _License To Ill_ blaring out of fraternity jocks' stereos, thinking they're somehow cool by hearing the Beastie Boys in their earliest creative days. Fortunately for you, me, and the rest of the world, the Beasties have never stopped evolving with some of the best music to ever hit the street on _Hello Nasty_. With a title based on the way their publicity firm (Nasty Little Man) answers the phone, this disc is the essence of maturity, sampling technology, and incredible vision. Samples range from Tito Puente to Run DMC, beats which were only hinted on since the days of _Paul's Boutique_, are in full effect with _Hello_. All the traditional Beastie elements - samples from every imaginable source, the feeling for the street, and keeping it real - can be heard here. _Hello_ can serve as the soundtrack to a blaxploitation film, an outstanding fusion of hip-hop and rap, or a space age feeling of ambience, seemingly all at once. Sure, there are potential singles ("Super Disco Breakin'", "The Negotiator Limerick File" and the first one, "Intergalactic"), but they don't seem to matter much. Selecting two or three songs from this collection, and presenting them independent of the rest of the disc, is akin to trying to select the best part of a seven course meal at an exclusive French restaurant. You may pick out something special, but it's the whole dinner - not just one part - that leaves you feeling full and complet I just know that the sample listing included here isn't complete, because there are so many beats that I've heard before at some point in my life. The Beasties' magic formula is to incorporate everything you've ever heard before, and turn it into something completely different. With _Hello Nasty_, all those years of hard work have finally paid off with a masterpiece. --- REVIEW: John Fogerty, _Premonition_ (Reprise) - Bill Holmes Fresh off the Grammy success of _Blue Moon Swamp_, John Fogerty has finally wrestled his Credence catalogue demons to the ground and is comfortable - no, make that excited - about performing some of the best American rock and roll music ever made for a whole new generation. If you lived from single to single with Creedence thirty years ago like I did, the music is as vital and refreshing as ever. And if you're a new y'alternative sort checking out this fossil (although besides Jeff Beck, few sixties rockers look better), put those Wilco and Son Volt CDs down for a minute and hear what Tweedy and other current purveyors cut their teeth upon. Aerosmith proclaims themselves the best rock American rock band, but for a few short years there was no band more productive, successful or dynamic than Credence. Fogerty's songs were playful or joyous or sometimes pointedly painful, but behind it all a rhythmic pulse churned away. The bass player never funked out, the drummer kept time in best Charlie Watts tradition, and the guitar work steered the ship rather than ignite the engines. Thankfully, Fogerty hasn't forgotten what made those great songs so great three decades later. The band on this live CD is crackerjack, but the song is the star of the show, not the solo. Kicking off with a vibrant "Born On The Bayou" (which, ironically, he wasn't!), _Premonition_ rips through eighteen tracks including a dozen hits, his popular solo efforts "Centerfield" and "The Old Man Down The Road", and a touching ode to his wife, "Joy Of My Life". Fogerty is in great voice, and if you have seen the VH-1 special that most of this was recorded at, his guitar playing is better than ever. Well, okay, it would be nice to have "Who'll Stop The Rain" or "Sunday Never Comes", but rather than complain, why not appreciate the killer renditions of "Almost Saturday Night" (he must have heard Dave Edmunds' version!) and "Rockin' All Over The World" that are here? And, sure, perhaps "Fortunate Son" isn't as angry or volatile as it was the first time around, but how could it be? The original was released during the peak of the Vietnam War as one of the most literate and emotional reactions of its time. It's still a great song, and features one of Fogerty's best vocal performances on the record. Through it all, John sounds like he is celebrating the joy of sharing his music once again. But rather than an artist recalling his career at day's end, he seems more like a man setting the standards for what he'd like to do in the future. Bring a nickel, tap your feet. --- REVIEW: Drugstore, _White Magic For Lovers_ (Roadrunner) - Simon West The second album from international quartet Drugstore is one of those records that reminds you why you spend all your money on music, scouring magazines and web sites for the latest artists and releases, wasting hours in used CD shops flicking through the racks. It's that good. _White Magic For Lovers_ adds Ian Burdge on cello to the lineup, adding a drama and fuller sound missing from the eponymous debut. Augmented in places by violins, horns, and even a mariachi band on one track, the sound here is more polished and complex than before. Singer Isabel Monteiro's voice is wonderful - by turns vulnerable, growling, pleading and demanding - beautifully expressive. The album kicks off with live favorite "Say Hello", an ode to the "junkies, the sinners and the creeps". Other highlights recent single "El President", a dramatic, flamenco-soaked song about the overthrow of Chilean leader Allende, featuring a duet with Radiohead's Thom Yorke. "Song For Pessoa" is a haunting acoustic tune for Portugese poet Pessoa, "I Know I Could" is a plaintive tune where the dark side of Monteiro suggested by the self-made voodoo dolls on the album cover rears its head: "I could do so much harm / I could do you no good / I'll leave a stain in your heart / I would", she whispers over acoustic guitar and cello. "Mondo Cane" is a driving, noisy little bash with Moneiro in terrific form, growling and snarling; "You can stuff your beliefs and your nursery rhymes / I drink 'til I'm senseless whatever the wine / With no hope / No glory / And no Jesus Christ / We all turn into ashes / Welcome to the show." There are a couple of weak spots - guitarist Daron Robinson occasionally takes over lead vocals, removing some of Drugstore's magic. When Monteiro sings, however, there's a drama, a spark and a shadow to Drugstore that I've not heard from any new band in a good few years. Final song "The Funeral" is a case in point - a lovely little waltz about dying that wanders through such typical images as snow in July, fireworks and roses, before Isabel, in a dreamy little voice, suggests "All my ex-lovers will talk through the night / Heart breaking tales of passion and pride / They will say / That I had a cunt made of gold." _White Magic For Lovers_ is a terrific album, the sort of discovery that leads you on endless journeys around record shops for that last b-side you need to complete your collection... Beautiful, dark, dramatic and melodic, one of the albums of the year. The sort of band a fanatical following springs up around, and quite right too. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Amp 2_ (Astralwerks) - Krisjanis P. Gale This second compilation from the techno-centric MTV Series "Amp" is a radical departure from the first batch of ambient, intelligent dance (IDM), and techno. You will not find any tracks on this Amp by Future Sound of London, Underworld, Chemical Brothers, and the like. What you will find, however, is a pretty fresh collection of all that is trip hop. What is trip hop? Imagine old school rap producers suddenly thrown headlong into a room full of synthesizers and beat boxes. What you get is something considerably new and different. On _Amp 2_ , you will find rap greats Method Man, the Low-Fidelity Allstars, Chuck D, Public Enemy, Kool Keith, and KRS One right alongside Prodigy, Pigeonhead, Ticc-Tacc, Amber Sunshower, Hardkiss, and Goldie. It's this sort of cooperational effort that will ensure that hip hop flava will live on in a future generation of electronic street shakers, and you get to hear it here. Aside from the breakthrough co-ops, you'll find the number one single "Rockefella Skank" by Fatboy Slim, a deliciously bassified Jungle Brothers track, an Air tune remixed by Beck, the hard-hitting tour de'force "Genius" by Pitchshifter and remixed by Luke Vilbert, a bizarre Adam F. headtrip mixed up with some DJ Jazzy Jeff loops, the tried-and-true "Brown Paper Bag" by drum and bass pioneer Roni Size, and "Bang On!" by the Propellerheads, which can only be described as breakbeat-infused experimental hardcore acid trance. I have to admit that I didn't receive this disc very well when I first listened to it. But it grew on me as soon as I realized I don't own anything at all like it. It's a great mix, and it's probably unlike anything you've heard before. --- MINI REVIEWS: Dario G / Catatonia - Bob Gajarsky A U.K. number one record is no testament to greatness, as many previous British chart-toppers can attest. The latest in the line of pretenders to the throne is the British trio of Scott Rosser and non-siblings Paul and Stephen Spencer, better known as Dario G. 'That' single which captured radio listeners across Europe and was even chosen by Nelson Mandela as the theme song for the Red Cross promotional campaign in South Africa is "Sunchyme". A combination of world-music dance beats, lilting piano and a mix of the Dream Academy's 1985 hit "Life In A Northern Town", "Sunchyme" perfectly utilizes the power of sampling technology and creative spirits. Unfortunately, the rest of _Sunmachine_ (Kinetic/Reprise) is nothing more than a series of blips on the musical map. The title cut here samples David Bowie's "Memory of a Free Festival", and is the only other tolerable track on an otherwise forgettable debut. "Carnaval De Paris" sounds like "Clementine" performed at a bar-mitzvah, and the rest of the album reflects a cleansed version of ambient and techno music in a seemingly never-ending series of repetitive derivative beats, stripping its soul and leaving what remains behind - elevator music. A third-rate Utah Saints. Another group 'cursed' with the UK number one position is the Welsh band Catatonia. Fronted by the charismatic Cerys Matthews (who had the good sense to duet with Space on "The Ballad of Tom Jones"), they hit the top of the charts in Britain with the full-length album _International Velvet_ (Vapor / Warner). There's no denying that the group has the *potential* to record one of the 'classic' British albums; "Mulder and Scully" (which, other than the title, has no X-Files references, thank goodness) is a top-notch indie-rock classic which lives up to all the advance billing. "Road Rage", the follow-up single, also turns down the same path of guitar rock which has been falling from favour in 1998 Britain. These two key cuts provide ample evidence of Catatonia's abilities. Unfortunately, much of the remainder of _International Velvet_ languishes in the level of B-sides. "Game On" and "I Am The Mob" are top notch album tracks, but from there, things go downhill. "Don't Need The Sunshine" could be an acoustic Beautiful South song, but this critic thinks "Sunshine" is an example of a good idea not quite completed. "Why I Can't Stand One Night Stands", may be a great title, but the song plods along without much purpose. Definitely of interest to fans of UK indie-rock, Catatonia's American debut falls short of the expectations launched by the massive international hype machine, and the music-buying public would have been best served with this as a 6 song EP, until enough good songs were composed. More than anything, the success of _International Velvet_ amplifies the dearth of good independent British groups. --- REVIEW: Pulp, _Countdown 1992-1983_ (Fire) - Simon West Pulp finally met success with 1994's _His 'n' Hers_, and superstardom followed shortly thereafter. This, however, was the culmination of more than a decade of existence, the recorded history of which is collected on _Countdown_, a double-disc set. Unfortunately, for the most part it justifies the decade of obscurity - Pulp weren't much fun to listen to in the Eighties... The best material here is the initial batch from 1991's "Countdown" single and 1992's _Separations_ album. "My Legendary Girlfriend" and "She's Dead" contain some of the lyrical style and vocal delivery of later work. We go downhill from there. The music gets less interesting, the vocal considerably less tuneful and compelling. The low point of disc 1 is reached at the end with "They Suffocate At Night", from 1987's _Freaks_ album, an uncomfortably tuneless effort that leaves you wondering who actually allowed it to be recorded at all. Disc 2, unfortunately, doesn't get any better. As we move further back in time, there's less and less recognizable Pulp and more and more reasons to be amazed at the astonishing increase in quality that occured in the early 1990s. By the time we reach selections from 1983's _It_ there's even a bloody flute in it, along with a warbling vocal that's not particularly easy on the ears. By the time the extended version of _Countdown_ closes the collection, it sounds like an absolute classic by comparison. Pulp completists would be advised to pick up _His 'n' Hers_ and accompanying singles, the _Pulpintro_ compilation and the aforementioned _Separations_. These showcase the evolution of Pulp while maintaining a high quality throughout. About the only argument for picking up _Countdown_ would be its budget price. It's easy to see why even Jarvis Cocker advised against buying it. It's hard to imagine deliberately listening to most of this more than once. For absolute completists only. --- REVIEW: Tripping Daisy, _Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb_ (Island) - Jon Steltenpohl When Tripping Daisy first got signed, their independent album was so good that Island Records re-released it as originally recorded. Their regional following in Texas was rabid, and their live shows were so good that there seemed no limit to their potential. Unfortunately, Tripping Daisy's second album only spawned the minor hit "I Got a Girl" and didn't seem to shift them out of "promising" gear. In concert, the band still was incredible, but it hadn't translated in the studio. _Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb_ meanders again with a shift in sound, and instead of fulfilling their grand promise, Tripping Daisy sounds like they're starting over. Instead of a halfway goofy take on Jane's Addiction, Tripping Daisy's sound is now somewhere between The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and The Pixies. Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of sound Frank Black drifted to after breaking up The Pixies, and he did a much better job of it. Space sounds, soaring harmonies, and random distortions alternately stimulate and ruin this album. Tripping Daisy is going for something on a grander scale, but the effect is lost. The band sounds like a bunch of talented alternative rockers trying to play a 70's art rock song book. It's not horrible, but they'd be better off sticking to their own style. Take "Sonic Bloom". It's got a catchy little melody with the potential to be another "I Got a Girl." "I can't believe it happened to me," swoons Delaughter, "the magic's in my heart". Cute, but unfortunately, Tripping Daisy frames it with a shoegazer/4AD kind of sound. In the hands of The Cure, this song becomes "Friday, I'm in Love", but Tripping Daisy doesn't pull it off. They can't leave well enough alone, and add Beach Boy harmonies and a Pink Floyd-esque whistling chorus. "Mechanical Breakdown" almost come out okay. In the beginning, it's fun and punky, and, at the core, it feels like a DIY pop-punk song. But by the end, the song veers severely off course. It meanders near a David Bowie space rock sound, and then mutates into a horrible screeching vocal section that's just plain wrong. Some songs, such as "New Plains Medicine" are virtually unlistenable for similar reasons. _Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb_ takes one shot at respectability with a three song montage of "Our Drive to the Sun", "Can A Man Mark It?", and "Human Contact". Somehow, these songs put it all together. If the entire album was like these three songs, it would rival both Bowie and Pink Floyd's best. They are full of sonic grandeur and careful restraint that goes beyond just the melody. Unfortunately though, they aren't representative of the album as a whole. Tripping Daisy has always written decent songs, and there is no doubt that these songs will sound much better in concert, which lately is a rare feat. However, it feels too much like an album of studio experimentation that hasn't had a chance to develop into a mature sound. In other words, _Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb_ puts Tripping Daisy back at square one. Their new sound is an admirable attempt, but despite 3 albums under their belt, Tripping Daisy still just remains a band with great promise. --- REVIEW: Shonen Knife, _Happy Hour_ (Big Deal) - Chelsea Spear The word "cute" hangs around the collective necks of Shonen Knife like a large albatross - or a cuddly dodo, if you prefer. The constant citing of the word in reference to this trio of talented, playful musicians has some root in reality; a quick glance at the lyrics sheet for their latest album, _Happy Hour_, reveals odes to the Jackalope and the sushi bar, admonishions to watch out for people traps and to catch your bus, and an account of one of the most beloved game shows on Japanese television. This isn't typical song fodder outside of Dr Demento's radio show, and their loose handle on the English language gets condescending pats on the head from music critics who should know better. Most reviews gloss over what amazing songwriters and musicians this power trio is in favour of their camera-ready adorableness. The Knife's latest album, _Happy Hour_, reveals the band to be deepening their craft. The tight, cohesive ensemble gets to demonstrate their considerable skills over thirteen tracks; the songs are spot-on ear candy for any power pop fiends, short and melodic enough to hold the shortest attention spans, decorated with the spangly musical jewelry of well-placed, attention-getting hooks. What's more, Shonen Knife seem to be experimenting with new ideas, bringing elements of the intriguing sounds that have been developing in recent pop to their time-honored, Ramones- and Cheap Trick-inspired tunes. Granted, in some places this approach works better than others; the electronica dabbling of "Shonen Knife Planet" falls flat under its own chirpiness. However, the bridge for the infectious "Banana Chips" is awash in a shoegazer guitar drone reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine on a sugar high, and the vocal harmonies and handclaps recall the vibrant sonic colours and bratty attitude of Lush. With the rest of the album, the Knife remind their audience of their endearing nature with their familiar blend of infectious guitar pop. Sure, tunes like the giddy "Konnichiwa", a Number One hit in any other galaxy, might not be the most profound musical statements ever committed to aluminum discus, but for tunes that will slap a smile on your face and put a spring in your step, they can't be beat. If you're looking for a party album par excellence, whip out the banana chips and the hot chocolate, roll out the trampoline, and throw _Happy Hour_ on the turntable. You won't be disappointed. --- SOUNDTRACK REVIEWS: _Baseketball_ / _Welcome To Woop Woop_ - Bob Gajarsky Gen-X meets the Extreme Games, at least in principle, on the soundtrack to _Baseketball_ (Mojo). The film - which stars Trey Parker and Matt Stone, to whom Comedy Central is forever indebted for South Park - is about the new sport (baseketball) which is catching on across the nation. The team is bad news, but isn't the bears - rather, they are the beers. And so goes the spirit of the film. The soundtrack takes the same So-cal feelings and vibes by incorporating many of the West Coast's newest and most exciting bands into a mix of original and previously-released songs. Reel Big Fish make two appearances here, with "Beer" and the ska-dified, previously-unavailable commercially cover of A-Ha's smash, "Take On Me". The bands featured here are fairly predictable in their originals, or re-interpretations. If the Dickies' cover of the Banana Splits theme remains etched in your memory, make room for their punk cover of the Isleys' "Nobody But Me" Harry Belafonte's calypso-tinged "Jump In The Line" is covered by Cherry Poppin' Daddies, and the Smashmouth cover of War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" appeared on their 1997 debut album. New standout tracks from Deep Blue Something ("Tonight" - which gratefully is nothing like the predictable "Breakfast At Tiffany's") and Supersuckers ("Psyched Out") bring a renewed feel of excitement to album listeners. The psychedelic-tinged "Lemon Yellow" from Plastiscene (from their forthcoming album) gives listeners a chance to catch the latest Oasis-influenced wave straight from England. An ironic inclusion here is Soul Asylum's "I Will Still Be Laughing", from their abysmal _Candy From A Stranger_ . This group might have fit in wonderfully during their Twin-Tone days, but post- _And The Horse They Rode In On_ material shows a band which has lost their fiery edge...to most of the other acts included here. Just like the movie, the soundtrack to _Baseketball_ may not stand up several years down the road - but for now, it's perfect. A standout collection. But while _Baseketball_ gives listeners a great reason to plunk their hard-earned money on the counter, two other soundtracks offer mixed bags. The soundtrack to _Welcome To Woop Woop_ (Universal) includes a large number of classic musical songs remade by today's artists, but doesn't produce the expected results. Producer extraordinairre Junior Vasquez offers up some remixing on the Peggy Wood reworking of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain and Robin S' version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" while Moodswings and Neneh Cherry, Reel Big Fish and Poe also provide 90s covers of Rodgers and Hammerstein classics. Junior's dance remixes aren't bad, but they won't appear on any of his greatest-hits compilations. And, by the same note, the lackluster execution of the Rodgers/Hammerstein songs can't be excused by claiming the 'songs' themselves were never any good. Chumbawamba's "Timebomb" doesn't make quite as good use of Stephen Stills' "For What It's Worth" lyrics as Public Enemy did, and Boy George's title track is on the ragga tip - as much as he can be. Merril Bainbridge's pairing with reggae master Shaggy on the Sonny & Cher song "I Got You Babe" regretfully under-utilizes both of their skills to question why this cover was ever included. Listening booths are provided for a reason. Utilize one before purchasing this soundtrack. BASEKETBALL ARTISTS LISTING: Reel Big Fish, Nerf Herder, Deep Blue Something, Supersuckers, Plastiscene, Soul Asylum, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Louchie Lou & Michie One, Ernies, Goldfinger, Dickies, Smashmouth WOOP WOOP ARTIST LISTING: Cake, Reel Big Fish, Chumbawamba, Poe, Boy George, Merril Bainbridge / Shaggy, Moodswings / Neneh Cherry, Eels, Robin S, Peggy Wood --- REVIEW: Front 242, _Live Code_ (Play it Again Sam) - Krisjanis P. Gale A bit more quick-and-dirty than polished studio productions by Front 242, but it's all here - everything that has made the group remain true to the industrial genre. Beautifully architected orchestral facades. Long introductions and bridges, filled with lots of dirty, distorted leads. Lots of cryptic lyrics with heavy german accent, and enough modern age angst to grind any casual luddite into dust. This is the sort of music you would hear in the late 80s/early 90s, when industrial was quite new to college radio; before the mainstream had ever heard of Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Meat Beat Manifesto, etc. Hardcore fans of Front 242 will find live versions of some of their favorite tunes from _Tyranny 4 You_, including really decent performances of "Tragedy For You" and "Headhunter', two of my favorites from way back in the day. At first listen, I was a bit surprised to hear tunes that were so dated, but then I looked at the date of the performance - October 25, 1993. And then I was able to just revel in nostaligia, remembering a time before the term "electronica" was even coined; a time when freeform musical experimentation was more important than record sales. Despite the fairly sketchy job on the live mix by the on-stage engineers, this is an important piece of history, and anyone seeking to expand their collection of industrial music should pick this disc up. --- COMPILATION REVIEWS: Human League , Sugarcubes , Cravin' Melon - Bob Gajarsky When I heard that a greatest hits album had been slated for the Human League, my initial reaction was positive; finally, there'd be an addendum to the 1988 release of their hits. Perhaps this one would include the Giorgio Moroder / Philip Oakey collaboration "Together In Electric Dreams" which was included on the 1988 UK release, but inexplicably omitted from the stateside version. Hopefully, their later hits ("Heart Like A Wheel", "Tell Me When" and, maybe even the 1996 pseudo-techno remix of "Don't You Want Me" - which doesn't fare well when compared to the original synthpop version but does work if thought of in a separate context - would see the collection. Amazingly, all of these things came to pass. _The Very Best Of The Human League_ (Ark 21), 1998 version, affords today's listeners a glimpse into the American success of one of the pioneers of 80s synthpop, from the original "Don't You Want Me" to its techno remix, and nearly all of the group's American hits. In addition to the thirteen songs comprising this collection, a nearly 10 minute chat with the band about their origins (based around a Kraftwerk record and Donna Summer track), the formation of Heaven 17 from the implosion of the League and their breaking in the states is of curious interest to the loyalists. Since the Human League achieved much of its success outside of America, worldwide fans may want to seek out more comprehensive collections. But for American completists, synthpop fans who didn't purchase the 'hits' album the first time around, or those longing for a CD version of the Electric Dreams title cut, this collection is for you. TRACK LISTING: Don't You Want Me (Original and Snap Remix), Love Action (I Believe In Love), Mirror Man, (Keep Feeling) Fascination, Tell Me When, Stay With Me Tonight, Human, Together In Electric Dreams, Heart Like A Wheel, One Man In My Heart, Being Boiled, The Lebanon For three albums, the Sugarcubes delicately walked the line between innovative music and accessible music, always challenging the status quo with cutting-edge music from a country (Iceland) whose music already seemed too far removed from the mainstream. Somehow, the Sugarcubes - and eventually with her solo career, Cubes' lead singer Bjork Gudmundsdottir - made the mainstream move a little closer to them. _The Great Crossover Potential_ (Elektra) (the album's title emanates from an industry executive commenting that by modifying their sound slightly, they could have great crossover potential - something the band ignored) neatly wraps up their brief but bright career. Their three albums - the groundbreaking _Life's Too Good_, _Here Today Tomorrow Next Week_ and their finale _Stick Around For Joy_ are all adequately represented by their key tracks and singles. "Birthday", with its "Walk On The Wild Side"-like guitar riff;' the Motown-meets-the Cure done up with a twist on "Vitamin", the hooks no-one else discovered, before or since, on "Cold Sweat" and "Motorcrash", and Einar Orn's just plain strange repetitive lines (squeaky clean on "Deus" and screaming out "I really don't like lobster!" on the smash "Regina") mixed with the deliberate off-key notes and wrong-chord changes all somehow make perfect sense combined with Bjork's vocals. Bjork's foray into the world of trip-hop predates what was musically acceptable, but there's even a bit of scratching on the modern rock #1, appropriately-titled "Hit". Always ahead of their time, the Sugarcubes' _The Great Crossover Potential_ presents an opportunity to look in hindsight at the music that was too weird to get played 10 years ago - even on the same modern-rock stations that today welcome Bjork with open arms. TRACK LISTING: Birthday, Cold Sweat, Mama, Motor Crash, Deus, Regina, Pump, Planet, Water, Hit, Vitamin, Walkabout, Gold, Chihuahua The pride of South Carolina, Cravin' Melon have followed up their debut album (_Red Clay Harvest) with a live seven song E.P., _Squeeze Me_. Nearing their fifth year as a unit, Cravin' Melon has slowly started to receive nationwide recognition which had previously only been focused from their Southern base. Recorded at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, _Squeeze Me_ incorporates five previously-unreleased songs on disc, along with their first Mercury single, "Come Undone" and the breakthrough anthematic ode to that uniquely-Southern drink, "Sweet Tea". The live tracks come through with the same enthusiasm which is present at a Melon concert, and "Ex-Stepmother", a bouncy, upbeat rocker, about (of course) an ex-stepmother who's gay, is done in such a fun way, it could erode some of the pre-existing biases towards Southern acceptances of alternative lifestyles. The Hoyt Axton cover of "Never Been To Spain" isn't much different than other versions of that classic, but the remainder of the tracks - including "Camelot" - are a pleasant treat to the group's loyal fans. Recommended for fans of the 90s version of Southern rock. TRACK LISTING: Come Undone, Running, Ex-Stepmother, Land of Oz, Never Been To Spain, Camelot, (hidden track) Sweet Tea --- NEWS: > The B-52's have released a 12 song video retrospective of their career. Titled _Time Capsules Songs For A Future Generation_, the collection includes 10 songs from their recent greatest hits as well as "Legal Tender" and "Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland". > The Black Crowes' first album for Columbia, _By Your Side_, has now been moved back to a November 17 release date. In addition, there will be a deluxe, digitally remastered box set released on August 11. The box set will contain all the band's albums, along with seven full length videos, screensavers, a bonus live EP featuring five unreleased songs from 1995 at New York's Beacon Theatre, and seven other bonus tracks. > Consumable Online, the Internet's oldest publication dedicated to music reviews, has been named the recipient of the "Best of the Net" award for alternative music from the Mining Company for the month of July. > Smashing Pumpkins fans based in the Big Apple can get a chance to see the band perform live on the David Letterman show on July 30, outside the Late Night studios on 53rd Street. The band will also be performing on Live with Regis & Kathie Lee on August 4th. > Tom Waits has recently been signed to a one album deal to Epitaph. --- TOUR DATES: Tori Amos Jul. 28 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Jul. 29 Philadelphia, PA CoreStates Spectrum Jul. 31 Poughkeepsie, NY Mid-Hudson Civic Center Aug. 1 Boston, MA Fleet Center Aug. 2 Springfield, MA Symphony Hall Aug. 4 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theatre Aug. 5 Albany, NY Palace Theatre Beastie Boys Jul. 31 Seattle, WA Key Arena Aug. 1 Vancouver, BC PNE Coliseum Aug. 2 Portland, OR Rose Garden Arena Aug. 4 Salt Lake City, UT E Center Aug. 5 Denver, CO McNichols Arena B 52's / Pretenders / Royal Crown Revue Jul. 28 Phoenix, AZ Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion Jul. 30 Englewood, CO Fiddler's Green Amp. Aug. 1 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion Aug. 2 Irvine, CA Irvine Meadows Amph. Aug. 3 Paso Robles, CA California Mid-State Fair Aug. 4-5 Universal City, CA Universal Amphitheatre Black Crowes Jul. 28 Philadelphia, PATheatre Of The Living Arts Jul. 30 Baltimore, MD Bohagers Jul. 31 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Aug. 1-2 Aspen, CO Concert For Harmony Blue Oyster Cult Aug. 1 Darrington, WA Classic Rock Music Fest @ White Horse Mountain Amph. Connells Jul. 28 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf Jul. 29 Jackson, MS Depot Jul. 30 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse Jul. 31 Birmingham, AL Five Points Music Hall Aug. 1 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre Cravin' Melon Jul. 29 Danville, VA Sir Richards Jul. 30 Roanoke, VA Coffee Pot Jul. 31 Herndon, VA Herndon Municipal Ctr Aug. 1 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall Culture Club / Human League / Howard Jones Jul. 29 Manassas, VA Nissan Pavillion Jul. 30 New York City Radio City Music Hall Aug. 1 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Music Theater Aug. 2 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center Aug. 5 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Center Dakota Moon Jul. 27 Minneapolis, MN Mall Of America Jul. 28 Lincolnwood, IL Town Center Jul. 29 Orland Park, Il Orland Square Jul. 30 Indianapolis, In Circle Center Jul. 31 Bloomington, IN College Mall Aug. 3 New York, NY Manhattan Mall Aug. 4 Lake Grove, NY Smithhaven Shopping Center Aug. 5 Edison, NJ Menlo Park Mall Front 242 Jul. 27 Phoenix, AZ Bash on Ash Jul. 29 El Paso, TX Club 101 Jul. 31 Austin, TX Music Hall Aug. 1 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theater Aug. 3 Tampa, FL The Edge Aug. 4 Hallendale, FL Button South Aug. 5 Orlando, FL Embassy Nanci Griffith Jul. 30 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amph. Aug. 1 Philadelphia, PA Entertainment Center Aug. 2 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach HORDE Tour (Blues Traveler, Barenaked Ladies, Alana Davis, Ben Harper, and many others) Jul. 28 Toronto, ON Molson Park Amph. Jul. 30 Mansfield, MA Great Woods Jul. 31 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Ctr. Aug. 1 Scranton, PA Montage Mountain Aug. 2 Saratoga Springs, NY SPAC Aug. 4 Hartford, CT The Meadows Aug. 5 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach Theater Irving Plaza (http://www.irvingplaza.com - New York concert hall) Jul. 30 Anthrax / Monster Magnet Aug. 1 From Good Homes Joan Of Arc Jul. 29 Cincinati, OH Sudsy Malones Jul. 30 Cleveland, OH Speak In Tongues Jul. 31 Pittsburgh, PA Midvale Industrial Center K's Choice Jul. 27 San Francisco, CA Slim's Jul. 28 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour Jul. 29 San Diego, CA Canes Jul. 30 Scottsdale, AZ Cajun House Aug. 1 Salt Lake City, UT Zephyr Aug. 2 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre Aug. 4 Kansas City, MO Hurricane Lilith Fair Tour Jul. 27 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds Jul. 29-30 Houston, TX The Woodlands Jul. 31 Austin, TX South Park Meadows Aug. 1 Dallas, TX Coca-Cola Starplex Aug. 3 Nashville, TN Starwood Amph. Aug. 4 St. Louis, MO Riverport Amph. Aug. 5 Chicago, IL New World Music Theater Metallica / Jerry Cantrell / Days of the New Jul. 28 Maryland Heights, MO Riverport Amphitheater Jul. 29 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone Amphitheater Jul. 31 Dallas, TX Starplex Amphitheater Aug. 1 San Antonio, TX Retama Park Racetrack Aug. 2 Houston, TX Woodlands Pav. Phish Jul. 28 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone Amph. Jul. 29 Maryland Hgts, MO Riverport Amph. Jul. 31 Columbus, OH Polaris Amph. Aug. 1 Troy, WI Alpine Valley Music Theater East Aug. 2-3 Noblesville, IN Deer Creek Music Center Phunk Junkeez / Clutch Jul. 27 Albuquerque, NM Zone Jul. 29 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch Jul. 30 Houston, TX Abyss Jul. 31 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's Aug. 1 Fayetteville, AR JR Dickson Street Ballroom Aug. 2 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights Aug. 4 Minneapolis, MN Ground Zero Aug. 5 Chicago, IL Metro Smokin' Groovies Tour (Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes, Gangstarr and more). Jul. 28 Camden, NJ E-Center Jul. 29 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Jul. 31 Chicago, IL International Amp. Aug. 1 Columbus, OH Polaris Amp. Aug. 3 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amp. Aug. 5 Corpus Christie, TX Texas Sky Park John Taylor Jul. 29 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern Jul. 30 Yucaipa, CA Crossroads Jul. 31 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coach House Third Eye Blind / Our Lady Peace / Eve 6 Aug. 1 Augusta, GA Ft. Gordon --- THE READERS WRITE BACK! > (In response to the James review in the July 14 issue) This is befuddling. Even during the hey-day of "Madchester" (ala the band's _Gold Mother_), the band rarely -- if ever -- used the same acid house and 60's guitar pop that so defined the era. Citing that JAMES "employed trademark Madchester rhythms and pyrotechnics" is not only contradictory to the actual music they created, but also very unpersuasive as an argument since no specifics are even mentioned. It's easy to lump the band into the baggy movement, especially since they rose around the same time and the same area as the genre "dictated," but as you said yourself, JAMES were never truly attached to the style in the first place (one could possibly make the case with the horn-led ecstasy of "Come Home" and its various remixes, but the band at that time rarely employed anything more "baggy" than that). Plus, one is hardly convinced they ever went in a similar direction even as a *diversion* in their career because the similarities to the "diversionary" style are too hard to come by. _Wah Wah_ is a highly divisive album, nothing to decry here, but to single out "Walking The Ghost" is peculiar. If anything, one would have to lump in songs like "Top Of The World" or "Lullaby" as they go for extremely similar goals (i.e. what's so atypical and bizarre about a song like "Walking The Ghost"?). The reason (for some notable omissions) is because the vast majority of the songs picked for _The Best Of..._ were not only from the Polygram and Sire years, but from their biggest hits to date. The only song that was never a big chart success (i.e. not a single) was "Out To Get You," and I'm sure the band had to coax the label to get that non-single on there. Tim Booth clearly admits that the collection is not technically a _Best Of..._ since the band don't necessarily agree with the picks, and the whole shebang is obviously more of a greatest hits package than anything else ("It's not the Best Of...but it's fucking good.") But applause for even mentioning the acoustic version of "Protect Me"...it's miles above any studio version and one of the most poignant moments in the band's entire career. There is more to JAMES than an offspring of a nearly ten year-old genre, and more to their history and progression than how they "survived" such a tie. JAMES are a gem, to be sure, but it's Manchester -- not "Madchester" -- that should be proud. - D.C., Los Angeles, CA --- Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest music reviews publication on the Internet. To get back issues of Consumable, check out: WWW: http://www.consumableonline.com (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 ===