== ISSUE 157 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [October 7, 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: Christina Apples, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino, Krisjanis Gale, Emma Green, Paul Hanson, Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin Johnson, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Chelsea Spear, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann 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 / CONCERT REVIEW: The Church / Peter Koppes - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Son Volt, _Wide Swing Tremolo_ - Tracey Bleile REVIEW: Soul Coughing, _El Oso_ - Lang Whitaker REVIEW: Buffalo Tom, _Smitten_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Combustible Edison, _The Impossible World_ - Christina Apeles REVIEW: Del Amitri, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Less than Jake, _Hello Rockview_ - Kerwin So REVIEW: Jack Drag, _Dope Box_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: House of Love, _The Best of The House of Love_ - Joann D. Ball REVIEW: Jaz Klash, _Thru The Haze_ / 60 Channels, _Tuned In... Turned On - Simon West REVIEW: Mysteries of Life, _Come Clean_ - Daniel Aloi REVIEW: Snow Patrol, _an educational film by..._ - Tim Mohr NEWS: John Lennon, Ian Brown TOUR DATES: Air, Archers of Loaf, Better Than Ezra / Possum Dixon / Athenaeum, Broadside Electric, The Church, Cravin' Melon, N'Dea Davenport, Firewater, Io, Irving Plaza, Korn, Lenny Kravitz, Liquid Soul, Reel Big Fish / Spring Heeled Jack, Samples, Sand Rubies, Dee Snider's StrangeLand Tour, Mike Watt Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW / CONCERT REVIEW: The Church / Peter Koppes - Joann D. Ball The Australian-based band The Church has always followed its own psychedelic muse. That muse has inspired the band to produce some of the most ethereal sounds this side of paradise, and has also moved the band to generate a host of catchy, irresistible jangly pop songs during the past 18 years. Of course, such greatness has been balanced by an album or two that missed the mark, and a handful of songs that didn't quite click. But apart from all that, The Church has never stopped using and celebrating the wonderous power of recorded and live music to share energy, expand minds and bring beautiful people together. Consumable Online caught up with The Church on the first two dates of the American tour in support of record number eleven, _Hologram of Baal_ (Thirsty Ear). It's been eight years since The Church toured Stateside as an all-electric quartet and much has transpired for singer/bassist Steve Kilbey and guitarists Marty Wilson-Piper and Peter Koppes. Kilbey and Wilson-Piper kept the Church going in addition to a variety of other projects while Koppes took time off to develop and further his own musical and entrepreneurial pursuits. It was just a matter of time, though, before the muse reunited the trio and joined them with new drummer and fellow spirit Tim Powles. And so, The Church has returned with a new record and a new label, and fortunately, the same inspired vision reigns supreme. The Church's live revival took place at The Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, California, a few miles north of San Diego. And an almost full house of mostly twenty- and thirtysomethings gathered to hear the power and glory of The Church's trademark sound. Completely outfitted with a six-string bass, poetic sage Kilbey took his place at center stage. On his right, Koppes secured himself in the middle of all the technology, hardware and gadgets that allows him to recreate those complex and intricate studio sounds through his guitar. Fellow guitarist Marty Wilson-Piper set up shop at the other end of the stage with a collection of trusty Rickenbackers within arms reach. And drummer Powles climbed to his perch behind the drum kit, prepared to lay down the pounding beats that would propel the words and swirls out to the crowd. What was to be a long and sweaty night began with "Aura" from 1992's _Priest=Aura_, right through "Myrrh," the sonic assault from the still-brilliant _Heyday_, and back to "An Interlude" from early release _Blurred Crusade_. Then the band fast forwarded to "Ripple" before finally arriving at "North, South, East and West" from the hugely successful _Starfish_. With "N,S, E &W" securing the bond between band and audience, The Church introduced "Louisiana" as the new single. "Buffalo," another great song from the new record which also happens to be named for an American locale, followed several songs later. There was the predictable swell of cheers and applause for the smash hit "Under the Milky Way," but even the epic "2 Places At Once" from Kilbey and Wilson-Piper's mystical 1994 release _Sometime Anywhere_ capitvated the crowd. By the set closer "Reptile," the crowd had been whipped up into a frenzy reflecting the guitar mania Wilson-Piper was generating from all parts of the stage. The Church then returned for two stellar encores, first delivering "Destination" and a sizzling version of "Tantalized" and then finally ending the spirited show with the power jam "You Took." On its first gig ever featuring the new songs, The Church was in superior form and treated this Southern California crowd to the kind of blistering two hour set that Australian fans have come to know and love so well. Consumable Online caught up with guitarist extraordinare Peter Koppes the day after the triumphant tour opener. Backstage at an outdoor festival on the Pacific Ocean in Orange County, Koppes was surprisingly rested despite only a few hours of sleep. He was also excited and eager to talk with Consumable about all things Church related. In what was more a wonderful conversation than a typical interview, Consumable found out what Koppes had been up to during his sabatical and discussed what makes The Church such a powerful, progressive force in rock music. CO: How are things different this time around on tour, ten years after _Starfish_? Koppes: Well, a year ago we did a tour in Australia, and a year before that we did a tour of Australia. So we did like two-and-a-half hour shows with a complete variety of all of the albums. But we haven't played the last three albums in America, so in a way we're wanting to play some of those songs here and also some of the songs from the new album which we haven't even played in Australia. CO: How do you think the reception is going to be here rather than from a native crowd in Australia? Koppes: I think music is the great leveler and I think that you get a situation where the people who like our kind of music become those kind of people in every place, wherever it is. CO: What is your kind of music? How do you describe it? Koppes: Um, progressive music for music aficionados, you know, who like the exotic and esoteric and like intelligent pop. CO: Is that something that you guys consider at all. . . in terms of what kinds of fans might be out there? Koppes: I think that there's a lot of nostalgia these days. A lot of people in Australia. . . [that] is the only indication I can go by but around the world it seems to be the same. CO: Nostalgia for the eighties or for yesterday generally? Koppes: Yeah, for music they are familiar with. After describing how Australian fans have followed The Church over almost two decades, the conversation shifts to why Koppes temporarily stepped away from one of Down Under's most beloved bands. Koppes: I left the band to identify with myself outside of the role that was imposed on me by the circumstances of being in the band, which include the public's identity which they associate with me as being a part of something, you know. And we're all staunch individuals as you know by all of the solo records. Even the drummer's got a solo record out there. Koppes then began to list his solo projects, a process which is only completed by the end of our meeting. Obviously, he was an extremely busy man during his few years away from The Church. Not only did he play a variety of instruments on the solo projects but he also formed his own Australian record label. Koppes is obviously very proud of his musical accomplishments and explains his entrepreneurial venture as an extension of his genuine love of music. As for the records, Koppes mentions _Water Rites_ credited to his band The Well and reflective of his fascination with water and a release under his own name called _Love Era/Irony_. . Koppes: And I recorded stuff that Steve was producing with artists. You know, it'd be writing or playing guitar on some tracks on some things of his. CO: So it was always a friendship [with Steve Kilbey]? Koppes: Oh, yeah. When I left the band I said to Steve, you know, we could do some stuff together. It's just that I didn't want to be in the band as part of that big, that monster. CO: That friendship goes back how many years? Koppes: Twenty-umm. . . 1974. . . twenty four years. The conversation then shifts to what originally inspired Koppes to pick up first the Hammond organ, then the drums and finally the guitar. CO: Influences for you? Koppes: Songs, songs . . . CO: And artists? Koppes: Ultimately Jimi Hendrix, not just as a guitar player but as a songwriter and as a human being. I think more importantly, like John Lennon, he was an amazing human being. I've always regarded myself as a human being first and a musician second as well. And I identify with people of that politics in their music as well. CO: On this new record, _Hologram of Baal_, it doesn't really say who does what in the liner notes. Koppes: (laughing) We didn't have time, I swear! We did everything. Our new drummer plays bass on tracks...he's critical to the band now, the impetus of the band, because he engineered the album and he produced it with us. But being an engineer he actively produced it on every, well, when we were doing over dubs he'd be working together with Steve closely, with Marty closely. And with me, he's an essential part of my soundscaping because he intuitively does what I want him to do. In fact, he played drums on my last solo album. Koppes: There's another album [by] The Refo:mation that Steve, myself and Tim did previous to the Church reforming which was another stint towards us deciding that The Church is just gotta get back together in that format. It would be like something to really come back together for. It was a big, big evolution in our songwriting style and relationship, musical relationship, that worked toward the new album. CO: A lot of times people are trying to find a hook. So, if a band disappears for a while, as they think [The Church] might have and comes back after a certain number of years' absence, they are trying to find out where the band left off. So, are you picking up from _Seance_ or from _Heyday_ or just going forward? Koppes: We never pick up. We're a psychedelic band, nothing to do with the drugs, but psychedelic meaning the mind expanding. And we splintered in so many different directions in our music that we have styles of songs that we sometimes go away from and then come back [to] a couple of albums later. There's our soundtrack kind of instrumental songs, then there's the pop jangly ones and then there's long songs. We have experiments with long songs. CO: Speaking of long songs, there's the bonus CD "Bastard Universe." [available as part of the limited edition double CD version of _Hologram of Baal_] Koppes: (laughing) That's a pretty long song! That was a spontaneous creation. Not mapped out, but our writing process is like that. It's just a particular style of creating music that we couldn't really get a particular song out of any of the pieces. But they were an evolution. And in a way it shows people how we write at the same time. It's a very interesting piece of music that's very satisfying 'cause you've got four producers in the band, four songwriters, four multi-instrumentalists who've done it for so long now that you know when something is supposed to change. In fact, that ["Bastard Universe"] happened the night after a gig where we really tuned in. It was really a great gig. And we were setting up in the studio again afterwards. . . we probably wouldn't be able to do it again like that either because it was just that head space, that communion of the concert the night before and being all producers. The conversation shifts to what Koppes looks for in a band. An avid music fan himself, Koppes cites the Verve and Oasis as a few of the newer bands that he enjoys because the have personalities that he's interested in.. With that opening, Consumable asks Koppes to view The Church from a fan's point of view. CO: With the Church who do you think the average fan would target or zoom in on? Koppes: It's always been a variety. A lot of people like Marty because he's good fun and energetic and exciting. A lot of them like Steve because he's a poet and very serious. You know, he's of the great songwriting ilk. In fact, he gets emails from English musicians of the new generation thanking him for his inspiration. And a lot of them like me because I'm a guitarist who's always coming up with something new and I'm quite capable on my instrument. At this point, Kilbey, Wilson-Piper and Powles enter the large RV that the band is using as a dressing room. Kilbey briefly comes over to the table where Koppes and Consumable have been talking before moving up front to help write the set list for the band's upcoming performance. Sensing that Koppes will soon need to prepare for the gig, Consumable Online brings the conversation to a close. Before sharing some final words about the relationship between The Church and its devoted followers, though, Koppes reminds Consumable about the Refo:mation record _Pharmakoi/Distance Crunching Honchos With Echo Units_ that he, Kilbey and Powles released last year. He feels so strongly about this crucial precursor to the reunion, that he offers his Immersion Records website http://www.cmm.com.au/phantom/immersion as the source for more information about it, his other solo projects and a new release by Margot Smith called _Taste_ on which the trio also played. Koppes: Going back to your earlier question. . . We just draw out a certain audience anywhere in the world and it's usually the most beautiful people in any city, And I love that. I love going and seeing the beautiful people in any city. The Church's American tour continues until mid-October. Thereafter, the band will tour Australia and Europe. --- REVIEW: Son Volt, _Wide Swing Tremolo_ (Warner) - Tracey Bleile Son Volt has woken up and found that you can go home again, literally. After 1997's somnambulistic _Straightaways_, _Wide Swing Tremolo_ brings the return of stirring, smartly-turned out music transmitted on waves of early fall winds. The evolution comes from a sharper, cleaner, and overall ever more harmonious sound - approaching superior live quality that surpasses the confines of a studio. With a deft blend of many middle-American standards; country, blues and a solid grounding in garage-rock - Son Volt personifies musical synergy by being greater than the sum of these parts. _Tremolo_ is the result of this innovation, a release that unfolds in three dimensions to reveal the quiet brilliance of its creators. The mood shifts gears on every song - from the opener "Straightface" abounding with snarly guitar and wailing harmonica and Farrar's voice boiling out through a vocorder which flows into the rolling bass, vibrato guitar and sweet harmonizing of "Driving the View". The juxtaposing of tempos is important, but even more integral to the development of the band is the way they have worked within the song structure; either to incorporate many layers of sound or use a few as possible while still achieving maximum effect. Take two of the softer songs - the spare arrangement of mostly mandolin and slow march time snare drum of "Dead Man's Clothes" against the buzzy guitar, shimmery keys and drum loops of the disc's closer, "Blind Hope" and you have a sense of what they were, or were not (as they case may be) setting out to do. And the pattern continues throughout and enforces the strength of each individual song in the patchwork of the whole. The freedom to experiment came the discovery by Farrar and company of an abandoned lingerie factory right next to their hometown of Belleville, IL as a homebase for rehearsing, and eventually, recording this release. The band noted that being able to leave a huge variety of instruments in one place to be available at all times was an impetus to use every one while writing, and having the freedom to try the same songs many different ways before committing - a luxury not always available when you're on someone else's studio time budget. On a song like "Medicine Hat" or "Flow" there is a sense of the band becoming a more cohesive unit, and while Farrar's evocative and image-based lyrics are still a centerpiece, the sound has become fuller and more complete. Son Volt is still immediately recognizable from the instant you hear Farrar's lost-soul twangy voice, but again, there is a marked feeling of experimentation, in the pacing, and not staying directly on the path of one style or another. It is refreshing when the Americana sound doesn't have to rest on resorting to violins and a lapsteel on every song. Even a slower country-flavored number like "Carry You Down" has a less-than-typical structure and an interestingly abrupt ending. And that is what draws you through this release; thinking you know what you're going to get, and instead it's full of great twists and a sense of urgency. The delicious irony of creating at a place you can call home is that you can travel farther in your mind when you know you have a safe place always waiting for you when you're ready to come back. So heed Farrar's call on "Driving the View" that "When you're driving the view / Living it down / With just enough time to revel" you had best go exploring now while you can. --- REVIEW: Soul Coughing, _El Oso_ (Slash) - Lang Whitaker I'm a believer, and I have been for a while. Much like the Macintosh computer community, it takes a certain zealotous sort to follow Soul Coughing. Ever since I first sipped the sonic concotion of their debut album, _Ruby Vroom_, I've been hooked. However, like a spurned Mac addict forced to use Windows at work, the lack of commercial success that has marked Soul Coughing's career has been maddening to me. Even though I recognize the incredible mixture of sound and fury that personifies Soul Coughing, I don't understand how anyone else misses the beauty. Soul Coughing's latest release, the unfettered _El Oso_, takes the band deep into humid jungle territory. Stacking layers of harmony on top of lead singer/guitarist M. Doughty's earnest singing, Soul Coughing finally allows the drum-and-bass/club sound that they've tried to subvert through the years to surface. Surprisingly, the band thrives in the thick brush, using melody and rhythm to hack through the vines and escape the label cannibals calling for commercial success. For the most part, the melodic guitar jangles from Doughty that used to be the basis of many Soul Coughing songs are gone. Instead, the focus of _El Oso_ is on the bottom, and baby got back. Drummer Yuval Gabay, always phenomenal live, is finally given room to strut his stuff. Gabay is fabulous at mimicking the insistence of a drum machine. On several songs (like "), Gabay's beats are mind boggling. Bull fiddler Sebastian Steinberg is not as essential on _El Oso_ as on past records, but he still turns in tight performances. Mark De Gli Antoni, SC's sample man, knows exactly when to dub in a whir here, a buzz there, or a Chris Rock snippet ("$300"). The lead single off of _El Oso_ is the loopy "Circles", a melodic yet intensely convoluted trip. There is a strong geographical connection on _El Oso_, as many songs have some sort of atlased reference ("Houston", "Pensacola", "The Incumbent"). On the whole, the subject matter of _El Oso_ is less coherent than on either _Vroom_ or _Irresistible Bliss_. On _El Oso_ Doughty strings together phrases and words that make no sense next to each other ("roller boogie mother fucker"), and then he repeats those phrases until you find some odd sense of being at home in them. As Soul Coughing continues their perilous journey towards stardom, I just hope they continue on at their own pace. There's no reason to believe they won't. --- REVIEW: Buffalo Tom, _Smitten_ (Polydor) - Jon Steltenpohl When you make your list of classic American Rock bands, there's a good chance that Buffalo Tom wouldn't be there. And that's a shame. Spawned during the late 80's in the same New England scene that sprouted Dinosaur Jr. and Blake Babies, Buffalo Tom never really broke free from a dedicated following of fans. Yet, unlike many of their contemporaries whose albums leap from classics to clunkers without rhyme or reason, Buffalo Tom has slowly continued to mature and improve its sound to the point where the band can't really be ignored anymore. _Smitten_ finds Bill Janovitz and his band mates Chris Colburn and Tom Maginnis driving further down the American rock highway with billboards of broken dreams and bruised hearts marking the way. Buffalo Tom's problem with fame might be their avoidance of a trendy sound. There's a little bit of "no depression" country sound mixed in with a Dinosaur Jr. crunch. Add to that a bit of alternative pop and superb writing prowess, and you get a great sound. Unfortunately, there's no "ego" here to drive goofy samples or guitar riffs. _Smitten_ is a straight forward exercise in rock. Which makes _Smitten_ a lot like a Smithereens album. You'll love every song, but there won't be a single hit on it. Or maybe there will be this time. Picking up on the current trend of catchy, suggestive songs like Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy", alternative radio stations seem to be playing anything that a 15 year old boy might think is cool. "Rachael" just might fit the bill because of a chorus line with the words "but aren't you really just a penny whore, Rachael tell me what I'm waiting for". The song's actually a lot deeper if you catch the first verse, but who's going to bother figuring out the lyrics? More typical of the album are bittersweet ballads like "Postcard" and "Wiser". "Scottish Windows" adds keyboards and strings to the mix. Desperation and survival are touched upon in the melancholy "Register Side". "It's about the in betweens," sings Janovitz. The song is about a man hiding from his past. Comments Janovitz, "he quietly watched life go by on the register side." The album closes with a crescendo of bleeding guitars with "Walking Wounded". About the only flaw is that Janovitz's voice is beginning to show wear and tear in a Bryan Adams death spiral. Chris Colburn takes the lead on a few songs for this album, and does a fine job. As a whole, _Smitten_ is a perfectly balanced album. There's ballads, grunge, alterna-pop, no depression, and more. Think of Bruce Springsteen with a grunge sound or Neil Young in a three piece version of Crazy Horse, and you're getting close to Buffalo Tom's sound. _Smitten_ is cleary Buffalo Tom's best album after a history of improving albums, and fans of the band will be pleased. As for new listeners, there's no glaring singles on _Smitten_, but if you hear "Rachael" on the radio, give it a good listen. You just might like it. --- REVIEW: Combustible Edison, _The Impossible World_ (Sub Pop) - Christina Apeles A space age, eerie feel to this release. Atmospheric sounds that place you in another world, or better yet -- out of your own. Almost spooky, with vocals taunting you along with fleshy bass, tinging bells and keen beats to rouse the body. There is no empty, wasted space on this release. Vibrations and combinations of sounds that are so damn clever, it makes you wonder, 'How in the hell did they think of that?' Walking through unknown territory of rhythms that soothe. Termed 'vibrant hypnotica', it is Easy Listening on acid. Music, with the lounge feel lying just beneath the surface, that evolves into pure artistry. C.E. teases with their first track "Utopia" opening with a twenty-five second delay; I had to check my CD player to make sure it was working, but once the song started, I was instantly charmed. Dreamlike chord progressions coupled with the voice of Miss Lily Banquet and background vocals reminiscient of gooey love songs from the fifties, drew me into a dream state. Meanwhile, "Pink Victim" is a song you'd expect to be in a sex scene of a James Bond film, which is why magazines like Esquire have called their music 'spy jazz.' Their sound is truly evocative. It's all about setting the moods and C.E. are definitely masters of that craft. "20th Century" is carnivalesque at its best with the quirky feel of being underneath the tent, watching the clowns running amok in the progression of animals and performers. "Cat O'Nine Tails" is pure lounge grooves, though unoriginal, the familiarity of the song is comforting, with the beats just where you’d expect them to be -- just where your dancing feet want to go. I've done the exotica clubs and lounge bars, but I've never really taken to the music. I always felt it was the corporeal atmosphere that made the music work in this age, but with a listen to _The Impossible World_, I see how Combustible Edison creates its own tangible atmosphere for the listener without being surrounded by the velvet furniture, dark lighting, chic people and cocktails, though all of the above are always nice fixtures to have around. No wonder the band has such a following and now I've fallen for their sound as well. Around since 1992, Combustible Edison was among a few during the early nineties where grunge ruled the airwaves and packed the clubs, but C.E. plunged into a different world, only to emerge into the later half of the decade with a sound that is still hypnotic, genius -- this is music as an art form. The band has been featured in a ton of publications ranging from The Utne Reader to Newsweek to Esquire, plus appearances on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and Regis and Kathy Lee, proving their appeal is diverse and their acclaim is well-deserved. After success with their 1994 debut, _I, Swinger_, followed by _Schizophonic!_ in 1996, _The Impossible World_ completes the trilogy, with thirteen brilliantly composed tunes. They've taken easy listening out of the realm of the elevator-confined space to create a new brand of Leisure music that is a bizarre mix of the carnivalesque, electronic, ambient, pop, and lounge -- a cocktail worth drinking. --- REVIEW: Del Amitri, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ (A&M) - Joann D. Ball Spanning Del Amitri's ten year career and four releases on A&M Records, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ covers the range of styles that comprise the Scottish band's signature sound. Named for the song "Hatful of Rain" from 1990's A&M debut _Waking Hours_, the 17 tracks on this collection include Del Amitri's best known songs, some of the band's most notable album tracks and a few goood surprises. Before highlighting the band's past gems, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ gets off to a wonderful start with the new track "Cry To Be Found." On this sexy number that suggests the Bee Gees' "Love So Right," vocalist Justin Currie explores the upper reaches of his range and gives Barry Gibb a run for his money. This new cut highlights an approach that was first suggested on sultry "Just Like a Man" but is fully developed here. Staples like "Always The Last to Know" (also from 1992's _Change Everything_) and Top 10 hit "Roll To Me" (from 1995's _Twisted_), on the other hand, reveal the basis of the band's upbeat, accessible and radio-friendly Scottish jangle. In a class all its own, though, is "Stone Cold Sober" with its heart-pumping bass and slashing guitars. It's this rockier side of Del Amitri that takes center stage during the band's energetic live performances. In contrast to Del Amitri's brighter, uptempo moments are the more melancholy songs like the acoustic guitar-based "Tell Her This" and "Be My Downfall." Here, the band's appreciation of American country and western music is evident in both sound and storyline. The new song "Don't Come Home Too Soon," which closes the compilation dresses up this approach with lush orchestral strings. Focusing on the heartache and pain, as well as the frequent intoxication and inebriation that accompanies it, is a Del Amitri trademark. And while chief songwriter and bassist Currie captures the ups and downs of the human condition with his strong, capable voice, co-songwriter and guitarist Iain Harvie skillfully translates these observations with his passionate fretwork. Not only does this tendency to address such weighty matters reveal the band's Glasgow roots, but the band also makes embraces its Scottish heritage by adding hints and touches of Scottish folk music in all the right places. A perfect example of this can be found in the song "Spit in the Rain" (previously unreleased in the U.S.). Overall, _Hatful of Rain - The Best of Del Amitri_ celebrates Del Amitri's accomplished past. Starting and ending with two touchingly good songs, this record gives one hope that the band has at least another productive 10 years ahead of it. TRACK LISTING: Cry To Be Found, Roll To Me, Kiss This Thing Goodbye, Not Where It's At, Nothing Ever Happens, Always The Last To Know, Here And Now, Just Like A Man, Spit In The Rain, When You Were Young, Driving With The Brakes On, Stone Cold Sober, Tell Her This, Move Away Jimmy Blue, Be My Downfall, Some Other Sucker's Parade, Don't Come Home Too Soon --- REVIEW: Less than Jake, _Hello Rockview_ (Capitol) - Kerwin So Q: Why couldn't the rude boy with one arm skank? A: Because he couldn't pick it up! All right, so I admit that joke was less than jake, "jake" of course being the slang equivalent to "cool" or "swell". Don't confuse that with the Florida band Less Than Jake, who actually happen to be pretty swell, all things considered. I'll skip the stuff about their rock-solid history of DIY ethics, broad-based appeal, and impeccable choice of cover tunes, just to say that the band's latest release on major-label villain Capitol, _Hello Rockview_, offers another solid platter of straight ahead, perfectly executed, ska-punk. The fourteen tight originals (I think), clocking in at under 40 minutes, overflow with crunchy three power-chord 'n' brass fun, sunny harmonies, and the requisite goofy song titles like "Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding" and "All My Best Friends are Metalheads". There are less samples and horns here than one might expect from Less Than Jake (more punk than ska, let's say), but nonetheless, look for _Hello Rockview_ - with any number of "modern rock" radio-ready hits - to win over even more fans to the ever-expanding and sweaty LTJ camp. There's probably lyrics about Pez in here somewhere, but I was too busy high-steppin' it to catch 'em. Despite the fact that _Hello Rockview_ blasts an overall uniform sound that rarely strays from the ska-punk formula, it will nonetheless have the kids bouncing off the walls yet again-- even those with only one arm. --- REVIEW: Jack Drag, _Dope Box_ (A&M) - Jon Steltenpohl When Jack Drag's leader, John Dragonetti, comments "we approached every song as its own planet, and we knew there were inherent problems in that," he knows what he's talking about. _Dope Box_ is an album of broken up sounds that shows incredible promise, but is a tough listen if coherency is your goal. Nearly all of the great styles of late 80's and early 90's college rock are represented whether it be the Pixies, the Stone Roses, Weezer, or even some of the U.K.'s shoe gazing bands. The designated radio single is a track called "Seem So Tired". It's an incredibly danceable pop track. Unquestionably, Jackdrag studied "Fools Gold" intensly in an effort to fill the gap so shamelessly left when the Stone Roses cock teased the world with only one decent album in 7 years before finally breaking up. The lead singer breathlessly croons over a swirling beat driven by a lazy, loopy bass line. God bless Jack Drag for proving that it might be possible for other bands to capture the spirit the Roses so briefly embodied. The title track, "Dope Box", follows a similar pattern of pop satisfaction and infectious groove, yet other songs are seemingly from a completely different band. The best chance for a single on the album besides "Seem so Tired" is the album opener "Debutante". "Debutante" is kind of like a garbled Weezer clone because it's smart and grungy without losing its pop flavor. Shades of Beck's "Devil's Haircut" are present in "I Feel Really O.K.". Alternately, "Where Are We" could pass for a Smiths song with guitar work right out of the Johnny Marr fakebook. The only clunker on the album is the last track called "Kung Fu Dub". It's a bit too incoherent at first, but shows the promise of the band when it breaks down into a beautiful crooning finale. Jack Drag are sonically exciting, but they need a little experience on songwriting and album coherency. This is one of the most inspiring debuts I've heard in a long time because the stength and originality of the band is immediately evident. There's a glut of bands hitting the charts now featuring smart ass lyrics played by wholly average bands. Jack Drag steps right up to the plate as a band which plays music much better than their level of songwriting would suggest. Unfortunately, _Dope Box_ is exciting, but a bit unrefined. The album has a lot of merit, but its true strength is the promise of Jack Drag eventually maturing into a classic band. --- REVIEW: House of Love, _The Best of The House of Love_ (Mercury) - Joann D. Ball _The Best of The House of Love_ is a remarkable 15-track collection chronicling the all-too brief history of The House of Love. Compiled by Housemaster Guy Chadwick and Paul Reidy of Mercury Records, the compilation is a near-perfect overview of the band's brilliant musical output. The rousing "I Don't Know Why I Love You" is the lead-off track on _The Best of The House of Love_. And rightfully so, since it was the first single from the band's self-titled Fontana/PolyGram Records debut which was released worldwide in early 1990. Also included here from that first major label effort are the tracks "Beatles and the Stones" and Shine On." While the single mix of "Beatles and the Stones" featured here doesn't have the news/interview snippets and music samples that introduce the album version, the song still stands out as one of Chadwick's most insightful and reflective songs. On the other hand, the upbeat "Shine On" is most illustrative of The House of Love's ability to deliver straight-ahead Britpop. The House of Love's sophomore effort for Fontana/PolyGram was _A Spy in the House of Love_, released in late 1990. While not as stellar as its predecessor, it nonetheless had some good songs including "Marble" and "Safe" which are featured here. A whopping five tracks were taken from the band's 1992 follow-up _Babe Rainbow_, and the most outstanding of these is undoubtedly "You Don't Understand." Featuring a soulful Hammond organ over a pulsing beat, "You Don't Understand" is an all out tour de force which instantly recalls Traffic's "I'm A Man." Also taken from major label Eyes," and "Crush Me" Surprisingly, though, there are no tracks here from The House of Love's fourth and final Fontana/PolyGram release, _Audience With The Mind_. One can only wonder why Chadwick chose to ignore this record entirely - even the record's outstanding single, the aggressive "Hollow." As House of Love fans know, the eponymous major label debut is often called "the butterfly" album in reference to its cover artwork and to distinguish it from two earlier records bearing the band's name. The acoustic "Loneliness Is a Gun" included here on _The Best of The House of Love_ appeared on the first self-titled album, which was a German compilation of the band's early singles released on Rough Trade/Creation Records in 1987. The track "Christine" hails from the other self-titled record which was released on Relativity/Creation Records in the US in 1988. And rounding out this collection are the rarities "Destroy the Heart," "Never Written," and "Let's Talk About You." That the House of Love had tremendous potential as a pop rock band is evident throughout _The Best of The House of Love_. Appreciated in its native land, the rest of Europe and Japan, England's House of Love was largely ignored in the United States. Thus, it's not surprising that this retrospective was released with little publicity or promotion in America a full month after its August street date in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, this collection serves as a wonderful reminder of that which was The House of Love and a great introduction to one of the most underrated British bands of the past decade. And despite the collapse of The House of Love, leader Guy Chadwick remains dedicated to crafting intelligent music and has formed a new band for that purpose. In what has been a very busy 1998, Chadwick has toured Europe and Japan to support the long-player _Lazy, Soft & Slow_ and a five-song EP called _You've Really Got A Hold On Me_, both of which can only be found Stateside on import. --- REVIEW: Jaz Klash, _Thru The Haze_ / 60 Channels, _Tuned In... Turned On (World Domination) - Simon West Los Angeles-based artist/producer/remixer/composer The Angel is nothing if not prolific, popping up as remix producer for artists from Frente to The Pharcyde, solo and collaborative tracks on the Gridlock'd and Playing God soundtracks, and now two full length releases within a month of each other, as 60 Channels and part of Jaz Klash. Recorded back in 1996 and released in the US in September 1998, _Thru The Haze_ is a collaboration between Bristol-based duo More Rockers and The Angel, as Jaz Klash. More Rockers (Rob Smith and Peter D) are veterans of the Bristol scene - Smith is one half of respected drum and bass team Smith & Mighty. The end result of this collaboration is _Thru The Haze_, in which More Rockers' drum & bass and dub style combines with The Angel's hip hop and jazz leanings to brilliant effect, on one of the albums of the year. Live musicians, including jazz veterans Jacky Terrasson and Brian Auger, combine with the breakbeats of drum and bass, hip hop beats and jazz melodies, and the occasional vocal from The Angel or guest vocalist Cockni O'Dire, creating a record that's a cohesive fusion of these diverse genres, rather than a load of samples banged on top of a couple of jungle loops. Smoky, laid back and cool, _Thru The Haze_ is genuinely new music. Get it if you like jazz, get it if you like drum and bass, hip hop, whatever. The 60 Channels project is similarly progressive, combining trip hop, hip hop, jazz, funk, soul and drum and bass. It's a more vocal affair - The Angel provides lead vox on most of the tracks, with guest appearances by Cockni O'Dire, Asian Dub Foundation's Navigator, Frente's Angie Hart and Japanese vocalist Monday Michiru. Real instrumentation is used here again to good effect, particularly Louis Russell's guitar. An Angel project proper rather than a collaboration, _Tuned In... Turned On_, like _Thru The Haze_, showcases her unique style and talent to similar effect. Styles and beats flow in and out of the tracks, but again, there's a cohesiveness here that sets 60 Channels above the crowd. Standouts include the single, "Ride With The Flow", the ominous guitar riff, blowing horns and sultry vocal of "No Come Down", and the funk of "Laid Back & Eazy". Conclusion? Buy both. _Thru The Haze_ is jazz/breakbeat fusion at its finest, with a jazz sensibility missing from many of its peers, while _Tuned In... Turned On_ is more progressive still - the atmosphere of trip hop, the pulse of drum and bass, the heat of funk, the attitude of hip hop and the cool of jazz. An astonishing talent. --- REVIEW: Mysteries of Life, _Come Clean_ (RCA) - Daniel Aloi Positively catchy, unabashedly romantic and ultimately honest, Jake Smith's heavenly songs seem to hit me on an alternate plane. I hear them coming out of the radio only in my mind. They also serve to remind me of all the vagaries of love, usually the upside of same, in my real life. This kind of pop songcraft doesn't do much in the marketplace these days, but the Mysteries of Life's rootsy pop songs have the potential to be spilling out of real radios everywhere, at least in a better world. (Aside to RCA promotion execs reading this review: make it happen!) Anchored by singer-songwriter/guitarist Smith and his wife, drummer Freda Love, this Bloomington, Indiana group continues in earnest with a masterpiece of sincere sentiment, equal to the winning 1996 RCA debut, _Keep a Secret_ . That album's lyrical intentions were simply stated, with some innocent, almost adolescent expressions of yearning and lust. This new one mostly carries on, as in a truly committed relationship following the rush of courtship, with the day-to-day ups and downs of love. And yes, the album titles address one another. Aided and abetted by some Bloomington/Indianapolis scene musicians -- including Lisa Germano, singing on the closing track "Southdowns" -- Mysteries continues to explore the hope and promise, drama and tension inherent in love. The music, laid-back but insinuating and satisfying, is integral to Smith's straightforward lyrics (as in the chorus "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, kiss me goodnight..."). He brushes his guitar (usually an acoustic) as softly as he can, singing sotto voce so as to gain attention. The band finds its groove behind him, keeping the arrangements a little loose but always focused. Think of the '50s Sun Sessions sound applied to melodic indie rock technique, and you have Mysteries' musical m.o. -- Smith seems to have found a sense of purpose to underscore his already capable approach to conveying heartfelt emotions. Many of the songs, especially "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "A Year Ago Today," and a seamless fit with previous work. This is the second version of this album, with 8 of the 14 songs coming from earlier recording sessions. As a fan, and an obviously biased one at that, I wouldn't mind hearing what ended up in Smith's closet. Last winter, after The Mysteries of Life had completed what was going to be their second album, and some advance copies went out to promote a tour that culminated in a SXSW showcase. Some brand new songs were so well-received, the band went back in the studio, enlisting producer Brad Wood to record new songs and revise old ones for a new _Come Clean_ (they kept the title song). Of the newer songs, "Downhill," the first single, and "Caught Up" are insistent (with electric guitar!) while "Hey Kate" is the type of song you could have heard two years ago. On _Keep a Secret,_ the band was Smith and three women. Two years, two independent EPs and much touring later, it's four guys who outnumber Love. Bassist Tina Barbieri is gone, but cellist Geraldine Haas is on both albums -- even on the newer "Hey Kate" -- but not in the current lineup. Despite all this, and some obvious growth/shift in direction, there is, as I've hinted, a smooth continuity between the two recorded phases of Mysteries. They are still romantic, genuine, timeless -- a band you can love, and fall in love to. Recommended most highly to fans of Howard Jones, Crowded House, Marshall Crenshaw, and the acoustic side of Neil Young. A few words on the band's alt-rock pedigree: The members have figured in the Blake Babies (Love), Antenna (Smith and Love's band from 1991-94), the Vulgar Boatmen (keyboard player Dale Lawrence, who also sang backup on "Keep a Secret" and sings on "Tell Me" here) and Velo-Deluxe (bassist Kenny Childers' band also has Antenna/Blake Babies alum John Strohm, and Smith as an occasional bassist). Childers also sings and writes on this album. (Underscoring how identifiable the scene apparently is in Bloomington, Smith says he considers Mysteries and the Boatman as part of "a school of music.") Kim Fox, who moved to Indiana from New York City and has her own solo DreamWorks deal, was also in an interim touring lineup (on keyboards and vocals) in 1996-97. For more clues to Mysteries, go to their web site at http://www.bugjuice.com/mysteries . --- REVIEW: Snow Patrol, _an educational film by..._ (Jeepster - Import) - Tim Mohr Though Wales gets all the press these days, Scotland is spitting out quality bands even more quickly. Perhaps the long-time success of bands like the Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, and Teenage Fanclub make the new Scottish bands less exotic than their Welsh counterparts. Snow Patrol is typical of a new breed of Caledonian talent that has managed to establish new parameters of experimentalism. Somewhere between the sprawling soundscapes of Mogwai, the laid-back pop structures of the Pearlfishers and Trash Can Sinatras, and the noise-bombs dropped by the early Jesus & Mary Chain, Snow Patrol formulate short songs with sinister-but-not-overpowering guitars and relaxed-but-incisive vocals. Opening the e.p. with "one hundred things you should have done in bed," Snow Patrol display a laconic, self-deprecating sensibility that manages to undermine the lad-couteur of contemporary Britain. The jacket actually mentions FHM and Maxim magazines, two of the most successful neo-caveman publications. From the controlled vocals (akin to Teenage Fanclub), it is difficult to tell whether Snow Patrol are disappointed that they haven't done any of the 100 things. In fact, beyond the line "I don't give a toss" from "Sticky Teenage Twin" on the previous e.p., it is difficult to imagine Snow Patrol allowing themselves to get passionate about anything--they seem far too numb, too emotionally drained. The last of the four songs is the longest song Snow Patrol have recorded to date, slowing to a dirge and repeating the morose line, "I could stay away forever if I tried." The quiet playground noises that preface the song make a striking juxtaposition, the implied innocence prior to the world-weary depression of the song itself. Snow Patrol record for Jeepster, the label known for releasing Belle & Sebastian, perhaps the best known of the new Scottish groups. The bands share an atmosphere of tiredness, as well as an ability to turn a wickedly analytical eye on any situation. Snow Patrol play guitars with an assortment of pedals and effects, however, and avoid the airy arrangements used by Belle & Sebastian. --- NEWS: > Capitol Records' web site ( http://www.hollywoodandvine.com ) is the place to preview tracks and liner notes from the November release of _The John Lennon Anthology_, a 4 CD box set of nearly 100 previously unreleased solo tracks. On October 9th, internet users will be able to hear Yoko Ono's audio introduction to the box set, and "I'm Losing You." This will be followed by "Oh My Love" on October 16th; "Watching The Wheels" on October 23rd, and "Sean In The Sky" on October 30th. Each piece will feature an enhanced presentation for the Microsoft Windows Media Player. > Former Stone Roses' lead singer Ian Brown's debut solo album, _Unfinished Monkey Business_ , will be released in the U.S. on October 6. A review of the import was featured in the February 16, 1998 issue of Consumable Online. --- TOUR DATES: Air Oct. 11 Seattle, WA Aerospace Oct. 13 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's Archers of Loaf Oct. 7 Albany, NY Valentine's Oct. 8 Burlington, VT Toast Oct. 9 Montreal, PQ Cabaret Oct. 10 Toronto, ON Lee's Oct. 11 London, ONT Embassy Better Than Ezra / Possum Dixon / Athenaeum Oct. 8 Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom Oct. 9 Providence, RI Lupo's Hearbreak Hotel Oct. 10 Killington, VT Picklebarrel Oct. 11 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace Oct. 13 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's Oct. 14 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall Broadside Electric Oct. 10 Philadelphia, PA Lionfish The Church Oct. 7 Boston, MA Mamakin Music Hall Oct. 8 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Oct. 9 New York, NY Tramps Oct. 10 Washington D.C. 9:30 Club Oct. 12 Atlanta, GA Roxy Theatre Oct. 14 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues Oct. 17 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre Cravin' Melon Oct. 8 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's Oct. 9 Columbia, SC Elbow Room Oct. 10 Hickory, NC Oktoberfest Oct. 18 Wilmington, NC Hugh McRae Park N'Dea Davenport Oct. 6 New Orleans, LA House of Blues Oct. 7 Dallas, TX Caravan of Dreams Oct. 9 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre Oct. 11 San Diego, CA Belly Up Oct. 12 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues Oct. 14 San Jose, CA Fuel Firewater Oct. 7 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar Oct. 8 Madison, WI O'Cayz Corral Oct. 9 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax Oct. 10 Cleveland, OH Euclid Tavern Oct. 11 Detroit, MI Shelter Oct. 12 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern Oct. 13 Montreal, QC Jailhouse Rock Cafe Oct. 14 Burlington, VT Toast Io Oct. 23 Concord, NH Cafe Eclipse Irving Plaza (http://www.irvingplaza.com - New York concert hall) Oct. 7 Edwin McCain Oct. 8-10 Radiators Oct. 13 Henry Rollins Korn Oct. 8 Phoenix, AZ America West Oct. 9 Los Angeles, CA Forum Oct. 10 San Francisco, CA Cow Palace Oct. 11 Las Vegas, NV Thomas and Mack Oct. 13 Boise, ID The Idaho Center Oct. 14 Salt Lake City, UT E. Center Lenny Kravitz Oct. 7 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall Oct. 9 Detroit, MI State Theatre Oct. 11 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic Aud Oct. 13 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre Liquid Soul Oct. 7 Aurora, IL Walter Payton's Roundhouse Oct. 8 St. Louis, MO Washington University Oct. 10 New York, NY Tramps Oct. 15 Vancouver, BC Richard's on Richards Reel Big Fish / Spring Heeled Jack Oct. 9 Rochester, NY RIT Samples Oct. 7 Auburn, AL War Eagles Oct. 8 Tallahassee, FL Potbelly's Oct. 9 Winter Park, FL Rollins College (Supporting Rusted Root) Oct. 10 Gainesville, FL Brick City Music Hall Oct. 11 Tampa, FL Frankie's Patio Sand Rubies Oct. 9 Los Angeles, CA Jack's Sugar Shack Dee Snider's StrangeLand Tour (Soulfly + more) Oct. 7 Washington DC 9:30 Club Oct. 8 Sayerville, NJ Hunka Bunka Oct. 9 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theater Oct. 10 Spartanburg, NC Ground Zero Oct. 11 Raleigh, NC The Ritz Oct. 13 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Chili Pepper Oct. 14 Orlando, FL Fairbanks Inn Mike Watt Oct. 7 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall Oct. 8 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle Oct. 9 Charlottesville, VA Tokyo Rose Oct. 10 Washington, DC Black Cat Oct. 11 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill Oct. 12 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Oct. 13 Portland, ME Stone Coast Oct. 14 Cambridge, MA Tt The Bear's --- 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 ===