== ISSUE 172 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [March 28, 1999] Editor: Bob Gajarsky E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva Correspondents: Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey Bleile, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale, Paul Hanson, Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Franklin Johnson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Michael Van Gorden, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, 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 | `------------' REVIEW: Blur, _13_ - Robin Lapid REVIEW: Steve Wynn, _My Midnight_ - Michael Van Gorden REVIEW: Wedding Present, _Singles 1989-1991_ - Christina Apeles REVIEW: Friends of Dean Martinez, _Atardecer_ - Tracey Bleile REVIEW: Church, _Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ - Joann D. Ball INTERVIEW / REVIEW: Dubtribe Sound System, _Bryant Street_ - Krisjanis Gale REVIEW: Joydrop, _Metasexual_ - Jason Cahill REVIEW: The Ladybug Transistor, _The Albemarle Sound_ - Tim Hulsizer REVIEW: Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors, _!Sock Ray Blue!_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Various, _The Disco Box_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Sammy Hagar, _Red Voodoo_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Love Kit, _Who's Afraid Of The Radio Tower?_ - Bill Holmes REVIEW: Janet Robbins, _All the Worlds_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Bottle Rockets, _Leftovers_ - Bill Holmes REVIEW: Various Artists, _SLC Punk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ / _The Other Sister Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ - Joann D. Ball NEWS: Rhino Musical Aptitude Test TOUR DATES: Asian Dub Foundation, Candlebox, Chamber Strings, Cubanismo Spring Tour, Dubtribe Sound System, Eve 6 / Lit, Flick, Godsmack / Loudmouth, Jets to Brazil / Euphone, Low, Marvelous 3, Mighty Blue Kings, Steve Miller Band, Alanis Morissette, Olivia Tremor Control, Placebo / Stabbing Westward, Push Kings, Sick Of It All, Sleepyhead, Elliott Smith, Sparklehorse / Varnaline, David Wilcox Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Blur, _13_ (Virgin) - Robin Lapid Blur have a more decisive air about them, and their sixth album resonates with their new attitude. On _13_, they take their deconstructionist leanings to heart, and the desire to make British-inflected three-minute pop songs have been nearly overtaken by the need to overlay their sound with a more experimental vibe. Lead singer Damon Albarn bares his soul in his lyrics, admitting that the entire album is a chronicle of his break-up with Elastica frontwoman Justine Frischmann. As a result, _13_ is a more expansive take on their last, eponymous (perhaps ominously-named?) album. For the most part, Blur overhaul their unabashed pop hooks, infuse some punk ethics and crook them into an array of musical diatribes. With producer William Orbit at the helm, they spread over this a panoply of dark, moody trip-hop and similar tricks of the trade (the samples of a vacuum cleaner in overdrive, a radio tuner suddenly trailing off into sonic hyperspace and Albarn druggily intoning, "space is the place"). It's mood music of the highest order, sometimes effervescent and at other times just overindulgent. The band load their aural script with the dark echo of electronic reverb, looped drums, and a thematic series of mantras. In "Caramel," a comatose Albarn intones, "where is the magic?/ Gotta get better" over gloomy synth; couched in the trip-hop and piano of "Trimm Trabb" he repeats, "I can't go back/ let it flow/ I sleep alone that's just the way it is" before Coxon superimposes an ascending whine of guitar and the voice trails off. Their experiments acquire a hit-and-miss ratio, smushing every traditional sound, lyric, and sample into a cacophonous sea of sonic waves, some fluid and haunting, and others merely the foam and drone of static eccentricity. Tempering these temperamental tracks are aggressive punk freak-outs similar to Blur's "Chinese Bombs" ("B.L.U.R.E.M.I.") and "Movin' On" ("Swamp Song"). The odd sprinklings of love-lost ballads ground them to a less ethereal reality, from the doting sobriety of "No Distance Left to Run" to the pared-down, transcendent pop of Coxon's "Coffee and TV." But there's a reason the band chose to open with soaring choir-backed ballad of "Tender," a song that grows on you with each listen. It's the gospel cry of "Come on, come on/ get through it" that becomes the album's overriding mantra, redeeming the awaiting melancholia with pop hope in one gentle, fell swoop. --- REVIEW: Steve Wynn, _My Midnight_ (Zero Hour) - Michael Van Gorden Listening to the new Steve Wynn CD is like running into an old friend you haven't seen in a wile. You notice they have changed, maybe gotten a little older, or look different - yet the familiar feeling is still there. No matter what changes, they are still the same old friend you used to enjoy spending time with. And if you ever enjoyed spending time with Steve Wynn's music, whether solo or part of the Dream Syndicate, then you will enjoy spending time with _My Midnight_. On his 7th solo release Steve Wynn stretches his musical muscles a little and allows us another peek inside his mind. The CD starts off strong with "Nothing But The Shell" a retro-glam rocker featuring Wynn's scorching harmonica solo. Lines like "finally stashed away the vices, like a shield against the coming crisis" might lead one to think that Wynn is preparing himself for the end of something important, perhaps the end of the world. The songs "My Favorite Game" and "Cats and Dogs" might surprise some longtime Wynn fans. Wynn has admitted to a fondness for 70's funk and soul music, claiming that it was more of an impact on him than what others might think. The rhythmic soul intro to "My Favorite Game" lays the ground work for the great sound achieved by the background vocals of Linda Pitmon mixed every so lightly with Wynn's trademark growl. You barely notice her singing in the background, as you try to figure out what vice no one wants to play along with. The horns on "Cats and Dogs", arranged by Joe McGinty, make for an interesting new sound for Wynn, combining with his soft and seductive voice to make one of the most interesting sounding and fun songs Wynn has recorded. That is not to say that the album is all funk and no roll. The track "In Your Prime" is a great song about the "glories of raw - untamed youth". The chorus is one of the most infectious in the Wynn catalog. I found this hook roaming around in my head for days after I heard it. The title track is a scary look at oneself, through the eyes of one suffering with a sleep disorder. "My midnight hates me much like I hate myself, always steps between me and someone else" and "when I start to lean to love the night, My midnight blinds me with it's flashing lights". Lines like this show that Wynn hasn't lost his talent for looking at the dark side of life and putting into words what many of us feel but are afraid to face. "The Mask of Shame" has that dark haunting sound we have come to expect from Wynn. Evoking a feeling we have probably all felt at one time or another with lines like "Broken by my own promise, haunted by my own name, hiding from the world, wearing the mask of shame". This song reminds me of a slower version of "my old haunts", and would have felt right at home on Dream Syndicate's _Ghost Stories_. The last two songs on the CD are classic Wynn songs. "We've Been Hanging Out" is a warped duet that Wynn describes as silky smooth and sinister. While lovers in a love-hate relationship of codependency and seduction dance around each other, the strings add an eerie feeling to their love making. A great duet. And, while "500 Girl Mornings" ends the album on such a high note, you want to go back and start over. With a driving backbeat ala David Bowie's "Heroes", Wynn name-drops a litany of fictional girlfriends, dysfunctional all. And when he sings the chorus of "Hey can I look in your eyes again" your not sure how it fits with the line preceding it "all that I want, more than anything I want, is to just be alone, just be alone". Doesn't matter, this is the best song on the CD. Throughout this disc, the one constant I truly enjoyed was the piano playing of Joe McGinty. Always present but never in the way, his subtleties seemed to drive the songs along even more so than the guitar, while for the most part remaining in the background. Just as in the past, Wynn got to hand-pick his band and his taste in sidemen continues to standout. Long time collaborator Chris Brokaw is joined by members of Pere Ubu, Psychedelic Furs and Zuzu's Petals. The band spent 11 days Last November laying down the tracks and practically living together at Water Music in Hoboken. This closeness adds to the energy and excitement about the music evident in the sound of the disc. Without a doubt long time Wynn fans will thoroughly enjoy this CD, but Steve Wynn takes enough chances without losing his vision to make any fan of rock and roll want to play _My Midnight_ again and again. --- REVIEW: Wedding Present, _Singles 1989-1991_ (Manifesto) - Christina Apeles Headed by David Gedge, who founded the band in 1985 in Leeds, Britain, Wedding Present's music can be compared to a rollercoaster ride that never ends with enough revolutions and twists to keep you bobbing your head all day long. If your ears have yet to be blessed with the ditties of Wedding Present, _Singles 1989-1991_ is the perfect way to get a sampling of their finest. A double CD packed with close to two hours of pogo-friendly tunes, this release is a godsend for dedicated fans and a certain treat for new listeners. Even if you own all of their albums, this would be a fine companion to your collection with rare, previously unreleased, and out-if-print Wedding Present B-sides and live tracks. Gedge has a voice that has all the machismo you could ever ask for, backed by guitar riffs galore, and pounding drums in indie-hits "Crawl" and "Kennedy," never letting the momentum drop. Of course, having fifteen of the recorded and live tracks produced by Steve Albini of Big Black (whose also produced the likes of Sonic Youth and Nirvana) only serves as proof of the kind of rock appeal that Wedding Present offers. My personal favorites continue to be "Corduroy," "Dalliance," and "Lovenest," all energetic, jangly tunes culled from their celebrated 1991 _Seamonsters_ release, but the covers and live tracks that account for half of _Singles_ are not to be dismissed. There are a slew of covers ranging from the low tempo Lou Reed-penned "She's My Best Friend" to Pavement's indie fave "Box Elder" and the early punk song "Don't Dictate" by Penetration. The most notable covers are the rockin' version of "It's Not Unusual," yes, made famous by Tom Jones, and Wedding Present's pop punk rendering of the King of Skiffle, Lonnie Donegan's "Cumberland Gap." Meanwhile, the band's live tracks, which include "Brassneck" and "Everyone Thinks He Looks So Daft," are a nice addition to _Singles_, though it is hard to discern them from the studio-recorded songs except for some audience cheers, because the Wedding Present is such a tight band it just goes to show they sound just as exceptional live. --- REVIEW: Friends of Dean Martinez, _Atardecer_ (Knitting Factory) - Tracey Bleile Sporting a completely new line up of Friends, Bill Elm has taken his show and moved it from splashy poolside splendor straight into the heart of the desert at near-dark. _Atardecer_ (apropos title: Spanish for "to get dark" or "grow dark") takes the beautiful backdrop instrumental and crash lands it upon the hardpacked sand lit by a zillion stars, cold and fiery at the same time. Aha! I smirkingly dub thee Atomic Lounge. But the Friends defy easy categorizing, and being in the all-or-nothing genre of instrumental music, they make that work to capture your attention and keep it seem like no work at all. A dark shift in mood sees the abandonment of the brass and traditional keyboards used on past Friends' releases, and Bill Elm's signature lapsteel is relegated to more of a backing vocal role in many of the songs to allow for some new experimentation to creep in. _Atardecer_ features much more programming, keyboards and effects, taking a sweet cowboy lope in the Friends' cover of "La fin de le'te'" and making it ever so slightly eerie and off-kilter. "Casa Mila" takes a more traditional intro from Elm's catalog and turns it on its ear with lots of spooky Moog and space phone guitar. Although the disc likes to veer way out into sci-fi sound effect territory, with the squonks and bleeps of the opening track to the UFO blast off midway through "Contact," it always manages to slide back onto a more musical course and save _Atardecer_ from too much goofiness. The classic swingin' vibe is kept alive in the slow-samba "Otra Vez," and the sinuous cry of the lapsteel and simple percussion of the title track keep you fully engaged and have you believing you can see the northern lights, even trapped in the heart of the city. To be both retro and futuristic, and not be camp is an accomplishment. Call _Atardecer_ music to set the end of the century to. No one here will argue. --- REVIEW: Church, _Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ (Thirsty Ear) - Joann D. Ball Reunited and reinvigorated, The Church made a triumphant Stateside return with the brilliant _Hologram of Baal_ several months ago. The interest generated by that record and subsequent sold-out tour is particularly noteworthy because it paved the way for the American release of an essential volume in the band's impressive catalog. _Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ was the first record to feature the reunited trio of principle members Steve Kilbey, Marty Wilson-Piper and Peter Koppes and their musical union with newcomer Tim Powles. The record's name stems from the fact that it is an expanded version of an album originally released in the band's native Australia in 1996. In its repackaged form, the record includes four additional tracks (Man," "Sads," "Won't Let You Sleep" and "Why Don't You Love Me") that were only available as bonus tracks on the single for the jangly guitar power-pop track "Comedown." Running almost 80 minutes and with all of its pieces intact, the CD contains those signature elements one expects from The Church. Kilbey's lyrics and the instrumentation are first-rate, and the songs range from the hauntingly mysterious track ("Welcome") to trippy psychedelica ("Could Be Anyone"). There's also an ambient excursion (the title track) and an atmospheric, 14-minute sonic journey ("Grandiose"). Overall, the 13 tracks that comprise _Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ exemplify the band's refined and magnificent art rock, making this prequel to _Hologram of Baal_ a must for Church fans old and new. --- INTERVIEW / REVIEW: Dubtribe Sound System, _Bryant Street_ (Jive Electro) - Krisjanis Gale _Bryant Street_ does not hesitate to convey what Dubtribe Sound System is all about... really deep house incorporating a wide variety of musical influences which, at the very least, will have you shifting left-to-right in your office chair, and at best, moving and grooving all over your living room rug, full of zest for life. The last bit can be taken wrongly as exaggeration, until you've actually heard this album. Throbbing bass. Swishy cymbals. Speedy, eccentric, slap-happy congas, bongos, and other native skins. Deep, percussive organ riffs. Bubbly acidic synth basses. Floating flutes. Strings that surround you. And a life-loving groove that just does not let up once it's begun. Lead founder-member clearly brought back tons of influence from his travels in Morocco, the Balearic islands, Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, and home-base San Francisco. This isn't just House music, and it certainly isn't just a group of DJs pawning themselves off as true musicians. This is what is means to open your eyes, ears, and heart to the whole world, take it all in, and reinterpret it via your own musical means. As a result, the work of Dubtribe is close to impossible to classify...except to say that it has lots to do with soul. "Samba Dub," "No Puedo Estar Despierto," "Wednesday Night," "Loneliness in Dub," "Ain't Gonna Do You No Good," "Breeze", and "If You're Not Coming Back to Me" are the most infectious of the twelve tracks, which are at the same time both a retrospective look - at the Jazz of the 30's and 40's, the Disco and Funk of the 70's, and the groove-centric House of the late 80's - and a fast-forward to the collision of tribal musical forms (World music) and everything that came after it. Best of all, the album is mixed like one of the many life sessions at which Dubtribe has continually proven themselves as the Harbingers of House... once you begin your journey upon this body of work, it's rather difficult to end it. So get a copy of _Bryant Street_, put it in your CD player, and lose yourself in the Dubtribe Sound System for an hour... or two... or three... And now, a few words with Dubtribe Sound System... Consumable: How would you describe your own music? I get a sense of soul-salsa-house while listening to _Bryant Street_. Dubtribe (Sunshine Jones): A lot of folks have asked us about the Latin influence in our music from the last few years and I say this: dutribe means "tribal house music in dub" the name comes from the party we started in 1990 in San Francisco. We were musicians, not DJ's, and it was difficult for us to leave well enough alone, so we spun Latin, African, Brazillian and Middle Eastern records over the top of our drum machines and keyboards. Eventually, we got a sampler and started to consolidate the whole experience. slowly folks caught on in our home town and we were a traveling electronic studio, after a few heavy trips across the US in a van we pared down the setup to a much smaller list of gear and nowadays we look more like a band than anything. I would definitely say that the Latin influence on _Bryant Street_ is strong, but by no means the end of the description. It's hard to resist the urge to pigeonhole us, but try it and you'll soon be wrong. San Francisco House music has never been about one style all night; it seems to me that the more diverse the DJ the better the response. We liked this a lot about our home town and brought it in as a seminal source in Dubtribe Sound System. (Moonbeam Jones): House music is the foundation on which we lay all of the rhythmic influences you hear in our music; Latin, Soul, Disco, Tribal... as long as you can put a 4/4 kick drum under it, anything goes. CO: Who are your main influences? D (SJ): Some traditional influences including Herbie Hancock, Third World, King Tubby, Miles Davis, George Clinton; some house influences including Frankie Knuckles, Nu Groove, and the DJs from the late 80s / early 90s in San Francisco. But mainly, we're most influenced/inspired by our peers... people out there unafraid to move ahead and force dance music to grow and change, to examine itself more deeply, to take itself more seriously. Like Keri Chandler, Joe Clauselle and our friends and family in San Francisco like Corey Black, Cosmic Jason, Onionz and the rest of the crew. We see these people as pushing house music forward from the inside, taking risks and opening avenues for everyone on the dance floor, in their living rooms and in their hearts and minds as well. We don't approach the music from a "stomp, stomp, stomp" place. House is an art, like jazz, and 15 years into the movement I say we have arrived at a quantifiable force in the underground. people take the music as far away from the simplicity of a 4 on the floor groove as the will (and they WILL; see jungle, tech step, hardcore, drum and bass...) but it always comes back to house. CO: What is the main philosophical driving force behind Dubtribe? D (SJ): There's no easy way to answer that; I'll try to explain by way of a true story: it was 1988, I was in a suit. I felt pressure from all sides to proceed into a career in law or advertising. So I spent some time abroad, traveled a lot, ended up in Morocco. After a pretty sad trip there i went via hovercraft to the Balearic Islands (VERY different islands back then) and danced and danced in the tiny little clubs there. For the first time I heard all forms of music played together in a night held together by the four on the floor kick drum of house. When I got back to San Francisco it was winter of 1990 and house and rave had just begun to happen there. I must admit I didn't care much for it right away. I missed the gay community's involvement in the dance scene and I really missed the soul influence in the music. So I started a group of people playing together, we made a jazzy kind of music more like a cross between massive attack. One night, I went to Osmosis (a San Francisco club) and my mind exploded. I finally heard something in the music i had been missing. I went home and locked myself in the closet, wrote a set of music. Dubtribe was born. Electronic music is just the music of the people in the US. It's definitely different in Europe and it's even beginning to change here, but for now and up until now house music has been our music, run by the people, developed and performed and presented independently in America. We have had so little help from the main men of money in the industry here. I'm proud of our movement and pleased with the ingenuity and progressive thinking we have devoted to the cause. Not everyone shares our personal politics, but if you're out there doing it for yourself, then you are our family in my eyes. CO: Has your music always had a political vein? (as in "Holler!") D (SJ): "Holler!" is my road to walk, a personal cross I needed to bear. At the end of 1995 we were done. It was effectively over for us. We were more popular and well traveled than ever, our price had quadrupled and we were miserable. Everywhere I looked I saw capitalism and greed. The movement I loved so much and had thrown any hope of an ordinary life away for had evapourated. "Holler" became an ever changing tirade for me as a means of sharing my rage. as I worked through the rage it also became a message of resolution and a source of strength for me. A way of offering hope to everyone who felt burnt and bummed like me. Although we have reinvented ourselves entirely through imperial DUB and guidance records since then, I still felt like "Holler!" had a place on _Bryant Street_. The message you interpret (as political), I say, comes from the listener. If they shrug and say "what a load of crap that peace and love thing is..." then I say that points back at THEM doesn't it? It tells me they have a lot more personal work to do, because we didn't say "peace" or "love" anywhere on the recording, only in the liner notes. you dig? (MJ): Politics is just one of the "veins" through which we travel. We have many sides and moods; we are not all one thing. Pretty much whatever is on our minds comes out in our work. CO: What is your favorite tracks on _Bryant Street_ and why? D (SJ): My favourite track on _Bryant Street_ is "Breeze"; it's a song that came slowly for us. Initially it cleared the floor, coming after "Holler!" in the live set. We meant it to have a sort of cleansing effect on the whole room. After such a purging tirade, we wanted to help bring the vibe back around to a loving place. At that time, it seemed that a deeper energy was hard for the folks to get their heads around. Eventually, "Breeze" became like a triumphant celebration for us at the end of the set. Really heavy and such a triumphant song now. Very inspiring. --- REVIEW: Joydrop, _Metasexual_ (Tommy Boy) - Jason Cahill In analytical terms, _Metasexual_, the debut album from Toronto's Joydrop, could easily be labeled as textbook schizophrenia. At times, the album is both lush and hypnotic. At others, it is choppy, disjointed and inexplicably arresting. Joydrop claim themselves to be "first and foremost a rock band", but that description can be a bit constricting, as fledgling bands strive towards what they consider to be - the quintessential rock sound. More often than not, however, the resulting sound can be derivative as bands wear their influences on their sleeves, their shirts and wherever else they can showcase them. On "Fizz", the opening track on _Metasexual_, Joydrop seems to just be begging for comparisons to Elastica. The song is catchy enough, but cluttered with samples and drum loops - not to mention some of the most nonsensical lyrics this side of Soul Coughing. "Spiders", a hard-edged rocker, seems awkward, placing most of its emphasis on overly aggressive guitars and samples, completely pushing Joydrop's best asset, their vocalist, into the distant background. But remove the clutter and strip the songs down to the basics, and _Metasexual_ really shines. "Beautiful", the album's first single, is an example of minimalist splendor. Pensive and quiet, the song showcases lead singer Tara Slone's powerful, yet fragile voice. Once too often, however, the song gains momentum, only to eventually culminate in periodic and unnecessary bursts of industrial feedback and sampling. Despite the occasional bit of over-production, "Beautiful" remains both the finest song on _Metasexual_, as well as one of the year's most exciting discoveries. "Breakdown" is a lush and richly orchestrated tune with a string section that gives the song added dimension. "Dream Today" and "If I Forget" are two other standouts that blend Slone's unique voice with rich melodies and evocative lyrics. The downside, of course, to creating an album filled with highly accessible tunes is that it probably won't be long before they show up on any number of shows on the WB. Note - the quickest way to ruin perfectly good pop songs is to have them conjure images of Felicity Porter walking despondently down a lonesome New York City street. In all, it's erratic, slightly over-produced and rough around the edges, but when stripped down to its core, _Metasexual_ is a truly impressive effort. --- REVIEW: The Ladybug Transistor, _The Albemarle Sound_ (Merge) - Tim Hulsizer It's a tribute to the power of this band's vision that one can scarcely draw similarities between The Ladybug Transistor and Gary Olson's earlier group Iron Works. Ladybug consists of Olson (a man of many instruments), Jennifer Baron (ex-Saturnine) Jeffrey Rush Baron, Sasha Bell, San Fadyl, and Mike Barrett. The overall tone of the disc is one of a laid-back Saturday afternoon, cruising about with the top down. Hell, one of the songs is titled "The Automobile Song". Which isn't to say the music is mindless; far from it. In fact, it's one of the densest, most consistently intriguing pop albums I've heard in 1999. With songs like "Oriental Boulevard" (the opening number) and others, The Ladybug Transistor use trumpets like they're back in style, evoking images of Pet Sounds and Eric Matthews simultaneously. There are quiet moments with violins on the album and playful spots with whistle, organ, saxophone and more. _The Albemarle Sound_ is definitely on the retro tip, but it never grates like the self-conscious, "we're-so-ironic" music by Ladybug's contemporaries. The best part of this disc is that you get a distinct personality from the band, something I've heard lacking in some other 90's music of this kind. Other standout tracks include "Aleida's Theme," a wonderful, loping puppy of a song, and the pseudo-Spanish instrumental "Cienfuegos." As it is with the best releases, this album makes me want to have their two previous full-lengths. The Ladybug Transistor are playing with Belle & Sebastian (the other retro act everyone should own) in England quite soon, and it's not hard to hear why. From the lush, green 60's-style artwork to the closing notes of the trumpet, this band has definitely hit its stride in the pop music world. --- REVIEW: Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors, _!Sock Ray Blue!_ (Shanachie) - Jon Steltenpohl When you've been immortalized by the Dead Milkmen, made your claim to fame by calling for the death of Don Henley and impregnating Debbie Gibson, and been named Honorary Captain of the 1998 Olympic Luge Team, there isn't much else to aim for. So, Mojo has released a gen-u-ine retrospective of Mr. Sock Ray Blue's Texas Prison Field Recordings Vol. 3. At least, that's what the album cover and the liner notes tell you. In reality, it's just the same old Mojo. Honky tonk and redneck music is in full swing, and the lyrics are as acerbic as ever. Subtlety has never been Mojo's forte, and he isn't about to let a single joke pass over your head on this album. Whether it's "Drunk Divorced Floozie (The Ballad of Diana Spencer)" or "I Don't Want No Cybersex", Mojo gives you the world as he see it through his whiskey blurred eyes. "She died in the backseat / Unzipping Dodi's pants," explains Mojo, "A buncha non-working rich pigs / So camera shy / They got drunk, drove fast, and proceeded to die." As if one famous blonde's death wasn't enough, check out the choice words in "Orenthal James". "Orenthal James killed his bimbo X-wife," states Mojo. Yes, in the immortal words of Mojo, "Orenthal James was a mighty bad man." It's not exactly "Bad Bad Leroy Brown", but at least the song is fun to listen to. Yes, no matter whether Mojo is dogging the "Rock n Roll Hall of Lame" or Disney ("watch a topless Pocahontas and hear the people sing"), the music is rollicking. "When did I become my Dad?" is the best song on the album. It's just Mojo singing solo with his acoustic guitar doing a mournful, no depression riff. No screaming or over the top lyrics. It's funny without being outrageous, and kind of makes you wonder what Mojo could do if he didn't seem to be hell bent on trying to make most of his lyrics go over the top. If Mojo would drop his schtick and write depressing, love sick lyrics, he'd probably be hailed some sort of genius. But just like Jim Carrey being snubbed at the academy awards, Mojo Nixon has no chance in hell of ever being taken seriously. As it is, this Mojo album is pretty much the same as every other Mojo album with the exception that the music on this one is probably the tightest of any of his albums. There's stuff as sick as old classics like "She's Vibrator Dependent", but nothing quiet as funny. The soundtrack to the video game "Redneck Rampage" is included as is a tribute to the late Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers. Probably, the funniest part of the album is the bogus liner notes by John Swenson. Of course, saying that the liner notes are the funniest part of a comedy album isn't saying much. You'll get your chuckles, but don't expect to fall out of your chair. Fortunately, Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors play honky tonk and rockabilly well enough that you'll have fun just listening. --- REVIEW: Various, _The Disco Box_ (Rhino) - Bob Gajarsky The master label of reissues, Rhino, has released this definitive four disc set of the disco era simply titled _The Disco Box_. The eighty songs bring together in one collection the best (or worst) of the disco era in all their full-blown polyester glory. The Ritchie Family's "The Best Disco In Town" was the knee-jerk reaction to the medley / Stars on 45 fever which gripped the nation, and even resulted in a huge smash of Beethoven's "modernized hits" (thank you, Walter Murphy). While the Pittsburgh Pirates were utilizing "We Are Family" as their World Championship theme song, the country was shake-shake-shaking their booty to KC and the Sunshine Band and enjoying good times provided by Chic. Sex ran rampant in the clubs and in the music (Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", Musique's "In The Bush", "More More More" by the porn queen Andrea True Connection). Truly, it was the age of decadence and dancing, and nowhere is that more apparent than _The Disco Box_. Arguably the most interesting part of the set occurs on the fourth disc, where the generic 'disco' sound, after being run into the ground in the late 70s, re-emerged and influenced much of the 80s dance scene. Blondie's "Heart of Glass" predated the 80s alterna-boom, "I.O.U." by Freez helped launch the freestyle craze, and "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls (formerly 2 Tons of Fun, performing at fairgrounds around the country) helped make Martha Wash's voice, if not her image, a staple at dancehalls around the world. Today's "wedding songs" ("I Will Survive", "Celebration", "Y.M.C.A.") unmistakably show that disco has crossed over from the clubs to the mainstream. VH1 "Behind the Music" specials on Studio 54 and the glamourized excesses of the era have brought the sensations of the seventies back to the forefront at no time since the end of the gas crisis. And thanks yet again to the folks at Rhino, the feel and groove of those times has been indelibly captured on four compact discs. --- REVIEW: Sammy Hagar, _Red Voodoo_ (MCA) - Linda Scott Sammy Hagar's _Red Voodoo_ is a pure rock and roll album. It follows on the heels of Hagar's popular 1997 _Marching To Mars_, which featured the hit single "Little White Lie". Like _Mars_, _Red Voodoo_ rocks with a lighter, party album touch. There's a joyful, good times, party groove going, with visions of audiences up on their feet and dancing in the aisles get YOU up and grooving in your living room. What a great icebreaker for a party! Sammy Hagar knows about partying with your friends. The Red Rocker owns a Cabo San Lucas club called Cabo Wabo where industry pros like Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Slash and many others come to perform and sip Sammy's own brand of tequila. Hagar's been in the music business since 1972. He's done solo work and worked in the Montrose and Van Halen bands. Now he's put together his own band called the Waborites, recorded an album, and they are off on a US tour. _Red Voodoo_ has 11 tracks with great lyrics, vocals, and a solid rocking beat. The opening track and first single is a winner called "Mas Tequila". There is no way to stay seated during this one. It's definitely a standing, clapping, dancing track. "Shag" is right behind it with a solid, catchy beat that has the power to be another single. And the title tells you what its about. There's a beautiful breather with "Lay Your Hand On Me". The lyrics are gentle, and Sammy sings it just right. "Sympathy For The Human" is an odd selection about religious diversity, but you can tune out the lyrics and just get into the music. All eleven are good to great, they're made for dancing, and they just make you feel better. Whatever Sammy is bottling along with the tequila, he needs to keep doing it. To check out the tour schedule and hear clips from _Red Voodoo_, check Sammy's web site at: http://www.redrocker.com --- REVIEW: Love Kit, _Who's Afraid Of The Radio Tower?_ (Ginger) - Bill Holmes Impossible to pigeonhole, difficult to forget; not a bad combination! Featuring titles like "Red Meat," "Spider On A Window," "You're My Food" and of course the two-for-one punch of "Dandelion / Victorian Motorhome," Chicagoland's Love Kit is back with perky, quirky pop tunes that are as odd as their titles. "Red Meat," with its odd lyrics and Toad The Wet Sprocket tempo intact, opens the door for this wild ride through pop's inner recesses, but the following cut, "Bookmobile," sounds too fuzzed out to be from the same record. Then delicacy: the toy piano intro of "Champion Pony" is joined by some Beach Boy harmony chirps to bridge your way across to the next track. But that's "New Low," which is just pedestrian, alternative sludge (hey, maybe it was intentional?). So four cuts in and you're still wondering what the hell is going on, but then "Tiger Beat Heaven" kicks your ass and you swear this is the best thing you've heard all year. Yikes! Fortunately the batting average goes up shortly afterwards. "Dandelion" is a little stressful but is the perfect set up for the fuller "Victorian Motorhome." "Go There" creates a dreamy ambiance using guitar phasing, and "Dear Gaspara" mines '60s pop and psychedelia. "Spider On A Window" is stark by comparison -- acoustic six string and wah-wah bass guitar -- but conventionally melodic despite the setting. Ditto "Around The Bend," whose dual vocals and lightweight percussive thrust carry the song to its fade out vocal coda. For you uptempo folks, "Medium Crash" is Bo Diddley incarnate. In many spots, songs literally bleed into one another; there's a lot going on here besides the standard two guitar/bass/drum army. Many comparisons can be made to the late great Let's Active, and this is perhaps no more evident than on the aforementioned "Tiger Beat Heaven," an urgent rocker just drenched in lo-fi glam. The vocals on the verses sound like they're shouted through a kazoo, but the chorus call-and-responses drag you right back in for the big finish. Come on radio, you have to play this! Rick Sparks and Eddie Jemison are a solid guitar attack, and bassist Ellen Phillips locks down the bottom very well. All three sing, and the arrangements are diverse. Kudos also to drummer Tim Ford for providing wallop on even the softest of songs. Regular rock programmers will never get this, but Love Kit should be a slam dunk for college radio. For more information visit the label's website http://www.gingerrecords.com . --- REVIEW: Janet Robbins, _All the Worlds_ (Star Seven) - Jon Steltenpohl Although name recognition is everything, letting the whole world know your dad is Marty Robbins in the first line of your bio isn't exactly going to win you instant accolades. Depending on your point of view, Janet Robbins is thankfully or regrettably not her father when it comes to music. Where Marty garnered hits with quirky country classics such as "El Paso," Janet has decided to focus on a more modern, alternative sound. The result is a seven-song debut called _All the Worlds_. After mentioning her father, Robbins' bio quickly compares her to Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Jeff Buckley. It's another quick plea to get your attention for an obscure indie album, but, unlike many overblown bios, these comparisons are somewhat warranted. Robbins has put together an album that features some soaring vocals, atmosphere, and tender moments. It would be easy to write off such an album if it were either derivative or a major label effort. But this is a wholly original debut made in Robbins' own home studio and distributed on her own label. _All the Worlds_ is definitely worth paying attention to. It's a polished sounding effort that shows what can be done without a major studio behind it. The sound is crisp and clean. Distortions and effects are used seamlessly, and Robbins does a good job of coming out aggressively and then pulling back quietly. There is a Gothic sensibility of disjointed guitar and plaintive wails, but it doesn't include the Goth scene's reliance on black eyeliner and spooky lyrics. Vocally, she employs the same crooning yodel Kate Bush uses to scale up the octaves. On "Space Train," Robbins bends her notes like a harmonica player and flutters between major and minor chords. When necessary, she pulls back into a shell with quiet touches that lull you in, much like Tori Amos. But unlike Amos and Buckley, Robbins never seems to embody the songs as a personal diary. Her howls have all of the volume of Sinead O'Connor's debut, but none of the passion. This lack of passion is also reflected in the lyrics; they are abstract and are merely flavors of emotions. Robbins sets a high bar for herself with the musical peers she's chosen for herself. While other artists seem intent on reaching down deep in their guts for intensely personal lyrics, Robbins is mired in meta-poems about misguided loves set on islands and wastelands. On "Eve," she sings, "Gash wide and blistered dry / there's a harpist playin' in some distant sky / spoon fed from a bone dry plate / this world's in destruction." Not all of the lyrics are this obtuse, but none of them really resonate with the listener on an emotional level either. _All the Worlds_ is certainly an album worth checking out, if nothing else but to say you knew Janet Robbins when. Anyone who had a chance to hear some of Joan Osborne's early recordings will see similarities in the budding talent. Although Osborne's eventual major label debut was molded heavily by the record label for possible radio play, Robbins' seems pretty intent on going the independent route, a la Ani DiFranco. Her website - http://www.janetrobbins.com - Real Player demos of 4 tracks, and she's maintaining a web ring for independent artists. --- REVIEW: Bottle Rockets, _Leftovers_ (Doolittle) - Bill Holmes Sometimes resilience is its own reward. Although the recent major label meltdown made meteor-sized headlines, bands being shed like so much dead skin is an age old ritual. Signed by Tag/Atlantic (the same label with the ears to grab Fountains Of Wayne) after the success of their indie debut for East Side Digital, the Bottle Rockets figured they had the best of both worlds. The new label promised wider distribution and publicity, and their stint at ESD hooked them up with Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, the closest thing y'alternative music has to a human divining rod. But Tag wasn't "it" for long, and ported to Atlantic they were just another legal liability on a dead sea scroll. So kiss momentum goodbye - out comes the obligatory record with a whimper instead of a bang, and into the tank go the rest of the tracks that were recorded. Needless to say, breaking a rootsy band is a hard job when you try. Not even trying is like pulling the plug on the respirator. After you forgot to turn it on in the first place. Fortunately the band was able to walk away from Atlantic and the _24 Hours A Day_ sessions with their songs, which drummer Mark Ortmann says "didn't work with that particular album". Claiming inspiration from sources as diverse as Aerosmith and Merle Haggard, the sound of a Bottle Rockets record doesn't necessarily have a thematic flow anyway, so imagine what a collection of "leftovers" sounds like! Like most bands, there are a range of influences that sometimes play nice and sometimes head-butt each other. _Leftovers_ is head-butt territory all the way; it contains some solid moments but is more enjoyable than it is essential. The record starts with a sweet, pretty country tune "Get Down River", followed by the acoustic bluesy tone of "Dinner Train To Dutchtown"; both tracks feature yeoman work by Ambel. Then a trip down a much darker road with "Skip's Song", an appropriately somber homage to Skip Spence ("oars in the water/paddling's such a bore/acid and madness / and nothing more..."). But lest you think your head will bow forever, the strong 1-2 punch of "If Walls Could Talk" and "Financing His Romance" is but a short tune away. "Walls" is Bakersfield swing and George Jones in a Waring blender, which makes the country-fried pop-a-billy of "Romance" even more appealing. Vocals by guitarists Brian Henneman and Tom Parr are solid throughout, but especially good in that pair. However, one reality jolt is the painful dirge "My Own Cadillac", which to these ears sounds like Neil Young at the wrong speed. Anguish and atonality have their place, but somehow this abandons the emotion and just becomes...noise. (Hold the letter bombs, I'm sure it has its appeal, but I haven't seemed to have been in the right mood for this one yet. I'm not sure I have a mood like that though). The "bonus track" is three minutes of almost silent passage... except for some light crickets chirping. Peace, at last? Or the sound of their last label doing nothing to promote their career? Ironically, they went from a company that did little to a company called "Doolittle". With this stepping stone of "odds and sods" holding our attention, let's see what the boys can do when they release their new one later this Spring backed by a more artist-centered organization. (For more information, visit http://www.doolittle.com ) --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _SLC Punk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ / Various Artists, _The Other Sister Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ (Hollywood Records) - Joann D. Ball Movie soundtracks can be hit-or-miss, sometimes filled with everything except the songs from the movie that you wanted to hear again. But that's definitely NOT the case with two new releases on Hollywood Records, the _SLC Punk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ and _The Other Sister Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_. Both showcase fitting song selections in perfect order, with the former soundtrack coming across like a cool college radio show circa the mid-1980s and the latter sounding like a warm, feel good Adult Contemporary collection. Hollywood Records' own Detroit upstarts The Suicide Machines get _SLC Punk_ off to a rousing start with a ska-punk cover of the country classic "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden." Then the punk classics start rolling as if part of an underground radio playlist. There's the pure energy of Exploited's "Sex & Violence" and Fear's "I Love Livin' In The City, and the raw power of punk godfather Iggy Pop on the Stooges's seminal "1969." "Too Hot" by The Specials provides a brief ska break, before the punk history lesson continues with CBGB's scenesters the Ramones' ("Cretin Hop") and Blondie, an old skool band currently riding an incredible popularity wave. Blondie's punk pop hit "Dreaming" seques perfectly into "Kiss Me Deadly" by Billy Idol's first band Generation X, and is followed by the Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll." An interesting point of departure is the trip-hop cut "Gasoline Rain" by Moondogg, but it actually provides an even greater sense of just how groundbreaking punk was and how it continues to influence new forms of music. Several songs later, the Dead Kennedys' "Kill the Poor" brings the 14-track release to a fitting close, capturing both the primacy of punk and the social welfare policies of the Reagan era at the same time. _The Other Sister_, more mainstream in appeal and less aggressive in tone, features lead singles "Loving You Is All I Know" by The Pretenders and "The Animal Song" by Savage Garden. On the former, Chrissie Hynde lends her unmistakable vocals to a Diane Warren composition. A power ballad of near "Armegeddon" proportions, it similarly emphasizes the passionate voice of the lead singer while burying the band's signature guitar sound under elaborate orchestrations. Australian chart-toppers Savage Garden wrote "The Animal Song" especially for the romantic comedy, and the song's catchy chorus and upbeat tempo reflects the film's "love conquers all" message. The 11-track release also features top selling artists Joan Osborne, whose previously-unreleased version of the Etta James classic "At Last" is a real treat, Paula Cole on the radio hit "Me" and Hollywood Records' breakthrough artists Fastball on "She Comes Round.'" "Follow If You Lead" by their label mate Idina Menzel should find a well deserved audience and "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss suggests yet another country crossover waiting to happen. Juliet Lewis' recording debut and a selection from Rachel Portman's original score close out the soundtrack. _SLC Punk_ and _The Other Sister_ are so strong as records that they could exist independently of the films to which they are attached. In this case, the soundtracks are crucial vehicles for the movies rather than the typical "see-then-hear" arrangement. _SLC Punk_, a comedy which chronicles the experiences of a pair of punks in staid Salt Lake City during the early 1980s, opens nationwide on April 16th. _The Other Sister_, an uplifting comedy about a slightly mentally challenged woman's desire to live and love on her own terms, is currently playing in America. _SLC Punk Motion Picture Soundtrack_ TRACK LISTING [artist in brackets]: I Never Promised You A Rose Garden [The Suicide Machines], Sex & Violence [Exploited], I Love Livin' In The City [Fear], Beat My Guest [Adam & The Ants], 1969 [Stooges], Too Hot [The Specials], Cretin Hop [The Ramones], Dreaming [Blondie], Kiss Me Deadly [Generation X], Rock and Roll [Velvet Underground], Gasoline Rain [Moondogg], Mirror [Fifi], Ameoba [Adolescents], Kill The Poor [Dead Kennedys] _The Other Sister Motion Picture Soundtrack_ TRACK LISTING [artist in brackets]: The Animal Song [Savage Garden], Loving You Is All I Know [The Pretenders], When You Say Nothing At All [Alison Krauss], Mrs. Robinson [Lemonheads], She Comes 'Round [Fastball], Me [Paula Cole], I'm Free [The Soup Dragons], Follow If You Lead [Idina Menzel], At Last [Joan Osborne], Come Rain Or Shine [Juliet Lewis], Carla & Danny's Theme [Rachel Portman] --- NEWS: > The third annual Rhino Musical Aptitude Test (RMAT) will take place on Wednesday, May 12 at 7 pm and will be hosted by Alice Cooper. The contest will take place in four cities - Dallas, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles - and over the Internet. For further information, check out Rhino's site at http://www.rhino.com --- TOUR DATES: Asian Dub Foundation Apr. 2 Toronto, ON Opera House Concert Venue Apr. 3 Montreal, QC Caberet Music Hall Apr. 5 Cambridge, MA Middle East Candlebox Apr. 1 Cedar Rapids, IA 3rd Street Live Apr. 2 Springfield, IL Club S.S. Apr. 3 Springfield, MO Juke Joint Apr. 5 Colorado Springs, CO Music Hall Chamber Strings Mar. 31 New York City, NY Brownies Apr. 1 Cambridge, MA TT the Bears Cubanismo Spring Tour Apr. 3 Seattle, WA Meany Hall/ U of W Apr. 4 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom Dubtribe Sound System Apr. 1 Buffalo, NY Marquee Eve 6 / Lit Apr. 2 Pittsburgh, PA Graffiti's Apr. 3 Cleveland, OH Odeon Apr. 4 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's Flick Apr. 1 Cleveland, OH Odeon Apr. 2 Detroit, MI Clutch Cargo Apr. 3 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre Apr. 5 Milwaukee, WI Rave Apr. 6 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club Godsmack / Loudmouth Mar. 30 Springfield, MO Juke Joint Apr. 1 La Cross, WI Valhalla/Uni of WI Apr. 2 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl Apr. 3 Des Moines, IA Super Toad's Apr. 4 Madison, WI Kit's Corner Jets to Brazil / Euphone Apr. 2 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 dwnstrs Apr. 3 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre Apr. 5 Minneapolis, MN 400 BAR Low Apr. 1 Pontiac, MI 7th House Apr. 2 Ann Arbor, MI Halfway Inn - UofM Apr. 3 Pittsburgh, PA Millvale Industrial Theater Apr. 5 Waterbury, CT Brass City Records Marvelous 3 Apr. 1 San Francisco, CA Slim's Apr. 2 Sacramento, CA Bojangles Mighty Blue Kings Apr. 2 Tampa, FL Rubb Apr. 3 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish Steve Miller Band Mar. 31 Fresno, CA Warrior Center for the Perf. Arts Apr. 1 Thousand Oaks, CA Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Apr. 2 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena Apr. 3 Bakersfield, CA Bakersfield Centennial Gardens Alanis Morissette Apr. 1 San Jose, CA Arena Apr. 2 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Apr. 3 San Diego, CA Cox Arena Olivia Tremor Control Mar. 29 Columbus, OH OSU Mar. 30 Detroit, MI Magic Stick Mar. 31 Toronto, ONT Horseshoe Apr. 1 Northampton MA Pearl Street Apr. 2 Boston, MA Middle East Apr. 3 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom Apr. 4 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Placebo / Stabbing Westward Apr. 1 Cleveland, OH Odeon Apr. 2 Detroit, MI Clutch Cargo Apr. 3 Chicago, IL Riviera Apr. 5 Milwaukee, WI Rave Push Kings Apr. 4 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop Apr. 7 Minneapolis, Mn 400 Bar Sick Of It All Apr. 1 Philadelphia, PA Electric Fatory Apr. 2 Providence, RI Lupos Apr. 3 Lewiston, ME Central Maine Civic Center Apr. 5 Buffalo, NY Erie Community College Apr. 6 Toronto, ON The Warehouse Sleepyhead Apr. 2 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax Apr. 3 Louisville, KY at Mercury Paw Apr. 5 Columbus, OH Bernies Elliott Smith Apr. 3 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall Apr. 5 Columbus, OH Ludlow's Sparklehorse / Varnaline Apr. 1 Vancouver, BC Starfish Room Apr. 3 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 Apr. 4 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre David Wilcox Mar. 31 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Apr. 3 New York, NY Bottom Line Apr. 5 Minneapolis, MN Guthrie Theatre --- 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 ===