== ISSUE 193 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [November 23, 1999] Editor: Bob Gajarsky E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Al Muzer, Joe Silva Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Mike Bederka, Jason Cahill, Matthew Carlin, Patrick Carmosino, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale, Paul Hanson, Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Scott Hudson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes Long, I.K. MacLeod, Wilson Neate, Mike Pfeiffer, Linda Scott, Don Share, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear,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: Foo Fighters, _There is Nothing Left to Lose_ - Steve Kandell REVIEW: Ani DiFranco, _To the Teeth_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Beastie Boys, _The Sounds of Science_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Live, _The Distance to Here_ - Scott Hudson INTERVIEW: Marshall Crenshaw - Michael Van Gorden REVIEW: Marshall Crenshaw, _# 447_ - Michael Van Gorden REVIEW: Alanis Morissette, _Unlpugged_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Type O Negative, _World Coming Down_ - Andrew Duncan REVIEW: Counting Crows, _This Desert Life_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Perry Farrell, _Rev_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Violent Femmes, _Live_ - Paul Hanson REVIEW: Stroke 9, _Nasty Little Thoughts_ - Linda Scott LIVE REVIEW: Godhead, Mortiis, Christian Death - Mike Pfeiffer REVIEW: Gin Blossoms, _Outside Looking In - Best Of_ - Bob Gajarsky REVIEW: Various Artists, _Best of Moog_ - Mike Pfeiffer REVIEW: Supafuzz, _Supafuzz_ - Paul Hanson REVIEW: Peter Urlich, _Pathways and Dawns_ - Mike Pfeiffer NEWS: Bob Marley Tribute, Reel Big Fish, Sally Taylor, Perry Farrell TOUR DATES: Alaline Trio, John Digiweed, Ben Harper, Ben Lee, Mike Ness, Westbam Back Issues of Consumable --- REVIEW: Foo Fighters, _There is Nothing Left to Lose_ (RCA) - Steve Kandell It's strange to think that playing drums in one of the most influential rock bands of the past twenty years would be little more than a footnote in someone' career, but that's what's starting to happen to Dave Grohl. With the release of the third Foo Fighters album, _There is Nothing Left to Lose_, he has now equalled the entire output of his former band (not including live and b-side compilations), and Grohl only played on two of those. In 1995, comparisons were inevitable, but enough time has passed that Foo Fighters can finally be judged on its own faults or merits, and the matter of Grohl's previous gig has become oddly irrelevant. The self-titled debut Foo Fighters album, on which Grohl wrote and played everything, was something of a revelation as Grohl turned the tragedy of Cobain's death and Nirvana's subsequent demise into a personal triumph. Who would have thought that the guy flailing behind the drum set would turn out to be such an accomplished pop songwriter? The follow-up, _The Colour and the Shape_, delivered on the promise of the debut and established Grohl as a legitimate rock star in his own right, a label that, unlike his two former bandmates, he was more than comfortable wearing. Recorded at Grohl's home studio in Virginia, what makes the new album work so well is Grohl's infallible ear for hooks. From the grinding opening riff to "Stacked Actors" to the infectious lead single, "Learn to Fly," the eleven tracks are pop songs in the best sense of the word. Without resorting to obvious ballads, the songs are radio-friendly and accessible, benefitting from big, fat, production values courtesy of Seattle veteran Adam Kasper and the band, which features former Sunny Day Real Estate bassist Nate Mendel and Taylor Hawkins on drums. (Though this is only the third album, Foo Fighters have already seen drummer William Goldsmith and guitarists Pat Smear and Franz Stahl come and go, adding fuel to the rumors that Grohl is something of a despot now that he's calling the shots.) Despite the personnel turmoil, TINLTL sounds like a record made by a cohesive unit, and there is not a single song here that does not evidence some sort of impressive musicianship. Grohl comes alive in "Generator," featuring plenty of Framptonesque vocoder voice box noodling while "Headwires" recalls the last album's "Everlong" and the languidly paced "Ain't It the Life" nicks the melody from the Beatles' "Across the Universe." Also very much in evidence here is the soft verse/loud chorus formula that was so prevalent in both Nirvana and the other Foo Fighters records, and must be as innately natural to Grohl as breathing. But despite these structural patterns, the songs don't sound tired or repetitive. As commercially successful as the second album was, the songs were hit and miss, while the new album, _There is Nothing Left to Lose_, is a more consistent affair, sonically more akin to the first record. Simply put, it's that increasingly rare beast: a great commercial rock album, pop without being pandering. --- REVIEW: Ani DiFranco, _To the Teeth_ (Righteous Babe) - Jon Steltenpohl In Ani DiFranco's world, time goes by twice as fast as it does for mortal musicians. It's been less than a year since her release of _Up, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up_, and barely a year and a half since _Little Plastic Castles_. For those who've followed DiFranco through her roller coaster of releases, _To the Teeth_ will not be much of a surprise. In continuing her insatiable need for experimentation, DiFranco travels further down the funk and jazz trail on _To the Teeth_. Horns are everywhere on this album. Maceo Parker, famed instrumentalist for James Brown, adds his distinctive sax to a few tracks and flute to another, and Prince layers in the background vocals for a song DiFranco's been performing on tour called "Providence". (In return, DiFranco guests on both Parker's and Prince's new albums.) "Providence" is a powerful little song that's more soulful than funky. Prince's vocals are there on it. They echo out from behind the mix like some apocalyptic backup choir in a Baptist church. Prince's strange knack for minor key harmonies plays oddly against such a lyrically strong song. Even for a big Prince fan, the effect is as unsettling as it is engaging. "Swing" sounds a bit funkier as DiFranco slides in a little rap by Corey Parker, some scratching by drummer Daren Hahn, and Maceo Parker's incredibly cool saxophone. Despite the funky emphasis, it only applies to a third of the album. There are some songs which fit the old DiFranco mold. "To the Teeth," "Hello Birmingham" and "Back Back Back" are political and strong, and "Soft Shoulder" and "Cloud Blood" are personal and emotional. Other songs are DiFranco's individual home experiments which succeed with varying degrees of success. "Carry You Around" and "The Arrivals Gate" both work okay as upbeat, simple little songs set against a sampled beat. "I Know This Bar" is quiet, and one of the better songs on the album. It features a slightly off-tune piano and careful memories of a friend who was a waitress. It's a compelling song that reads like a balled-up poem you unfold to read one last time. But, then there's "Freakshow" which, true to its name, is a bit frightening. It's loud and abrasive, and, unfortunately, it sounds disturbingly like Alanis Morissette...which is NOT a good thing. DiFranco's voice is out of tune and grating. DiFranco tackles a lot of styles on _To the Teeth_. She has taken classes from the Picasso School of Savant Instruction. Picasso, years before creating the strange work he's famous for, was just a highly skilled young artist. Go to the National Gallery and see his work in chronological order, and you will see beautifully immaculate and realistic paintings at the start of his career. They are nearly photographs. But as the years go on, you see the attitude change, normalcy gives way to strange colors, misplaced eyes, and abstractions. DiFranco seems to be following the same path. Judging from her recent work, she's bored with making simple, powerful songs. She is a restless artist looking to expand her boundaries. There isn't a track on the album which sounds dated or in any way derivative. The individual songs are, for the most part, exceptional and compelling. They have lyrical power and moving rhythms. But, taken as a whole, they are a jumble of ideas and a clashing of styles. DiFranco is treating her albums as chronological records of her journey of musical experimentation. In true folk music style, DiFranco is showing the world the real her. It's a double-edged sword, and the quality of her albums as "albums" has suffered. It's as if every time she accumulates 70 minutes of incredible music in the studio, it gets released as an album. In that sense, _To the Teeth_ is no different than the last two DiFranco albums. One can't help but wish that she would sit on these songs long enough to split them up into albums that you could listen to from start to finish without pausing every other track to think, "I like that song, but I'm not in the mood for it." It is the complaint of a fan who begs for perfection. Because, with the exception of the horrific track, "Freakshow", the only real problem with _To the Teeth_ is that it feels like a compilation rather than album. --- REVIEW: Beastie Boys, _The Sounds of Science_ (Grand Royal / Capitol) - Bob Gajarsky Beastie Boys have had an amazingly tumultous career. Booed offstage while supporting Madonna on her _Like A Virgin_ tour, the Beasties captured America's attention for their raucous behavior. While _Licensed to Ill_ sold zillions, frat boys rappped and fought for the right to party...and then poof! The Beasties grew up. _Paul's Boutique_ became the record that critics loved, and _Licensed_ fans hated. The smorgasbord that formed "Hey Ladies" was typical for the album; a hodgepodge of songs such as Roger's "So Ruff So Tuff", Zapp II's "Dance Floor", Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz", Kurtis Blow's "Party Time", Jeanette Day "Come Let Me Love You", B-Side and Fab Five Freddy "Change Le Beat" unofficially comprised the core of the album's one 'hit'. And by displaying their (and the Dust Brothers') record collection instead of their inflatable penises, the Beasties suddenly became en vogue. Without the frat boys. Subsequent 'regular' albums - _Check Your Head_, _Ill Communication_ and _Hello Nasty_, along with the EPs and various B-sides - only served to strengthen their fan base. And, now, their hits - coupled with plenty of outtakes and other assorted goodies - are collected on the 2-CD _Sounds of Science_. In this setting, it's amazing that "Fight For Your Right" was ever recorded at all. Hip-hop by white boys from New York is what the Beasties have been about, and _Science_ drives that point home with an exclamation point. And even when goofing around - yes, it's Elton John's "Benny and the Jets", the quirky "Country Mike's Theme" - the Beasties somehow manage to stay true to their roots without selling out to the man. The Tibetan-inspired "Bodhisattva Vow" was the Beasties contribution to the new-found political and religious beliefs. In the end, the Beasties' greatest contribution may be inspiring their fans to go to the record shops to dig out the old vinyl that provide the unique musical soundscape for their songs. But in lieu of that, check out _Sounds of Science_. --- REVIEW: Live, _The Distance to Here_ (Radioactive) - Scott Hudson Just as a great athlete, well past his prime, tries in vain to recapture the level of consistency and greatness that characterized his career, in reality the effort, although noble, will be futile. Factors such as age and injury contribute not only to the erosion of skills, but of agility and creativity that was once formally possessed. Any great performance left will be sporadic at best, while most performances in general will be forced in an attempt to regain what is lost. The same analogy can be applied musically, and certainly does apply to Live. In 1994, Live released their second album, _Throwing Copper_, a record that spawned five mega-hits, sold seven million copies worldwide and catapulted the band to stardom. The band rode the crest of that wave for three years until the release of its much anticipated third offering, _Secret Samadhi_. It was a creative and commercial flop. With Live's newest release, _The Distance to Here_, one gets the sense that Live's potential for creating a consistent and compelling album is slowly eroding. Although the record is as energetic as any previous release, it comes across as a forced and unimaginative effort. The lyrical depth once possessed by Ed Kowalczyk has dissolved into nothing more than spiritual meanderings which grow tiresome by the minute. Although a better record than _Secret Samadhi_, _The Distance to Here_ exhibits no real creativity or originality. There are however, some good songs here. "The Dolphin's Cry," "The Distance" and "They Stood Up For Love," are good songs, but hardly of the same caliber of previous classics like "I Alone," "Lightning Crashes and "Selling the Drama." Because of the album's lack of musical substance, _The Distance to Here_ tends to wear thin fast, and waiting for the record to grow on you could be as time-consuming as watching grass grow. It would seem that Live's musical prime consisted of one great album, _Throwing Copper_, and trying to recapture the raw energy and emotion of that well-crafted effort should be their lone aspiration. _The Distance to Here_ clearly demonstrates that subsequent releases to _Throwing Copper_ are just that...subsequent releases! --- INTERVIEW: Marshall Crenshaw - Michael Van Gorden I recently had a chance to talk with Marshall about his new album _# 447_ and his other side projects. Marshall was open about his music, and offered many insights into the new album. Consumable Online: I find _#447_ quite different from your other albums. It has an open sound; quiet, not mellow. Was this planned, or a result of the equipment used? Marshall Crenshaw: Let's see....quiet. When I went in to master the record, the engineer said how hyped up do you want to make it. I thought the mixes had a sort of a warm, intimate vibe to them and I thought we should keep that. The other thing is that the bass is really nice because it's mixed on to analog tape using this really beautiful old tape machine that I bought called an Ampex, so sonically it's really warm. There's also a lot of acoustic bass on the record; a lot of stand up bass. I grew up on a lot of 50's rock; most of those records have stand up bass on them rather than electric bass, and I always found the sound to be just really fat and sort of corky and this time around, I used a lot of acoustic bass on the record. CO: The instrumentals were very interesting to find on one of your album, but not out of place. Two of them you wrote for the Yogi Berra documentary. How did that come about? MC: The producer was a guy that I knew from a long time ago. He used to write for a music trade magazine called "Record World" that isn't around anymore. Sometime during the last 10 years he got involved in film production and so that's what he does now and he called me up asked me if I'd have any interest in doing it and I jumped at it . I'm interested in doing more of that kind of work. CO: Where'd you come up with that title for "West of Bald Knob"? MC: That was also written for a film that is in production right now; some friends of a friend are making this documentary and it's about their experience adopting a child. Most of the action takes place down in Hotsprings, AK and it just so happens that I once looked on a map and saw this town called Bald Knob, AK. And Bald Knob is East of Hotsprings, so therefore Hotsprings is west of Bald Knob. CO: "Dime A Dozen Guy" was a riot; that's a funny song. MC: Yeah, that was just me and this guy David Cantor in New York, just fooling around. I barely even knew him. I heard this song he wrote a few years ago called "Florida Time". About a guy on death row, but it's a humorous song. One of the sickest kind of black humor songs I've ever heard. I've always liked that song and I met a friend of his about a year ago and he said yeah David said he would like to get together with you and I just called him up and I'd only spoken to him once but we sort of just messed around for a couple of days and we came up with that. CO: What about "Ready Right Now"? You've said that is your fatherhood song...you captured what it is like having a child. MC: I'm talking about something really intimately personal. I don't discuss it; I mean, I'm not one for like really spilling my guts, to a bunch of strangers, but it came out, ended up being about that topic. I just feel like the song it's possible to appreciate it more if I actually declare what it's about. It's got some depth to it that somebody might not get it unless I sort of spell out what it's all about. When you love something that much, it's just so heavy, it carries all kinds of implications. CO: How did this VH1 thing come about? Did it come as a result of the book you wrote? MC: Yeah, I worked on that book, I guess it was about 5 years ago now. It was pretty well received by critics and historians, and so forth, I find that it's still in usage as a reference. It's pretty hard to find. But people that have it go back to it like and know and again I get some kind of a call about it from somebody somewhere like around the same time this VH1 thing came along, I just finished, I did this interview for BBC2 radio documentary that was kind of based on the book, so I get asked to through in my 2 cents when people discuss rock n roll movies because of the book. CO: Is this knowledge in your head? You seem to have such a vast knowledge of not just rock n roll, but music. MC: Oh...I guess. I mean I have a pretty big library. I feel like that's a good thing to have in your life. I once said in an interview that maybe half the books that I have were about music, but I think that's wrong, I think more like 1/3. I'm an avid listener and avid reader. CO: Getting back to this VH1 thing real quick, the movie "Dean Reed -American Rebel", that was an amazing story. I'd never even heard on him, but just your little synopsis, it just interesting how he disappeared, just when he was about to begin a US tour. A little conspiracy there. MC: I know, you gotta wonder about that. He was huge too, I mean in the documentary, they have lots of clips from his movies and massive adulation that the guy had and then he just disappeared like that and nobody asked any questions about it. It's a very peculiar thing. I talked to the guy who made the film, he was so spooked out by what happened. CO: What was it like auditioning for Bob Dylan? Are you a big fan? MC: I felt a little awkward. At the same time it was real interesting. I'm happy to have had the experience. The best part of it was, I really dug into his music in a way that I really never did before. I got to be a much bigger fan because of that, just hearing all those fantastic songs. The other thing that was interesting to me about him was when I finally got to understand a little bit about his sources, the interesting combination of influences that he brought together and what he ultimately did with them, is something completely unique. CO: Do you keep up with the Power Pop underground? MC: You know what, I really don't like underground. I still really enjoy listening to Buddy Holly and the Beatles and other 50's and 60's music, but the latter day stuff, most of it just, I don't have any feel for it. It's just too white bread for me. Too much of it is like Anglophile, like suburban Anglophile music and that really just turns me off. CO: You said that you're really getting into jazz, have you always listened to it? It just now seems to be coming to the forefront of your music. MC: Yeah, that's true, I've always had a casual interest in it, but about 5-6 years ago I was in Tower Records, in Nashville and I made like an impulse buy. I wanted to hear some HammondB3, so I got a Jimmy Smith greatest hits cassette to listen in the car and it's kinda just gone on from there after that it was more Jimmy Smith, and then other organ players, then I started checking out drummers and then from there it's just sort of developed from there. Another thing was after my daughter was born, I guess I heard someplace that playing music was beneficial to their mental development, and I though that made sense, so I started getting really interested and thinking about what kind of music I should play for her, so I played her lots of Bach and Mozart and I also wanted to play some stuff for her that had some sort of humor to it and so I started playing some Fats Whaler and Thelonius Monk, and she really loved this one album by Max Roach, called M'boom, but it's this percussion ensemble with lots of xylophone and tinkly bell stuff, so she really loved that so you know part of it was having to play music for my little girl. I found that for about a year and a half I was listening to almost exclusively jazz and classical music. --- REVIEW: Marshall Crenshaw, _# 447_ (Razor & Tie) - Michael Van Gorden It is hard to believe it has been 17 years since Marshall Crenshaw released his self-titled debut. Full of pop hooks, and simple songs about love and life, Marshall set a new standard for pop music. The time between his 1996 album _Miracle of Science_ and his latest, _#447_ , has not been wasted. Marshall has begun to dabble in writing for Soundtracks, and writing a column for VH1, based on his book "Hollywood Rock - A guide to rock and roll in the movies". The album starts out with what many may perceive as a mistake, but is just Marshall having a little fun in the studio. And the fun doesn't stop there, as Marshall kicks into a humorous tale about a love lost and the inevitable questions that arise when you see her with another guy, or in this case a "Dime a Dozen Guy". Marshall has written some of the best relationship songs in pop music. And he outdoes himself on some of the albums choicest tracks. "T.M.D." will surely put a smile on your face as the sheer joy of being love comes through in not only Marshall's words, but in the light spring time feel of the music. Another highlight of the is "Television Light". Written for a movie soundtrack, the song details the feelings of someone who almost threw away something precious. The pain of infidelity can be felt with words like "What I wouldn't wish for nearly came true to throw your love away was what I didn't want to do....the way I feel for you to make your bitter tears fall was what I didn't want to do" Thankfully there is some humor as well as Marshall sings in "Tell Me All about it": "Now I do believe that it's just like Adam learned with Eve / People can hide things up their sleeve even when naked". On display throughout the album are 3 instrumentals that give some indication as to what Marshall has been up to. "You Said What" and "Eydie's Tune" were written for the documentary he scored for PBS on Yogi Berra. While "West Of Bald Knob" shows Marshall's increased interest in Jazz is having an influence on his music. All a very good thing. I hope as he gets more involved in scoring movies it finds its way into more of his "mainstream" work. You can't help but appreciate the little musical touches that have been added to this album. Chris Carmichael makes "Television Light" come alive with his fiddle solo! Marshall is also joined by a great supporting cast such as Bill Lloyd ex of Foster & Lloyd as well as the owner of some fine solo pop albums himself. Andy York from the John Mellencamp Band, longtime musical partner Brad Jones, as well as Bassist Extrordinaire David Hofstra and Greg Leisz on lap steel and dobro. Over the years Marshall Crenshaw has delighted us with no less than 10 releases, 7 all new, one hits, one live and one CD released last year with B sides and outtakes. While 17 years into a career many musicians are on the nostalgia circuit or have called it a day and gone on to other things, Marshall thankfully has kept at it and released what is probably his most exciting album yet. --- REVIEW: Alanis Morissette, _Unlpugged_ (Maverick) - Bob Gajarsky When your second album 'only' sells seven million copies, you've established lofty heights. Alanis Morissette's _Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie_ may not have been as commercial a hit as some wanted, but it served the singer's purposes well. While the mega-successful _Jagged Little Pill_ showed an "angry young female" (as coined by lazy critics), _SFIJ_ showed that young woman turning into an adult - and not quite sure of which direction she wanted to take. This _Unplugged_ performance is culled from a recent live performance on MTV at Brooklyn's Academy of Music. And while wags initially thought Alanis a concoction of studio wizardry, her low-key performance works wonders to contradict those images. In "You Oughta Know", Alanis' voice and tone has changed - from someone whose obsession with this former lover will strangle her own life, to someone who has come to grips that she's got better things to do than wist over a former lover. The cover of the Police's "King Of Pain" - sung slowly and drawn out - suggests that Morissette could feel this song as her own, an introspective look into her soul. The current radio single "That I Would Be Good" offers another look into her soul, in a state of calming satisfaction with herself. Three new tracks - "No Pressure Over Cappucino" (originally performed live on the _Jagged_ tour) and outtakes from _SFIJ_, "These R The Thoughts" and "Princes Familiar" should delight the legions of Ms. Morissette's fans. With _Unplugged_, Morissette has a new label that lazy critics can attach to her byline - interpreter. It sounds far better than angry white female. --- REVIEW: Type O Negative, _World Coming Down_ (Roadrunner) - Andrew Duncan Doom metal, sludge-core, molasses mosh -- however you want to describe this musical style, Type O Negative is the king of "it." But what is "it" you ask? "It" refers to a style of music that is overpowered by sleepy guitar rock, slowed down to resemble dripping maple syrup. To better emphasize it, the music sounds like sewer sludge with the tempo creeping by at the pace of lava oozing down a Hawaiian volcano. Type O Negative may not have started this musical generation that feeds off of gloom and doom, but they sure as hell have successfully captured the innovativeness of this comatose musical style. _World Coming Down_ is not creatively new for the band. In fact, you could mix together all of their songs throughout the years and not much would change. Since their 1991 debut, _Slow, Deep and Hard_, vocalist Peter Steele still punctuates every syllable with his basement croon. There are still the rock-God moments where Steele is wailing out doom poetry while he and other guitarist Kenny Hickey pound out power chords like asteroids pummeling the earth. There are the Vincent Price-haunting keyboards, thanks to Josh Silver, and Johnny Kelly's drums hit like a migraine headache. The only difference this time is that _World Coming Down_ is truly one of the greatest rock albums of the '90s, and Type O Negative's best recording effort to date. Every song soothingly clicks together flawlessly with intrigue. Steele is an extremely intelligent individual, and is crafty at elegant use of restraint, a key concept to anything that is meant to be suspenseful or horrific. "White Slavery" opens up the CD with lines of lyrics that generally add up to two or three words. When he sings "I rot away," or "Everyone I love is dead," from the song with the same name, you can feel it deep inside. There is the sobering "Who Will Save the Sane," and the beautiful title track epic that is as much Black Sabbath as it is middle-ages tragedy. In previous releases, the band has dimly covered songs like "Cinnamon Girl" and "Summer Breeze." This time it is The Beatles' "Day Tripper," and it surprisingly works within Type O Negative's master plan. --- REVIEW: Counting Crows, _This Desert Life_ (Geffen) - Linda Scott Adam Duritz may be the only band member most people know in Counting Crows. He's the lyricist, he's the lead vocalist, and he's the frontman. With seven band members, a guy could get lost, but Duritz' talent and charisma uses the other guys for backdrop. Without Adam Duritz, there is no Counting Crows. Duritz put the band together beginning in 1989, and by the end of 1993 the brilliant _August And Everything After_ was released. The sophomore album was _Recovering The Satellites_ in 1996. _This Desert Life_ is very much a Counting Crows album, and if you liked the others, you'll like this one, no question. Some critics find Duritz to be too earnest, too angst-ridden, too self-absorbed. Listeners who can look inside themselves with Adam Duritz see all the lonely people and their hopes and dreams. Duritz can tell a story before you can drop a dime. He is one of the most talented lyricists today. Adam Duritz says _This Desert Life_ is a little brighter, a little more hopeful than the past two albums. And it is. The first single, "Hangaround", is the first album track and sets the album tone. Although it is the most carefree, rocking song on the album, there are other lighter songs. Of course, it wouldn't be a Counting Crows album without some thought provoking and introspective songs. "I Wish I Was A Girl" is about the effort men have to make to express their feelings. "All my Friends" tells about the people in Adam's life that have left him behind. A great, great song is "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby". This "lullaby" is an epic poem set to music, runs nearly eight minutes, and is about risk taking. _This Desert Life_ is highly recommended for Counting Crows fans and fans of R.E.M, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan. The music from those seven band members rings true and supports the wonderful, and ok, sometimes self indulgent, lyrics from Adam Duritz. You'll enjoy it! --- REVIEW: Perry Farrell, _Rev_ (Warner) - Bob Gajarsky Perry Farrell. Visionary. Somehow, those words seem to automatically gravitate towards each other. Whether in Jane's Addiction, Porno For Pyros, or as the creator of Lollapalooza, Farrell has always stood out from the crowd - different not to attract attention, but as a man with one eye toward the future. _Rev_, a greatest hits project with two new tracks, highlights both his past and his present. Modern rock classics litter _Rev_'s roadway. Jane's hits such as "Been Caught Stealing", "Jane Says", "Stop" and "Mountain Song", couple with Porno's "Pets", are instantly recognizable to anyone who's turned into alternative music in the last ten years. And, Farrell's present. "Rev" - with contributions from Rage's Tom Morello, the Chili Peppers' John Frusciante and longtime drummer Stephen Perkins - owes a debt to the Jane's classics with a modern twist. That twist shows up even more on a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". Not content to merely sing the song, Farrell gives the rock classic a complete overhaul - into modern trip-hop. Having to be heard to be believed, this reworking - along with _Rev_ - has Perry Farrell still way ahead of the rest of the world on the music curve. --- REVIEW: Violent Femmes, _Live_ (Beyond) - Paul Hanson Listening to the Violent Femmes over a 12 pack of beer is ideal. Only after slight inebriation can this music really get you moving and grooving. Stone cold sober fans wouldn't know a bad CD if it crumbled into dust around their genitals. It'd be easy to say, "Yes, this CD rocks!" based solely on a couple of tracks. Songs from their first CD like "Prove My Love," "Confessions," "Good Feeling," "Gone Daddy Gone," "Add it Up," and "Kiss Off" do rock with varying degrees. To Joe Blow Average fan they are most likely to be recognized by melody, if not by the poetic lyrics of the band. But the rest of the tracks, and there are 13, are awful. "Don't Talk About My Music" screams, "Leave me on the cutting floor room!" It is a short 2:13 track, yet you're likely to be mortified by the off-key vocals. "I'm Nothing" is another dead track . . . and the band chose to make it track #2. "Special" includes the enlightening lyrics, "Special! Special! What do you get!" My answer is to hope that the band realizes, somehow, the bright spots are those songs from the band's first CD. Sounding somewhat like a typical band's fan, it's easy to bemoan follow-up material as not having as much spark and drive that the first CD did. And here, that's definitely true. "Kiss Off" is the ultimate "You suck, so go to hell" song. Those tracks, up against the painfully shouts of "Dahmer is Dead," make most of this CD unbearable. The drawn out intro of "American Music" evokes multiple yawns before a typical (read: boring) shuffle beat begins. The Violent Femmes would be best served if they toured and only played the material from their first CD. Often, fans of a band will direct their fellow fans to the band's debut as the base against which all comparisons should be based. Van Halen fans I have encountered hold Van Halen upon a pedastal so high, I may never see the top. The same is true with this band. The material they wrote for that first album kicks so much butt that they will never be able to top it. Give up and do the KISS role: play "Kiss Off" on Saturday Night Live and we'll all be happy, critic and fan alike. --- REVIEW: Stroke 9, _Nasty Little Thoughts_ (Universal) - Linda Scott Stroke 9 is a rock quartet based in San Francisco and preparing to belong to the world. Luke Esterkyn (vocals, guitar), John McDermott (guitar, backing vocals) and Greg Gueldner (bass) formed the band about ten years ago, and their tightness shows in their music. Drummer Eric Stock signed on a couple of years ago but has fit right in. The four have all graduated from college and are giving the music business a fulltime shot. In the past they've released a couple of other albums on their own, but when they signed their contract, they were able to put a professional smoothness on _Nasty Little Thoughts_. The album was co-produced by Jerry Harrison, ex-Talking Heads and producer for Live, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and by Rupert Hine (Howard Jones, The Fixx), They polished up the sound to commercial Readiness, and one single, "Little Black Backpack" is on its way already. If you've seen the film "EdTV" directed by Ron Howard, you've seen the band! What was planned to be a punk band slot turned into Stroke 9's slot when the band showed off an aggressive song written for the film. Mostly the band is not an aggressive, in your face, rock band. _Nasty Little Thoughts_ is full of pop-rock songs that have a positive spin. The harmony that characterizes their songs is only outdone by the lyrics and vocals themselves. Esterkyn has a natural range that may be the envy of other rock vocalists. Music and lyrics are all by Stroke 9, and they claim to have lots more up their sleeves. This is a good debut album, and perhaps its only failing is that there may be range in the vocals but not so much in the songs themselves. More variation would be an improvement, but as a starter album, it's a hot one. The band has toured its heart out in the past, mostly in the California area. For exact tour dates and information, check out their website at http://www.stroke9.com . In sorcery, the ninth stroke is used for casting spells. Their band name is well chosen. --- LIVE REVIEW: Godhead, Mortiis, Christian Death; Detroit, MI - Mike Pfeiffer I expected to see a dark show with a bit of horror thrown in, but damn, what I experienced was down right evil! Driving through a cold, rainy night, I arrived just in time to catch most of Godhead's show. Godhead play industrial goth with a '90s metal influence. They have a strong stage presence and decent songs, and the lead singer reminded me of a cross between Billy Corgan and Uncle Fester from the Addams Family -- wait a minute, aren't they the same person? Mortiis followed with a stage show that is still affecting me days later. For those of you not familiar with Mortiis, he's a strange fellow to say the least. Picture a trollish man, with spock ears, Pinocchio's nose and dressed in a mixture Medieval wizard garb and S&M bondage gear. Mortiis' stage set included three sets of drum pads -- each with skull on the front -- a kettledrum, a torture post, an axe and other assorted torturing material. His band included two very goth percussionists and a female vocalist. Mortiis' music is hard to describe. Mostly it's epic chamber music, very atmospheric yet not relaxing at all, probably due to the pounding rhythms driving each track on like a battle march. It would be quite difficult to translate this music live, so Mortiis doesn't even try; he and his percussionists play their drum pads to sequenced music coming through the speakers. Mortiis is in it for the show. His scary presence was only the beginning to the horror he had in store for us. During his second song he spoke in his low demonic voice. Later he brought out a bucket of blood and poured it over his head. Then, covered in blood, he brought a woman on stage and attached her wrists and legs to the torture post. I was a bit shocked, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. With a look of terror on her face as she hung there suspended, Mortiis continued to play. After this song, a torch was brought to Mortiis, which he blew heartily at, throwing the flame from the torch, I could feel the heat and smell the flames. My already heightened apprehension grew at this point. Before I continue, let me tell you about the audience. I was expecting a crowd of goths in leather and make up. However, in addition to the goths, there was something of a much more sinister element here: older men and women dressed in black, some long hair death metal fans and two clowns with hideous make-up. Basically, this was a gathering for satanists, serial killers and freaks. Mortiis finished his song with the woman still attached to the post, he then got a knife, gave an intense glare to the audience and proceeded to cut the woman open, spilling blood from her stomach. The audience cheering for this horrifying act, coupled with Mortiis bringing his victim down, putting her over his shoulders and running out into the audience, was the final straw for my anxiety. Shaking, I watched Mortiis run off through the audience to "dump the body." I was seriously scared about Mortiis returning to the stage (I didn't want him coming near me!). He ran back through the audience, got on stage and finished his set. With a sigh of relief, I wasn't harmed during his set and eventually found out that it was all staged, I realized for his show to affect me this much -- he was fucking awesome! Christian Death, even with their elaborate stage show and Valor, the lead singer, at his most charismatic, couldn't really impress me. Starting their set in wedding dresses and covered in veils, they played loud gothic rock, with some extreme guitar playing. I'm not really a fan of Christian Death. They rely far to heavily on their guitars to carry the songs and Valor's shrill voice tends to annoy me. Their presence was good though. After a few songs draped in the veils, they left the stage and returned in outrageous black outfits. The songs became heavier and faster, with Valor looking like an Egyptian demon parading around the stage. Before too long, their bassist broke a bass string (how hard do you have to be playing to have this happen?) and they took a full ten minutes to get her guitar restrung. During this time I thought about how late it was and there was no way I was going to see more than what I've already seen. A disturbing night I wouldn't recommend to anybody, but being near Halloween and always liking a good scare, you could say I got what I came for. --- REVIEW: Gin Blossoms, _Outside Looking In - Best Of_ (A&M) - Bob Gajarsky Tempe, Arizona's Gin Blossoms provided a wonderful contrast to the grunge world of the early 1990s. Their Byrds-like guitar and harmonies offered a reason to be happy, rather than wallow in self-pity. And although they only had two proper full-length albums, their brief career is collected here on this greatest hits disc. Despite early mis-perceptions, guitarist Doug Hopkins did NOT write all the band's material. The success of the first two Hopkins-penned tunes - "Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You" - may have spurred the erroneous reports. And while Hopkins had been replaced in the band before their first tour, wags wondered if the Blossoms would be able to duplicate the first disc's success - minus Hopkins, who had committed suicide. The answer was an unconditional "maybe". Hits from the _Empire_ soundtrack "'Til I Hear It From You" (co-written with fellow pop guru Marshall Crenshaw) and "Follow You Down" provided a strong ray of hope, but a weak 'complete' second disc provided a precursor to the band's downfall. _Congratulations, I'm Sorry_ would prove to be the band's last effort. Although the Blossoms will reunite for a New Year's Eve performance in Phoenix, there are no future plans for any more power-pop recordings from the Gin Blossoms. So, _Outside Looking In_ will have to serve as a primer for those who never quite got the energy to purchase _New Miserable Experience_. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Best of Moog_ (Loud Records) - Mike Pfeiffer Let's face it: today's electronic music has become too sophisticated for the average listener. From catchy beats produced on a couple of pieces of cheap equipment to today's complicated equation of rhythms, breakbeats and samples from multiple pieces of expensive gear, it's like you need a degree in electronica just to decipher it. The people behind the "Best of Moog" collection, Disinformation, an interesting website at http://www.disinfo.com , and Loud Records understand this dilemma. _Best of Moog_ takes the listener back to the kinder, gentler, and certainly simpler days of electronic music. These songs are all moog tracks, where the main instrument is the funky moog synthesizer. Although a few of the songs will remind you of those demo tracks on the Casio at Toys'R'Us, that's the beauty of things. _Best of Moog_ gets back to the basics with 19 moog classics. Chances are you've heard these melodies before in one form or another, "The Savers" was the theme to the TV game show "Joker's Wild," "Shank" is a moog take off on Issac Hayes "Shaft." The final track features old school meets new school as Fatboy Slim extends an old moog standard. If you like electronic music pay some respect to the founding fathers and buy _Best of Moog._ --- REVIEW: Supafuzz, _Supafuzz_ (Gotham Records) - Paul Hanson Supafuzz play a brand of rock that starts out innocent enough before becoming severely guilty of the following offense: catchy rock-pop. Not since Live has a band come onto the scene with enough heaviness for the heavy music fans (not heavy metal) but with enough radio-friendly tunes to appease conservative radio stations. Supafuzz walks the tightrope with ease. Starting their 14 track self-titled release with a sure-fire radio hit called "Superstar," the band quickly begins a journey through tight melodies and creative arrangements. And while it may be easy to classify the band as just another trio hoping to cash in on the success of bands like Live, Bush and, more recently, Lit, Supafuzz is smarter. Sure, they write short catchy tunes that would be good for radio stations. Sure, "Mr. Policeman" collapses into a Whitesnake-type riff from their Slip of the Tonge era song "Judgement Day." It's a compliment to liken guitarist/vocalist David Angstrom to the guitarist on Tongue: Steve Vai. Drummer Chris Leathers turns in a commendable performance as well. While some newer bands fade by the time their CD reaches track 12, "Hollow" is one of their sharpest songs. Track 13, "Breathe" is an equally strong track, starting with a Helmet-like guitar riff. Perhaps the only thing that is deterring from this band's dominance of your airwaves is that you haven't been requesting their songs. While the band can be likened to some heavy bands, their style is firmly in an accessible vibe. A major national tour is in order to get them the exposure they deserve. For more information, contact their record label at http://www.gothamrecords.com --- REVIEW: Peter Urlich, _Pathways and Dawns_ (Projekt) - Mike Pfeiffer As the drummer and percussionist for Dead Can Dance, Peter Urlich doesn't stray too far from their uniquely eloquent sound on _Pathways and Dawns_. Like Dean Can Dance, Peter draws upon a number of traditional instruments, horns, flutes, pipes and strings and employs them in a modern interpretation, leaving the listener quietly seduced by the subtly lush arrangements. The opening track "Taqaharu's Leaving" is the story of a child leaving to war, the song like others is played in epic detail. While not quite as distinctive, Peter's voice is surprising a close match to his fellow bandmate and producer on this release, Brendan Perry. A sense of majesty and mystery is conveyed through all tracks on _Pathways and Dawns._ Although Peter has a tendency to lean too forward in a folk direction which may detract from the strength of his haunting compositions, this is a great release for fans of Dead Can Dance and other Projekt records. --- NEWS: > The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde will be participating in the "One Love: All Star Tribute To Bob Marley" concert in Jamaica on 4th December. The concert will be aired worldwide on Turner Network Broadcasting. Other artists confirmed include Lauryn Hill, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Willie Nelson, Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, Jimmy Cliff, Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman and Ziggy Marley. > Sally Taylor is currently in the studio working on the follow-up to her debut release. "Amity," a song Taylor co-wrote and sings with Carly Simon is appropriately featured on the soundtrack and in the just released daughter/mother relationship film "Anywhere But Here." > Mojo Records will re-release a new, enhanced version of Reel Big Fish's early indie _Everything Sucks_ on January 25, 2000. The CD consists of early demos of songs which eventually found their way to the band's major label releases, along with two "lost" recordings - "Superhero #5" and "I'm Her Man", as well as new artwork. > Perry Farrell has been signed to Virgin Records and his new album, _The Diamond Jubilee_, is tentatively scheduled for a worldwide release in April or May of 2000. --- TOUR DATES: Alaline Trio Nov. 24 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves (w/ Discount) Nov. 27 Chicago, IL Fireside Bowl John Digiweed Nov. 29 New York, NY Twilo Ben Harper Nov. 27 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater Nov. 28 St. Louis, MO Miss. Nights Ben Lee Nov. 27 New York, NY Hammerstein Mike Ness Nov. 24 Chicago, IL House of Blues Nov. 26 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo's Nov. 27 Pittsburgh, PA Graffiti Nov. 28 Poughkeepsie, NY Chance Nov. 30 Winooski, VT Higher Ground Westbam Nov. 24 Victoria, BC The Limit Nov. 25 Edmonton, AB The Lush Nov. 26 San Francisco, CA Nikita --- 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 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. PMB 294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 ===