C O S M I K D E B R I S S E P T E M B E R , 1 9 9 7 - I S S U E # 2 8 ____________________________________________________________________________ - The Specialists - DJ Johnson.................Editor Shaun Dale.................Associate Editor Wayne Burke................HTML coLeSLaw...................Graphic Artist Lauren Marshall............Administrative Assistant Louise Johnson.............Administrative Assistant Sarah Sterley..............Research Assistant - The Cosmik Writers - Jeff Apter, Ann Arbor, coLeSLAw, Robert Cummings, Shaun Dale, Phil Dirt, DJ Johnson, Steven Leith, Steve Marshall, Rusty Pipes, Paul Remington, John Sekerka and David Walley. ____________________________________________________________________________ SOUND CLIPS IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF COSMIK DEBRIS There are 3 clips for the Hypnomen interview, two for the Del Amitri article, and two for the Chuck Prophet interview, which is part of Tape Hiss. In the review section, there are clips for the following: The Bluerags Connie Francis Jimi Hendrix Hildegard Of Bingen The Hypnomen (Same 3 clips as in the interview) Jackyl Rickie Lee Jones (2 clips) Korngold Krenek Edwin McCain Mozart Willie Nelson Pollo Del Mar Prokofiev (2 clips) Eddi Reader Tenderloin u-Ziq V/A: Good Time Jazz Story And don't forget to listen to Audible Debris, our hour-long "radio" program that is updated weekly. You'll hear a mix of music that is every bit as eclectic as Cosmik Debris itself. All through October, we'll be mixing in Halloween music in preparation for our Halloween Thingy, a special 2 hour program that will run from October 27th until September 1st. We'll have everything from scary surreal Sabbath to silly spooky Spike. Jones, that is. So whether you play it for your Halloween party or you play it while hiding from trick or treater's in your dark, dank condo, just be sure to play it. The Halloween Thingy. Be there. ___________________________________________________________________________ T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S BEWARE THE HYPNOMEN: From Helsinki, Finland comes this powerhouse instro band with a sound that melds explosive garage with surreal surf. DEL AMITRI: Jeff Apter hangs out with Justin Curry and even snoops through his record collection. TAPE HISS INTERVIEWS - CHUCK PROPHET / PELL MELL: A ormer Green On Red rocker Chuck Prophet, and a 1992 interview with instro band Pell Mell from John Sekerka's Tape Hiss archives. PHIL OCHS, AMERICAN: Shaun Dale's look back at a great talent, and an examination of Rhino's new 3-CD retrospective. CONTEMPORARY JAZZ - The News Ain't ALL Bad: Some of it ain't jazz, but some of it ain't bad, either. Shaun Dale attempts to sort out the confusion. NUSRAT FATEH ALI KAHN - 1947-1997: Music suffers a terrible loss. REVIEWS!: Another alluring assortment of aluminum and vinyl. CLASSIC EXAMPLE: (By Robert Cummings.) Our brand new column that offers a helping hand for those of you who know you LIKE classical music, but don't know where to start in pursuit of education and a worthwhile CD collection. BETWEEN ZERO & ONE: (By Steven Leith.) Feeling like a pawn? Being kept in line by the powers that be -- the powers that don't want YOU to be? If you have the gumption to shed the chains, the Net might just be the key to that lock. PHIL'S GARAGE: (By Phil Dirt.) With apologies to Don McLean, Phil traces events to the day the melody died. WALLEY AT WITZEND: (By David Walley.) Man vs. technology? An age old battle with a newly drawn front line. As the war rages on in the computer age, David tries to decide between a white flag and The Bomb. CLOSET PHILOSOPHY: (By Rusty Pipes.) Cosmik Debris' master of philosophy and meditation takes in the beginning of the NFL season! Honest! CONTACT US: A listing of Cosmik Debris' writers, techie and admin types, including e-mail addresses and homepage URL's. ____________________________________________________________________________ BEWARE THE HYPNOMEN: Talkin' Instro-Noir with Pekka Laine Interviewed by DJ Johnson The music slides forth from the speakers like so much mud, nearly lost in a chaotic reverb space, as if the band is a hundred feet away down an ancient stone corridor. I find myself floating toward the source without regard to the danger inherent in the sound. The sudden clarity of a guitar solo tears me from my autopilot condition, and it is then that I realize the sounds have surrounded me and pulled me into the dark and foreboding world of The Hypnomen. This is no dream. This is simply the result of donning headphones and turning on the blacklight as the new ten-incher, We Three Hypnomen, spins seductively on. Though a thousand bands have tried to create mystique with their music or their actions, few have truly succeeded. On the massive scale, Led Zeppelin, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Black Sabbath come to mind, all creators of surreal soundscapes and wild imagery. Among indie bands, few have come close to the shadowy alternate universe created by Helsinki, Finland's Hypnomen. As they re-define "power trio," The Hypnomen--Pekka Laine (guitar, organ), Esa Kuloniemi (guitar, bass), and Juha Litmanen (drums)--share a surprisingly straight-forward philosophy about, and approach to, their music. Their collective influences, both musical and celluloid, mesh perfectly to create a dangerous sound that can only be defined as instro-noir. Elements that are completely foreign to the garage and surf genres frequently pop up in the middle of a Hypnomen track, but always through their unique filter that can make soul mysterious and exotica foreboding. Pekka Laine is a humble cat. He's quick to tell people that, of the three Hypnomen, he has the least skill as a player. When asked about a particularly hot guitar part he played, he says "thank you, but you know, Esa is one of the best guitarists in Finland," or "yes, but with Juha playing such a great beat, that part just came naturally." When his creative musical ideas are probed and analyzed, he seems genuinely surprised that anyone noticed, let alone took the time to try to figure out where the ideas came from. However, once the conversation turns to subjects like the band's sound, the atmosphere they create on their records, or music in general, Pekka has plenty to say. * * * Cosmik: A friend and I were just arguing about your music. He says you're a surf band, and I say you're an instrumental punk band, even though I've called you guys "mid-fi surf" before, so I can understand that confusion. Labels suck, but they exist. What do you think your music is? Pekka: We think of our music as instrumental rock'n'roll, primitive mood-music. Surf is definitely one element, but only one among others. Cosmik: If I listen to Jon and the Nightriders, or The Fathoms, I visualize people riding killer waves on longboards, but when I hear The Hypnomen, I picture monsters loose on helpless cities or alien spacecraft zipping along. What kind of inspirations do you take for your tunes? What do YOU visualize? Pekka: It varies a lot. It's often cinematic, weird surrealistic stuff, or western images or film noir-style ideas. Generally speaking, it tends to be a bit dark and twisted, but with humorous elements always lurking somewhere. Cosmik: Over here in the United States, people equate instrumental music from Helsinki, Finland with Laika and the Cosmonauts. You're from the same city, but your music couldn't be any farther removed from what the Cosmonauts play. Are there any other bands there that are in your category? Bands that are a natural double-bill with The Hypnomen? Pekka: Not really. There are bands that I like, such as Flamin' Sideburns, Larry and The Lefthanded, The Ultra Bimboos, etcetera. These you could describe as garage bands. Husky and the Sandmen are a quite decent surf band. Laika and the Cosmonauts rules this town as far as we're concerned. The perfect and most natural double-bill for us? It happened this June on Friday the 13th. We opened up for Link Wray, who is without any doubt our biggest influence. He is way above there in our book. This was probably our biggest thrill thus far. We met our maker! We've also played regular rock festivals this Summer alongside Finnish alt-indie acts and it has worked out fine. Personally, I prefer garage oriented bands. Cosmik: How do you define "garage oriented bands?" Or I guess the better way to say it is "which style of garage band do you get into?" Pekka: In Finland there never was a real garage revival scene like in the States or Sweden. Most of these bands I mentioned have a strong punkish homemade flavour. They're not retro-garage at all, but they use garage style songs, fuzztone, Farfisa, etcetera. Flamin' Sideburns rock especially hard, for my money. A bit like The Nomads, but less hard rock more rock'n'roll with a Pacific Northwest-via-Finland flavour. I like all kinds of garage-based styles, be it totally retro like Fortune & Maltese or some wacko hybrid of different elements like Oblivions, Jon Spencer and all the aftermath of the late great Gories. I wish there were more bands of this sort in Finland. We are certainly doing our best to bring the prehistoric-stone-age-straight-from-the-zoo element to Finnish pop music. Cosmik: Who does what in the band? Pekka: Esa Kuloniemi plays bass and guitar and organ. Live, he plays most bass parts. And we do stuff with two guitars and drums also. Juha Litmanen plays drums. I play mostly guitar, and a few bass and organ parts, also. I play most of my bass parts on a baritone guitar. Esa's wife, Aija, who is an excellent musician, plays some organ parts on our records, and also sometimes on live shows. She plays behind the mixer board so nobody can tell where the organ sound is coming from. Our secret weapon. Cosmik: Does she ever get sick of hiding and want to get some spotlight? Pekka: No. She has so many other things to do, so this is only something she occasionally participates in. She's helping us out on special occasions to make them really special. Cosmik: Do you ever try to do your own keyboard parts live? Pekka: On CD I did those organ things as overdubs. I can't play organ at all. It's totally two-finger Neanderthal stuff! Live, I play guitar 80 or 90 percent of the set. We don't try to do everything exactly like on the record. Cosmik: Yeah, but isn't "two-fingered Neanderthal stuff" exactly what rock and roll is all about? Pekka: I guess so. But some elementary knowledge about basics doesn't hurt either. After finishing the CD we've done a couple of recordings with the Farfisa, on both of which Esa's wife, Aija, handles the organ parts. It's much better because she can really do it and add a lot more to the overall sound. "Sound of The Silencer" [7 incher on Gas Records] features her playing. Cosmik: Tell us a little more about your bandmates. What do they bring to the dance, in terms of sounds and styles? Pekka: It's totally a group effort. A happy threesome! Our secret weapon is this: I play most of the lead parts and I'm easily the worst player in the band! Not kidding. This will keep all the unnecessary virtuoso-stuff away. We concentrate one hundred percent on the song writing and the ensemble playing and overall sound. I don't look at our stuff as "lead guitar music," although there's guitar lead on almost every tune. More like The Raymen or The Who circa 1965-66. You know, concentrated power. I've been playing with Juha for over ten years. He's a really good and versatile drummer, big fan of Sandy Nelson and New Orleans groove kings like Earl Palmer and Charles "Hungry" Williams, plus all the old blues, jazz and rock'n'roll people. He swings all the way. He brings the soulful rock'n'roll backdrop to our sound. Esa is one of the most respected guys on the Finnish roots-rock'n'roll scene. Has been for over ten years. Fantastic guitar player, both sophisticated and ultra raw. A real master of tone and style. And dig this: he plays mostly bass in The Hypnomen. Why? Because he likes it and it sounds good. He playes the most outrageous Hypnomen guitar parts also, like on "Medication-a-go-go". Totally demented. He's a bit older so he can bring a certain authenticity to the mix, because he's experienced the shit we rave about like The Monkees and The Who first time around. Song writing aside, I'd say we all contribute thirty three and one third percent to the mix, and our live shows especially illustrate that. Cosmik: What is a typical Hypnomen show like? Pekka: It's high energy, rockin' sinister fun! We start off with more surf style material to get the crowd warmed up. We just try to play as hard and intense as we can, no intermissions, no "hello, hope you're having a great time" kind of babble. Just straight ahead, full speed, no breaks action. It's pretty raw, I'd say. Mostly original tunes. Some covers, like "Casbah," "I'm Branded," and "Please Please Me." Cosmik: Wait, wait... "Please Please Me?" I can't begin to imagine what a Hypnomen treatment of that tune would sound like. Have you recorded that song? Pekka: No, we haven't. I wish we came up with the idea. But Link Wray got there first. His version is to be found in the "Missing Links" series on Norton. We modelled our version after his, but it's a great live number. People dig it, but they always look a little puzzled too. They can't often make the right connection for some reason. We get a lot of comments on that number like "Wow, I really like the way you guys do "Love Me Do!" I guess it sounds a bit absurd as an instrumental. Cosmik: The version on Missing Links, though, is about as faithful to the original as an instrumental can be, isn't it? I can't picture Hypnomen doing Merseybeat pop. Pekka: Yes, but Link's version rocks! And we like that Mersey beat a lot. The Kaisers is a big favorite of ours. We just take this stuff and smash it against the wall. It's the fun music for us. Cosmik: Do the people at your shows generally get off on tunes like that, I mean besides the dorks who think it's "Love Me Do?" Pekka: It's a guaranteed crowd pleaser. So is "Casbah." People recognize that Arabian flavor and they go "SURF!" That's cool with us. We do a punky version of "The 2000 Pound Bee," by The Ventures, with two guitars and drums, and that usually gets them going too. Cosmik: What is the typical Hypnomen FAN like? Pekka: Beats me. We get a pretty mixed audience at our club dates. Some 50s style rock'n'roll fans, mod types, regular geeks, punks and a few guitar players with serious looks on their faces. Cosmik: Do you see a lot of the guitar players in the crowd watching your fingers, trying to cop a few riffs? Pekka: Not so much that. But more like getting questions about our gear after the shows. And quite a few comments on the sounds we're getting that can't come from anybody but guitar players. You know like "Man, I dig your tremolo!" That's the kind or groupies we get. But also the circles are quite small so a lot of our friends that play in bands check us out, and vice versa, of course. Cosmik: Your sound is extremely mysterious and intriguing. Not quite lo-fi, but not crystal clear sounding, either. Lots of reverb space. Are you able to get that space around the whole band playing live? Pekka: Not really. But we look at live shows from a different angle. There's more emphasis on the raw, meaty side of our sound. So the sound isn't as loaded with reverb as on record. Guitar tones, however, are totally soaking wet. We trip out on the stage also, but in a more spontaneous, primitive kind of way. Cosmik: Part of the mysterioso thing is a certain heaviness in the sound, a dark and sometimes almost frightening heaviness that really comes out in songs like "Zipgun" and "Back In The Cage." Is there some heavy metal in your backgrounds, or at least metal influences? For instance, I don't hear a single Sabbath riff in your music, but some of it makes me feel the same chills. Pekka: We don't have any metal in our backgrounds, that's for sure. But you're not the first one pointing to that direction. So what gives? My theory for this is that it comes from the spontaneous nature in which we write and play. We take a tune, play it as it comes, twist it around, and have fun with it without holding anything back. A lot of instro bands seem to be really concerned with the style and the sound they are playing with and they often sound as if they were holding something back. This might produce great and stylish music, but we don't operate normally like this. We just let it loose and watch what happens. That's the punk influence in our thing, which some people connect with metal. We didn't mean it that way, but if that's where the music takes you, enjoy the ride. Cosmik: What do you listen to when you're just listening for kicks? Pekka: We are pretty serious music addicts, so this a tough one. We all have backgrounds in playing blues and R&B, and we will always dig that stuff. R.L. Burnside and T-Model Ford kick butt. Link Wray and good instrumental stuff is always refreshing. Popular music from 1930s to 60s and 70s is our main scope of interest. Rockabilly, Joe Meek, The Ventures, garage-punk, 60s pop, The Byrds, ska, rock steady, doo wop, Sun Ra, be bop, Sinatra, jazz, Rocket from The Crypt, Honky Tonk music, Swamp pop, Oblivions, Estrus Records, Crypt Records, sleazy listening... You get the picture. It's bad. And getting worse every day. Cosmik: Man, that's a cool list. When you say "sleazy listening," what do you mean? Cocktail swank? Pekka: Yes. Sort of. Las Vegas Grind, Jungle Exotica, instrumental R&B, funky "almost-but-not-quite" jazz. Stuff like that. Cosmik: Some of your music sounds like there might be shreds of exotica in the forethought before it got blasted with attitude. Pekka: Absolutely. This newly found interest in easy listening and exotica is a great thing. A lot of good stuff is coming to daylight. I've been into the "legit" mainstream side of lounge--Louis Prima, Sinatra, Martin, jazz--for a long time. But exotica and Esquivel stuff is a later find. Definitely inspiring music. Some exotica influences are apparent, like the cha-cha percussion loop in "Bamboola" on Supersonico, some just pop up when we write melodies and themes. There are quite a few Hypnomen tunes that you could define as some sort of unholy mix of punkish rock'n'roll and exotic mood music. Cosmik: Man, you sure listen to a wide range of music. I always want to know what influences go into someone's music, but in this case, knowing you've got Sinatra and The Byrds going through your head at times, what I really want to know is how you keep some influences out. Is it ever hard to focus and keep it within certain parameters? Pekka: Very important question. How much room do you allow yourself to have? We are pretty freewheeling on this one. And not too analytical. We tend to cross a lot of stylistical boundaries that shouldn't necessarily be crossed. We goof around and end up sounding moronic. We might start with a little ditty and go "hey, let's do this sort of Booker T. style." But somewhere on the narrow path to hipness we take an obvious wrong turn and the whole thing will sound more like Blue Cheer or Captain Beefheart in the end. So what do you do? Usually we just say "fuck it, this is fun. We'll keep it." But we NEVER mix influences in order to sound clever: "let's put a little Cole Porter on this punk go-go thing." Never. It's got to be natural. But if it works, why the hell not do it? Even though it's not mentioned in the black bible of surf. We've tried out quite a few songs that are less than apparent for an instro band: Sir Douglas Quintet, Bobby Fuller pop songs, The Who... As a fan and listener I understand strict instro-surf traditionalism totally, but it's not our thing as a band. Cosmik: I think it's interesting, considering your affection for Link Wray, that you mentioned the Fat Possum label blues guys, R.L. Burnside and T. Model Ford. That's some raw blues, and Link, of course, made his name on raw sounds. What attracts you to those sounds? Pekka: Ok, now we're talking some of the best music in history. These guys are the very essence of rock'n'roll, blues or whatever you want to call it. Burnside and T-Model rock on the level of Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy. The best of them. And Link is in the same category. He's the embodiment of the mystery of rock'n'roll, the great American, primitive and mind-altering power: a guy picks up a guitar, plugs it in, hits a chord through a crummy little amp... and it can change your life. This sounds stupid and naive, but it's the truth. I believe it has happened to everybody at some time. You hear the right sound, something clicks and you see the light: "Yes, NOW I know!" By the way, I find it somewhat puzzling that a lot of people in surf circuits seem to find the blues as the ultimate boring uncool kind of music. Maybe it's because of the guitar noodling-white-hippie-Clapton-crap overdose in the media. But you should never judge a musical style on the basis of its degenerate latter day disciples. Don't judge rockabilly by listening to Stray Cats, but by Elvis Presley's version of "Mystery Train" or by "One Hand Loose" by Charlie Feathers. Don't judge surf by Dick Dale's Tribal Gathering albums, but by Fender IV's "Mar Gaya" or by Johnny Barakat's rendition of "The Wedge." Drink your music straight with no chaser. Cosmik: Good advice. And don't judge garage rock by just any old band making records. Go back and listen to Link Wray. Did you get to hang out with Link when you gigged with him? Pekka: Yes we did. It was the biggest thrill ever. His tour manager told him we are huge fans of his and introduced us to him. Link told us he wouldn't be able to catch our opening set later that night and then asked us if we could play a private set for him after our soundcheck. Fucking A! We played for him for 15-20 minutes and he was all excited. He hollered and cheered when we kicked into "I'm Branded." His crappy Dutch back up band, who looked like a bunch of heavy metal roadies in their sleeveless denim shirts, sat there with their mouths open. Link's hearing isn't that great, so he yelled at them "they are playing MY SONG!" He laughed his heart out when he realized we had an organ player hiding behind the mixer. "You guys are really sneaky!" We told him he's the reason we started this whole damn thing and he looked to be genuinely flattered. He's probably the most charismatic person I've ever met. It's impossible to even describe how we felt about this whole thing. Later that evening he was in great mood, raving after our set: "let's have a jam session, two bass players, two drum kits and two guitars!" We were like "...are you sure?" Esa joined him during his encores and they played a couple of Jimmy Reed numbers together. Cool ending to an amazing night. Cosmik: How do you top that? Pekka: You tell me! Cosmik: Pretty cool. I want to ask you about certain tunes on the Supersonico album. Your bass tone on "Psycho From Ipanema" just blew me away. Pure bass, smooth as glass. How did you record it? I've got a 50 cent bet down that says Esa went direct to the board. Pekka: Esa played a 1955 precision bass through a vintage VOX bass head and 15" cabinet and also directly to the board. The is a combination of those two sources. Cosmik: The Killer Riff award has to go to the A flat-A-B-C break in "Brainwasher." That's incredibly powerful. Who came up with that? Pekka: C'est moi. Cosmik: Then you go straight from that punk-surf explosion to something with a country blues influence ("Panorama Red") without losing the trademark Hypnomen vibe. Now how the hell do you manage that one? Pekka: Don't know. It's not something we analyze on a rational level. Pieces just tend to fall to their places if you put your soul into it when you do it. And it's basically us playing from one song to another with the same gear, same fingers and same seriously limited personalities. Cosmik: Thanks for reminding me... What about gear? This stuff doesn't sound like Strats or Jags. Pekka: Yummy yummy!! Gear question! OK. First the drums: 1958 Gretch, silver sparkle, Zildjan and Paiste Cymbals mostly vintage. My main guitar is a jazzmaster reissue... boring but good. I use 1958 Supro Dual Tone as a backup. My reverb is custom made by a friend. It's basically a Fender reverb build inside a 1950's Radio. Cool as hell. Same guy built my baritone guitar, which is shaped like a long-horn Dan [EdNote: Refers to the Longhorn Danelectro bass], but otherwise it's pretty Hot-Rod: no spare parts. It's cool for both twang and bass mayhem. My amp is a 1968 Fender Super Reverb. Live, I use two vintage Super Reverbs. Esa's main hypno axe is something else: a 1960's Hofner twin-neck guitar/bass. Great--I repeat-GREAT--instrument! He uses a Supro Dualtone a lot, 1960 Strat occasionally, 1968 Silvertone Solid Body for low open tuning, swamp grind and National Airline for a totally perfect Santo Farina-style slide sound. Silvertones and Supros have great one-of-a-kind sounds we really like. A Supro amp is on top of my want list right after a vintage Jazzmaster. On the records, we used Hofner Beatle bass and 1955 Fender Precision. Esa's amp of choice is a monster, loud as fuck 1959 Fender Twin. Cosmik: It sounds like you're using heavy strings. Pekka: The usual 11 to 49 or 12 to 52, depending on the guitar. Cosmik: Let me see if I can force an age-old controversy on you. You've made a handful of 7-inch EP's, and you've made a CD. Aside from the obvious commercial advantages of the CD format, which do you prefer? For your band, and as a fan of other bands. Pekka: Definitely vinyl. For pop music in general, the 45 is the greatest format. Best sound, looks and greatest vibes. It's so perfect: couple of songs, no filler, just the damn thing. And albums, too, of course. It works on several levels: First the music and then the beautiful object - the record, the sleeve art, the mere idea of a great record. CD is merely a handy container for music. It's good from a collector's point of view. "You can have all the outtakes too." Gee, that's great... It's pragmatic, but totally devoid of any emotional value as an object. But we're totally realistic about this. We live in the 90's and CD is the format. But not because it's a supreme format by any objective standards. We definitely get a kick if we get anything released on vinyl. Cosmik: Do you know of a band from Norway called The Basement Brats? Pekka: I've read about them in several fanzines, including Cosmik Debris. Cosmik: One of our first interviews was with Ole Olsen, who was their singer at the time. I remember him saying that they had the distinction of being the last band to have a record pressed on vinyl in Norway, and that they packed up the machinery right after the run and sent it to a national museum, like some martyr of the digital revolution. Has there ever been any worry about that happening in Finland, or are there too many bands wanting to release vinyl? Pekka: To my knowledge all the pressing plants have closed down. It's a disgrace, like so many other things are nowadays. Most bands press their vinyl in places like the Czech Republic. It's the cheapest way. But the best place I know is a Swedish plant called Eldorado. They made our latest 45 and 10". Both rock, as far as pressing goes. Cosmik: What kind of press do you get at home? Pekka: They've only noticed us recently. It's been really positive thus far. Comparisons with Laika and the guys we could expect, so it doesn't bother us. But it's totally unnecessary. However, the average rock journalist has apparent difficulties figuring us out. But they don't know shit about nothing anyway. Cosmik: I'm living proof of that. "We think they're really loud, and anyways not nearly as cool as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince." (Laughs) Give us an example. What's the most baffling thing that's been written about The Hypnomen thus far? Pekka: Nothing spectacularly stupid. Just the common ignorance of pop-critics raised on too much Morrissey and Michael Stipe. Usually, they don't know squat about instrumental music, which you can expect. The real problem is that they don't always listen. In our neck of the woods, the instrumental music has been traditionally linked with The Shadows. Later on critics have added Laika and Quentin Tarantino to their set of concepts to describe instros. Now we are often described with those terms: "this is the kind of cool mixture of Shadows and Laika & The Cosmonauts that Quentin Tarantino might really DIG!" They like it but don't get it. We are totally mad Laika fans, but those comparisons are unsound. Cosmik: I see Laika's music as intensely psychotic but happy. I see your music, generally speaking, as darker and more foreboding, something like instro noir. Pekka: Good description. But we try hard not to be pompous or pathetic about our sound. It's dark and serious, and yet humorous stuff. At least the way we look at it. Cosmik: I saw a Swedish interview in which you talked about something called the Massa show. What exactly is that? Pekka: Weirdest fucking thing we've ever been part of. It's a freaky quiz show on Swedish cable TV. One of the producers of the show had bought our 45s and he had really dug them a lot. So he contacted us and asked us to be the house band for the spring '97 season. On the previous season they had a popular Swedish metal band, Entombed, playing on the set. They're like Sabbath on steroids, really fucking dark and depressing but funny as hell, too. So they figured the way to go after that is to get a Finnish bunch of musical wackos. We taped 17 episodes one week in January in Stockholm. The show has Swedish pop and TV celebrities as guests, and it's quite cheesy, but fun. We played live like a regular TV band, but only our own kind of stuff. If somebody gave a right answer to a question we would crank out some noise in the background. Before the commercials we would do a little "Hava Nagilah" or "Casbah" or whatever. "Back In The Cage" became the theme of the show. It was great fun. Totally absurd. Cosmik: Are you still involved in that? Pekka: Nope. Our season in the cable tv sun is gone for the moment. Wonder what they are doing next season? Probably hire a Russian band. Cosmik: Has that done a lot for your popularity in Sweden? Pekka: I don't know, really. Probably has done something. It's hard to say. We're planning to play there more in the future because it's a great country. Stockholm especially. The most important thing about this whole operation was that we met a lot great people over there, made good friends and we've been working with a bunch of folks ever since. We got our website because of that and our EP/mini-album is a direct result of these connections we made while filming Massa. Cosmik: Speaking of the EP, can you give us a quick overview of the record and tell us what we can expect? Pekka: As we are doing this interview, the records are on their way to Finland. I must say I'm really excited. We recorded and mixed six songs for this record during one weekend in March. We were in better shape as a band than during the Supersonico sessions, I think. It's the same stuff, but more intense. Couple of pretty good tunes, our best ones yet, I believe. And our most idiotic thing, also. It's called "We Three Hypnomen," and it started out as a pretty decent garage-romp, but it turned into a monster. We are going to hear a lot more "how much and what sort of metal do have inside your heads?" It's so bad we named it as our theme song. And Link Wray is saying a few words on the record, on a pagan gospel tune called "Satan Took My Lung." I think you will like this a lot if you liked the CD. Cosmik: Have you ever seen Man Or Astro-Man live? Pekka: Never. Closest they got to my neighborhood is Denmark. And that's pretty far away. Cosmik: Ever thought of doing a split EP with them? Seems like a natural. Pekka: Why not? We are pretty far from their status, however. And we are earthlings, too. Cosmik: What do you like to do when you're not playing? Pekka: The usual. We're all pretty busy doing all kinds of stuff in order to survive. We're pretty square people off stage: we work, we don't do drugs, we drink moderately, and I've got two kids and a Japanese car. But seriously speaking, we listen to a lot of music, watch films--even TV--read stuff, etcetera etcetera. Esa and I are both Radio DJs, also. And we all play with other bands, too. Cosmik: I may never get to Finland, so maybe you can tell me what life's like there. Pekka: Cold in the winter, nice in the summer, clean, safe, it can get pretty boring. Really expensive, down to earth, not flaky at all, pretty straight forward and traditional yet liberal and tolerant by Hollywood standards. It's quite good. Scandinavia with a slight eastern flavour. Cosmik: Do you have big plans for The Hypnomen, or are you just happy to go where it goes? Pekka: When we started out our only plan was to make music we like and to get it released. But ever since the beginning things have worked out better than expected. So we are going just where ever this thing takes us. But, at least musically speaking, we are really ambitious and excited about this band. I hope we can excite a few innocent bystanders on the way, too. * * * BE SURE TO ENTER THE CONTEST! You could win a copy of Supersonico, the brand new CD by The Hypnomen. Just drop an e-mail to moonbaby@serv.net with your name, the e-mail address where you'd like to be notified if you win, and some kind of indication that it's The Hypnomen CD you're trying to win. (Because we sometimes have people entering contests we ran like... months ago. Can you imagine?!) Good luck! ____________________________________________________________________________ DEL AMITRI: Regular Guys, Irregular Jobs By Jeff Apter Onstage in a muggy midtown New York nightclub, Del Amitri mainman Justin Currie, with his close-skulled crop and leather duds, could be mistaken for Bono. But whereas Bono maintains an ice-cool distance, Currie is a man of the people. At one point, fielding a request from a yelling fan, he confesses "I'm only pandering to you, 'cause I can't hear a thing you're saying," as he, hirsute stringman Iain Harvie and their current band-for-hire plied their trademark good-guy grins, pop smarts and animated riffing. The Dels' set is punctuated by a brief unplugged sidetrack that somehow ends in a "New York New York" singalong (which wasn't going to harm their public image in the city that never sleeps). A few days on, when I catch up with a chatty, straight-talking Currie in a Chapel Hill hotel room, he explains his "give-'em-what-they-want" strategy. "I'm not very big on this artistic integrity thing; when I go and see a band I want to hear songs I know. We try and do the same. I also try to do a geographically appropriate song at every gig. We'd done 'New York, New York' and 'Streets of Philadelphia,' but in Boston we ran out of ideas. Maybe we should have done the theme from Cheers." And Currie would be right at home in the bar where everybody knows your name, if our conversation, and Del Amitri's fifth long-player, is any indication. "Some Other Sucker's Parade" is a typical hand-on-the-heart affair, earnest and tuneful and pretension-free, swinging from the sweet mid-period Beatles vibe of "Mother Nature's Writing" and "Make It Always Be Too Late" to the cantankerous putdown of "High Times" and the southern rock stomp of "Funny Way To Win." With Breeders' producer Mark Freegard at the controls, the album was recorded in a blinding flash (eight weeks start to finish) in Lincolnshire, England. "We just came off the road, wrote a bunch of songs, went into the studio and recorded them as quickly as we could," Currie explains, simply. As their principal tunesmith, Currie adds a playful, self-deprecating twist to tracks such as "Lucky Guy" and "What I Think She Sees," as he wonders aloud why "the one girl I want / she wants that one bit of geography I lack." He advises me, though, not to confuse the singer with the song. "I'm pretty happy, actually. You know, I've always warned people against making judgments about writer's personalities from their songs," he points out. "I've encountered people who write the most negative lyrics and they're the sweetest people. I've been in relationships with women where they've heard my songs before they meet me and I found that really intimidating." So while he might play down the autobiographical content of his songs, relationships are a recurring theme on Sucker's Parade, as Currie ponders life at the uncool end of the bar. And with "Not Where It's At" - where the drollness of Squeeze meets the Byrds' classic jangle - Currie had a master plan. "I wanted to write a song that would be like an anthem for Del Amitri, for people who weren't cool but were pretty intelligent. Yet I ended up writing a tongue-in-cheek love song." Currie agrees that his frankness belies the standard perception of a pop star. "I think it comes from being fundamentally honest, which I guess has a lot to do with my upbringing in Scotland. In the great show business scheme of things you're supposed to lie about yourself, but there's no benefit in that; I refuse to." "But you certainly wouldn't be a singer in a band if you didn't want to be famous in some way," a typically straightforward Currie adds. "Yet I like to see myself more as a regular guy with an irregular job." Above and beyond ego and showbiz and public perceptions, however, Justin Currie is a pop fan. I asked him to conduct a tour of his album collection, stopping at the key letters. He quickly warmed to the task. "'B' is big - Captain Beefheart, Bolan, Beatles, 'Surf's Up' - the only Beach Boys' album I like. 'D' for Dr Feelgood and Dylan, 'P' for Public Image and a couple of Police albums. 'R' for the Ramones." "I also have a section for records that I have never gotten around to taking back, or haven't heard since I was about 13. I have an album by someone called Annette Peacock. I still have absolutely no idea who she is or why I bought it," he added, with a mystified chuckle. (C) Jeff Apter 1997 ____________________________________________________________________________ THE TAPE HISS INTERVIEWS By John Sekerka [The following interviews are transcribed from John Sekerka's radio show, Tape Hiss, which runs on CHUO FM in Ottawa, Canada. Each month, Cosmik Debris will present a pair of Tape Hiss interviews. This month, we're proud to present an interview with Chuck Prophet, formerly of Green On Red, and from the Tape Hiss vaults, a 1992 interview with the tragically under-heard instrumental band, Pell Mell.] - - - - - - - - - - - - - C H U C K P R O P H E T Green On Red were one of the ground breaking pioneers of cow punk, the thing that's all the rage nowadays with bands like Sun Volt and Wilco. A band born a decade too early, they managed to lay down some criminally overlooked albums. Guitarist Chuck Prophet has emerged from the ashes with a nice collection of solo recordings, culminating in this year's earthy "Homemade Blood". From a San Francisco studio , Chuck talked about the old days, the new days, LSD trips, suburbia and dealing with the dictatorial producer, Steve Berlin. We also had an argument over a classic album. JOHN: What're you working on? CHUCK: I'm just putzing around. I have to go to the studio and pay people to hang out with me. My lifestyle: friends and making records are all intertwined. JOHN: Are you a musician seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day? CHUCK: Yeah, but I don't take it to bed. It could change any day. I could be down on Montgomery Street at six in the morning trying to sell flowers. I've thought about it. JOHN: Let's get to it: I quite like your new record, Homemade Blood. Compared to Brother Aldo, which was a more gentle, countrified album, it sounds like you just wanted to rock out. CHUCK: Oh sure, sure. I was less interested in the process of making a record. I just wanted to get five people together, keep it simple, kicking the songs around, and trying to stick 'em to tape with as little fuss as possible. You can hear people talking to each other on the record. The last record I made was with Steve Berlin [Los Lobos], and it was a bit involved. He couldn't resist the temptation to put his fingerprints on anything and everything. He was running around with a flashlight, looking at what he could tweak. I just got a little tired of the process, you know? I like to ride. I like to get up and do something creative every day, and I wanted this record to be more of a live situation. Not that there wasn't a lot of blood on the floor after I beat up the songs. JOHN: I hear ya. It sounds like you got a little dirty. The press likes to pigeonhole you with a Rolling Stones sound, but what I hear is a bit of Tom Petty and The Replacements. Do labels offend you? CHUCK: Naw, I also bear a resemblance to Tom Petty. I blame my parents. I don't mind. The Stones, The Replacements - they're just taking traditional stuff that's laying around and turning it sideways. And that's pretty much what I've always done. JOHN: Do you know when you've nicked a riff, or does it sometimes come to you later? CHUCK: Ah, I just ignore it and hope it goes away. I heard Keith Richards once held up an album for two months cuz he thought it [the nick] was gonna come to him. I used to pole vault over those mouse turds, but now I just walk through 'em. I don't care. By the time you beat up a song, take it through changes, if it's still living and breathing by the time you stick it to tape, usually it'll just go away. The initial riff or whatever it was that sparked the place in the back of your mind that made you think of sitting in the car with your Mom listening to Glenn Campell. They just go. It's something in the subconscious editing process. JOHN: How often do you write songs? Do they come to you, or do you tinker in the studio until something evolves? CHUCK: I collect stuff, and every once in a while I'm lucky enough to get up in the morning and pull one out from the roots. Sometimes I gotta drag someone along. I do a lot of co-writing. Other times, I've written out of necessity, but those are never that good. JOHN: Is there a difference making music in L.A. [Gun Club] and making music in San Francisco? CHUCK: There's music in the air in L.A., and I grew up in a time where music was coming from every car. It was everywhere. I took that for granted. I dunno if you get that everywhere. Living in San Francisco now - there's an artistic thing in the air here that's left over. It's kinda cool. I don't think they would have put up with The Grateful Dead in L.A. Some people say music's all about geography - Jim Dickinson says the reason that the grooves are so sticky and greasy in Memphis is because the air just hangs heavier, all that humidity. There might be some truth to all that stuff. JOHN: Dickinson produced Green On Red didn't he? CHUCK: Yeah, he's the guru of voodoo. I've seen him do so many things that were invisible, just by being in the room. He's a real presence. We did a live recording together in '94 which was bootlegged and is now on a French label. JOHN: What label is that? CHUCK: Last Call. It's run by a fella who used to run New Rose, which was famous for putting out records by people who were dead, half dead, on the way up or on the way down. JOHN: A great label. What is the official status of Green on Red anyway? CHUCK: I dunno. We broke up every six months. We like to say that we went on strike. We're still entertaining offers. JOHN: So you keep in touch with Danny Stuart? CHUCK: Yeah, I talk to him occasionally. He might leave a cryptic message on my machine recommending some conspiracy book or another. JOHN: Can you reveal who wrote what in Green On Red? CHUCK: Most of the time Danny carried away the writing. I might bring in something, a riff with words attached and we would run with it. Sometimes I'd bring in something that was completely finished. JOHN: So this lyrical side of you is a new thing? CHUCK: Naw, I've always written songs. You know writing with Danny was great. He's fearless. He'd put a lot of things in songs that normally wouldn't be in songs. He had a song about a guy with an enormous foot who made his living traveling in a minstrel show. JOHN: I'm a big fan of Green On Red, especially "The Killer Inside Me" record. CHUCK: Well you're the only person who liked that record. We thought that it was just miserable. JOHN: I've read that. Why do you think it miserable? CHUCK: Well it was miserable making it. We thought that we were so bad-ass, so reactionary, and Danny had so much anti-establishment rhetoric. When we tried to make a record that actually rocked, we couldn't rock to save our lives. I don't know what it was. We were trying to make a ZZ Top record or something. It was like the Kingston Trio trying to jam with Robert Palmer. It just didn't work. It was really bombastic, cold and overblown, and underneath it all were these tired, lackluster performances. JOHN: But I love that record! CHUCK: Maybe that's what makes it exciting, but I don't wanna listen to it. JOHN: Really? The lead off track, "Clarksville," is a total killer. CHUCK: Yeah? Maybe we should stop apologizing and start a rumour that it's a masterpiece.... [pause] ...That record is a MASTERPIECE! JOHN: Now you've got it. Were you guys fighting in the studio at the time? CHUCK: Nobody cared enough to get that upset. We cut way too much stuff. Half of it had a sense of humour, it was kinda playful, and the other half was pretty bombastic. There were two records in there, and they were fighting each other. JOHN: You know the CD version also has the No Free Lunch EP on it, so there are THREE records fighting it out! CHUCK: There's also an Australian bootleg which we authorized, that has all the outtakes. So if you're such a sucker for punishment... JOHN: Why go from Green On Red to solo work? CHUCK: Well, I kept writing and playing outta necessity, outta habit. Luckily there was this bar called The Albion at the end of my street, and we could take it over on Friday and Saturday nights. These songs just appeared, and I thought I should get 'em outta my head and on tape. I thought I was outta the music business. I was twenty-four years old, and I figured I got my shot. I was naive, thinking that cassette would be publishing demos. The tape got into the hands of some dude in England who decided it would make a record, and that's what Brother Aldo was. JOHN: Green On Red was always more popular with the British press. Is that still the case? CHUCK: I suppose. We just spent more time over there cuz we got signed to a British label in '86 or something. They only see so far in front of their faces, so we ended up on the cover of Melody Maker and Sounds. By the time we were done over there, we were too tired to work back here. JOHN: That was a great time for cow punk, back in L.A. with you, The Gun Club, The Dream Syndicate, X .... Was that a close knit community? CHUCK: We crossed paths, though we never shared a house or anything. JOHN: Do you carry a guitar with you at all times? CHUCK: Naw, not really. A friend of mine is like that though. He was doing sixty days in county jail, so he made a guitar outta cardboard to keep him company. JOHN: How would he play it? CHUCK: He just moved his hands, knowing how it would sound. I'm thinking of making one - my neighbours would love it. JOHN: Do you get written up and fawned over by guitar magazines? CHUCK: Yeah, I get the obligatory piece with every record. JOHN: How do you find that almost geeky worship? Is that a bit embarrassing? CHUCK: It's kinda fun, cuz the rest of pop culture has become too intellectual. It's great to talk about Russian guitar pedals for a change. JOHN: For all the guitar geeks out there, could you outline your latest gizmo? CHUCK: Well, I'm really into this thing called an envelope follower. It plays whatever you're playing an octave lower, and if you hit it harder - it's touch sensitive - it bubbles like lava up an octave. It's really painful. JOHN: Painful to hear or to play? CHUCK: Painful for everybody in the room - when it explodes. It's really cool. JOHN: Let's get back to the new record. On the very catchy "Ooh Wee," you mention being strung out on ritalin and colour TV at nine years old. CHUCK: Wasn't everybody? JOHN: Damn right. Growing up in L.A. in the early seventies must have been pretty wild. CHUCK: I was lucky enough to have an older sister who got into a lot of trouble. JOHN: Were all your experiences second hand then, or did you find trouble yourself? CHUCK: We don't have that kinda time. JOHN: We don't? You must have one story you can sneak in here. CHUCK: I was arrested and thrown in jail, peaking on two hits of LSD. But the story itself is kinda boring unless you were there. There is a moral, though: you gotta fix those parking brakes and things, else you get pulled over. JOHN: Listening to "Homemade Blood" I get a feeling that you write about mid-America - some might call it suburban white trash - not condescendingly, more as an observation of the lifestyle. CHUCK: The last couple of records were influenced by my immediate surroundings. Certain events led me back to living with my folks in the suburbs. There's a photographer, Bill Owens, who took pictures of suburbia developments in the seventies. I saw his pictures in a museum and I got into that. And when I got back home everything had changed. The Dairy Queen was gone. I found myself bumping into ghosts, and some ended up in my songs. ..tape hiss [check out chuck's web site for access to his recordings, bootlegs and all] P E L L M E L L Pell Mell is a rock'n'roll oddity: a quintet that lives apart, on the outer reaches of America, and plays guitar driven, instrumental music. They record sporadically, but always with great results. After years doing time on the SST label, better known as a pioneering punk outlet for Black Flag, The Minutemen and The Meat Puppets, Pell Mell have been scooped up by Geffen. Their last indie album, "Flow" is one of the best records released within the last decade. It remained criminally ignored in most circles until someone at Microsoft convinced the head honchos to use a track for one of their fancy commercials. Soon thereafter Geffen came calling. The following interview took place back in '92 just after the release of "Flow," and before the band's fortunes changed. I managed to hunt down David Spalding and Robert Beerman, who along with Greg Freeman and current super producer and Pigeonhead member Steve Fisk, make up the quartet, for a chaotic phoner. The two voices and thought patterns proved indistinguishable, so their alternating and amalgamated answers are prefaced simply by "Pell Mell." John: Did you collectively decide at the beginning to be an instrumental band? Pell Mell: Back around 1980 when we formed the band in Portland, Oregon, we auditioned singers but never found any we liked. As soon as lyrics were put to the music it proved very distracting; like an abstract painting being interrupted by a figure. So we thought, "well hell let's just play the music." And we haven't looked back. John: Your music is very lyrical. In a lot of instrumentals ya keep waiting for the vocal to kick in, but I don't find that with Pell Mell. Pell Mell: Thanks. That's exactly what we're all about. It's tough to make an instrumental sound more than a backing track. John: How do you write songs? Pell Mell: It's different for each song. Sometimes it comes out of jams, other times we have a pretty clear structure of what we want the song to do. Then everyone re-interprets it and adds their own parts. We work mostly by tape since we're all over the country it's kinda hard for us to jam. John: Is there some center point where you congregate, or is it all done by correspondence? Pell Mell: Once in a while we get together to jam and everyone already knows the structure. It's strange when we get in a room, count out a song that we've never played together and it's there. That eliminates a lot of down time and personal strife. John: Then I guess you don't have that Yoko Ono thing happening. Pell Mell: Nope. John: What exactly is Pell Mell - it's not a take off on cigarettes is it? Pell Mell: Naw, it's a word. It means every which way at once, like "the guy ran pell mell down the street." It's an adverb we randomly picked out of the dictionary. It's the old story: we had a show coming up and we needed a name. The cigarettes are Pall Mall, but the candy version was put out in our honour. Mr. Topps of the Topps bubblegum company is a big fan. John: Every time I spin your music folks think they know it but when I tell them it's Pell Mell they say, "WHAT?" Pell Mell: That means you have to be playing it more. John: Gimme a brief history of the band. Pell Mell: We started out in Portland, appeared on a Trap Sampler compilation which Greg Sage of the Vipers put out. Then we released an EP and seemed to reach our local limits playing Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. So we moved to San Francisco in '84. John: So you managed to avoid the record company crush in Seattle? Pell Mell: Yeah. We were together for another two years and that's when we recorded most of the material that's on the "Bumper Crop" album - they were actually demos that we were shopping around. We came close with several doomed record companies: Enigma, Rough Trade. We got frustrated. San Francisco is a tough city to break in, and that's where we lost two members and two more joined. Greg (Freeman) was in The Call and I (Dave Spalding) was their guitar roadie. The Call had one big MTV hit. John: Speaking of which, do you guys put out videos? Pell Mell: In a word... no. We're pretty low maintenance - an audio phenomena - being so far apart it's almost impossible to record let alone think about putting together a video. John: Maybe you could replicate the splicing techniques used in "Ebony and Ivory" where Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney were actually on different Continents for the shoot. Pell Mell: Oh yeah, the part where they're on the keyboard. We could be walkin' on a guitar neck or a map of the U.S.. Yeah, that's good. John: The big craze in instrumental music these days seems to be more of a kooky, surf oriented sound - you seem to be more serious in your work. Have you ever had a pining to do some crazy surf tunes? Pell Mell: We used to do "Baby Elephant Walk" and the MTV theme. We were definitely influenced by surf in the early days. It was a good way to bring people to gigs. We weren't so mysterious cuz we sounded a bit like the Ventures. But the problem is that you can get pigeonholed, so we drifted away from that. John: Did you grow up listening to the Ventures and hoping... hoping...? Pell Mell: Naw, it was always Duane Eddy with us - he had that twangy sound. He also had a lot of slow, sad songs. John: Have you ever thought of doing, or been approached to do, a soundtrack? Pell Mell: We've thought about it, but we haven't been approached. We think we'd be good at it. It's funny cuz a lot of reviews suggested a movie be made to go along with the songs, but those are just powerless reviewers. John: Maybe a modern day Fantasia. Is there anything new coming down the pipes? Pell Mell: We do have some material, but the great thing about our situation is that we don't pin any hopes on it - we just record for fun when we have enough material to warrant it. We're pretty particular, as I think everyone should be. We don't have to tour, or support anything. ...gotta keep that radical detachment. John: Are live gigs infrequent? Pell Mell: We used to play live all the time, and there's a possibility to do so again, but the logistics are overwhelming cuz we're all so spread apart. Actually we were invited to tour with the Breeders, but we couldn't manage it. John: So there's good response within the industry? Pell Mell: Yeah. it's amazing. For a band that's not exactly together and doesn't have a singer, we're doing well. We got nice little blurbs in NME and Rolling Stone, of all places. We thought we'd get one or two mentions in a friend's fanzine. John: Well your last wish has just come true. I'd like to take this interview and play it overtop of "Flow", and make it the official Pell Mell vocal album. Pell Mell: Great, you could put it all on one channel like a Beatles' album, bootleg it and sell a copy to each member of the band, and maybe their immediate families. ...hey wait a minute, I thought we were lyrical enough. See there ya go, you're just like the rest: "when're you guys gonna get serious, ...when're you gonna add singing, ...when're you gonna become a real group?" ..Tape hiss ___________________________________________________________________________ PHIL OCHS, AMERICAN: A Review And Appreciation by Shaun Dale (PHIL OCHS: Farewells & Fantasies [Rhino]) It's been over 20 years since Phil Ochs' death in 1976 at 35. Six posthumous releases over the following twenty years - "best of" collections and live performances - kept the music and the legend alive. Now we have "Farewells & Fantasies," a three disc retrospective bound into a 97 page book. This collection is both definitive and overdue. In part because he continued to express his well developed social conscience both in his music and his daily life until its tragically abrupt end, Ochs has been too often maligned as a singing tabloid. His topical songs, which stand with the very best of the breed, are given some due, while his more reflective personal music is generally underrated. There are ample examples of each among the 53 tracks gathered here and they give evidence of the seminal role Ochs played not only in the topical folk scene, but in the development of the field of the singer/songwriter as a force in American popular music. Take, for instance, the previously unreleased "Morning," captured from a WBAI-FM broadcast in 1966. This song will quickly give lie to any notion that Ochs turned to song as personal reflection only as a play for commercial success after the demand for his topical material had diminished. On the other hand, the very last time I saw Phil was at a Nixon impeachment rally in 1974. His political commitment - and his knack for topical creativity - was evident in his anti-Nixon adaptation of "Here's To The State of Mississippi." His appreciation for the tradition from which he sprang was evident in the heartbreaking rendition of "Last Night I Dreamed The Strangest Dream" that he performed on that occasion. The first disc of this collection, largely drawn from his first three albums with the addition of a couple unreleased gems, is overwhelmingly topical. "Topical" is too easy a tag for these songs, though. They could be as specific and pointed as "Too Many Martyrs," Phil's hymn to Medgar Evers, or as poetic and expansive as the classic "There But For Fortune." They could be as funny as "Draft Dodger Rag" or as angry as "Here's To The State Of Mississippi." Disc One also contains Phil's musical adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Bells" and Alfred Noyes' "The Highwayman." In his hands, these poetic chestnuts take on the air of Child ballads. There was simply no other artist who could produce such consistently strong topical content and mix it up with skillful adaptations and personal statements with the power of "When I'm Gone," one of my personal favorites. The second disc offers more in a topical vein, but also begins to show more of Phil Ochs' increasing efforts to share in song more of himself than his politics. The topical material, featuring songs like "I Ain't Marching Anymore" and "There Anybody Here?" is among his best, extending, for the most part, beyond the immediacy of some of his earlier songs and into more universal themes. Several cuts from the 1966 album "Phil Ochs In Concert" display Phil's ironic humor, particularly poignant alongside the serious subjects and vivid imagery of songs like "Santo Domingo." Phil Ochs' only musical comment on the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, where he was both a respected organizer and a featured performer, is the haunting "William Butler Yeats Visits Lincoln Park And Escapes Unscathed." When you've heard this song, you'll know that Phil didn't escape so cleanly. For him, everything that came before was washed away in the streets of Chicago. Everything that would come after would be shaped by the experience. "Changes," the last cut included from the three albums Phil released on Elektra, appears here, out of historical sequence but in perfect symbolic sequence. Nothing about Phil Ochs' career would ever be the same. The loss of John Kennedy had inspired him to write "Crucifixion," one of his finest efforts. The combined impact of the losses of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, the police riots in Chicago, the election of Richard Nixon and the continued prosecution of the war in Vietnam would inspire retreat from direct musical engagement. His songs became increasingly introspective, presented on A&M in settings increasingly complex. His personal activity would remain politically engaged, appearing at benefits, organizing rallies, traveling the world in search of movements in need of a troubadour. With his music, though, he was convinced that he needed to make a more direct connection with the working class. That would only be found by moving away from topical folk, and playing more personal music in styles drawn from the early country and rock artists that had inspired him as a younger man. Disc 2 closes with two cuts from his 1969 album "Rehearsals For Retirement." The album was noteworthy for containing his most ambitious musical statements to date and for its cover, which featured a headstone chronicling the death of Phil Ochs at Chicago in 1968. Along with "The Doll House," the disc closes on the 13 minute "When In Rome," an epic description of a failed revolution. Disc 3 opens with "Pretty Smart On My Part," described as "Phil doing Elvis doing Buddy Holly doing Bo Diddley doing the Everly Brothers..." That about covers it. It's a country rock look at Phil's take on the growing public madness in the United States. The disc continues with an assortment of live rarities, some of the finest songs from his five A&M albums and another unreleased treasure from 1966. There are wonderful songs here - "Chords Of Fame," "Crucifixion," "Pleasures Of The Harbor," "Jim Dean Of Indiana," and "Outside Of a Small Circle Of Friends," the last of which gave Phil his closest shot at a top 40 hit until the FCC raised objections to his understandable notion that "...smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer..." Meanwhile, Phil Ochs' life was in increasing turmoil. Phil would enter the studio to produce his last album of original music, the ironically titled "Greatest Hits: 50 Phil Ochs Fans Can't Be Wrong," in 1970. Recorded with Van Dyke Parks in the producer's chair and an all star band that included Clarence White, Ry Cooder, Tom Scott and James Burton, he laid down the songs that he thought would finally break through to the working class and bring him a measure of elusive commercial success. While the audience of 1970 was less than enthusiastic, today Phil's ability to write and perform authentic Country and Western music like "Chords Of Fame" and "Gas Station Women" is striking. One can imagine him appearing today on the Nashville Network as an icon of a country music revival he just missed. There's no reason to believe that when he wrote his ode to writer's block, "No More Songs," that he knew that there would in fact be no more Phil Ochs songs. Phil Ochs' life would be played out playing reprises of his previous compositions and covers he admired. He would release one more live album, "Gunfight At Carnegie Hall," but A&M restricted its distribution to Canada. Meanwhile, he was descending into a personal hell, seemingly revisiting the manic-depression that had afflicted his father and bouts of paranoid schizophrenia that led to his living on the streets of New York with an assumed persona. There were international travels in search of new movements and a new muse. There were infrequent appearances at venues like the Troubadour in L.A. By 1976 he was living with his sister Sonny, occupying himself playing cards with his nephews and sinking deeper in despair. In April of 1976, Phil Ochs, who had been rehearsing for retirement since 1968, took his own life. The facts of that life are chronicled in the book which houses these discs. Phil's daughter Meegan provides an inspirational forward, along with a biography by Mark Kemp, track by track song notes from Ben Edmonds and copious illustrations from the Michael Ochs Archives, the massive pop chronicle maintained by Phil's younger brother. Altogether, this is a monumental tribute to a phenomenal man. Whatever the source or result of Phil Ochs' decline, his accomplishments and influence are undeniable and unmistakable. It is extraordinary to find in one man the ability to make you laugh, cry, pound your fists in rage and raise your voice in exaltation all in the space of a few songs. Phil Ochs had that ability. I can think of no other who did. At the same time, he had the courage and integrity required to shine a light into some of the darkest corners of our society, and the determination to set his shoulder to the wheel and push for peace and justice. "There's no place in this world where I'll belong," he once wrote, "and I won't know the right from the wrong, and you won't find me singing my song when I'm gone, so I guess I'll have to sing it while I'm here." Phil Ochs was right about many things in his life. He was wrong about that. You'll find him singing his songs, 53 of them, on this collection. And it belongs on your bookshelf and in your CD player. Track List: Disc One: What's That I Hear * The Bells * Morning * Bound For Glory * The Highwayman * Power And The Glory * That's What I Want To Hear * Links On The Chain * Love Me, I'm A Liberal * Too Many Martyrs * In The Heat Of The Summer * Here's To The State Of Mississippi * I'm Going To Say It Now * One More Parade * Draft Dodger Rag * I Ain't Marching Anymore * We Seek No Wider War * Ringing Of Revolution * When I'm Gone * Song Of My Returning * There But For Fortune Disc Two: The War Is Over * I Ain't Marching Anymore (electric) * White Boots Marching In A Yellow Land * Is There Anybody Here? * Santo Domingo * Song Of A Soldier * Cops Of The World * Bracero * Canons of Christianity * I Kill Therefore I Am * The Confession * William Butler Yeats Visits Lincoln Park And Escapes Unscathed * A Toast To Those Who Are Gone * Changes * The Doll House * When In Rome Disc Three: Pretty Smart On My Part * The World Began In Eden And Ended In Los Angeles * Tape From California * Chords Of Fame * Gas Station Women * Miranda * Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends * Cross My Heart * Flower Lady * The Scorpion Departs But Never Returns * Pleasures Of The Harbor * Jim Dean Of Indiana * Rehearsals For Retirement * Doesn't Lenny Live Here Anymore * No More Songs * Crucifixion ___________________________________________________________________________ CONTEMPORARY JAZZ: The News Ain't ALL bad By Shaun Dale "Hey, Shaun, you're into jazz," my smiling colleague said, "you should hear this new radio station." Figuring that a commercial jazz station was a venture worthy of support, I tuned in the signal he supplied. "Welcome to your Smooth Jazz station," the nice announcer man said. Over the airwaves came the aural equivelant of Seconal in the form of a soprano saxophone wielded by that G person. Smooth? Yes. Jazz? No. Such was my introduction a few years back to the world of "smooth" or "contemporary" jazz. Of course, the idea of jazz players taking a more pop oriented path to commercial success isn't new. Notable players - including Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Stan Getz and many more - have turned to pop or R&B sounds looking for a payday that their more creative efforts never produced. In other cases, players from other genres have played some credible jazz in an effort to show that they had chops that extended beyond their chart successes. There are also subsets of jazz, such as fusion, in which jazz players and players from other musical worlds have produced music which, though genuinely jazz, reflects the beat, instrumentation or other elements of pop, R&B, funk and rock. So what's the difference between those well established jumps across the restrictions of musical genres and the new contemporary jazz trend? I recently gathered up a dozen discs on or aimed at the contemporary jazz charts in an effort to find an answer. I found several. And I found some very credible music in the process. One of the most obvious differences is the existence of the contemporary jazz charts themselves. In times past, a George Benson might take a shot at the pop charts looking for a boost in the royalty envelope, or a Jeff Beck might look for a bit of newfound artistic credibility with a fusion shot at the jazz charts. Today, a new generation of artists has never considered either pop or mainstream jazz as a musical home. They aim straight at the charts supported by the "smooth jazz" radio format. Another difference is the path to the music undertaken by the players. Rather than grinding out a career on the road, one smokey club after another, building a rep that will pre-sell the relative handful of discs that spells success in the traditional jazz market, the new smoothies are likely to come from the studio, honing first call chops behind acts of every stripe, or from the academy. Among the players on the stack of contemporary jazz discs I waded through to research this piece you'll find degrees from the University of Miami (Hiram Bullock), the San Francisco Conservatory (George Duke), the Berklee College of Music (Eric Marienthal, Walter Beasly), San Francisco State (Duke's MFA in Composition), and Rutgers (Pete Belasco). Sounds more like a faculty tea at the Alumni Club than a jam session at Birdland. There are, of course, some representatives of the old school of crossover on the scene. George Duke, Joe Sample and Earl Klugh, for example, have undeniable and long established jazz chops. Of the dozen discs at hand, five found a home on my jazz shelves, and this trio produced three of them. (Others were filed with R&B or as instrumental pop.) So what is this music? Who's making it and what exactly are they making? Since the genre has been defined for so many ears by the sounds of the best-selling output of Kenny G, I started out with four releases from saxophonists. The soprano sax is a fully legitimate element of jazz instrumentation - Trane established that once and for all years back - and alto and tenor have been among the dominant leads in jazz for over half a century. The sound of the saxophone has been bent and bled, stretched and swung, in the effort to take jazz to ever higher horizons. So what has happened to it in the hands of Walter Beasley, Paul Taylor, Boney James and Eric Marienthal? Walter Beasley's Shanachie release "Tonight We Love", is simply not a jazz album. Beasley, and instructor at Berklee, may be able to play jazz. Here he clearly chooses not to. What he has chosen to do is to produce an album of well played instrumental pop music, highlighted by covers of well known R&B standards. Some of those covers are unfortunate, since they will inevitably be compared to the infinitely more soulful originals. Note to Prof. Beasley - there is absolutely no point in putting on Al Green's mantle by covering "Let's Stay Together" if you're going to bleach all the sweat out of it first. Still, this is a first class makeout album. A glowing fireplace, a bottle of wine and the presence of the object of your affections may be the neccessary elements for a genuine appreciation of this disc. Paul Taylor's "Pleasure Seeker" (Countdown Records) takes a half step closer to funkiness than Beasley's effort, and to his credit Taylor had a hand in composing each of the tracks here. He doubles on soprano and alto horns, backed by electric keys and programmed drums. And there, I think, lies part of the problem. Drum programmers in the hip hop and electronica worlds seem to have mastered the art of getting a reasonable resemblence to funk out of their machinery. Drum programmers in the contemporary jazz world haven't. Without funk, jazz music has got to swing, and programmed drums don't swing. Not to my ears. Again, the music is well played mid tempo pop. And I still haven't heard any jazz. "Sweet Thing," Boney James' latest Warner chart topper, is dominated by James' tenor, with a couple tracks featuring the ubiquitous soprano sax. With a vocal assist from Al Jarreau on "I Still Dream," the music is sweet, indeed. Sweetly played, sweetly sung and sweetly mid-tempo throughout. But, as trombonist Steve Turre recently said when describing the contemporary jazz scene, "...it don't swing, and it ain't funky." And it ain't jazz, either. (Which I might have guessed when I saw the credit line for "additional programming...") So, three pitches, three balls. I don't want to go overboard here. There's not a sour note on any of these three discs, and there is some genuinely creative arranging and skillful playing on every one of them. What there isn't is any music that fits into any legitimate description of jazz. Growing up immersed in my father's taste for bop and West Coast cool sounds and taking my own path through hard bop and fusion, I have a fairly wide definition of jazz. Any genre that can contain Louis Armstrong and Ornette Coleman is a big musical tent. There are certain elements that should be present, though. Some jazz, especially on the avant garde scene, doesn't swing, and sometimes the blues roots of the music are buried deep enough to be considered absent. But without one or both of those elements, jazz must be, in my view, music grounded in improvisational performance. Which is why Eric Marienthal's "Easy Street" (ie records) is the first one in the stack to move off the instrumental pop stack and onto my jazz shelf. Marienthal certainly reflects an affection for R&B on the disc, and even shows touches of hip hop on tracks like "New Jack Saturday," but this moves past the R&B and pop categories by virtue of the improvisational feel that Marienthal imparts, with an able assist from producer Lee Ritenour. Ritenour, who was playing "contemporary jazz" when there was no "contemporary jazz," is a producer and player who understands where the jazz half of the equation comes from, and gives the talent of Eric Marienthal room to express itself. Ritenour shows up again as the driving force behind "A Twist Of Jobim," a multi-artist tribute to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim. The bossa nova has been a vital element of the jazz repetiore since Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz popularized it with the American jazz audience a quarter of a century ago, and it's a perfect sound for the smooth jazz audience. With players like Marienthal, Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Herbie Hancock and the Yellowjackets on hand, the jazz manages to dominate the smooth, which just comes with the compositional territory. With singers like Oleta Adams, El DeBarge and Al Jarreau aboard, count on accessibility that makes this one a genuine crossover hit. But put it on the jazz shelf. Ritenour is joined on the list by a pair of other guitarists, Earl Klugh and Hiram Bullock. Klugh, whose credits include time with Yusef Lateef, George Benson and Return To Forever, delivers up enough instrumental mastery on "The Journey" (Warner Bros.) to merit space on anyone's jazz shelf. He certainly made it to mine. Displaying the improvisational dexterity that has made him the premier acoustic guitarist on today's jazz circuit, I only wish that he might have varied the tempo along with the wide range of rhythms he employs on these cuts. Hiram Bullock calls "Carrasco" (Fantasy) his "Spanish" album, referring to the range of Latin rhythms he uses on this, his eight solo effort since 1983. Best known for his TV studio work (he's been a member of Letterman's Late Night Band, the Saturday Night Live house band and served as musical director of David Sanborn's Night Music unit), Bullock can play most anything. Here he plays Latin tinged R&B, mostly. At least, the disc earned a spot on my R&B shelf. It will doubtless earn a spot on the contemporary jazz charts, and may well cross over to the R&B and pop charts. It deserves to. Keyboardist/composer/producer George Duke has racked up a long list of accomplishments since his early fusion trio featuring Jean-Luc Ponty. Along the way he served two terms with Frank Zappa and played with Cannonball Adderly, Billy Cobham and Stanley Clarke, as well as producing everyone from Miles Davis to Deniece Williams. "Is Love Enough" (Warner Bros.) is Duke's 30th solo album and delivers everything from authentic funk ("Kinda Low") to classic fusion ("Back In The Day"). He earns a slot on the jazz shelf in the process. Another keyboardist with extensive credits, primarily as an A-list session player, is Philippe Saisse, who contributes "NeXT Voyage" (Verve Forecast) to the mix. Saisse has an impressive command of the studio and a range of instruments from acoustic piano thru a range of electronic keyboards and percussion. The sound drifts in the direction of New Age sounds, despite the earnest efforts of DJ B-Wiz to funk things up. Give the DJ an A for effort. Give the disc a spot on the instrumental pop shelf. Joe Sample, for years the driving force behind the Crusaders, co-produced "Sample This" with George Duke. He uses the space to update a collection of songs he originally recorded with the Crusaders and as a solo artist. The material, drawn from 1970 to 1982, is variously bluesy and funky. Sample's performances show the improvisational range that kept the Crusaders on top of the commercial jazz scene long after they stopped calling themselves the Jazz Crusaders and took their own shot at chart success by incorporating elements of R&B. There's an undeniable R&B sensibility at play on some of these cuts, as well, but this one makes it to the jazz shelf just the same. Pete Belasco displays considerable talent on keyboards, sax and flute on his debut release, "Get It Together" (Verve Forecast). Described by the label as "jazz tinged pop," I hear it as a pop tinged soul album. Belasco's solid playing and impressive vocal range - he can deliver a Mose Allison flavored blues vocal next to a Marvin Gaye styled upper register soul moan - put him solidly on the R&B shelf. Well, maybe not so solidly. This one will be off the shelf and into the player quite a bit. "What I originally set out to do," says trumpeter Chris Botti "...was to make an instrumental pop record." Which is exactly what he did do. Botti, whose best known gig was with Paul Simon - a great place to learn about pop music - credits Brit poppers like Peter Gabriel and Roxy Music as the influences for his sound on "Midnight Without You" (Verve Forecast). The influences are undeniable and the category, instrumental pop, is exactly where this one belongs. The Contemporary Jazz chart is where it's ended up, though. Which brings up the question, what difference does it make. Of these dozen discs, all aimed toward the "contemporary jazz" market, five should pass muster by any definition of jazz, save that of the hardcore purist. Two more are solid R&B offerings. The other five are pop music, pure and simple. Fine pop music, for the most part, but pop music just the same. So what does it mean when they show up on charts and radio stations that lay claim to the name of jazz? As critic Francis Davis pointed out in an Atlantic Monthly piece last year, "People who have nver really listened to jazz want it to go on sounding the way they've been led to believe it should..." If you've been led to believe that what Boney James or Chris Botti is doing is jazz, you may never know what jazz actually is. Whatever the merits of their music may be, it has the potential to rob the listener of the opportunity to gain a genuine appreciation for the form. The other downside of marketing pop as jazz is the impact it has on jazz artists themselves. As Steve Turre points out, marketing instrumental pop players as jazz players means yeilding prized slots on jazz festival and jazz club stages to players who aren't doing jazz at all. There are few enough venues for jazz artists. It is a loss to artist and listener alike when someone like, say, Paul Taylor, snags a spot on a bill that could have exposed an audience to Turre's Sanctified Shell band, and given the jazz band a well deserved and far too scarce payday. The Contemporary Jazz charts can't be overlooked. There's some fine jazz music to be found there. We'll all be better off, though, when the programmers start to label the pop and R&B they're marketing as jazz correctly. The music will stand on its merits and find its market without diluting the jazz scene and crippling the careers of the men and women who commit to performing America's most original art form. ____________________________________________________________________________ NUSRAT FATEH ALI KAHN: 1947-1997 By Rusty Pipes The Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away last month. He was perhaps the world's foremost qawwal. Starting at a very young age he learned the art of qawwali, a demanding Sufi form of spiritual singing with lyrics in Urdu. His talent lay in the fact that his pitch was always dead on, even in this extended improvisational style. His concerts could last three to five hours and he often took a half hour of singing before he really got inspired. Westerners got to know Khan only after he had already recorded some 100 albums, and had sold millions of copies. Usually his own work was quite simple, with him singing and improvising on the lyrics of a Sufi poem with tabla, harmonium and other traditional instruments as accompaniment. The first Western recording Khan appeared on was the track "Passion," the title cut for Peter Gabriel's 1989 soundtrack to Martin Scorcese's The Last Temptation of Christ. After that he recorded many collaborations with Michael Brook for Gabriel's Real World label, including last year's "Nightsong." Michael Brooks found ways of putting Khan's work into a shorter non-traditional context and once said that they ran out of tape so often that they would have Nusrat sing over a tape loop to capture a long improvisation. These works had the label "ethno-ambient" invented for them because they were so unique, a hybrid of modern Western approaches and instruments, but driven by the ancient devotional qawwali singing. The sound alone impressed deeply, evoking images of the mullahs calling the faithful to prayer. Massive Attack once sampled one of these pieces, "Mus Mus," for a dance mix. Khan said in an interview that he didn't like the sampling because the original meaning of the poetry was lost. Khan's singing received more attention two years ago when Dave Robbins chose Nusrat for parts of the Dead Man Walking soundtrack, making the unlikely pairing with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam on lyrics but also bringing him together with Ry Cooder and others. The sublime music that ensued was the emotional centerpiece in the film's final scene. The height of his exposure came last year to viewers of the VH1 Honors Concert where he was joined by Gabriel, Michael Stipe and many others. Though Khan modified traditional styles quite a lot to participate in these collaborations, his deep spirituality always shone through. One of his lyrics from Dead Man Walking translates to "if we have come to this world, you should love each other, without love it is nothing." He will be missed, but his work will always be with us, calling us to our better selves. ============================================================================ [[[[[[[[ [[[[[[ [[ [[ [[[[[ [[[[[[ [[ [[ [[[[[[ [[ [[ [ [[ [[ [ [ [[ [ [[ [[ [[[[[[[[ [[[[[[ [[ [[ [ [[[[[[ [[ [ [[ [[[[[ [[ [[ [ [[[ [ [ [[[ [[[ [[ [[ [[ [[[[[[ [ [[[[[ [[[[[[ [[ [[ [[[[[[ ============================================================================ ARIA: Favorite Opera Arias. Eugenia Zukerman, Flute; Allan Vogel, Oboe; Dennis Helmich, Piano. [DDD] 73:17 (DELOS DE 3209) Reviewed by Robert Cummings Unlike most reviews, this one ends up as a rather cut and dried affair. The performances are excellent, beyond reasonable reproach; the sound provided by Delos is vivid and sumptuous; and the copious notes are informative. The only question of concern for the potential buyer is whether the concept of the album will appeal. That is, do you like the idea of favorite opera arias played on flute? We've had opera without words, opera transcribed and elaborated on for piano (by Liszt and others), and we've even had opera incorporated into the score of many, sometimes lesser films. Why not, some might ask, have it on flute, then? And what better element of opera to capture than the aria? Actually, not all material on this disc is derived from arias, a good many being duets, with the oboe filling the role of the second voice here. The piano, of course, assumes the orchestral part throughout. The opening selection, in fact, is a duet, Dome epais, le jasmin, from Delibes' Lakme. The players convey its buoyant tranquillity with such an earnest lightness, you're apt to think the transcription as valid an enactment as the original operatic dressing itself. On Track 3 Zukerman and company gently and hypnotically serve up Belle Nuit, o nuit d'amour from Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman. The mood of this simple music is caught about as well as you could expect in any osmotic incarnation. O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi is also well played, but then I'm a sucker for this Puccini aria. To those not familiar with opera, you'll recognize the tune from the Tott's Champagne TV commercial that ran regularly a few years back. The following selection, Quando m'en vo' soletta from Puccini's La Boheme, is one I well remember from my childhood in the 1950's when my sister sang it at home many times. I never got sick of it. Here, it is rendered sweetly and lovingly, almost, ALMOST making you forget its extremely popular operatic origins. The disc is chock full of delights, with three selections from Mozart's Die Zauberflote and many from Puccini. Verdi is conspicuously absent, though. I'll surmise that Zukerman either is not a fan of the great Italian composer or feels his music adapts less well to her instrument. Whatever the case, the disc still contains enough gems to attract those interested in this kind of recital. Strongly recommended. FRED ASTAIRE: Fred Astaire At M-G-M (Rhino) Reviewed by Shaun Dale This could be a tribute to an all-star set of popular music composers - Cole Porter, Harry Warren, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin are among those on hand. Or it could be devoted to any of the co-stars that appear - a cast including Joan Crawford, George Murphy, Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant and Red Skelton. The songs themselves could be the feature - "Steppin' Out With My Baby," "Easter Parade," "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You," "All Of You" "A Couple Of Swells" and "That's Entertainment" are among the 39 tracks on this two CD set. But as notable as all those components might be, the spotlight shines on Fred Astaire, and he reflect the beam back to the lucky listener like a perfectly cut diamond shining in the Sun. While Astaire may not have been the most skillful performer on the M-G-M roster - a strong case could be made that Gene Kelley was a superior dancer, for instance, and Astaire's singing voice could be as reed thin as his lithe dancer's body - he was without doubt the most stylish. And an Astaire performance was all about style. His top hat, tails and walking stick became instantly recognizable icons of movie musicals, promising the viewer transport to a different and better world for a couple of hours, and delivering on the promise every time. He delivers here as well. Whether it's solo voice, a perfectly timed duet or the percussive roll of his tap shoes over the orchestra, every track carries an element of sophisticated joy that no other performer could surpass. The collaboration between Rhino and Turner Classic Movies has produced several outstanding packages so far. This one is of the first rank. Peppered with outtakes and extended versions, along with a full selection of Astaire classics, this one is essential for movie musical buffs and popular music fans in general. Track List: Disc One: Heigh-ho, The Gang's All Here * Please Don't Monkey With Broadway * I've Got My Eyes On You * Here's To The Girls * This Heart Of Mine * If Swing Goes, I Go Too * Yolanda * Steppin' Out With My Baby * It Only Happens When I Dance With You * A Couple Of Swells * Easter Parade * You'd Be Hard To Replace * Shoes With Wings On * A Weekend In The Country * They Can't Take That Away From Me * Manhattan Downbeat * Where Did You Get That Girl? * So Long, Oo-Long, How Long You Gonna Be Gone? * Nevertheless I'm In Love With You * Medley:My Sunny Tennessee/ Who's Sorry Now/So Long, Oo-Long/Thinking Of You/Three Little Words * Disc Two: Every Night At Seven * How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life * You're All The World To Me * I Left My Hat In Haiti * Bachelor Dinner Song * Oops! * Seeing's Believing * Baby Doll * I Wanna Be A Dancin' Man * By Myself * A Shine On Your Shoes * That's Entertainment * Got A Brand New Suit * Triplets * I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan * Paris Loves Lovers * All Of You * Fated To Be Mated * The Ritz Roll And Rock BARTOK: Bluebeard's Castle, Op. 11. Anne Sophie von Otter (Judith); John Tomlinson (Duke Bluebeard); Sandor Eles (Narrator); Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink. Recorded live, February 1996, Berlin. (EMI CLASSICS 7243 5 56162 27 [DDD] 62:56) Reviewed by Robert Cummings This is a rather lush take on Bartok's bloodcurdling opera that offers excellent singing and fine orchestral contributions. Anne Sophie von Otter may not possess the most ideal voice for this role (there should be a bit more sweetness and color here), but she certainly sings with splendid dramatic skills and with her usual vocal beauty, in the end winning you over convincingly. She is without doubt one of the most talented operatic and Lieder singers of the day, and I must confess to being one of the Swedish mezzo's many fans. John Tomlinson is an effective Bluebeard, even if he is a tad on the mellow side. Perhaps he is influenced by the less lurid approach taken here by Haitink, who seems to aim as much toward a humanitarian Bartok as toward that fellow with origins in Transylvania. Overall, EMI's new entry in this fairly crowded field succeeds mainly because of its consistency of approach and brilliant execution. The big moments, the Fifth (track 6) and Seventh Doors (track 8), come across powerfully and with great dramatic effect, even if you yearn for a bit more rawness and brutality in the orchestral playing. Haitink is quite adroit in his phrasing and shaping of the score, catching the work's mystery and sense of doom, its twisted beauty and ineluctable tragedy. He grips you, takes you on a grim tour of that diabolical castle, then lets you go, exhilarated, perversely satisfied from your unsettling encounter with madness and menace. But you also get the human side from his reading, the elements of emotion and (demented) love. As suggested above, there have been many Bluebeards over the years. But this one can surely challenge almost any. EMI offers vivid sound, good notes, and includes the full libretto in Hungarian and English. For fans of von Otter this one is a must; for Bartok fanciers, it's definitely worth a try. THE BEACH BOYS: Endless Summer/Spirit Of America (DCC Compact Classics) Reviewed by DJ Johnson If you know anyone who loves to trash-talk the concept of 24k gold compact discs, grab 'em, tie 'em up, slap some decent headphones on 'em and do a little A/B comparison between these discs and their Capitol counterparts. If that person still insists there is no difference, cut 'em loose. There's nothing more you can do once they're reduced to lying. An A/B comparison of almost any track will result in a clear win for the DCC release, as the presence, punch, clarity and tonal coloring are obviously superior. For a real thrill, do a comparison of "Don't Worry Baby," one of the greatest pop songs ever written and one of the finest production jobs, as well. To hear the clarity of the soul-melting harmony vocals on the gold disc is absolute heaven. Listen to the hand claps in the final minute of "Catch A Wave." On the Capitol disc, they sound like snaps. Firecrackers at a hundred paces. On the DCC disc, they sound like handclaps, a combination of snap AND thud. The same can be said of the tambourine in any number of songs. By God, somebody's actually HITTIN' them thangs! When Endless Summer was released in 1974, The Beach Boys had faded from public consciousness. This greatest hits album sparked a revival that continues, to some degree, to this day. In 1975, Capitol released Spirit Of America, and again the public ate it up. Though these tunes were generally not as well known as the songs on Endless Summer, most were high quality Wilson-craft. "Drive In," "Do You Remember," "Dance Dance Dance," "409," "When I Grow Up To Be A Man," and "Little Honda" are nearly as indispensable as the tracks on Endless Summer, and Bobby Troup's farewell to James Dean, "A Young Man Is Gone," is an a cappella masterpiece. In A/B tests, Spirit Of America (gold) kicks the crap out of its aluminum counterpart. The DCC crew has done its usual stellar job with both of these packages, leaving mono mixes mono, cleaning up murky sections and providing enhanced liner notes on high quality paper. A-plus all around. (DCC Compact Classics: 1-800-301-MUSIC) Track Lists: (Endless Summer): Surfin' USA * Surfer Girl * Catch A Wave * The Warmth Of The Sun * Surfin' Safari * Be True To Your School * Little Deuce Coupe * In My Room * Shut Down * Fun Fun Fun * I Get Around * Girls On The Beach * Wendy * Let Him Run Wild * Don't Worry Baby * California Girls * Girl Don't Tell Me * Help Me, Rhonda * You're So Good To Me * All Summer Long * Good Vibrations (Spirit Of America): Dance, Dance, Dance * Break Away * A Young Man Is Gone * 409 * The Little Girl I Once Knew * Spirit Of America * Little Honda * Hushabye * Hawaii * Drive-In * Good To My Baby * Tell Me Why * Do You Remember? * This Car Of Mine * Please Let Me Wonder * Why Do Fools Fall In Love * Custom Machine * Barbara Ann * Salt Lake City * Don't Back Down * When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) * Do You Wanna Dance? * Graduation Day * Darlin' * I Can Hear Music BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9. Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia and Chorus conducted by Bela Drahos. Hasmik Papian, Soprano; Ruxandra Donose, Mezzo-Soprano; Manfred Fink, Tenor; Claudio Otelli, Bass-Baritone. NAXOS 8.553478 [DDD] 64:55 Reviewed by Robert Cummings This is the capstone to Drahos's Beethoven Symphony cycle and, like his Fourth and Seventh Symphonies which I reviewed a few months back, it is an impressive effort all the way around. The Abaddo/Berlin Philharmonic on Sony was another recent Beethoven Ninth that I found generally successful, though not among the very best in a crowded field. This one from Naxos is at least as good as Abaddo's and may even challenge my previous favorites, the first Bernstein/DG and Harnoncourt/Teldec. The first movement is delivered with muscle and great energy. Try the big statement of the main theme in the development section, beginning at 7:54 (track one), where the Esterhazy ensemble renders the drama with a balance of power and sensitivity, of grandeur and urgency. By comparison Harnoncourt and Abaddo sound less febrile, almost suave, though still convincing in their own ways. Drahos may well deliver the most compelling first movement in any recent recording. Only Bernstein (from 1980), who is also powerful and dramatic here, may be marginally preferable. The second movement catches fire in much the same way, with Drahos deftly capturing the humor and rich contrapuntal detail. Some, however, might desire a greater lightness and flexibility in this scherzo, assessing it as a bit heavy-handed. It is true that his orchestra comes on like gangbusters, with potent fortes and crushing, but perhaps slightly stiff rhythms. In the end, though, the playing is undeniably exciting, and you're left breathless and exhilarated, waiting for the respite that follows in the Adagio. Drahos serves up a brisk Adagio that neither slights the lyricism nor shortchanges the mesmeric serenity. Still, some might prefer a backing off from the throttle a bit to allow the music to breathe and to sing. Personally, I think his tempos and phrasing work well. It is a recent trend to pace this movement (and the whole symphony, for that matter) more briskly than conductors from generations past. Compare, for example, these timings for both the Adagio and the entire work: Bernstein (DG)--17:49 71:04 Jochum (EMI)--16:29 67:45 Szell (Sony)--15:18 65:58 Abaddo (Sony)-- 14:01 66:00 Harnoncourt (Teldec)--13:34 66:44 Drahos (Naxos) --13:05 64:55 But these figures aren't the full story: the three deceased conductors, Bernstein, Jochum, and Szell eliminated a repeat in the scherzo, thereby shedding another two minutes or so from their totals. I could have swelled this chart to include many others, but the trend would pretty much hold true: fleetness and completeness are the order of the day in Beethoven. But Drahos is not just fleet, he imparts weight and muscle, qualities most evident in his reading of the finale. If his rhythms were a tad inflexible in the scherzo, he redeems himself by inducing the chorus to sing with an infectious, almost wild bounce where appropriate (try the passage beginning at 12:54); and otherwise he derives such committed singing from all parties, including the no-name quartet, you're apt to dismiss any criticism Verdi and others made of the vocal writing as hollow carping. In the end, Drahos is completely convincing, from movement to movement, note to note. I may still favor the Bernstein marginally, but the more I hear Harnoncourt, the more I'm likely to rank Drahos above him. I don't reach for Toscanini's Ninth, dated mono sound not being my cup of tea, even if the performance (from March/April 1952) is worth it. In sum, I would say Drahos can rival almost anyone, and with absolutely splendid sound and fine orchestral and vocal support, his is easily the best among the budget entries. You can't go wrong with this purchase. BIG BLUE HEARTS: Self titled (Geffen) Reviewed by Jeff Apter OK, so Chris Isaak could definitely talk to his legal people about this San Fransiscan quartet (quoting their name, their stylings, and their romantic/tragic disposition), but they still have class to spare. Led by the devastating vocal swoon of David Fisher and the crying six-string of Jamie Scott, Big Blue Hearts ponder the whys and wherefores of heartache: from the perky pop of 'Story Of My Life' through to the out-and-out sinister 'Dreaming Of A Woman' and the late-night desperation of 'Live Without Your Love' (all frontrunners if David Lynch ever decides to make a 'Wild At Heart II'). Spare and tuneful, 'Big Blue Hearts' also brings to mind the grandeur of Roy Orbison and the sweet harmonies of the Everly Bros. So they mightn't win awards for originality, but their twangy, sultry pop is stylish and heartfelt - and it's bound to make young female knees tremble. BLUE MOUNTAIN: Homegrown (Roadrunner) Reviewed by Jeff Apter There's no question that Blue Mountain are rootsy purists, right down to the dirt clinging to their boots and their outlaw tales, but that doesn't mean they're averse to the joys of cool, clear pop. If you didn't listen too closely to the bittersweet strum of 'It Ain't Easy To Love A Liar' - frustratingly close to the mark in matters of the heart - you'd swear the song climbed straight off the charts. But Blue Mountain are way too earthy and earnest to find a home on MTV: it's jeans, plaid shirts and gritty Americana all the way for this Mississippi trio. The driving, electric-jug-band surge of 'Bloody 98' or 'Black Dog' (listen up for some barking cameos) typifies their ragged, organic style, as mandolin, banjo and percussion shuffle along at a fair clip. And Cary Hudson's Dylanesque howl really hits home on the quietly desperate 'Pretty Please,' a late-night meditation with a 'Wild Horses' twang. Although this backporch trio rely more on aggression than amplification to get their point across, the wild-rocking 'Generic America' is an exception; this pissed-off call-to-arms puts the boot into a land where 'shopping malls and prison walls all look the same to me.' THE BLUE RAGS:Rag-N-Roll (Sub Pop) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Whoo hoo! The Blue Rags dig deep into the jug band repertoire to produce this recorded party on plastic. You won't find any jugs or kazoos in the mix, though. They stick to a straight lineup of piano, bass, drums and duo guitars for this set of swing, standards and, yes, blues and rags. Honky tonk piano, that is, and hot-licks guitars. "Be My Salty Dog" opens at a breakneck pace and the energy level is consistently high throughout. Nine of the 13 cuts weigh in under three minutes, but these boys pack a ton of music into the time allotted. This express run through the American pop landscape ends up with George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm," and by the time they get there, you'll know that for these guys the title is no boast - it's just a natural fact. Track List: Be My Salty Dog * First Time (One More Time Tonight) * Three Night's Experience * Bourgeois Blues * Sister Kate * Circus Song * Billy Goodbye * Dr. Jazz * Bootlegger Blues * Freight Train * When I Fall * Not Gonna Be Around Here * I Got Rhythm THE BOMB BASSETS: Take A Trip With... (Lookout) Reviewed by DJ Johnson There's no way to avoid having as much fun listening as they obviously had playing this stuff. A few years of working as a unit has shaped these former Sweet Baby and Mr. T Experience members into a great rock and roll band equally adept at three-chord power soakers ("Take A Trip") and well structured power pop ("Just Another Magic Moment," "All I Say Is 'Duh'"). The Bomb Bassets have made one hell of an album here. The originals are hot and memorable, and they even managed to strip Bruce Springsteen's "Girl Of My Dreams" down to a gut level rocker without losing the brilliant vocal harmony arrangement. (Yeah yeah, I know it was a "Bram Tchaikovsky song," but let's be honest. Even when The Bomb Bassets give the song the ride of its life, the hook is pure E-Street.) The cherry, however, is their cover of Swamp Dogg's funky 1970 classic, "Total Destruction To Your Mind," which The Bomb Bassets have now made their very own. This one's well worth whatever they're charging. PETER BROGGS: Rejoice (RAS) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Peter Broggs inaugurated the RAS label sixteen years ago with his album Rastafari Liveth. This new release reprises the title cut from that album and surrounds it with a blend of old Broggs favorites and new tracks that are destined to become classics in their own right. Add a trio of Bob Marley's most Jah conscious compositions ("Cornerstone," "Jah Almighty" and "Thank You Jah") and you have a fine collection of Jah praise and vital riddims. Backed by the Roots Radics band, with Dwight Pinkney (guitars) and Flabba Holt (bass & percussion) leading the way in a unit which is a solid peer of any reggae section you care to name, the songs roll by in a traditional mode. There's no instrumental or studio theatrics here to distract from Broggs' message of Jah love and world peace. Peter Broggs has come a long way from his roots in west Jamaican rasta poverty. His success in recording has made him a world renowned artist with a more comfortable life in the States. That success, though, owes much to the fact that he has never failed to remember where he started from or the bredren and sistren he came up with. He's also never failed to credit that success to Jah. "A true rastaman," he sings "is a righteous man." Peter Broggs is a true rastaman. And this is a righteous disc. Track List: Jah Voice Is Calling * Rejoice * Africa Is Waiting * Jah Almighty * Rastafari Liveth * World Peace Treaty * Jah Run Things * True Rastaman * Thank You Jah * Praise Jah * Survival * Cornerstone * International Farmer DANIEL CARTIER: Avenue A (Rocket/Polygram) Reviewed by Jeff Apter With Jeff Buckley having taken an unfortunate and way-too-early curtain call, the world is in need of a singer-songwriter with a big heart and an epic flair. Enter Daniel Cartier, direct from the New York subway (his debut was actually recorded in the Canal Street station). Cartier's second long-player is top-heavy with mini melodramas, given flight by his emphatic tenor and tempered by a slightly tainted romanticism. Recruiting producer Fred Maher - venerable New Yorker and Matthew Sweet sidekick - sends a clear signal as to what you should expect here: thoughtful, high-octane pop/rock, melody-heavy, wank-lite. Drawing on his own lost days (months, years) of substance overkill, Exeter native Cartier displays an astute eye for human frailties: "Stumbling Home," especially, takes an insider's look at the young and the wasted. Elsewhere, on a title track so autobiographical it reads like a page from his diary, Cartier recalls how 'all day long down in the subway / I was trying to get a message through.' Despite Avenue A's few bum notes - Cartier's vocal aerobics are an acquired taste, an industrial tinge cools some tracks - he manages to deliver his sanguine message loud and clear. CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35; Impromptus 1-3; Fantasie-Impromptu No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66; Berceuse in D-Flat; Op. 57; Barcarolle in F-Sharp, Op. 60; Nocturne in B, Op. 9, No. 3; Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 39. Wilhelm Kempff, Piano. LONDON "The Classic Sound" 452 307-2 [ADD] 68:01 Reviewed by Robert Cummings The name of Wilhelm Kempff is not usually included in the company of the great Chopin pianists of the past and present. Artists such as Rubinstein, Argerich, Moravec, Ohlsson, Cliburn and others are far more likely to be mentioned as eminent interpreters of the great Polish composer's challenging music. Kempff, who died in 1991 in his ninety-sixth year, was usually associated with the composers of his own Germanic background. When he tackled Chopin he often generated a stir. This release is a reissue of performances from 1958 that will surely bolster his controversial reputation in this repertory, a reputation of an outsider, an individualist who chose to go his own way and eschew traditional approaches. His way with Chopin is often understated and fairly lean, though in the Sonata there are sufficient fireworks. Still, even here Kempff is relatively restrained and couldn't be further from the more sumptuous and high-calorie styles of interpretation. And he is certainly no perfectionist: mistakes abound, and you're apt to wonder that another pianist might have done retakes; but this was the 1950's when many older generation artists were still accustomed to the one-take recording process, though surely Kempff here, in the early stereo era, could have made a second or third cut. No doubt, when he was satisfied he had communicated the spirit, if not exactly the letter, of the score, he moved on to the next piece. His funeral march is certainly a highlight in the sonata: grim and chilling in the main theme and consoling yet appropriately icy in the alternate material, he captures the mood and emotions as well as almost any pianist I've heard. In the other pieces here Kempff is always interesting, always provocative. If his Barcarolle sounds a bit insensitive, it is not without a thought-provoking yield in its supplanting of elegance with playfulness, of rich-toned intimacy with curt classicism; and if his Fantasie-Impromptu strikes some as an indifferent run-through, his Berceuse, that follows, is quite effective and enlightening. A worthy reissue, then. But don't expect the expected from Kempff. Good notes, and the sound is a bit hissy and shrill, though eminently listenable. ORNETTE COLEMAN + JOACHIM KUHN: Colors (Harmolodic/Verve) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Two of the principal players from two generations of free jazz, it seems inevitable that Ornette Coleman and Joachim Kuhn would eventually hook up. Each has played in settings ranging from intimate to orchestral, yet each has particular talents that may be best expressed in a duo, as they are here. Within the confines of a duo, the structure and lyricism of free music can sometimes be more accessible than in larger ensembles. That is certainly the case in these eight Coleman compositions, recorded live at the Liepziger Jazztage in August of 1996. Coleman, of course, was on hand for the first wave of free jazz in the late 50s and has become one of its best known expositors. Kuhn first heard Coleman's early quartet work, such as "The Shape of Jazz to Come" and "Free Jazz," as a teenager. Now, some thirty years later, he has realized a longtime dream of playing beside and recording with the master. It's a masterful recording. Coleman's main axe, of course, is the alto sax, but he adds flourishes of trumpet and violin work as well. Kuhn's piano sets Coleman off wonderfully, providing a foundation that turns into a cloud that rains down an attack that forms a stream that enters an ocean of sound that pours from the bell of Ornette's horn. And so on. Those familiar with either or both of these players will naturally want this one. Newcomers to free music, or to these artists, would be well served to use this as a starting point. Track List: Faxing * House Of Stained Glass * Refills * Story Writing * Three Ways To One * Passion Cultures * Night Plans * Cyber Cyber THE CRAMPS: Big Beat From Badsville (Epitaph) Reviewed by Shaun Dale If you're blessed with the least bit of testosterone, the first thing you'll notice about the new Cramps release is that after two decades plus in the punk rock racket, Poison Ivy still looks as good as she wants in a pair of lace stockings and stilletos. If estrogen is your thing, turning the package over will reveal the slightly disturbing reality that Lux Interior looks almost as good in spike heels as you do. Open the box and you'll find 14 tracks of rockabilly madness Cramps style. Yeah! Ivy's guitar playing has never been better, Slim Chance and Harry Drumdini seemed to have reached rhythm section nirvana and Lux, well, he's a madman. I mean that in the nicest way, of course. The material covers the standard range of sex, sleaze and scary monsters. It was especially nice to get an update on the life and times of America's punk rock sweetheart, the immortal Sheena (she's in a goth gang these days) and if the Cramp Stomp isn't the next nationwide dance craze, well, there's just no justice. This disc is more fun than you deserve to have, unless you've been very good indeed. The audio equivalent of two desserts and no veggies for dinner, "Big Beat From Badsville" should be your very next musical aquisition. Track List: Cramp Stomp * God Monster * It Thing Hard-On * Like A Bad Girl Should * Sheena's In A Goth Gang * Queen Of Pain * Monkey With Your Tail * Devil Behind That Bush * Super Goo * Hypno Sex Ray * Burn She-Devil, Burn * Wet Nightmare * Badass Bug * Haulass Hyena DARLAHOOD: Big Fine Thing (Reprise) Reviewed by Shaun Dale This disc has been kicking around for nearly a year, producing the radio hit "Grow Your Own" and providing a base for the band's arduous van tour of the U.S. If you've missed hearing it, you've missed hearing the best New York City based band I've heard in twenty years. It's not too late to fix that problem. Darlahood is drummer Joe Magistro, bassist David Sellar and guitarist Luke Janklow. Janklow is a self described "promiscuous listener" and it shows in the range of sounds packed into the twelve songs here - a dense, rhythmic mix of metal, psychedelia, hard rock and a little of the old this and that. Janklow's guitar style is centered on a hard driving rhythmic style which is supported and surrounded by Magistro and Sellar, who help put the power back in "power trio." This may be the best power trio debut since an American lad joined up with a couple Brits in a band called the Experience. Not that Janklow's a flash guitarist - he's more interested in delivering the song than standing out. It's just that the songs are so damn good and his playing fits them so damn well that he can't help standing out. Well, actually, he does take his turn. "RSVP" is about eight minutes of wah-squack-scream-stomp-maximum R&R guitar assault on the senses. In other words, it's just about perfect. When it drops into the 12 string from another planet sound of "Hey Baby (Take Me With You)," well, you'll just have to hear it to appreciate it. Combine all of the above with batch of songs that reflect a sarcastic sense of humor that never descends into a cynical whine, and "Big Fine Thing" turns out to be the best album I missed last year. If you missed it too, don't let any more time slip away. Track List: Grow Your Own * 99% Bulletproof * Sister Dementia * Big Fine Thing * Runaway Clocks * Watch Your Mouth * Do Nature Boy * Not Again * New York City * I've Got Pictures * RSVP * Hey Baby (Take Me With You) AL DiMEOLA: This is Jazz 31 (Columbia / Legacy) Reviewed by Steve Marshall It was the mid-70's. The jazz scene was brimming with gifted young guitarists. Pat Metheny, Steve Morse and Lee Ritenour are just a sampling of the talent that was around. Al DiMeola began his career in 1974 as the guitarist for Return to Forever. After a brief two-year stint in the band, he embarked on a solo career. His solo records have touched on jazz, rock, and classical, as well as several other styles. After leaving Columbia in the early 80's, he began experimenting with the synclavier and seemed to steer away from the electric guitar. DiMeola's guitar prowess is presented here in a multitude of musical settings. From the articulate "Ritmo de la Noche" to the tropical "African Night" to the playful duet with Chick Corea, "Short Tales from the Black Forest" and the live version of "Cruisin'," highlights abound on the CD. Legacy has done a superb job with its This is Jazz series so far, and this disc doesn't disappoint. Aside from a few glaring omissions (where's "Elegant Gypsy"?), this is a great introduction to one of the world's finest guitarists. TRACK LIST: Race With Devil on Spanish Highway * Ritmo de la Noche * Short Tales of the Black Forest * Nena (live) * Fantasia Suite for Two Guitars * African Night * Cruisin' (live) * Spanish Eyes * Passion, Grace and Fire * Silent Story in Her Eyes * Sarabande From Violin Sonata in B Major THE ELECTRAS: Best of The Electras (Get Hip) (also featuring The Scotsmen & The Victors) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Side one of this Get Hip vinyl release is devoted to eight tracks recorded by The Electras for Minneapolis' Scotty Records in 1966-67. Aside from the Yardbirds' cover "I'm Not Talking", there are a couple original tracks and a handful of songs written by their producer, Warren Kendrick. This is great stuff, classic Brit Invasion-inspired garage rock. If these tracks had been recorded on either coast by a band with access to the major label A&R scouts of the day, you'd be hearing them on oldies stations across the nation to this day. Built around the guitar tag team of Bill and Earl Bulinski and the driving vocals of Tim Elfving, the band had a sound that will delight garage connoisseurs everywhere. Side two opens with a pair of Kendrick compositions by the Scotsmen, an apparent reference to the Scotty label. "Beer Bust Blues" is a novelty rocker and "Scotch Mist" a snatch of surf inspired instro. The Victors, who round out the album, are essentially the Scotsmen without Kendrick and with a new vocalist. They turn in a set of quality covers from several sources including the Young Rascals and the Yardbirds. An above average cover band, their facility with these tunes outshines the originals they produced under the Scotsmen tag. This may be Get Hip's strongest offering of mid-west garage rock so far, high praise considering the general quality of the material they've released from IGL Records and other sources. If it's not, I want to hear what's better, because I sure enjoyed this one. Track List: Side One: The Electras/Dirty Old Man * Soul Searchin' * This Week's Children * Action Woman * I'm Not Talkin' * Pregnant Pig * 'Bout My Love * Won't Take No For An Answer Side Two: The Scotsmen/Beer Bust Blues * Scotch Mist * The Victors/ Midnight Hour * I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore * One More Time * Mister You're A Better Man Than I * Little Girl FISH: Sunsets on Empire (Viceroy/Lightyear) Reviewed by Steve Marshall For those of you who think this is the new CD by Phish, it's not. Fish is the ex-lead singer/songwriter for Marillion. When Fish (whose real name is Derek Dick) left the band in 1987, Marillion replaced him with a new lead singer. To longtime fans, however, they were never the same. Fish was more willing to take chances and forged ahead musically, while Marillion evolved into little more than a Journey clone. On his newest CD, Sunsets on Empire, Fish teamed up with a new collaborator named Steve Wilson. Musically, the new album is a bit different than previous ones. The lyrics are more politically charged, yet they still manage to retain the cinematic imagery of his earlier work. Three of the songs--"The Perception of Johnny Punter," "Jungle Ride" and "What Colour is God?"--feature spoken word sections, which add to the depth and power of the material. Fish once said that if he were to leave the music business, he would probably write plays or film scripts. Sunsets on Empire is basically just that--a film script, with the musical score already in place. Highlights include the excellent "Johnny Punter," "Goldfish and Clowns," "Tara" (inspired by Fish's daughter), "Jungle Ride," and the first single "Brother 52" (also included as a video on the CD-ROM portion of the disc). Sunsets on Empire easily ranks along with Fish's best solo material, in some cases surpassing his previous works. BELA FLECK: Double Time (Rounder) Reviewed by Shaun Dale While Bela Fleck has made a lot of wonderful music since this 1984 collection was originally issued, I can think of at least 13 reasons you should slip into your local purveyor of aluminized product and snag the new CD version right about now. They are: Bela Fleck + Mark O'Connor, David Grisman, Tony Rice, Edgar Meyer, Mark Schatz, Jerry Douglas, Mike Marshall, John Hartford, Darol Anger, Pat Flynn, Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush. These 13 duets (two with Marshall, one apiece for the rest) show at least that many facets of the shining jewel that Bela Fleck, the most creative 5-string banjo player on the scene then and now, is. This one really is too good to miss. Track List: Spunk (w/Mark O'Connor, fiddle) * Black Forest (w/David Grisman, mandolin) * Double Play (w/Tony Rice, guitar) * Lowdown (w/Edgar Meyer, bass) * The Bullfrog Shuffle (w/Mark Schatz, nylon string banjo) * Another Morning (Jerry Douglas, dobro) * Light Speed (w/Mike Marshall, octave mandolin) * Sweet Rolls (w/John Hartford, banjo) * Ladies & Gentleman (w/Darol Anger, cello) * Right As Rain (w/Pat Flynn, guitar) * Far Away (w/Mike Marshall, mandolin) * Ready To Go (w/Ricky Skaggs, fiddle) * The Fast Lane (Sam Bush, mandolin) T-MODEL FORD: Pee Wee Get My Gun (Fat Possum) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Ah. The Delta blues. The mean, low down, dirty Delta blues. Played by a gen-u-wine Delta bluesman. A mean, low down, dirty Delta bluesman. "I was a-sure-enough dangerous man," T-Model says of his younger days, misspent and spent in part on a Mississippi chain gang. He plays the blues like that to this day, at approximately 75 (T-Model is no more sure of his age than he is of the number of times he's gone to jail). Joined by Spam, his drummer/companion for nearly a decade, and by Frank Frost (keyboards) and Sam Carr (drums) on a pair of tracks, Ford is as basic a model as the motor car he's named for. A driving rhythm on the electric guitar is backed by the simplest drum kit - he'll only allow Spam the use of a snare and bass drum - and a voice that carries with it every mile he's plowed behind a mule, every day he spent on the chain gang, every hour he worked in the saw mill and every night he's spent pounding the blues in a Greenville, Mississippi juke joint. Fat Possum's Bruce Watson lured him into studios for most all the tracks except "Can't Be Touched," which T-Model recorded at home. You can put the man in the studio, though, but you can't take the field out of the man. The sound is as rough and pure as a Smithsonian field recording, no matter what environment it was recorded in. It's the nat'chul blues, nothing but, and all of that. "Nobody get's me down," T-Model sings, and while no one may *knock* him down, or *keep* him down, T-Model Ford, or at least T-Model's blues have been gotten down on disc. And you should get down to wherever you get such things and get them. Track List: Cut You Loose * T-Model Theme Song * Been A Long Time * Turkey And The Rabbit * Can't Be Touched * Nobody Gets Me Down * I'm Insane * Where You Been * Feels So Bad * Sugar Farm * Let Me In THE FOUR TOPS: Keepers Of The Castle - Their Best 1972-1978 (MCA) Reviewed by DJ Johnson At the end of 1971, The Four Tops bolted from Motown Records after 11 years as one of Berry Gordy's most successful acts. Their first album for ABC's Dunhill Records was Keeper Of The Castle. This collection borrows the title and a few tracks from that great R&B/soul record while covering the full span of their association with ABC. 1972 to 1978 was a successful period for The Four Tops, but this isn't the body of work you probably associate with the group. Their Motown output, mostly written and produced by the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, was incredibly memorable and is still played daily on classic rock stations all over the world. It would be a shame to simply dismiss their post-Motown period, however, and this collection should convince you of that. "Ain't No Woman Like The One I've Got," "Are You Man Enough," "Save It For A Rainy Day," "Love Music," "Sweet Understanding," "One Chain Don't Make No Prisoner" and, to be honest, nearly everything else here could be held up as prime examples of 70s R&B. If you just have The Four Tops Anthology collection, you're only getting half of the story. CONNIE FRANCIS: Where The Boys Are (Rhino) Reviewed by John Sekerka The time is pre-fab four sixties, and music stars are being shuffled in front of the camera as Hollywood discovers a new audience: the teenager. While Frankie and Annette are kicking up sand on the beach, and Elvis is wooing puppy-eyed maidens with song, a stern, starchy, petite brunette college co-ed is cavorting in Fort Lauderdale. Hot on the heels of her tear-jerking smash 'Who's Sorry Now,' Connie Francis made a difficult transition to film, but her awkward and stoic performance seemed to capture the imagination of North American youth, as 300,000 of them descended upon Fort Lauderdale to live out their wildest dreams. 'Where the Boys Are' was a landmark smash, spawning countless sequels and imitations, but it clearly stands on it's own as Connie Francis' springboard. This collection of soundtrack material, spanning three other movies, showcases Francis' wallowing vocal in her trademark weepy ballad style, but also features some raucous uptempo numbers as well as steamy jazz pieces, - both sides in evidence on dramatically different takes of "Looking For Love," one a great rockin' doo-woppy version, the other a smoky nightclub take. This certainly is a historic timepiece that hearkens back to a very short era (the British invasion would see to that), but one that is worth searching out. As a treat the good folks at Rhino have included four bonus demo cuts featuring Francis backed only by a piano. On the beginning of "Let's Have a Party," Connie prods her piano player "pick it up Stan" - you can tell that the girl just wanted to rock, and it sounds oh so fresh without all that lush orchestration. JIMI HENDRIX: South Saturn Delta (MCA/Experience Hendrix) Reviewed by Steve Marshall There's big news brewing for Hendrix fans. A new album, South Saturn Delta, hits the stores on October 7th. Consisting of tracks from his entire career, the new album is sure to thrill fans both old and new. Several songs are previously unreleased, and all but one of them are making their domestic CD debut. Liner notes weren't firmed up at press time, so I can't be as specific about things (musician credits, etc.) as I would like. In most cases, though, the music speaks for itself. The CD starts with "Look Over Yonder," a blistering tune with some fierce soloing from Hendrix. "Little Wing" sounds like an instrumental version of "Angel." The liner notes explain the similarity, but you can decide for yourself. Bottom line: it's cool. On "Here He Comes," you can really hear his true musical genius at work. Recorded live in the studio (take one, no less), this track absolutely SMOKES! One of the best cuts on the CD. "Message to the Universe" is a cool, embryonic version of "Message to Love." "Tax Free," "Midnight" and "Bleeding Heart" are the same as the versions on War Heroes. The sound quality on "Midnight" is much better than it was on the Voodoo Soup CD, but they edited the intro. "All Along the Watchtower" is only slightly different. Now it has a countdown intro, and the effects are gone from the solo. Another highlight on South Saturn Delta is "Sweet Angel." This early version of "Angel" is an entertaining look at the song in progress, and features Hendrix on all the instruments. The only drawbacks are that the track fades up into the first verse, and there are some minor dropouts past the three-minute mark. "Pali Gap" is one of Jimi's best-loved songs among diehard fans. The intro, missing from the Voodoo Soup CD, has been restored, and although they faded the ending to mask the tape hiss, the song sounds better than ever. Last, but certainly not least, is the solo version of "Midnight Lightning." Just Jimi and his acoustic, this one is over all too soon. Overall, South Saturn Delta is a better album than the last 'new' release, First Rays of the New Rising Sun. While aimed mainly at his existing fan base, those with just a casual interest in Hendrix's music are sure to enjoy it too. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN (and anonymous composers): Chants for the Feast of St. Ursula. The Anonymous 4 (Ruth Cunningham, Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, Johanna Maria Rose). HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907200 [DDD] 72:07 Reviewed by Robert Cummings This album is entitled "11,000 Virgins" and has been heavily hyped by Harmonia Mundi. And with good reason: the Anonymous 4 have not only garnered high praise for their performances of Medieval and religious music, but at least two of their recordings, Miracles of Sant'iago and On Yoolis Night, have hit the charts, attracting the so-called "crossover" segment among potential buyers. The group's successes are not difficult to understand: their beautiful, mostly unison singing produces a sound that combines a sweet mellowness with a kind of mesmeric serenity. If you like the many chant discs flooding the market and have not yet heard this quartet, you'll no doubt take to their disarming simplicity of approach in this challenging corner of the vocal repertory. If you already know their work, you'll probably need no coaxing to purchase this CD. The disc's title refers to the fifth century legend of St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins who, returning from a religious pilgrimage, were said to be slaughtered in Cologne by Attila the Hun when they refused to submit to concubinage. Actually, there may well have been only a handful of virgins accompanying Ursula, exaggeration that often accompanies legend accounting for the possibly inflated number. In any event, the martyrdom of these innocent women moved composers, writers, and clergy to extol them for many centuries to come. Hildegard (1098-1179) wrote several chants inspired by this legend. Seven of the eighteen selections here are hers; the remainder are from anonymous sources, identified in the album booklet listings usually by location, edition and a time. The first track, for example, contains an Antiphon (Auctori vite psalmis) and Invitatory (Venite exsultemus domino) that are attributed to "Karlsruhe LX (13th c.)." The music on the disc spans the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, though there's little stylistic dissimilarity throughout the eighteen pieces. Those by the mystic nun and canonized saint, Hildegard of Bingen will, of course, draw the most attention. It is one of the ironies of our age that nine centuries after her birth she has become a cult figure (surely not by her design), with a worldwide popularity surpassing that of many talented artists who have taken great pains to advance their careers and fame. To cite just a few examples of the impressive artistry here, try Hildegard's Symphonia virginum: O dulcissime amator (track 2), where this quartet finds a perfect balance between religious ecstasy and seductive vocalism, between reverential solemnity and sonorous beauty. This is truly a compelling performance of an inspired chant, perhaps the best music on the disc. Jesu corona virginum (track 3), attributed to the Ahrweil Antiphoner (13th c.), sounds like the precursor to Pange Lingua (Sing, my tongue), traditionally sung on Holy Thursday in the Roman Catholic Church. Whatever the case, the Anonymous 4 deliver it serenely and sweetly. Try also Hildegard's Cum vox sanguine (track 14), where the group convey a sense of hope and spirituality with soothing yet incisive vocalism. Not only is everything here beyond reproach, but nothing is less than utterly compelling. Excellent sound too, and full texts. Incidentally, I reviewed this CD from an advance copy, and I'm told it will actually go on sale beginning September 9. Highly recommended. ROBYN HITCHCOCK: Uncorrected Personality Traits The Robyn Hitchcock Collection' (Rhino) Reviewed by Jeff Apter Don't confuse the sweet, strange Robyn Hitchcock with the 'Weird' Al Yankovics of the world: Hitchcock's so-called 'wackiness' is strictly his own perception of the troubled world outside his window. He doesn't search for peculiarity, it somehow finds him. And this cosmic British tunesmith has a steady hand with melody, not just malady; he was jangle-popping well before REM Rickenbackered their way into the mainstream. The 20 tracks of 'Uncorrected Personality Traits' pulls together highlights from his 15 years and nine albums of post-Soft Boys waywardness: "Acid Bird"'s trippy dementia, the noirish intrigue of "Raymond Chandler Evening," the mantra-like title track, numerous psychotic singalongs - headed by the irresistible "The Man With the Lightbulb Head" and the dreamy delight that is "Airscape." "City Of Shame" takes a harder, rocking turn, while the haunting cinematic instrumentals "Nocturne" and "Heart Full Of Leaves" suggest Hitchcock should, like a certain portly namesake, be dabbling in film. As for the cult of Robyn Hitchcock, Uncorrected's liner notes offer useful insights into the allure of the man: as Carl from Pittsburgh tells us, "never have death, decay and emotional dysfunction been so catchy." JOHN LEE HOOKER: His Best Chess Sides (MCA/Chess) Reviewed by DJ Johnson The liner notes open with a Keith Richards quote that sums it all up quite simply: "You're not going to mistake John Lee Hooker for anybody else." And there's a lot of irony in that statement, too, because during the 50s and 60s, Hooker was infamous for slipping the bonds of his recording contracts by changing his name and recording sides for other labels. This was probably less an attempt to fool anyone than a simple matter of "yeah, well prove it!" These tracks are culled from Hooker's Chess output, ranging from 1950 to 1966. There is so much John Lee Hooker available that it's sometimes hard to sort it all out, and it's certainly inaccurate to say his Chess sides are all that matters, but each and every track here comes with a long list of reasons for recommendation. Hooker himself is incredible on every tune, whether weaving his endless boogie ("Leave My Wife Alone," "Walkin' The Boogie," "Mad Man Blues") or nursing a bad case of loneliness ("The Waterfront"), yet his supporting cast is nearly as brilliant. Lafayette Leake's piano work on "Let's Go Out Tonight" infuses the tune with a playful spirit and more than a little "wow" factor. Eddie Kirkland and Eddie Burns played their asses off on several tracks. The liners credit no sidemen for most of the tracks, but it's probably safe to assume Chess warriors like Willie Dixon (bass) and Fred Below (drums) were involved. As part of MCA's Chess Records 50th anniversary series, this CD enjoys classy packaging and enough PR push to sell a lot of units. That translates to future editions, and I'm all for it. The sound is quite good, as well, thanks in part to a fine digital remastering job by Erick Labson. Hard to believe 30 years have passed, especially when we turn on our TVs and see the great John Lee Hooker, guitar growling and foot a'stomping, selling soft drinks. The 80 year old's similarity to the Energizer Bunny isn't lost on the aforementioned Mr. Richards. "I think I'm getting on, but this guy gives you hope." TRACK LIST: Mad Man Blues * Louise * Ground Hog Blues * High Priced Woman * Leave My Wife Along * Sugar Mama * Walkin' The Blues (alternate) * Bluebird * Please Don't Go * Blues For Big Town * Worried Life Blues * I'm In The Mood * Let's Go Out Tonight * The Waterfront * One Bourbon, One Scotch, & One Beer THE HYPNOMEN: Supersonico (Stupido Twins Records) Reviewed by DJ Johnson Up until a few days ago, this was the newest release by Helsinki, Finland's instromaniacs known as The Hypnomen. Supersonico is the band's CD debut, which in itself may start a few arguments. If ever there was a band with a sound made for vinyl, it's The Hypnomen. Yes, some of the warmth is lost. Yes, it's over-bright in places. Yes, it's still The Hypnomen, and that means great instro-rock that lives somewhere between surf and psychosis. Though most of these tracks were recorded last year (and three of them are at least three years old), Supersonico reveals a maturing band with a sound that had already begun to gel. Interesting themes were being explored, like the western sound of "Death Came From Durango" that has been continued on their new 10" EP, We Three Hypnomen (see review in this issue). The best moments, though, happen when they go for the knockout. "Brainwasher" has a hook that would impress Joe Frasier, and "Psycho From Ipanema" is blast-furnace intense. There's your key word: "intense." Like nuclear dreams and wicked roller coaster rides, The Hypnomen's music is Goddamned intense. Supersonico contains 15 radioactive servings. (Stupido Twins Records: PO Box 301, 00121 Helsinki, Finland. E-Mail stupido@cute.fi) THE HYPNOMEN: We Three Hypnomen (Suave Recordings) Reviewed by DJ Johnson This is the latest Hypnomen release, a 10" EP hot off the press and ready to fly. With their mid-fi instrumental mayhem in full ferocity, it's best to wear shades while listening to this one. After a relatively weak opening track ("We Three Hypnomen"), which almost seems like a muscle-flex or a quick stretch before running, the festivities begin in earnest with "Saroonie," one of their finest tunes to date. From there on in it's classic Hypnomania, a twisted, surreal sound that only this trio from Helsinki, Finland, know how to make. "Shawnee" rides off into the wild west with all the twists in place; like Death Valley on acid. The first two tracks on side two, "Vigilante Rider" and "Fuego Malo," fly off in their own directions, but there's still a thread of the old west in each. A western trilogy? Maybe! This EP goes out with a bang. "Satan Took My Lung" percolates, expands, melts and finally explodes. Pekka Laine's guitar tone near the end of the track just... well, it HURTS! There's grit, and then there's jagged, toothed, spiked, mean spirited, razor sharp tone. And this ain't grit! Survivors will join me in anxiously awaiting the next Hypnomen release. (Suave Recordings: PO Box 4257, S-102 66 Stockholm, Sweden. Visit their website at http://www.cabal.se/suave/hypnomen, and be sure to read the interview with Pekka Laine in this issue of Cosmik Debris.) JACKYL: Cut The Crap (Epic) Reviewed by DJ Johnson "Who are all these goobers who say what's cool, what's not cool? What's hip, what's not hip? Yeah, I might be a one hit wonder, I might not. But then again it might only take me one hit to knock your teeth down your Goddamned throat!" Do you get the impression somebody's tired of being put down by the press? Jackyl's an easy target because they never changed with the times, choosing to stick to their 80s metal guns and thumb their noses at the alternative germ that infected so many of their contemporaries. The target becomes tougher to resist when you factor in their habit of channeling Guns N' Roses and riffing for all their worth. Oh, and critics love to bitch about bands recording with bigger stars to bolster their sales. In this case, the star is AC/DC's Brian Johnson, who trades shrieks with Jesse Dupree on "Locked And Loaded." If all of these negatives sound as good to you as they do to me, read on. Cut The Crap contains a few dreadful clunkers, but the hottest tracks are as good as, and probably better than, anything in the metal bins these days. The title track, in particular, kicks like Everclear, with a rapid fire rhythm and a cleverly integrated chainsaw solo. Yeah, a chainsaw! It's been done before, usually badly, but Dupree nails it. (The liners inform us that "Jesse Dupree uses Jansered chainsaws." Thanks, liners.) The list of cons is so long that I should hate this album, but I can't. Even when they mug AC/DC by saying "can I stick my lovin' into you" in "Push Pull." It's a power thing. A wall of guitars thing. Moves the feet. Funny thing about feet: they don't seem to know when they're supposed to hate something. Perhaps a line from "Push Pull" says it best: "Standing in a pile of shit, I come out smelling like a rose." But hey, it's really good shit. ETTA JAMES: Her Best (MCA/Chess) Reviewed by DJ Johnson I have to admit up front that there are few singers in the world who can melt away my cares like Etta James can, but since we're talking about a collection of her hit recordings, critical discrimination isn't an issue. There's no debate about the quality of the songs, and there sure as hell ain't no debate about the delivery. This collection, part of the Chess Records 50th Anniversary series on MCA, looks like class, feels like class, and sounds like class. The presentation of the Chess series is quite fine all the way down the line, and from the handful of discs that I've heard thus far, I can recommend a buying frenzy. Begin with Etta. Her growling, bluesy voice was made for the material she performed before her Chess years, when she prowled the stage and kicked out hard edged blues like few before her. Amazing, then, that she could change directions in mid-career and make some of the most beautiful and emotional soul and pop records of the 60s, including timeless masterpieces like "Sunday Kind Of Love," "I'd Rather Go Blind," "Stop The Wedding," and her signature piece, "At Last." Her Best has all of that, plus a handful of her rowdier tunes like "Tell Mama," "Two Sides To Every Story," and "In The Basement, Part One," her duet with Sugar Pie DeSanto. The sound quality is generally very good, thanks partly to the high standards of the original producers, Ralph Bass and Billy Davis, and thanks in part to Erick Labson's skillful digital remastering job. The liner notes include a short bio and a fairly informative track listing that includes producers, approximate recording dates and, where ever possible, a list of musicians. All in all, a very nice job by MCA. If you've never built a fire and kicked back with a glass of wine and an Etta James record, you've missed an essential experience. Her Best is a wonderful collection that can help you make up for lost time. RICKIE LEE JONES: Ghostyhead (Reprise) Reviewed by DJ Johnson Being a Rickie Lee Jones fan has never been boring. For those who only know Jones for one record, "Chuck E.'s In Love," an album like Ghostyhead might be overwhelmingly confusing. Without the seemingly random sequence of musical events of Jones' entire career to guide you, this new direction would make no sense. But just as Joe Jackson's fans have learned while following him from power pop to big band to classical, Rickie Lee's fans know that the key is in active listening. She doesn't produce fluff. If Rickie recorded it, there's something worthwhile there. (Those who would counter that statement with "Pop Pop" simply missed the point of that sweet and simple album.) The 1997 version of Rickie Lee Jones is into hip-hop. After a few years of listening and filtering that genre into her own musical backyard, she's again done something worthwhile and unique. Where others mirror, Rickie creates and adds to the vocabulary of the genre. Don't expect typical hip-hop phrasing or bravado. The music is still very much within Rickie's sound, and she is still a storyteller first and foremost, as well as a creator of fascinating characters. Rickie's co-conspirator on Ghostyhead is Rick Boston, formerly of Low Pop Suicide, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the computer gets equal billing with the guitar or piano. And yet there was a lot of bitching from the music press when the album was first released. They needn't worry. This is all about texture and perspective. As long as Rickie Lee Jones continues to seek fresh sources of each, the music will take care of itself. THE JOYKILLER: Three (Epitaph) Reviewed by Shaun Dale The appropriately titled third release from The Joykiller is an unqualified genre smashing success musically. With Jack Grisham of the fabled SoCal punkers T.S.O.L. and Gun Club bassist Billy Persons in the lineup, this is a band with punk rock street cred to spare. The addition of Ronnie King on keyboards (the lineup is filled out by Sean Greaves on guitar and drummer Billy Blaze Price) provides sonic possibilities that reach way past your run of the mill thrash band, though, and the songs have a tough pop structure that puts The Joykiller in a league of its own. The "pop-punk" tag is just too easy. There's more here than that. The songs have a no compromise attitude that's enhanced by solid musicianship and outstanding vocal performances by Grisham. The band's last release, "Static," put them at the top of Flipside Magazine's '96 reader's poll for Best Band and at number two for Best CD/LP. "Three" should produce a clean sweep in '97. There are a few cuts that use language that is absolutely necessary in context and absolutely impossible on the radio. There are at least ten others that should be in heavy rotation on every station with the least pretension of being a rock outlet. If you don't hear music from this disc everywhere over the next few months, well, that will tell you everything you need to know about how lame and corrupt contemporary rock radio really is. Do your bit. Buy this disc. Buy one for a friend. Push it onto the sales charts. Call the biggest station in town and request your favorite cut every damn day till they play it. Pull it into the airplay charts. Buy copies for Christmas presents. Give one away every day of Chanakuh. Really. This one is too good to go unnoticed. Have I made myself perfectly clear? Are you sure? OK, then, you have your assignment. Me, I'm going to hit replay again. Track List: What It's Worth * She's Something Else * The Doorway * Ordinary * Another Girl * Love You Now * Your Girlfriend * Supervision * Know It All * Promises * Anyone But You * Sex Attack * Record Collection * Make Love To You * Once More K'S CHOICE: Paradise In Me (550 Music/Epic) Reviewed by Shaun Dale The Flemish Pop Invasion has landed! Well, maybe not quite. But if Belgium is hiding a few more bands as talented as K's Choice, well, just maybe... Armed with a radio and MTV hit ("Not An Addict") and the considerable songwriting talents of singer Sarah Bettens and her brother Gert, who also contributes vocals along with guitar and keyboards, this is a band that can serve up an aching love song next to a song of social import and season the mix with the hard pop of "Old Woman" or the lighthearted singalong "Something's Wrong." Played over everything from scorching guitar licks to a string quartet, the sound could be all over the map, but my bet is they'll be all over the charts instead. The wide ranging components of the sound are held together by songs featuring lyrics that range from catchy to mysterious and a voice (Sarah's) that puts them at the head of the "girl-power" pack. Besides, my ultimate test is pretty simple. I look for at least one song that makes me say "I wish I wrote that." It's here. I'll let you figure out which one... Track List: Not An Addict * A Sound That Only You Can Hear * White Kite Fauna * Mr. Freeze * Song For Catherine * To This Day * Iron Flower * Wait * Paradise In Me * My Record Company * Only Dreaming * Dad * Old Woman * Something's Wrong JIMMY KING & THE KING JAMES VERSION BAND Soldier For The Blues (Bullseye Blues) Reviewed by Shaun Dale A veteran of Albert King's road band (King passed along the family name) and his family act, the Gales Brothers Band, Jimmy King's third Bullseye release is a solid scorcher. Producer Willie Mitchell penned the opening cut, "Living In The Danger Zone," and King serves notice of his serious intentions right out of the box. With wicked guitar fills reminiscent of his mentor, Albert, and his late contemporary, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and a strong, to the point vocal delivery, Jimmy King pays tribute to the tradition while carving out his own spot to stand on. King also demonstrates some fine writing skills on originals such as "Life Is Hard" and "You Ain't Bullet Proof." On "We'll Be Together Again" he shows an appealing ability to drop into a smoother R&B groove that may provide an avenue to more commercial appeal than his tougher blues style might provide. If that became a route to the blues for some new listeners so much the better. Solid songs, singing and playing add up to a new release that's appealing in every aspect. That's the gospel truth. Track List: Living In The Danger Zone * Drawers * I'm Doing Fine * Life Is Hard * I Don't Need Nobody That Don't Need Me * We'll Be Together Again * Soldier For The Blues * You Ain't Bullet Proof * It Takes A Whole Lot Of Money * Don't Wanna Go Home * It Ain't The Same No Mo * I Got Sick One Day KORNGOLD: Symphony in F-Sharp; Einfache Lieder, Op. 9; Mariettas Lied (from Die Tote Stadt). The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Granz Welser-Most; Barbara Hendricks, Soprano. EMI CDC 7243 5 56169 2 0 [DDD] 63:00 Reviewed by Robert Cummings The Symphony in F-Sharp is said by many to be Korngold's greatest work. Detractors, and their number is not small, would comment, "Yes, and Edward Bulwer Lytton's greatest work was The Last Days of Pompeii." But Korngold, arch-conservative that he was, could be a composer of great substance. It may well be true that his father, the noted music critic Julius Korngold, impeded his son's development by his insistence upon the traditional, the tried-and-true, the beaten path. Who knows? Whatever the case, this symphony, from 1952, is a great achievement, even if it arrived on the scene quite out of fashion, a throwback to a previous era. Had it appeared fifty years earlier, it would unquestionably have been greeted as a milestone, another step forward, a masterpiece. Should the time of its composition actually matter? Those who listen to music for its influence and its fashionableness would say yes. Many in this dubious camp look to Stravinsky and Schoenberg as their heroes. It is an irony that Stravinsky couldn't write a catchy tune to save his life, and that Schoenberg stopped writing conventional melodies when he turned to his serial technique. Korngold, of course, was one of this century's greatest tunesmiths. And this muscular, beautiful symphony is proof of that, if proof were ever needed. The Symphony opens with music that seems prescient of one of the dances from Bernstein's West Side Story: xylophone and piano, accompanied by staccato chords from the orchestra, announce a rhythmic figure, over which a clarinet delivers the main theme, a dour-sounding melody that leaps upward, then tumbles downward. Those who know Korngold from his film scores and violin concerto may be taken aback by the tougher expressive language here, by the more modern-sounding idiom. This first movement, on the whole, bears a relationship to Korngold's other music much like the Fourth Piano Concerto does to Rachmaninov's. Still, it's hardly challenging stuff for 1950's. The ensuing movements are a bit more mellow. The Scherzo is lively and good-natured, and features an heroic theme on horn (track 2; 1:35) that is far removed from Korngold's Vienna, but not far from his adopted Hollywood. The exotic, sentimental character of the slow middle section wouldn't be out of place in one of his film scores. The Adagio is lushly romantic and features a very Rachmaninovian second subject that begins on the piccolo (track 3; 4:06), intensifying the emotional temperament. The finale's main theme and orchestration invoke Strauss, especially the Strauss of Till Eulenspiegel. Material from earlier movements is recalled here and the work ends triumphantly. Nearly twenty-five years ago Rudolf Kempe recorded this work for RCA, as did Sir Edward Downes for Chandos recently. I have not heard either performance but can safely assess that this reading by Welser-Most is absolutely convincing, catching the mystery and drama of the opening movement so well, capturing the beauty and emotional outpourings of the Adagio, and delivering the fast movements with humor and grace, insight and flexibility. The Philadelphia Orchestra plays with its usual commitment and is undeniably superior to Downes's BBC Philharmonic and Kempe's Munich Philharmonic. In the four songs from Sechs Einfache Lieder (Nos. 2 and 5 are eliminated here), Barbara Hendricks sings sweetly, rendering these creations, the product of the teenaged Korngold, with grace and simplicity. She delivers the popular aria, "Gluck, das mir verlieb" (Mariettas Lied) from Die Tote Stadt, with poignance, though her wobble distracts the ear a bit. Still, it's a moving performance. Good notes and fine sound from EMI make this disc quite attractive. KRENEK: Symphony No. 2. Gewandhausorchester Leipzig conducted by Lothar Zagrosek. LONDON 452 479-2 [DDD] 64:30 Reviewed by Robert Cummings This recording is part of London's "Entartete Musik" series, which features music suppressed by the Nazis or written by composers who lived in exile from them. This symphony came from Krenek's pen in 1922, just a decade before Hitler rose to power. Atonal and dedicated to his wife-to-be Anna Mahler, daughter of the composer, it is a massive work that can be described as relatively easy to listen to, but very difficult to understand. In fact, you could play passages of this symphony for friends and they might not even notice its atonality. Neither, however, would they notice the presence of recognizable melodies or even a hint of humor. Most importantly, they wouldn't likely perceive a graspable structure after a full hearing. But the work is quite structurally cohesive, contains themes, and lacks humor by design, not by musical deficiency. The first movement begins quietly on the celesta, but gradually works up tension and produces many climactic moments amidst almost continual churning and restive gloom and militaristic stomping. Near the end of the movement, quiet returns in a brief lyrical episode. The scherzo is hardly lighter, but is at least a bit brighter, if more than a bit grotesque. Mahler and foreshadowings of Shostakovich come to mind here, and there are even echoes of Vaughn Williams, specifically of his Fourth and Sixth Symphonies to come. The finale begins darkly, almost listlessly and remains for a time suspended in a morbid haze, just above the seemingly ubiquitous undercurrent of tension. At 6:06 (track 3), the music hesitantly, tentatively begins to reach toward something, something perhaps optimistic, hopeful. As the ending of this long movement (twenty-seven minutes) approaches, a titanic struggle begins, as if the suggested life-affirmation is in crisis, and the symphony ends amidst dire crashes and ambiguity. Lothar Zagrosek has recorded this work once before, with the ORF Symphony Orchestra for Amadeo in the mid-1980's. That effort was not received well in all quarters. The performance came in under an hour, and so one can conclude that Zagrosek's more expansive reading here is the product of a rethinking of the score. The renowned Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra plays with commitment and impressive skill throughout, and I can't imagine a performance surpassing this one in any substantial way. The label cpo released a recording of this work a year or so ago with Takao Ukigaya and the Radio-Philharmonie Hanover des NDR. I have not heard it, and although it was well received, I would be surprised if Ukigaya's second-tier orchestra could equal the Leipzig in this work. And his total timing of 57:28 seems a bit brisk. Anyway, this London recording is widely available, features superb sound, and offers very informative notes (some by the composer himself, in a reprint from the 1940's). If you're an adventurous listener, this Krenek work may prove extremely rewarding to you. It is one of those pieces that can grow on you, listening after listening. LAMB: Lamb (Mercury) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Louise Rhodes (vocals) and Andrew Barlow (engineer, etc.) are Lamb, from Manchester (England, England...). The duo produce a sound that they describe as "future be-bop," which will do as well as any description for a sound, or set of sounds, that defy description. Elements of jazz, whether be-bop or trip-hop, techno, hip-hop, new-age ethereal space music and much more are encoded into the ones and zeros assembled on this bit of plastic and aluminum. Rhodes has roots in folk and soul, but she's branched out well beyond those roots. She has, and fully exploits, an impressive range, both sonically and in her phrasing. That range is put to a considerable test by Barlow's backing, which ranges from basic drum and bass stomps to free jazz romps, with consistently intriguing and persistently surprising stops along the way. There are spots here to satisfy aficionados of several styles, but the overall impact puts them into that corner of the avant garde that defies characterization. I'm hesitant to say just what they're doing here. I'm happy to say that they do it very well. Track List: Lusty * God Bless * Cotton Wool * Trans Fatty Acid * Zero * Merge * Cold * Closer * Gorechi * Feela ZIGGY MARLEY & THE MELODY MAKERS: Fallen Is Babylon (Elektra) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Recorded in the Marley Music Studio which occupies the sight of the Tuff Gong studio where their fabled father cut so many historic sides, the Marley siblings (Ziggy, brother Stephen, sisters Cedella and Sharon) revisit the sound and spirit of reggae Marley-style. Ziggy and Stephen penned the dozen originals that accompany a cover of "People Get Ready," which was quoted by Bob Marley in his song "One Love." Two versions of "People" appear, one a straight ahead reggae-fied version and the other given a touch of hip-hop remix with Stephen in the DJ chair. The Melody Makers do a bit of quoting themselves, invoking their father's "Lively Up Yourself" on the brothers' "Born To Be Lively." Strong vocals, political awareness, Jah consciousness and traditional riddims add up to a satisfying if not groundbreaking reggae album. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers inherited a tradition well worth preserving and they do it full justice with this disc of accessible, authentic reggae. Track List: Fallen Is Babylon * Everyone Wants To Be * People Get Ready * Postman * Brotherly Sisterly Love * Born To Be Lively * Long Winter * I Remember * Day By Day * Five Days A Year * Notice * Diamond City * Jah Bless * People Get Ready (R.H. Factor Reggae Vocal Mix) MATCHBOX 20: Yourself Or Someone Like You (Lava/Atlantic) Reviewed by Shaun Dale This one's been out there long enough to produce a couple of bona-fide hits with "Long Day" and "Push," so it's another case where you may be ahead of me. If you're not, this is a great place to catch up. Big guitar sounds, solid rhythm section, strong songs whose pop hooks are balanced with biting vocals - if there's a formula for chart success this Florida based band has certainly found it, and it's paying off. The two songs that have broken out so far could easily be joined by any of the ten others on the disc. Lead vocalist Rob Thomas is the principal songwriter and that, combined with his evocative singing and frontman status, makes it tempting to lay the success at his doorstep. Guitarists Kyle Cook (lead) and Adam Gaynor (rhythm) nest the words in a mix of penetrating electric blasts and acoustic cushions that are essential to the sound, though. Of course, great rock guitars are made possible by great rock rhythm sections and Brian Yale (bass) and Paul Doucette (drums) provide a solid bottom for everything else to play on top of. If you've heard the singles and wondered if these guys are consistently that good, well, they are. If you haven't turned on the radio for a few months, don't wait. Just go get this one. Track List: Real World * Long Day * 3 AM * Push * Girl Like That * Back * Good * Damn * Argue * Kody * Busted * Shame * Hang EDWIN McCAIN: Misguided Roses (Lava/Atlantic) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Edwin McCain would just as soon you overlook his status as a Friend of Hootie. Sure, touring with his South Carolina Blowfish buddies was a breakthrough experience, exposure-wise. But McCain has opening act credits with the Allmans and Bob Weir's Rat Dog, too. Coming from the same southeast circuit that has produced acts like the Blowfish and Dave Matthews has an undeniable influence on the McCain sound, but Edwin feels quite comfortable standing on his own and on this, his second major label offering, he stands tall. McCain's four piece road band is joined by a gaggle of instrumental and vocal support, primarily from co-producers Matt Rollings and Kenny Greenberg, but this is still the Edwin McCain show. All the tracks are self penned by McCain and the sound is dominated by his voice, replete with the twists and accents of Southern-fried, blue-eyed soul. He's reaching for a little harder, more electric sound than his previous work has featured, but most of the songs still sound like they were written buy a guy playing a solo acoustic guitar. That personal voice is one of McCain's major strengths, and it's a credit to his vision and the band's talents that that voice doesn't get lost in the harder mix. A veteran of the Hilton Head/St. Croix/Vail resort circuit, where he honed his chops playing upwards of 300 dates a year, Edwin McCain has earned his shot, and he's shooting straight. Strong personal lyrics, a distinctive soulful voice and hummable, hooky melodies add up to one of the top offerings in the Americana fold this year. Track List: See The Sky Again * Grind Me In The Gears * Cleveland Park * I'll Be * How Strange It Seems * The Rhythm Of Life * Punish Me * Darwin's Children * Take Me * (I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That * What Matters * Holy City * Through The Floor THELONIUS MONK: This is Jazz 5 (Columbia/Legacy) Reviewed by Steve Marshall Thelonius Sphere Monk was one of the most influential jazz pianists of the modern era. He arrived on the scene in the 40's, amidst the bebop movement. However, his unique style of playing set him apart from the rest. To many, his playing sounded wrong or primitive. His response to that sentiment was that an artist needed to play what he heard. The public would have to catch up to him. Judging by the tracks on this compilation, they did just that. Most are now considered standards, covered by a wide variety of artists ranging from Charlie Parker and Miles Davis to Phish and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Looking back, you can hear just how natural and unforced the music actually was. Legacy has done an excellent job with this series (now 31 titles strong). These ten tracks showcase Monk's material for Columbia in a variety of settings (both live and in the studio)--solo, quartet, and with a full horn section. Connoisseurs of Monk's timeless music will no doubt find faults of one kind or another, but for the person just discovering his music, the disc is sublime. TRACK LIST: 'Round Midnight (solo) * Well You Needn't (live, quartet) * Bemsha Swing (live, quartet) * Ruby, My Dear (solo) * Straight, No Chaser (live, full horn section) * Blue Monk (live, full horn section) * Rhythm-A-Ning (live, quartet) * Monk's Dream (live, quartet) * Misterioso (live, quartet) * Epistrophy (live, full horn section) MOZART: Requiem, K. 626; Kyrie, K. 341. Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale, Orchestre des Champs Elysees conducted by Philippe Herreweghe. Sibylla Rubens, soprano; Annette Markert, alto; Ian Bostridge, tenor; Hanno Muller-Brachmann, Baritone. HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 901620 [DDD] 53:57 Reviewed by Robert Cummings You remember the scenes of the dying Mozart in the popular film Amadeus, how the scheming and diabolical F. Murray Abraham's Antonio Salieri drove his sickly rival to an early grave by anonymously commissioning, then personally prodding, him to complete a Requiem. It certainly made for great theater, great drama--and for great fiction! Salieri's role in Mozart's death was a complete fabrication, though he did go insane in later life, claiming to have poisoned Mozart. That assertion has been rightly dismissed as a pathetic fantasy of the unfortunate fellow's demented mind. But this Requiem was the work the 35-year-old Mozart was composing at the time of his death. Too bad he didn't live a few days longer to finish it, since we've had to rely on lesser hands to realize its completion. The common wisdom has been that the version by Franz Xaver Sussmayr is the best. This is the one we have here from Harmonia Mundi, though there are minor changes in the scoring to rectify some of Sussmayr's orchestrational ineptitudes. In the end, what you get is about 90-95% Mozart and the rest Sussmayr. Even such a relative hack as Sussmayr couldn't attenuate the overall effect of such powerful music. This is a fairly brisk reading by Herreweghe, but it never actually sounds rushed. Even the fugues near the beginning and at the close, which move along at a good clip, come across as urgent and profound, rather than hasty and business-like. Essential detail abounds and accents are well articulated throughout the performance. The quartet of singers is excellent and the choral work splendid. Sibylla Rubens may not possess the most ravishing voice, but she's dramatic and better than many big-name singers. Ian Bostridge is also quite excellent. Try the Tuba mirum (track 4) where Rubens and Bostridge are outstanding, or the Recordare (track 6), which features fine singing by the entire quartet. Not to be overlooked are the contributions of the Orchestre des Champs Elysees, whose string section deserves special praise for its silken, feathery tone (track 6) and slashing attacks (Confutatis; track 7). The K. 341 Kyrie is a substantial bonus here where the artistry remains on the same high level. The sound provided by Harmonia Mundi for these live performances (Montreux, October 9 & 10, 1996) is superb and the notes are informative. Full texts are supplied for both works. Highest recommendations. WILLIE NELSON: A Classic & Unreleased Collection (Rhino) Reviewed by DJ Johnson This is a little confusing, so stay with me here... In 1993, this collection of unreleased recordings was being sold on The Shopping Network. Apparently, sales were brisk. In 1995, it was to be re-released through Rhino Records, but Willie and his legal people had some concerns about this or that. Can't get into that cuz I jus' don't know the details. Suffice to say the project ended up in deep freeze. Two years later, all the details are ironed out and it looks like we're good to go. Willie's fans will scarf this up like barbecued beans and ice cold beer. The set opens with a recorded message, from the man himself, introducing the first two tracks, which just happen to be both sides of his very first demo 45. Recorded in 1957, "No Place For Me" and "Lumberjack" didn't make Willie a star, but "No Place For Me" demonstrated his budding songwriting talent, and that 45 has become the rarest of the rare for collectors of his music. This obviously doesn't replace the thrill of finding the single in some Salvation Army store, but most of us are just damned happy to finally hear the music. The original plan was for Willie to write songs for other artists to record. In 1961, Willie began making demo records for a publishing house called Pamper. Tracks 4 through 15 of disc one are devoted to this period of his career, and though a great many of his Pamper recordings have been released on small labels or bootlegged outright, these 12 tracks are less common. The quality of this music, as well as that of the recordings themselves, is first rate. Willie was ready long before the music business-folk knew it. The Pamper material is, in itself, reason for giving this set an enthusiastic review. Disc one continues after a giant leap forward to 1973 and Willie's move to Atlantic Records. The 6 tracks here are previously unreleased tunes from the marathon 5-day recording session that produced the landmark album Shotgun Willie. Disc two begins with more from the same sessions before moving on to unreleased material from the Phases And Stages sessions, unreleased live recordings from a 1974 concert at the Texas Opry House, and four (unreleased?) yes, unreleased tunes from Sugar Moon. The final disc is made up of songs from entire albums that went unreleased, including Willie Sings Hank Williams. The Williams tracks are quite unusual in that Willie played in Hank's tempos, sang in Hank's keys and even affected Hank's vocal timing, leaving us to wonder just why Willie wanted to do this in the first place. (Remember David Lee Roth's mirror-image version of "California Girls?" Why bother?) Perhaps that's what eventually scrapped the project. All in all, Classic & Unreleased is a very enjoyable collection, though the title is a bit confusing. It's ALL unreleased, so how can it be classic? Well, that's a marketing question, I guess. TRACKS: Disc One: Introduction by Willie * No Place For Me * Lumberjack * Why Are You Picking On Me? * The Shelter Of Your Arms * Moment Isn't Very Long * Any Old Arms Won't Do * December Day * Healing Hands Of Time * Things To Remember * The Face Of A Fighter * Suffering In Silence * Who Do I Know In Dallas * Slow Down Old World * I Hope So * I Gotta Have Something I Ain't Got * I'm So Ashamed * My Cricket And Me * Both Ends Of The Candle * Slow Down Old World * Under The Double Eagle Disc Two: So Much To Do * (How Will I Know) I'm Falling In Love Again * Bloody Mary Morning * No Love Around * After The Fire Is Gone * Whiskey River * Me And Paul * Medley: Funny How Time Slips Away, Crazy, Night Life * Stay All Night (Stay A Little Longer) * Walkin' * Bloody Mary Morning/Take Me Back To Tulsa * The Party's Over * Truck Drivin' Man * She Still Thinks I Care * Good Hearted Woman * Sister's Coming Home * Sugar Moon * I'm A Fool To Care * Rosetta * I'll Sail My Ship Alone Disc Three: I'll Take What I Can Get * If It's Wrong To Love You * Struttin With Some Barbecue * I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter * Till The End Of The World * I'll Keep On Loving You * It Should Be Easier Now * Will You Remember Mine? * Who'll Buy My Memories * Jimmy's Road * I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry * A House Is Not A Home * My Bucket's Got A Hole In It * Why Don't You Love Me? * Mind Your Own Business * They'll Never Take Her Love From Me * Move It On Over * Why Should We Try Anymore * My Son Calls Another Man Daddy * I Saw The Light LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY: Upsetter In Dub (Heartbeat) Reviewed by DJ Johnson We seem to be in the middle of a Scratch flurry. First there was Island's box set, Arkology, and then the new techno record with Dieter Meier of Yello. Upsetter In Dub collects mid-to-late 70s tracks from Perry's Black Ark Studio that were made specifically for the Jamaican dub market, which means they were B-sides to popular reggae singles. In 1970s Jamaica, the B-side was usually the dub version of the A-side. All in all a pretty cool system. By today's dub standards it's pretty raw, meaning Perry relied more on the faders and less on effects. "Better Reach," for example, is nearly three minutes of two chords and almost no effects, and yet Scratch and his musicians make it work. How? Never under estimate the power of the groove. Lee Perry never has and never will, and when the groove is there--even a little one--there aren't many better at exposing every bit of it. I wouldn't recommend this disc as an introduction, but as a document of one short stretch of Perry's career--and as a document containing music that isn't on every other collection-- it's well worth seeking out. THE PHANTOM SURFERS: The Exciting Sounds Of Model Road Racing! (Lookout) Reviewed by Shaun Dale If you haven't cruised south of the slot to slip a track eater into the chute for a hairy run down the chute, well, then, you'll just have to join the rest of the bench racers in a quick review of the handy slot car glossary on the back of the new release from America's Number 1 masked surf band. Then you can find out exactly what I'm talking about here... Of course, all that doesn't matter if what you're after is the sounds. There are sounds aplenty here. Track sounds, calls for the turn marshall, the whir of RP-600's under the guidance of a heavy thumb... oops, there I go with that glossary stuff again. Of course, what you're really after is the music. The Phantom Surfers do their best to bring the excitement of the slot car hobby to life with on-site sounds from Hobby Hut Raceways in San Francisco, but they're at their best, and give the greatest service to their automotive avocation, when they tune up and crank out the mid-fi surf and hot rod related model car music. From "Everybody Up" to "Final Lap," the P. Surfers supply a heady dose of "Rheostat Rock" that will motivate you right over to the hobby store to pick up your own ready to run so that you too can run for tin... Geez, there I go again. Look, just buy it. It's good. Then you can not only hear for yourself, you can use the glossary to translate this review! And when you figure it out, drop me an e-mail and let me know what I'm talking about... Track List: Introduction * Everybody Up * Death Of A Rookie * Schlock Slot * Slotter On 10th Avenue * Crossover Tragedy * Rheostat Rock * Pacific Shores * A Slot Car Named Desire * Turn Marshal * Stumps Of Mystery * Endurance Rally * Final Lap POLLO DEL MAR: The Ocean Is Not For Cowards (POP Records) Reviewed by DJ Johnson Bout time! How long have we surf freaks been waiting for a full-length release from Pollo Del Mar? Let's just say my 4-song EP is shot all to hell from over-use. Now it can rest in peace while I play this incredible CD to death. Pollo Del Mar's music is more than just entertaining: it's fascinating. Break it down and see what you find. Even their most traditional sounding tunes have something unusual in the mix. While guitarists Ferenc Dobronyi and Jono Jones are gracefully splashing around in the reverb, Chris Thomas' rockin' drumming and the jazzy fretless bass work of Jefferson Turner make a powerful fusion and an instantly recognizable sound. The real show, however, begins when they leave tradition behind and ride the waves less traveled. These are four of the finest musicians around, and when they cut loose, it's something to hear. The sound is mysterious, dark, deep and turbulent, yet there's another element... Call it "dark optimism." Only The Insect Surfers, GT Stringer, and The Galaxy Trio brew similarly intoxicating sounds. The 14 tunes on The Ocean Is Not For Cowards run the spectrum from trad to jazzy fusion to stormy psych. Songs like "Snow Crash" and "Insecticide" beg for a new genre tag. Not just surf, but Tsunami Music. After a long, long wait, the big wave has finally hit the beach. (Pop Records: PO Box 7087, Corte Madera, CA 94976) PROKOFIEV: Complete Music for Solo Piano Volume 1: Sonatas: No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 1; No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14; No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 28; No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 29. Frederic Chiu, Piano. HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907197 [DDD] 52:21 Volume 2: Sonatas: No. 5 in C Major, Op. 38/135; No. 6 in A Major, Op. 82; No. 7 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83. Frederic Chiu, Piano. HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907198 [DDD] 59:47 Volume 6: Six Pieces, Op. 52; Sonatinas, Op. 54, Nos. 1 & 2; Three Pieces, Op. 59. Frederic Chiu, Piano. HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907189 [DDD] 64:33 Volume 7: Tales of an Old Grandmother, Op. 31; Juvenilia: Presto; Allegro in D Minor; Lento; Tarantella; Allegretto; Tempo di Marcia; Scherzo; Music for Children, Op. 65; Ten Pieces, Op. 12. Frederic Chiu, Piano. HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907190 [DDD] 67:54 Reviewed by Robert Cummings Frederic Chiu, in this interesting sampling from his ongoing Prokofiev cycle, goes into direct competition with Boris Berman, who has done all the solo piano music for Chandos. Oleg Marshev (Danacord) has recorded (or is still recording as I write this) all the music, minus the transcriptions. Sandor has done the same, now available in a rerelease on Vox. In addition, there have been more than a dozen cycles of late of the nine Prokofiev sonatas, including those by Bronfman (Sony), Raekallio (Ondine), Ovchinikov (EMI), Nissman (Newport Classics), Lill (ASV), Akl (Thesis), and McLachlan (Olympia). And others, like those of Gavrilov (DG) and Glemser (Naxos), are in progress. There are also numerous pianists who have scored successes in individual sonatas and the other piano music, such as Pollini, the late Richter, Cliburn, Pogorelich, Andjaparidze and Kissin. How does the young, American-born, Paris-based Frederic Chiu fare against this formidable competition in such exceedingly difficult repertory? On the whole, he rises to the top to challenge Raekallio, Bronfman, Berman, Glemser, and others. Certain pianists, like Berman and Nissman, employ a modis operandi in Prokofiev interpretation that involves rounding the edges and softening the hard surfaces. (In Berman's case it generally works.) Chiu, on the other hand, is only too eager to highlight the conflicts, to point up the bitter ironies, to stress the harmonic pungencies, and to seek out the darker, deeper recesses of Prokofiev's multi-faceted psyche. Try his icy, powerful opening to the Sixth Sonata (Vol. 2; track 4). Only Cliburn (RCA) is grimmer here, but even he doesn't quite convey the elements of terror as well as Chiu, especially in the brutal but powerfully symbolic ending (track 7). Also, take note of Chiu's rendering of the second movement of the Seventh (track 9), where he phrases the beautifully decadent main theme ravishingly, hypnotically, then takes you into a frightening netherworld. His playing here is unsurpassed in its insight and vivid atmosphere. Too bad his finale is marred by a brief patch of curious dynamics--a sudden softening near the end before rebounding to full volume (track 10, 3:03). Still, his Seventh is a formidable one. Chiu's reading of the Sixth Sonata is easily among the best I've heard, equaling Cliburn's and surpassing that of Kissin (Sony and RCA) and Pogorelich (DG). And his account of the Fifth contends for top honors with those by Berman and Bronfman, but I do wish he had toned down his slightly curt manner in the middle movement that has the effect of overdoing the sort of free-spirited decadence. In the first four sonatas Chiu is also compelling. His readings of the Second and Fourth vie with the best. Try the Second's third movement (Vol. 1; track 4), where his slow tempo not only doesn't impede the dark musical trajectory, but in fact enhances it, drawing out the gloom and sadness in an almost Debussyan way. The great Andante to the Fourth (track 8) is played with a cleverly-nuanced light touch to impart mystery, with explosive but never fulsome power to convey the violent outbursts, and with deft sensitivity to communicate the unabashed innocence of the alternate theme. All four works on this disc, in fact, are exceedingly well played. Chiu performs the music in the other two volumes convincingly, as well. Volume 6 features that splendid pair of Sonatinas. Berman and Sandor offer excellent performances in their respective surveys, but Chiu possesses marginally superior articulation and seems to find a bit more depth here--more depth than even he realizes is there, if I read his slightly disparaging album notes on these two works correctly. Among the six transcriptions that comprise Op. 52, No. 5 (track 5) is rendered with uncommon insight and subtle voicing that make this piece sound as native to the piano as to its string quartet origins. And No. 6 is performed with such virtuosic panache and brazen glitter as to infuse a more modernist spirit into the piece, a transcription of the good-natured Scherzo from the Op. 5/48 Sinfonietta. One misfire on this disc is the Sonatine Pastorale, whose stiff phrasing and slow tempo at the outset make the work sound more nocturnally "urban" than brightly "pastoral." On the whole, though, this disc is revelatory, probing Prokofiev's music where others often tend to gloss. Volume 7, recorded less than a year ago, features works, as a blurb on the back cover states, that "stem from, or are related to, childhood..." In some cases the connection with youth is rather tenuous: in Op. 12, none of the music is about childhood, but some of the ten pieces are based on compositions Prokofiev wrote when he was very young (he began composing at five years of age!), and in Op. 31 we find music depicting an old grandmother--as seen through the eyes of a grandchild. The Op. 12 collection, if mostly sardonic and lighthearted, is fairly substantial, and Chiu delivers each of the ten pieces with his usual deft skills. Try the opening March (track 20), where he captures that delicious impudence and caustic Prokofievian humor so well. Sandor, Berman and others have done these pieces convincingly, but the recent Naxos disc featuring Eteri Andjaparidze offers Chiu his strongest challenge. To me, both versions are indispensable to the Prokofiev enthusiast. Chiu plays the Music for Children with a winning charm, and makes just about the best case possible for the less than compelling Tales of An Old Grandmother. In sum, this series offers impressive playing by a young pianist with ideas. If I remember correctly, Chiu entered the Cliburn competition some years ago and failed to make the finals. If his playing there was on this level, I'd say the jury committed a grievous blunder. Harmonia Mundi offers excellent sound, and very intelligent notes by the pianist. Highest recommendations. EDDI READER: Candyfloss And Medicine (Reprise) Reviewed by Shaun Dale You've probably heard Eddi Reader. She's worked with everyone from Thomas Dolby and the Eurythmics to Gang of Four and the Trash Can Sinatras. What you may not have heard are her two previous solo outings. Candyfloss And Medicine is a grand opportunity to correct that unfortunate gap in your musical experience. This collection of 11 new songs (plus the traditional Scottish ballad "I Loved A Lad"), written in various combinations by Reader, Teddy Borowieki (last seen working with k.d. lang) and T.C. Sinatra Bob Hewerdine, is damn near perfect sunny Sunday afternoon music. Mainly mid-tempo, featuring jazzy vocal inflections reminiscent of Joni or Rickie Lee, the tunes are enriched with instrumental accents that include dulcimers, concertinas, fiddles and mandolins along with the standard mix of pop instrumentation. From "Glasgow Star," a reminiscence of Reader's busking days in her native Scotland to the somber finish of "Darkhouse," Reader reveals a combination of well-schooled talent and original vision that deserves a spot in your personal playlist. Track List: Glasgow Star * Candyfloss * Rebel Angel * Sugar On The Pill * Semi Precious * Medicine * If You Got A Minute, Baby * Lazy Heart * Shall I Be Mother * Butterfly Jar * I Loved A Lad * Darkhouse RETURN TO FOREVER: This is Jazz 12 (Columbia / Legacy) Reviewed by Steve Marshall Return to Forever was one of the hottest fusion bands in the 70's--the brainchild of keyboardist Chick Corea. After two years, his band turned the jazz world on its ear. He recruited guitarist Al Di Meola, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Lenny White on drums, and they became an almost instant sensation on the jazz scene. 1976's Romantic Warrior album was one of the quartet's most successful endeavors. Unfortunately, the album always had terrible sound quality. The music was great; the sound quality wasn't. Now, thanks to Legacy's digital remastering, the two tracks that are included on This is Jazz 12 sound better than ever. The CD also includes the title track from Musicmagic album & two cuts from the live album. TRACK LIST: The Romantic Warrior * Sorcerer * Musicmagic * So Long Mickey Mouse (live) * On Green Dolphin Street (live) JIMMY ROGERS: The Complete Chess Recordings (MCA/Chess) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Jimmy Rogers' early career was dominated by his work as the second guitar in Muddy Water's early band, but he was (and is) a notable player, singer and composer in his own right. Any doubts about his skills in any department will be quickly dispelled by the 51 tracks on this two disc collection of his Chess records output as a leader. Recorded between 1950 and 1959, all but two of the cuts here are Rogers originals. Ten are previously unreleased and their release is more than enough reason to search this one out. There are at least 41 other good reasons as well. If Rogers' personal talents weren't enough (and they most emphatically are), his stature in the Chicago blues scene brought some of the finest available players into the Chess studios for the Jimmy Rogers sessions. His Waters' bandmates - including Muddy and Little Walter - were on hand, of course, along with bassmen Big Crawford and Willie Dixon, pianists Eddie Ware and Otis Spann and legendary guitarist Mighty Joe Young. That's just a taste of the talent you'll find spread among these tracks. Disc One opens with "That's All Right" and "Luedella," Rogers' double sided 1950 single which gave him his first taste of solo success. Those and other numbers gained enough popularity to convince Muddy to give up the spotlight at his own shows when the crowds started clamoring for some of Jimmy Rogers' personal hits. The Rogers style is distinctive from the Waters style. There's a lot more Mississippi in a Muddy Waters track. In fact, Rogers had a major role in shaping the sound of Chicago city blues as played by Muddy Waters. His own work shines with a sophistication that is only a reflection in Muddy's performances. From the popular hits that open Disc One to the unreleased treasures that close Disc Two, this set is historically important and musically rewarding. For anyone with a strong interest in the blues, and especially in the development of urban blues, this is essential. Track List: Disc One: That's All Right * Luedella * Goin' Away Baby * Today, Today Blues * I Used To Have A Woman * The World's In A Tangle * She Loves Another Man * Money, Marbles, And Chalk * Hard Working Man * Chance To Love * My Little Machine * Back Door Friend * Crying Shame * Mistreated Baby * The Last Time * What's The Matter * Out On The Road * Left Me Alone With A Broken Heart * Act Like You Love Me * Blues All Day Long (Blues Leave Me Alone) * Chicago Bound * Sloppy Drunk * You're The One (first version) * You're The One * If It Ain't Me (Who Are You Thinking Of) Disc Two: Walking By Myself * I Can't Believe * One Kiss * What Have I Done * My Baby Don't Love Me No More * Trace Of You * Don't You Know My Baby * Don't Turn Me Down * Looka Here (unrel.) * This Has Never Been * Rock This House * My Last Meal * You Don't Know * Can't Keep From Worrying * Ludella (alt.) * Act Like You Love Me (alt.) * What Have I Done (alt.) * My Baby Don't Love Me No More (alt.) * Trace Of You (alt.) * Don't You Know My Baby (alt.) * Don't Turn Me Down (alt.) * This Has Never Been (alt.) * Rock This House (alt.) * My Last Meal (alt) * You Don't Know (alt.) * Can't Keep From Worrying (alt.) TODD RUNDGREN: The Very Best Of Todd Rundgren (Rhino) Reviewed by Shaun Dale With over thirty albums in his various incarnations as a solo artist and bandleader, the idea of reducing Todd Rundgren's output to a single disc of "The Very Best..." defies credulity. It becomes somewhat less daunting when the notion is put through a filter or two, and that's what Rhino has done to compile this 16 track retrospective. Rather than the very best of everything, they've concentrated on the best of Rundgren's pop output. This means that out of the 16 cuts offered, only three come from Rundgren's work with Utopia and a dozen were released before 1980. Which is fine with me. Hard to argue with selections like "We Gotta Get You A Woman," "I Saw The Light" and "Hello It's Me," all top 20 hits from the early seventies. They were, in fact, Todd Rundgren's peak as far as chart success is concerned. In fact, considering his tenure in the business and his considerable repute as an innovator both as an artist and a producer his only top 10 song was "Hello, It's Me," which made it to number 5 on the Billboard "Hot 100" back in 1973. Of course, there have been some tough times for pop songs over the last quarter century, and Rundgren's pop explorations haven't always coincided with the marketplace's taste for the style. His eclecticism hasn't always been helpful, either. Many pop enthusiasts think of his post "Hello" work as being a touch too avant and many of those drawn to his more adventurous work have tended to overlook the value of his contribution to the pop repertoire. If you fall into either of those camps, this collection of single hits (and misses) and selected album cuts will take you to school. Whatever his other merits, Todd Rundgren is a significant, even seminal, figure in the development of pop music over the last three decades, and this is a well deserved look at his contributions to the genre. Track List: We Gotta Get You A Woman * Be Nice To Me * I Saw The Light * Hello It's Me * Couldn't I Just Tell You * Just One Victory * A Dream Goes On Forever * Real Man * Love Of The Common Man * Love Is The Answer (with Utopia) * Love In Action (with Utopia) * Can We Still Be Friends * The Very Last Time (with Utopia) * Bang The Drum All Day * Something To Fall Back On * The Want Of A Nail (with Bobby Womack) ERIC SERRA: The Fifth Element Soundtrack (Virgin) Reviewed by Rusty Pipes I was well entertained by the quirky sci-fi comic book character of Luc Beeson's movie when I saw it last May, in spite of the fact that it had Bruce Willis in it, this time wielding ray guns. I've had my doubts about Bruce for awhile now but I'll forgive his blockbuster shoot-em-ups as long as he makes things like this and Twelve Monkeys. I had no reservations at all about the soundtrack; I loved it. Especially because I thought I heard a new Peter Gabriel song in it. DAAAANT!!! (The Penalty Buzzer goes off!) Wrong, but no problem. This recording may herald the arrival of a Big New Talent, Eric Serra. The track that first piqued my interest, "Little Light of Love," does indeed sound like Gabriel, or even Seal as many of my friends have guessed. It has a complex, polyrhythmic alternative pop sweetness that's very appealing. It spent about an hour on repeat the other day and I still love it. "Little Light" is definitely the standout here, but the CD is mostly orchestral atmosphere pieces, also written by Serra and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The general tone of the music is dark and moody which was entirely appropriate to the film; mildly reminiscent of Vangelis's Blade Runner soundtrack but with strings. But unlike Blade Runner, there's a straightforward classical piece on the CD, opera in particular, with Inva Mulla Tchako as the alien Blue Diva singing a beautiful rendition of "Lucia Di Lammermoor." The vacationers from different planets were certainly impressed and you will be too. It added a lot of class to what could easily have been just a forgettable sci-fi roller coaster ride. There's lots of other interesting sounds hidden among the orchestral tracks too, flashes of everything from reggae to techno-pop. Pure classical fans will blanche when "Lucia" segues into "The Diva Dance" featuring Tchako's slightly more-than-human vocals (and no words!) in a futuristic dance mix, but I think it was one of the highlights of the film and the other big reason I sought out the CD. Lifted as-is from the film is "Ruby Rap" which could probably make it in a club environment, featuring the hilarious Chris Tucker as Ruby, the interstellar pop star. The bonus track "Aknot! Wot?" also features Chris plus other scraps and pieces from the soundtrack sessions in the same neo-dance style. Serra handles all these musical genres well, but these are sidelights in the mostly orchestral framework and that may not be enough to interest the average listener. Take heart. The liner notes say "Little Light of Love" is performed by R.X.R.A. with words, music & vocals by Eric and mentions there's an album in the works called "The X-Plorians." It will include "Little Light," and I trust many more interesting tracks in the same alternative pop mode. You've been warned. Look for it. Track List: Little Light of Love * Mondoshawan * Timecrash * Korben Dallas * Koolen * Akta * Leeloo * Five Millenia Later * Plavalaguna * Ruby Rap * Heat * Badaboom * Mangalores * Lucia Di Lammermoor * The Diva Dance * Leeloominai * A Bomb in the Hotel * Mina Hinoo * No Cash No Trash * Radio Waves * Human Nature * Pictures of War * Lakta Ligunai * Protect Life * Little Light of Love (End Titles Version) * Aknot! Wot? (Bonus Track) SEVEN MARY THREE: RockCrown (Atlantic) Reviewed by Shaun Dale "RockCrown" serves notice that the considerable success of Seven Mary Three's major label debut, "American Standard," hasn't spoiled the band. Hasn't cheered them up much, either. "RockCrown" takes off pretty much where "American Standard" left off, with 15 new guitar driven doses of edgy rock with melodic accents. Written in motel rooms and vans during an 18 month road marathon, the songs often reflect what band member Jason Ross describes as the "vulturous boredom" that accompanied them on the trip. Amazingly, that reflection never results in boring songs. Instead, the band's range and depth of expression has expanded, and the time on the road has allowed them to shift from a formulaic alt. band toward an appealing Americana direction. Which is not to say that old fans will be left behind. The elements that made "American Standard" go platinum are still present. The changes are not expressed so much as being different than as being somehow more. Interestingly, every comment I've seen on the new album has pointed at a different list of highlight tracks. For me the standouts are "Needle Can't Burn (What The Needle Can't Find)," "Times Like These" and "Player Piano." You'll probably find your own favorites, but you'll almost surely find some. The only thing that might improve these guys now is a little time away from clubs and studios, a chance to revive their bodies, revitalize their minds and just maybe brighten their dispositions a touch. Then again, maybe not. This is mighty good. Why mess with success. Seven Mary Three is on the road again. Here's hoping this tour produces another set of songs as fine as the last one did. Track List: Lucky * RockCrown * Needle Can't Burn (What The Needle Can't Find) * Honey Of Generation * Home Stretch * People Like New * Make Up Your Mind * Gone Away * Times Like These * I Could Be Wrong * What Angry Blue? * Houdini's Angels * This Evening's Great Excuse * Player Piano * Oven SLOPPY SECONDS: 3 titles (Get Hip) Reviewed by DJ Johnson A 3-pak o' punk 7-inchers from Indiana's Sloppy Seconds. "Come Back Tracy/Leavin' On A Jet Plane" is a reissue with reportedly improved sound quality (hell, I didn't know it was an issue with balls-out punk rock) and a couple of very enticing pics of porn queen Traci Lords. (Now THAT is an issue with balls-out punks!) "I Don't Wanna Be A Homosexual/Serious" is also a reissue, also claiming improved sonics, and also loud and snotty. "Serious," by the way, is an Alice Cooper tune. ...Just thought you should know. The real attraction here is the brand new 7-incher, "Where Eagles Dare/The Horror Of Party Beach," not because they are necessarily better than the others, but because 1) "Party Beach" is just in time for Halloween, and 2) Where Eagles Dare is a cover of a classic Misfits tune, featuring ex-Misfit Bobby Steele on guitar. On the back cover there is a message from Mr. Steele that reads "This is how I wanted the guitar to sound on the Misfits version." There ya have it. (Get Hip: PO Box 666, Canonsburg, PA 15233 USA) SUBCIRCUS: Carousel (Dreamworks) Reviewed by Jeff Apter The fickle British press have dubbed it the 'new seriousness' movement, which (I guess) means bands such as Radiohead and Subcircus take their songcraft seriously. Hence the underlying sense of drama and erudition at the core of 'Carousel' (either that or frontman Peter Bradley Jr is a ponderous poser, 'cause the message behind his lyrics eludes me, big time). Regardless, this four-piece - comprising two Danes and two Poms - pound out a swirling, testy pop-rock soundscape, fusing the primadonna-ishness of Bowie circa "Ziggy Stardust" to a widescreen vision (their philosophy seems to be 'why use one guitar when 25 are handy?'). On stand-outs such as "86'd", a relatively straight-up guitar toon is bent out of shape by unsettling noises lurking just beneath the surface, as a simple melody gets friendly with avant-rock waywardness. Perfect for those who like their pop served with just a little pretension. SURREAL: Self titled (Lavender Records) Reviewed by DJ Johnson In an era of wholesale alterna-cloning, Matthew Turbak writes songs that are built on intoxicating textures and cradled in dream-like atmospheres. Psychedelia? Yeah, there are definitely some elements of that, but factor in the decidedly solid approach of drummer Pete Glaze and bassist Neel Daniel, as well as Turbak's ability to create simple song structures without slipping into cliche, and you have something altogether different. While the atmosphere is indeed surreal, these aren't 10 minute/one chord drone fests. And though the basic structures are straight forward and simple, it's the combined textures of Turbak's guitar and producer/keyboardist John Nordstrom II's Hammond B3 that really paints the picture. It'll be interesting to follow this band's progress. Although this is just a small label debut, the most powerful songs ("Feel The Sun," "Ricochet," and "Coming Down The River") could muscle their way onto a lot of college and community station playlists with a little bit of PR push. From there it's just a matter of whether the finicky CD-buying public, accustomed to being spoonfed musical snack crackers like Bloatie and the Whofish, can get behind music that is about passion, texture and power. (Visit their website at http://www.surrealonline.com) TENDERLOIN: Tenderloin (Time Bomb) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Tenderloin opens with a riff straight out of the current hair band revival, but a quick glance at the band's picture reveals that this isn't another group breaking out the spandex for a second shot at the big time. Instead you get a varied group of a dozen original tunes that sound like barroom boogie meets the HORDE tour. Round it out with a vintage ZZ Top cover ("Precious And Grace") and you've got one fine rock album. I can't say from experience, but I don't think I'm too far out on a limb in saying this is a band you probably want to see live. You also want to hear this CD. The line up is basic, Taz Bentley (drums), John Cutler (bass) and guitarist Kirk St. James back up Ernie Locke's vocals and harp. The sound they get from that lineup shows just how much a band with a rock and roll heart can get from a few people with their amps on 10. You'll want headphones or friendly neighbors to get the most out of this one. Track List: So Cold * Fat Side Up * Lights Out * Bourbon * Amemba Me * Crazy Love * Pawn Shop * Alligator * B, B & B * Waiting * Cracker Box * Leather Jesus * Precious And Grace THE TONICS: Looking For The Good Times [Lance Rock Records] Reviewed by John Sekerka A stalled party on yer hands? Good news friends, cuz we've just the tonic, er Tonics. Take a mighty gulp of this offering and you'll be lamp-shade dancing till the cops start banging down the door. A swank dose of sexy sixties-style garage rippers with a touch of modern day hipness is the order of the day. Somethin' akin to a rough edged Fleshtones record, if'n you know what I mean. I especially like the cool breezy instro interludes a la Davie Allen's Arrows. Which brings me to the big bridge: member that ultra fab "Angel Dust" vinyl set a few generations back? The one with the supa picture vinyl slabs? Ol' Davie Allan was all over those babies, and the inkster responsible for the eye-poppin' graphics was a fella who goes by the name of Savage Pencil. And wouldn't ya know it, but it's Mr. Pencil hisself who's colouring adorns the pretty pictures that come with the music. Need I say more? Okay, there's some slinky cooing from the ladies in the band. There, now go. u-ZIQ: Lunatic Harness (Astralwerks) Reviewed by Shaun Dale While the heart of the electronica scene lies in dance rhythms, and there are certainly plenty of those here, Mike Paradinas has created something that stretches out and surpasses pedestrian drum and bass records. A startling and intriguing array of sources are used to build a densely layered pastiche of sound that could be called "rhythm n' mood" music. Jazz, dub, funk and some elements that seem to be drawn from a galaxy far away are all present, and all held together by driving drum programming that sounds exactly as mechanical as it must and as human as it should. The net effect is music with tangible textures and palpable colors. There are pleasant moments to spare, but much of this music is demanding. It takes rapid turns at critical moments and then lulls you into temporary complacency, only to twist your mind with the next twist of a dial. There's far too much here to describe, but I heartily recommend this disc and a good set of headphones for the next time you feel up to 70 minutes of musical adventure. Track List: Brace Yourself Jason * Hasty Boom Alert * Mushroom Compost * Blainville * Lunatic Harness * Approaching Menace * My Little Beautiful * Secret Stair Pt. 1 * Secret Stair Pt. 2 * Wannabe * Catkin And Teasel * London * Midwinter Log VARIOUS ARTISTS: 8 Track Flashback - The One-Hit Wonders (Rhino) Reviewed by DJ Johnson Another comp with VH1's seal of approval, and another "buy it if you need 'em" track list. Though I snort and sneer, I'd probably sneak into a store and buy this one because it has not one, not two, but three of my guilty pleasure 70s tunes that I haven't got on CD. Is it okay to like a song with a line as cheesy as "skinned our hearts and skinned our knees"? Probably not, but don't get too judgmental while all those Partridge Family LPs are tucked away in your collection, bub. Cheesy, yes, but if you like stinky cheese, "Precious And Few," "Venus," "In The Summertime," and even "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)" might just hit the spot. For my credibility's sake, I'd like to tell you I have no time for stinky cheese 70s music. I'd LIKE to tell you that. Oh well. Pass the crackers, please. Track List: Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry) * Venus (Shocking Blue) * Seasons In The Sun (Terry Jacks) * Afternoon Delight (Starland Vocal Band) * Precious And Few (Climax) * Put Your Hand In The Hand (Ocean) * Rock Your Baby (George McCrae) * In The Summertime (Mungo Jerry) * Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) (Looking Glass) * Turn The Beat Around (Vickie Sue Robinson) * Knock On Wood (Amii Stewart) * Rock And Roll Part 2 (Gary Glitter) * Ring My Bell (Anita Ward) * I Love The Nightlife (Disco Round) (Alicia Bridges) * Don't Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston) * Rock On (David Essex) VARIOUS ARTISTS: The Best of IGL Garage Rock (Get Hip) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Get Hip, in cooperation here with ARF! ARF! Productions, continues their vinyl resurrection of the Iowa Great Lakes catalog with this collection of 17 garage classics from the great midwest. Teen pop angst, pre-metal garage thrash and hints of impending psychedelia - it's all here. There's a ton of fun on this album (and it's nice to get this stuff on an actual *album*), with a few standout tracks that take it beyond the level of a campy trip down memory lane. Billy Rat & The Finks take a fuzz-laden, mid-tempo turn at "Little Queenie" that can make you rethink the whole subject of Chuck Berry covers there's a harp player on the Yeti Blues Band's version of Nick Graventies' "Born In Chicago" I'd like to hear again. There's plenty more to check out here, and most tracks won't hang you up for more than two and a half minutes or so. Pick it up, put it on and find your own favorites. Hey, just the names of the bands are worth the price of admission... Track List: DeeJay & The Runaways/Jenny Jenny; The Gorilla * The Continental Coets/I Don't Love You No More * Dark Knights/Dark Knight * The Torres/Play Your Games * Dale & The Devonaires/Take A Look At A Fool * Tommy Tucker & The Esquires/Don't Tell Me Lies * Billy Rat & The Finks/Little Queenie; All American Boy * The Noblemen/Things Aren't The Same; Night Rider * Koats Of Male/Life's Matter; Swinebarn No.3 * Yeti Blues Band/Born In Chicago * The Senders/Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White * Dynamic Dischords/Passageway To Your Heart * Fifth Generation/ Purple Haze VARIOUS ARTISTS: Billboard Top Album Hits 1981; 1982; 1983; 1984 (Rhino) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Though released as four single discs, these are enough of a kind to consider as a set. Compiled by chart wiz Joel Whitburn, each disc presents ten cuts from the Billboard Album Rock Tracks charts of the respective year (the chart has since been renamed "Mainstream Rock"). Whatcha got here is your basic "classic rock" radio station in a bunch of plastic boxes. No particular surprises, just a bunch of songs you've heard in the car for the last decade or so. You know, the ones that make you bob your head and drive just a leetle bit faster. The ones that make the guy in the next car at that stoplight wonder what you're screaming about when you're just singing along. The ones you don't want your alt.everything friends to know are among your very favorites. There's a reason these songs got heavy rotation in those bygone days (and a good many of them get pretty fair airplay right where you are sitting now). There's some good music here - the best work of some otherwise undistinguished bands and the best known work of some damn good ones. Priced to cost you about what a collection of comparable 45s would have when these were new tunes, there's a reasonable bang for your buck on these discs, along with the smiles that go with some nice memories. Track Lists: 1981: Foreigner/Waiting For A Girl Like You * .38 Special/Hold On Loosely * The Moody Blues/The Voice * Blue Oyster Cult/Burnin' For You * Pat Benatar/Fire And Ice * ELO/Hold On Tight * Gary U.S. Bonds/This Little Girl * Jefferson Starship/Find Your Way Back * Joe Walsh/A Life Of Illusion * Billy Squier/The Stroke 1982: The Cars/Shake It Up * Asia/Heat Of The Moment * Tommy Tutone/ 867-5309/Jenny * Fleetwood Mac/Hold Me * Scorpions/No One Like You * REO Speedwagon/Keep The Fire Burnin' * Billy Squier/Everybody Wants You * .38 Special/Caught Up In You * Eddie Money/Think I'm In Love * Loverboy/Working For The Weekend 1983: Pretenders/Back On The Chain Gang * Golden Earring/Twilight Zone * The Fixx/One Thing Leads To Another * INXS/The One Thing * Asia/Don't Cry * Loverboy/Hot Girls In Love * The Tubes/She's A Beauty * .38 Special/If I'd Been The One * Pat Benatar/Love Is A Battlefield * Triumph/All The Way 1984: Pat Benatar/We Belong * Tony Carey/A Fine Fine Day * The Cars/You Might Think * Scandal (featuring Patty Smyth)/The Warrior * Night Ranger/ Sister Christian * Billy Squier/Rock Me Tonite * The Pretenders/Middle Of The Road * The Fixx/Are We Ourselves * Dwight Twilley/Girls * Yes/ Leave It VARIOUS ARTISTS: Chess Blues Piano Greats (MCA/Chess) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Chess Records built its reputation on guitar blues from artists like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy, and guitar rockers including Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. That reputation was supported, though, by powerful piano session work from men like Otis Spann and Lafayette Leake and early R&B hits from pianomen Eddie Boyd and Willie Mabon. Those are the four names that appear on these two discs as Chess Records "Blues Piano Greats." The set is an intriguing look at artists and styles that were largely overlooked in the '60s blues revival which was driven by British blues guitarists such as Eric Clapton, John Mayall and Jimmy Page and their American counterparts like Michael Bloomfield and John Hammond. Disc One opens with 20 cuts from Eddie Boyd. Listening to Boyd, and to the big saxophone sound that often accompanies him, it's clear that his music points in a straight line to the Memphis soul sounds typified by the Booker T.'s and King Curtis' more than to the electric blues revival sounds mentioned. While his music, including his dynamic vocal approach as well as his piano, is absolutely the blues, it's a blues that will appeal to fans of R&B more than to those who find their pleasure in the blues-rock field. Otis Spann, who closes Disc One with four tracks featuring his vocals and piano, was rarely heard as a leader. Best known as the pianoman for Muddy Waters (Spann claimed to be Muddy's half-brother), he appears with a variety of sidemen here, including B.B. King on "It Must Have Been The Devil" and the instrumental, "Five Spot." Those two cuts appeared as a 1954 single. One of the remaining Spann cuts, "I'm In Love With You Baby," gets its first U.S. release on this set. "I'm Leaving You" was previously only available on the box set "Chess Blues." Disc Two opens with another long (18 song) set from Willie Mabon. Mabon was a gifted lyricist, whose original songs reflect a facility with language well above the typical blues songwriter. His melodies and arrangements show a high level of sophistication as well, and indeed Mabon prided himself on being a well rounded entertainer who could perform blues, R&B, pop, jazz or whatever the audience might call for. These Chess sides are blues, though, all blues, though a sophisticated and personal brand of blues. The last three songs on this set belong to the enigmatic Lafayette Leake, described as the "mystery man" of Chess Records. Little is known of his life, or where he gained his facility with his instrument. Leake could read music and was known for his ability to walk into the studio and produce great blues backup to order. With his considerable talent, it is easy to imagine that a considerable solo career could have been in the offing. He was offered the opportunity to record his own album many times, but refused because he had no desire to do the requisite touring to support an album. He's represented here by one track laid down in the Chess studios in 1957 and two captured live at the Montreaux Festival in 1972. This set is a fine introduction to styles and artists that have too long and too often been overlooked. If you're an aficionado familiar with these players and their songs, this is a great opportunity to get their most popular work and some wonderful rarities all in one place. Track List: Disc One: Eddie Boyd: 24 Hours * Got Lonesome Here * I Got The Blues * I Began To Sing The Blues * Rosa Lee Swing * Blues For Baby * Hard Time Gettin' Started * Third Degree * Just A Fool * Rattin' And Running Around * Hush Baby, Don't You Cry * Instrumental (Take 2) * Picture In The Frame * Nothing But Trouble * Got Me Seein' Double * What's The Matter Baby? * Life Gets To Be A Burden * Hotel Blues * Come On Home * Five Long Years Otis Spann: It Must Have Been The Devil * Five Spot * I'm Leaving You * I'm In Love With You Baby Disc Two: Willie Mabon: I Don't Know * Worry Blues * I'm Mad * Got To Have It * Monday Woman * I Got To Go * Life Could Be Miserable * Late Again * Willie's Blues * Say Man * Poison Ivy * Wow! I Feel So Good * The Seventh Son * Lucinda * Someday You Will Have To Pay * He Lied * Knock On Wood * I Love My Baby Lafayette Leake: Slow Leake * Wrinkles * Swiss Boogie VARIOUS ARTISTS: Future - A Journey Through the Electronic Underground (Virgin) Reviewed by Jeff Apter Electronic music - or 'electronica,' as it's been imaginatively dubbed - may be the hot tip for the future of pop, but its sales haven't quite matched its hype: recent albums by The Chemical Bros (who contribute to 'Future') and The Prodigy have started with a bang and then sold with a whimper. Business aside, electronica is a strange meeting place of human-created rock and computer-generated roll, with sidetrips into dub, reggae, ambiance, jazz - whatever works, really. The only constants are the diversity of styles and the anonymity of the creators: the most God-like star of electronica could stroll into any Hard Rock Cafe without reaching for hat, shades or a mask. The two CDs of 'Future' are a useful starting point for curious electronica spotters, with soothing grooves from FSOL, The Grid and Hal (featuring swoon-worthy vocals from one Gillian Anderson), alongside more urgent beats from Fluke, and sterling efforts from old stagers Brian Eno, Massive Attack and Harold Budd. Just don't expect any genuine emotion here: ever tried to get friendly with a computer? VARIOUS ARTISTS: Give 'Em The Boot (Hellcat) Reviewed by Shaun Dale Epitaph Records' Brett Gurewitz and Tim Armstrong of Epitaph stalwarts Rancid have been partners in some pretty fine musical notions over time. Few could be considered finer than their new joint venture, Hellcat Records. Dedicated to putting out the best of the bands that tread the line between the punk and ska scenes, they've signed up eight fine bands as the core of the new label's roster. Hepcat, The Pietasters, The Gadjits, The Slackers, Dropkick Murphy's, Choking Victim, US Bombs and F-Minus are the favored octet, and they're all on hand on this comp disc that serves as the Hellcat kickoff. In fact, if the new label is a good idea, the kickoff comp is a *great* idea. 20 tracks, including an unreleased Rancid side, a new live side from the legendary Skatalites, Rancid's Epitaph stablemates Voodoo Glow Skulls and more are on hand to celebrate the Hellcat rollout in style - hard core style, dance hall style, high style of every description. And, hold your hat and open your wallet, the whole shebang can be yours for, count 'em, four hundred and ninety nine cents list! Yep, twenty songs, five bucks, great fun. I can't wait to hear the full releases from the the Hellcat bands, but this will help fill the time admirably. There's not much more to say that the track list couldn't say better, so... Track List: Rancid/The Brothels * The Slackers/Watch This * Hepcat/Can't Wait * The Pietasters/New Breed * The Business/Spirit Of The Streets * Voodoo Glow Skulls/Los Hombres No Lloran * Dropkick Murphy's/Barroom Heroes * Skinnerbox/Does He Love You * The Upbeat/17 @ 17 * The Stubborn Allstars/Open Season * The Gadjits/Beautiful Girl * Union 13/Roots Radicals * US Bombs/Jaks * Swingin' Utters/Fifteenth and T * The Skatalites/Latin Goes Ska * The Silencers/Policeman * Pressure Point/ Heart Like A Lion * Choking Victim/Infested * F-Minus/No Time * The Dave Hillyard Rocksteady 7/Playtime VARIOUS ARTISTS: Good Time Jazz Story (Fantasy) Reviewed by DJ Johnson Legend has it that Good Time Jazz Records was started by Lester Koenig the day he saw The Firehouse Five Plus Two perform at a 1949 New Year's party. Koenig, knocked out by what he heard, approached bandleader (and famous Disney animator) Ward Kimball and said "Will you record for me?" When Kimball asked what label he was with, he replied "None, but if you record for me, I'll have one." This is your first clue regarding Koenig's motives. Like many of the best independent labels today, Good Time Jazz was a labor of love. To Mr. Koenig, the music was everything. As 1949 dawned, the mainstream of jazz was in a state of transition from swing to bop, and the traditional jazz of the early part of the century was all but forgotten. Koenig's fledgling label helped spearhead a great revival that lasted a decade or more. Along with The Firehouse Five Plus Two, Good Time Jazz became home to outstanding talents like Kid Ory, Lucky Roberts, Burt Bales, The Silver Leaf Jazz Band, Turk Murphy, The Banjo Kings, Bob Scobey, Bay City Jazz Band, and Bunk Johnson, and even the late Jelly Roll Morton's music was reissued on the label. The four CDs that comprise this box set offer a little bit of nearly everyone who recorded for Good Time Jazz in its 20 year existence, and in some cases there are five or six tracks by a particular artist. The music ranges from ragtime to blues, covering mileage from New Orleans to Los Angeles to San Francisco and back in just over five hours, during which time you'll certainly find some new favorites. If Pete Daily's "Clarinet Marmalade" doesn't get ya, you can't be got. Firehouse Five Plus Two's uniquely diverse repertoire, well served here with a whopping nine tracks, will make believers out of everyone. And then there's Jesse Fuller. A folk and blues singer with a wonderful storyteller's delivery, Fuller was a one man band in the classic sense, operating cymbals, drums and various horns while simultaneously playing guitar and singing. Amazing as his presentation techniques were, he was more than just a roadside oddity. His delivery was riveting, and his playing skillful. As with most of the great talents in this collection, Fuller is worth discovering. His music, and most of the recorded output of all of these artists, is available today through Fantasy. The set comes with a 60-page booklet that contains a detailed and annotated track listing, a history of the label (written by legendary jazz critic Floyd Levin, who was indeed part of this story himself), a discography, producer's notes, and a center-spread montage of Good Time Jazz's typically eye-popping album covers. Clearly, a lot went into the making of this box. Finding this set was, for me, a wonderful bit of serendipity involving an incorrectly entered release date in a wholesaler's database. It kicked the title out as a brand new release and I went after it, not knowing it was actually released in 1995. I had managed to miss it the first time around. As a trad latebloomer--meaning I discovered this form of jazz through Woody Allen's Sleeper soundtrack and not through hard nosed research--I'd been a little frustrated by several less than exciting purchases as I pursued knowledge of the form. If you're in the same boat now, I recommend this set wholeheartedly. It may collect the output of only one label, but Good Time Jazz was one hell of a label. VARIOUS ARTISTS: Psychedelic Club Trax (Hypnotic Records) Reviewed by Shaun Dale There was a time when the term "psychedelic" applied to music meant that you'd spend some time lying down watching the colored lights shine either on the wall or inside your eyelids while you gazed in amazement. The eleven tracks here assembled serve notice that today's psychedelia is as likely to move your butt as your brain. Compiled by Thomas Elers, this compilation of trance/dance treasures is full of high energy synth jams for the ravers with just the right dose of mental maneuvering to provide satisfaction to those of us who are better described as aging hippies than as club kids. In fact, this is a fine introduction to the whole electronica scene for folks who haven't quite got it yet. It's not comprehensive, by any means. There's a lot of sounds and schools in electronic music these days. It is accessible, though, without being compromised. Though it's tagged as psychedelic, this music neither requires nor particularly inspires the use of drugs. More accurately, this music *is* drugs, of a sort. Played loud in a roomful of sweaty bodies, it will provide the platform for physical and mental escape as effectively as any chemical concoction. Played loud through headphones with closed eyes, it will just as readily transport you out of your mundane space into another mental place. Played anyway you can through anything you have at any volume you can get away with, you'll be treated to a worthy glimpse of some of today's more creative dance and trance sounds. Track List: Asbraasia/Whirlpool-Kaos * X-Plore/Xemini * Donut Junkie/ Blue * Recipe/Capture * Aerial Servant/Clockwork 2 * Latex Empire/ Acidchiled * Amtraxx/Morphis * Bloque/Legoland * Monostalker/Stereoids * Mayflyer/Signal 1 * Hval/Teint VARIOUS ARTISTS: Take It Off! Striptease Classics (Rhino) Reviewed by John Sekerka Hey politically correctors: stripping is back! Well, in Hollywood anyway. But that don't matter, you can still swing like a sixties bachelor thanks to this handy dandy compilation. If this sounds at all familiar, then you must know of Ann Corio's double vinyl whammy from a bygone era: How To Strip For Your Husband, volumes one and two. Perhaps you own those records, and if so, then they are probably all scratched up. Good news is here, because Take It Off! collects the best of those nudie discs in fab digital format for play on your spanking new hi-fi. Sonny Lester (who?) and his Orchestra slink their way through such naughty classics as "Bumps & Grinds," "Big Millie From Philly" and "How Mable Get Sable Cha Cha Cha." Of course the standards ("Lament," "The Stripper") are included as well. A heaping helping of brass, a lot of sax, a sensuous beat, and slinky rhythms is all it takes. You're ready for some squeaky clean, primo titillation. This package comes complete with wonderful liner notes, racy pics and a very moving (literally) cover. Yowsa! MUDDY WATERS: His Best, 1956 to 1964 (MCA/Chess) Reviewed by Shaun Dale This disc, part of MCA's series celebrating the 50th anniversary of Chess Records, documents a time during which the label was becoming better known as the home of rockers Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley than bluesmen like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. If the influence of blues in general was on the wane, both at the label and on the charts, it was hard to find evidence of any such slide in the fortunes of Muddy Waters. Though the outstanding band, with Jimmy Rogers and Little Walter, which had played with Muddy through the early 50's was on the rocks, Willie Dixon and Otis Spann were still on hand and new players, including James Cotton, Walter Horton and Buddy Guy, would begin to appear on Waters' sessions, producing some of his most memorable material. This was the era of "Forty Days And Forty Nights," "Got My Mojo Working," "You Shook Me" and "Good Morning, Little School Girl." These and many more of the 20 tracks assembled on this collection are now standards of the blues repertoire, passed down from player to player with reverential acknowledgment to the master, Mr. Waters. This was also the era during which Muddy Waters became an international star, traveling for the first time to England and setting the stage for the coming blues revival, which would see the rock crowds acknowledging their blues roots and rescuing the careers of many of the roots players. It would be hard to overestimate the positive impact Muddy Waters had in that respect. Muddy Waters was no doubt the king of Chicago Blues, but he never lost touch with his Delta roots, which gave his influence during the blues revival of the early sixties double impact. It also gives the songs collected here a healthy dose of Mississippi emotion, which separated Muddy from many of the big city flash players. This is a welcome set, a heaping helping of the real deal. Serious collectors will have most of these cuts in some format, but this is a great compilation of a great period in Muddy Waters' career for the collector and novice alike. Track List: All Aboard * Forty Days And Forty Nights * Just To Be With You * Don't Go No Farther * Diamonds At Your Feet * I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love * Rock Me * Got My Mojo Working * She's Nineteen Years Old * Close To You * Walkin' Thru The Park * She's Into Something * I Feel So Good * You Shook Me * You Need Love * My Love Strikes Like Lightning * My Home Is In The Delta * Good Morning, Little School Girl * The Same Thing * You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had ___________________________________________________________________________ CLASSIC EXAMPLE By Robert Cummings The biggest question among those with a burgeoning interest in classical music is: "what do I buy?" You're confronted by a world of concertos and symphonies and ballets and cantatas, and composers with funny names. One day you hear a piece by Mozart and like it, but don't know if you will like others by him. Worse, you shrug and say you don't know the stylistic differences between Bach and Chopin, or between Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Frankly, you're afraid to plunk down fifteen dollars on a gamble that you'll like a certain symphony by Dvorak. And, learning that it's pronounced `duh-vor-zhock' only intimidates you further. Indeed. The world of classical music can be confusing for those on the outside looking in, as well as for those who've just entered the lobby. Inside there is a quite lavish banquet of smorgasbord-style dishes. And when you move through the line to make your choices of those delicious-looking concoctions, you certainly want to know what to put on your plate. "Hmmm," you say feeling brave, "I'll have a Mahler symphony, some Chopin and Debussy preludes, and maybe a Beethoven quartet, with a side order of a Bruckner symphony. For dessert, let's see, how about some Liszt and Borodin?" Then you sample them to learn you don't care for that melancholic Mahler or for the brassy Bruckner; and you tire easily of dreamy Debussy, and Borodin bores you. There, just three out of seven! You've wasted sixty hard-earned dollars on those four bad choices. While no one can guaranty whose music you'll like and whose you'll dislike, it's good to be armed with some basic information before any purchase. One easy course of action to follow is this: before buying any recording, check the composer's vital dates, usually listed on the back cover of the jacket. Most composers will fall into one of the categories below. I've listed some of the most prominent ones next to their musical period. (The dates are arguable, of course, and some composers have written in several styles.) Baroque 1600-1750 (Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann) Classical 1750-1820 (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert) Romantic 1820-1850 (Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms) Post-Romantic 1850-1900's (Brahms, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov) Impressionist 1900-1940 (Debussy, Ravel, Dukas, Roussel) NeoClassical 1920- (Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Bartok, Hindemith) Eclectic 1920- (Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Britten) Twelve Tone (Serial) 1920- (Schoenberg, Berg, Webern) Modern, Including Electronic/Computer 1950- (Cage, Boulez, Austin, Waschka) Admittedly, this categorization involved many generalizations, simplifications and omissions. I didn't cover Medieval and Renaissance music, for example, and I couldn't list every major composer (Berlioz, Verdi, Puccini, Dvorak, Sibelius, etc.). Now I will take a moment to describe the styles of each of these periods and make some basic recommendations. Baroque - Think of smaller ensembles and of the harpsichord and recorder (a kind of early flute), and imagine music that is lively and delicate, regal and elegant. Remember the theme to William F. Buckley's Firing Line (played on a synthesizer, no less)? It's from the finale of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Also, when you think Baroque, you think of big religious oratorios, like Handel's Messiah. Classical - Here, the music becomes a bit more sophisticated, growing away from the smaller ensembles and toward the orchestra (Haydn wrote over 100 symphonies!) The orchestral music is lively and string-dominated, a bit more restrained, and at times darker. Musical development grows in the symphony and sonata via the innovations of Beethoven. Try Mozart's Symphony No. 40, or Haydn's "London" Symphonies. Romantic - Now melody becomes more emotional, while generally maintaining a songful or heroic character. The orchestra grows in size and instruments modernize to produce grandiose and sonorous washes of sound. Hear the Beethoven 9th Symphony, the Chopin Ballades, or the Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 (Italian). Post-Romantic - The orchestra becomes massive in some scores, and the emotionalism grows in intensity to include heart-on-sleeve romantic outpourings and feelings of depression and gloom. If you're enamored of love themes or sad melodies, music from this period will appeal to you. Try that powerhouse of emotion and fate, the Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony, or that grandiose choral symphony, the Mahler 8th, or Rachmaninov's tuneful 2nd Piano Concerto. Impressionist - The music here is intimate and descriptive. Often in the works of the iconic impressionist, Debussy, one finds a hazy, ethereal quality where, for instance, a stream of water is depicted in delicate, subtle running notes on the piano. Often you see the picture or sense the feeling the music is describing. Try the Debussy Preludes or Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe. NeoClassical - Music looks backward here in this style, utilizing elements from the classical period in a modern context. Stravinsky is most closely associated with this style, even though Prokofiev and Busoni wrote works in this vein before he did. Try Stravinsky's Symphony in C and Symphony in Three Movements. But be forewarned, these two works, though quite compelling, don't contain catchy tunes. Eclectic - Composers falling into this category really are unclassifiable. Prokofiev, probably the ultimate eclectic, could be called a Post-Romantic/Nationalistic/NeoClassical/Modernist composer. And maybe more. Eclectics tended to compose music on a large scale in a generally modern yet tuneful vein. Hear the passionate and pungent Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet or the Shostakovich Symphony No. 8. Twelve-Tone - Avoid these works if you think musical discord, dissonance and absence of recognizable melody would be alien to your tastes. From my experience, I've found few who like Schoenberg, the major exponent here. I'm one, though. If you're adventurous, try his piano concerto. Modern, Including Electronic/Computer - No recommendations in the final category. I guaranty that few initiates will want to venture into this avant garde area, one which includes sounds that many say are not music but chaos. Perhaps I'll write more about it in a later column. There you have it. You're all set to go out into that cruel world and spend a few dollars on some classical CDs. Henceforth, this column will appear monthly and be devoted to a different composer each time. I'll make some recommendations of outstanding recordings after examining stylistic traits and compositions. And you'll have the pleasure of spending your money and cursing me if you get burned. Tune in next month for Prokofiev. SOUND CLIP CREDITS (Ed.Note: The only way to get the full benefit of Classic Example is to go to our website at http://www.cosmik.com and take advantage of the sound clips that serve as examples. All you need is a Real Audio Player, which you can get for free at http://www.real.com. A 28.8 baud modem is ideal, but with the Perfect Play feature of the player, it is possible to listen in with a 14.4 baud modem.) 1) Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (Finale; track 6); Christopher Hogwood/Academy of Ancient Music/L'OISEAU LYRE 2) Mozart: Symphony No. 40 (First Movement; track 1); Abaddo/Berlin Philharmonic/DG 3) Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Finale; track 4); Drahos/ Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia/NAXOS 4) Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 (First Movement; track 1); Maazel/Cleveland Orchestra/SONY 5) Debussy: Preludes Book I (The Maid with the Flaxen Hair; track 8); Thibaudet/LONDON 6) Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements (First Movement; track 5); Shao/New Zealand Symphony/NAXOS 7) Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet (Dance of the Knights; track 13); Gergiev/Kirov Orchestra/PHILIPS 8) Schoenberg: Piano Concerto (track 7); Pollini/Abaddo/Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/DG ____________________________________________________________________________ BETWEEN ZERO & ONE By Steven Leith WORKERS OF THE WORLD SURF THE NET YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR CHAINS That’s right. The real chains that shackle the worker of the post modern era are chains on the mind. What do we believe, who do we trust and what do we need? All this and more are mental constructs that the government, media, and corporations erect for us. Without their guiding influence we might be tempted to seek the underlying reasons for their actions or, God forbid, question what they tell us. As long as job skills replace knowledge, the chains are safely in place. You see, job skills are needed in the post modern corporate world, but when skills stray too far from what is needed to produce goods and services you might get real understanding. Enter the Net. The modern worker is being forced to add Net use to their kit of job skills. But there is a dark side to this particular skill. It can lead to honest to goodness thinking for yourself. It can even lead to a glimpse over the fence that separates the employed from that ugly societal fringe the RAC (Radical Artist Conspiracy). If you spend time on the Net you know that you must use common sense to separate the wheat from the chaff. It is a skill that is not required of the average citizen who soaks up TV advertising as if it were documentary evidence. Another chilling aspect of the Net is that information can find its way to your computer without corporate media’s stamp of approval. So, we have a catch 22. The post modern worker needs job skills that are Net skills, but they sure don’t need to be exposed to ideas and concepts that call into question the very system their labor supports. What’s our rulers to do? The first thing is to make sure that the same tired voices are heard over the Net, just as they drone on over the airways. They must expend capital to train the worker that the only source for information on the Net are the same organs of propaganda that exist in the non-cyber world. MSNBC, CNN-online, New York Times online, are all perfect examples of how you can drown out the alternative voices that beset the Net. The floodgates are open. The worker is going to be inundated with information from the major media concerns. Baffle them with info-glut and they won’t have the time or patience to examine the issues, or the very society their labor is creating. Another useful technique is to raise the price of admission so fewer voices can be heard. It was done very successfully in the first half of this century when the airways were sold to the highest bidder and it will happen again in the last half. We are being told that prices have to go up for Internet use otherwise no one will get to use the Net. The free ride is over they tell us. They don’t even bother to support their claims because the real reason that prices are going to go through the roof is to weed out the undesirable elements of Net society. As we stand on the threshold of a new millennium we are also granted a new weapon to forge our freedom anew. Freedom is hard work whether it is defending your person or your mind. That is why most people chose the comfort of their chains. You have the key to your chains. Do you dare turn the key? _________________________________________________________________________ PHIL'S GARAGE By Phil Dirt HOW WE GOT HERE (where are we going?) I’ve always been more interested in the turning points in musical evolution than in the Billboard charts. It seems to me that what matters in retrospect is not how many people doted on a release, but rather which technical and creative developments enabled it to occur. I take the sort of view of rock history that James Burke took with his history and technology series, Connections. As a result, my opinion of the value of an artist’s contribution often varies widely from the generally accepted view. One major case in point has been my long-held view that the caldron of Liverpool from which came the Beatles held more vital and significant bands than they were, and dozens of others of equal musical value, all covering the same American R&B classics. For instance, The Big Three were among the most popular on the local scene, and were arguably the original power trio, with John Gustafson, Johnny Hutchinson, and Brian Griffiths. With only three players, they needed to have a big sound and fill every nook and cranny, which they did. They were real rockers in the rumble and play meaning of the word. John Lennon once auditioned for the band. He was turned down because he was reportedly viewed widely as a sissy. Their full bodied approach to R&B got people moving instantly. Another British example was Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, who recorded the original "Shakin’ All Over" in 1960, and whose guitarist, Mick Green, originated the power trio signature guitar concept of playing the lead and rhythm parts simultaneously on a single guitar. Incidentally, Big Three bassist Johnny Gustafson was a latter day member of the Pirates. In the early eighties, I came back to KFJC for the purpose of producing a rock history series to demonstrate these relationships. It was called "Waves." Intended to be a short series, It ended up being 132 half hour episodes, aired twice weekly. The by-line was "a personal view of change," a line curiously used by James Burke some years later in his series. "Waves" looked only at the musical triggers, the innovators and innovations. It focused on those little left turns off the beaten path that would later result in whole genres or the success of others. Bands like Blue Cheer were heavily investigated musically, along with their family tree roots and branches which included Randy Holden’s band, the Other Half, Paul Whaley’s East Bay band, the Oxford Circle, Leigh Stephens’ and his Red Weather and Silver Metre, and Berkeley’s Mint Tattoo. After all, between them, they invented loud and ugly, and certainly the subsequent rise of Metal and Punk were in large part dependent on these precursors. They defined the power trio. Some years back, I was reminded of the other trigger, the more subtle influence of social condition. I was preparing for a massive 13 hour all inclusive Yardbirds special. I interviewed Jim McCarty about how the Yardbirds came into being. During the course of our conversation, he talked about something that struck home in a way nothing else had. Funny, it was something I’d never thought about quite in that way before. It was the Cuban Crisis. I grew up as a pre-teen in the late fifties, when I first came under the influence of rock. I remember going to school and drilling what to do in the event of the Russians dropping atomic bombs on us. It was on TV too, with those dreadful public service spots about duck and cover. I vividly remember my first nuclear nightmare. I was on a country road not far from my home. Suddenly, the sky turned bright orange and red and yellow, and I knew I was going to die. I woke up screaming. It was the only color dream I had as a child. I was terrified. I was only ten years old. I re-dreamt the exact same dream sequence during the Cuban crisis, when JFK called the Russians’ bluff. Jim McCarty related coming home from school that day convinced it was to be his last, and he was not alone. From that day forward there was a pervasive "live for today, for tomorrow we may die" mentality that overtook them, and many other people around the world. It was mostly unspoken, too horrible to say aloud or even admit to one’s self, but it was there. It’s funny, but in large part, it would seem that the death of melody in pop music came to pass under the same mushroom cloud. From this bleak view came the generational feeling of no future, and the impatience that prevented investing and waiting. It was followed by continuing governmental lying and law-breaking, which only further alienated the now insecure from the powers that be, breeding a feeling of having no control and no safety. The failed experiments with social order of the sixties and the "don’t worry be happy denial seventies" spawned the "hate everything eighties" and the "lost early nineties." What is curious to me is that there seems to be some sort of lifting of the fog happening. I’ve found myself in the last few years able to talk about the nuclear nightmares, able to look at the darkest corners of my inner self. Concurrent with this is the rise of instrumental surf, and the prevailing comment from many of the new and old practitioners that they were tired of playing music they didn’t really like to small angry groups of people who either showed them the deference they showed a fly across the street, or showed their approval with venom of some sort. Something in the social fabric brought a significant number of guitarists to play surf when they were playing alone for themselves, just because it was fun. On telling bandmates, they discovered they weren’t alone. People are laughing and dancing when they play, and the bands are having real fun playing infectious music with actual melodies. No one has to listen to half baked political or social rhetoric being screamed at them by someone who’s career as a dishwasher is punctuated by occasional performances on stage. Joy has returned to the music. Depression seems to be on the way out. The question is, is there a general shift to a lighter time finally at hand? I certainly hope so. Surf’s Up! ___________________________________________________________________________ WALLEY AT WITZEND By David Walley BAD DAY AT INTERNET: HARD COPY "The present is more frightening than any imaginable future I might dream up. If Marshall McLuhan were alive today he'd have a nervous breakdown." - William Gibson Nothing to be done. I tried to ignore that idea, "David, be reasonable, you haven't tried everything", and I resumed the struggle. By the time you read this essay, everything I'm talking about in terms of computer technology will be obsolete or nearly so. The word-processing program which is more than adequate for my needs (I only use maybe 15% of its capabilities at most) will have undergone two or three new permutations and revisions which ultimately I will be coerced into buying. The operating system, the traffic cop which monitors this and other programs in my computer's hard drive, will likewise have undergone more upgrades and refinements. Finally and most essentially, to keep the whole system "on the square" for peak operating efficiency because I'll have replaced the above, not only will I absolutely need a new microprocessor, the accelerator of this information vehicle, but also more RAM (Random Access Memory) which runs the immediate program within the new and improved operating environment. In the computer age as in none other, the consumer/product circle remains unbroken. By the time you read this essay, (and this is a brilliant consumerist marvel), even the hard drive which contained this essay, the present operating system and my other programs, which has more than enough capacity for any future projects I might do with enough resident memory left over to store the collected works of Leo Tolstoy, will also have to be enlarged yet again. Why? It's the nature of the op sys beast, its bureaucratic imperative, its DNA as it were. Coupled to its insatiable appetite, every subsequent upgrade will like a voracious killer shark gobble larger and larger portions of my system's resident memory in the name of "progress, speed, and efficiency". And all for me and my work which is funny because the operating system itself doesn't make me any more creative than I already am. In truth, I'm the operating system; in the end it's not the tools which make the man but the quality of the work he produces with them. At least that's what I've always assumed up until now. A nifty-looking typeface or a laser print job may make my manuscript look terrific but it won't change my concepts. It's just like in the music business: A mediocre rock and roll band can go into the best studio with the best producer in the world and still make mediocre music. Oh, it might sound great but it will still be mediocre, a simple awful truth regardless of what the record company PR says to the contrary. Apparently that doesn't hold true in the Information Age, moreso it's beside the point, and I'd better get used to it. Only after I've written does the computer's word-processing function really help. It is the editing, the shifting of blocks of text and the ease of re-writing that makes me the proverbial happy hacker/writer. But though ostensibly time-saving, paradoxically I have to be more vigilant in copy-editing because a whole different set of systemic errors occur. Besides the usual mis-keys, there's the danger of word repetition which happens because I didn't completely cut off the tail of the word skein I'd just edited down or inserted. There are of course the downright usage mistakes like substituting "there" for "their", errors that spell checkers blithely ignore and so do I if jammed for time. The program makes errors because, I suppose, it can, or I let it, or some combination of the two; every program has its quirks, again having nothing to do with my writing (save for my dyslexic typing errors) but everything to do with the system I choose to write with. On the other hand, because re-writing is a comparative snap, word-processing makes me more nit-picky, more prone to re-writing. It's so easy to be seduced, too easy. Indeed this feature has been an inestimable boon to my marriage, especially when I show my work to my only wife and she makes "a small suggestion or two" when I'm expecting to be patted on my shaggy head as a reward for a job well done, a bonus writers' spouses have been supposed to bestow since time immemorial. In the old days when I was still pounding away on my trusty IBM Selectric II, I used to go ballistic when she pointed out a busted tense, a run-on sentence, a misspelling, the normal stuff. And I'd start screaming at her for pointing it out, for marking up my pristine copy though I was more ticked off with myself because I knew she was right. Of course she was right, but I'd just done it and it took a while to do the "no mistakes" final draft she sees at the end of the day. Hah! These days, I just sprint out to the studio, put the manuscript up on screen, and key in the corrections while the program automatically re-formats and re-paginates the manuscript. Then I hit the print command GIJANG!, and a few minutes later out spews the corrected copy from my printer like clean pressed laundry and I'm back in our bedroom. "Is this any better dear?" I ask breathlessly, well-pleased with myself. Of course it is, but that's no longer the point really. My ambivalence toward the marvels of the new information technology, and the mindset it has spawned, has less to do with the dialogue I have with my wife, and more to do with my attempts to come to grips with my peculiarly American response to the electronic culture, which has made these domestic scenes possible. According to cultural historian Warren Susman in Culture as History (1984) not only does this new technology or its peculiarly American attitude toward the new technology shape my experience, but it also has implications for my future, implications which I have every right to examine and question. From Susman's historical perspective, my continuing dialogue with, and/or diatribe against, the current mystery trend is symptomatic of an ongoing series of discussions which have bubbled under the surface of American life since the 1840's. These discussions predate by more than 150 years the current cyber-babble about the implications of the Internet, Virtual Reality and the like. Back then, thinking Americans were concerned about how steam power and the telegraph, that century's information delivery system, was transforming life. At that time there was a sense of unease in the air which accompanied those changes, an almost palpable fear of modern civilization which was in part articulated by writers like Nathanial Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Dean Howells, Henry Adams and others. In 1881, this unease was given a name, American Nervousness, the title of a best-selling book written by an American physician, George Beard. Considering today's wide-spread use of mood altering drugs, decaffeinated Prozac and the like, to medicate our present century's ills, the title was visionary and prophetic. For Beard, the difference between the "ancient" past and modern times came down to the influence of five elements: the transformatory nature of steam power, the periodical press, the telegraph, the sciences, and the mental power of women. (Feminism has always been a part of the American scene). In the 1890's, Beard's findings were further amplified and validated in research done by sociologists, philosophers, and educationalists at the University of Chicago, who discerned another debilitating impact of the new technologies on American society, viz. the gradual disappearance of face-to-face communications, the glue which held the American family together. Forty years later their findings were further enhanced and refined by Edward Sapir in The Encyclopedia of Social Sciences (1930). He articulated a subsequent effect: because communications themselves could no longer be kept within desirable bounds so also literary and artistic values were in danger of being degraded and trivialized. Ask anybody who has ever received an e-mail message or delved into the electronically infinite cyber-babble of the Internet, or the World Wide Web it birthed. Indeed it is a raucous, anarchic wild Westworld frontier populated by a whole host of self-created cyber good and bad guys, black hats, cowboys, Indians and the dance of the just plain folks. For Sapir and the rest of us who are also struggling to find some middle position, some accommodation to this brave new world, the question comes down to whether the obvious increase of overt communication is not being constantly corrected...by the creation of new obstacles to communication. The fear of being too easily understood, in many cases, may be more aptly defined as the fear of being understood by too many--so many, indeed, as to endanger the psychological reality of the image of the enlarged self confronting the not-self. Since Sapir's day this creation of and conflict with the media "not-self" has been a preeminent subtext for numerous cyberpunk science fiction novels and movies which feature computer technology prominently among them. Brainstorm 1983, Videodrome, Blade Runner, Lawnmower Man, or most recently Strange Days. The introduction of Virtual Reality to the evolution of computer communications technology, the idea that one can not only create but also inhabit discarnate spaces in a computer-generated world, raises the ante some though in no way diminishes the force of Sapir's observations sixty years ago. It's not just those of us who've opted to permanently move into the cutting-edgeland ozone of the Internet who will be or have been affected, either; we all are. And in truth, our perceptions and expectations of promise, "the GE All-Electric kitchen" so to speak, which life in the computer lane is supposed to herald, have soured as a result. From the collective perspective created by movies, advertising, books,and art over the 25 years at least, our future will be a dark and ominous place. It will be (and perhaps is already turning into), an industrially polluted, predatory wasteland, inhabited by damaged alienated souls, those happy few already out in cyberspace, who are manipulating it for good or ill, notwithstanding. The future of business, (my modest enterprise as a writer included), is already here, and though the paper-less office boogie steps are complex, we all know them and they go something like this: Of course you have to buy the what.sys and the service contract along with a mess of specialty products and then you plug everything into everything else to make a seamless unit you hope. You had all this before with office #1, (the "paper" office?) whose systems were discrete, separate though still technologically inter-connected (you were the interface technology). Your office consisted of a desk, a phone, typewriters, file cabinets, but just one additional set of whatever you were shuffling. With the INFORMATION SYSTEM on which your office now depends, you need two or more sets of the same stuff you had before. OK, they say it's better that you can shift it digitally and electronically all over creation, to Sri Lanka and back in a few nanoseconds if you choose. For that matter you can even park it all on a hard drive there to save office space. It can be compact enough to carry around with you, or you can have it attached like a polyp. William Gibson's computer jockey anti-heroes can literally "jack themselves" in to the information matrix if they choose. You can wake up in the morning with it, or use it to sexually stimulate yourself at night--no muss, no fuss, (just massive phone bills). Eventually you must have a hard copy of some sort, something physically in hand so at least you can remember whatever it was you said or ordered or did the night before if you're at all conscientious. You just can't have it as backup on the hard drive either, because if you have it on your hard drive, you (your data, and by inference and extension your life) are at risk because something mechanical/electrical could happen to the drive like a freak magnetic storm, a power surge or outage--and of course you must buy a protection unit for that eventuality, if you're paranoid enough or just being conscientious about your work once again. Of course too, the system which runs the drive can crash and frequently does in real life for any sort of stupid reason---nothing to be done unless you back it all up. However, the technology of diskettes with which you "back it all up" is not as advanced as that of hard drives. The diskettes are just as much or more prone to deterioration. (Presently the CD-ROM appears to be the solution but when that technology filters down to the man on the street, and however entropy is temporarily overcome, though having more capacity it will be just as cantankerous, and prone to more intricate defects. Anyway once you've converted everything over, something new will appear which will be "better" and which you will buy, and so on, and so on, ad infinitum). Again if you're conscientious (or creatively paranoid enough) your back-up diskettes must be replaced at regular intervals. You're now buying and collecting and keeping track of the duplicates, themselves prone to errors of transmission, instead of merely storing that carbon copy in the stand-up files. Even if you have your data on a diskette, you'll need a another what.sys which is programmed for your diskette to be able to read and recover it, fine. What if you don't have a compatible program or the place where you want the data to appear isn't programmed the same way, which happens to businesses more than you might think. What happens if the power cuts out in mid-transmission, what then? The more you get into the technology of this mindset, the more apparent it becomes that you're dangerously dependent, at the mercy of the technology that runs the what.sys onto which you've transferred your data, your life. So much for the liberating influences of the paper-less office you were told would save your bacon. Not just using, but even having a computer unalterably changes you. And because it's yours, after a while you start acting like a teenager who's just cobbled together a hot car. You become obsessed with the need to brag about it because it's so cool and fast, etc., and men more than women are prone to this kind of behavior. It's high school all over again or still: same rules, different things--my dog's better than your dog. Suddenly you're seventeen years old again hanging out in the parking lot before school watching the people come and go, talking about cars and trying to appear cool. You used to chat about the weather, the battle of the sexes, sports, or politics, isn't everything going to hell in a hand basket? Now your small talk becomes larded with liberal amounts of techno-babble which, though it shows your coolness quotient to the boys, is guaranteed to put almost everyone including your significant other to sleep. The competitive juices which contribute to driving you crazy doing business in this environment start churning too, unless you're one of those individuals (or network administrators of one of those companies), who just has to have everything the moment it can be had. If not, you're always playing conversational catch-up, and feeling inadequate because you don't have whatever you're supposed to have that they all have when your associates and colleagues rabbet on about their "increased productivity, lower cost, higher benefit-ratios, etc.". The sort of thing businessmen like to talk about when alone instead of sports (which everyone has given up on anyway). Even if you don't have it all, in defense you learn the jargon much as young men did in back in the Fifties who didn't know a Lake pipe from a lifter, but learned so that the hoods who did wouldn't kick the shit out of them, and they'd blend into the woodwork. This being still the case, either you learn to zip it and moderate your enthusiasms, or you run out of friends. Or you seek the company of other hackers who, I suppose in reality, bore themselves silly even in their protected environment. Thus your life changes by fits and starts and imperceptibly it begins to dawn on you--that boon you have sought seems less and less to be a boon when everything else is factored in. Everyone gets to the same page eventually, for no matter how plugged-in you are to the new world order, still there comes a point in time when you realize that no matter how many megs of RAM you're running, how fast your modem, capacious your hard drive, or how many type fonts are loaded up and ready to go, you've still got to have a hard copy, just like you always had. And not only one, electronic forgeries being a growth industry these days. Instead of the simplicity and good design you were promised you have wandered into the systems hell of infinite duplication instead. But come, let's go, let us proceed down this particular garden path. Let's say you've already re-thought your "business environment", are familiar with the quirks of "information management", and are ready to get out there on the electronic dance floor. To your chagrin, you find that things have gotten gnarly out there in the Zone while you were tooling up, or re-tooling to maintain your edge. Now you have to deal with the Internet and the World Wide Web which the vendors have touted as the answer for everything. Sure it's easy to ship data and graphics, buy and sell too, but what happens when you send something to somebody over your trusty modem and what they get isn't what you sent or is not there for him to see because there's a defect in his office system file manager or in yours, and your data's corrupted? That you won't find out about until much later because it looks so nice and neat and official (it's laser printed naturally). Or worst case scenario, you learn the iron law of technology: the bigger, the faster, the more complex it is, the greater its capacity for mayhem. In short, that technology only amplifies and encourages human fallibility, and its use becomes the excuse why things don't work smoothly. A friend of mine related a sterling example of that thinking when he was in charge of producing a glass CD-ROM containing highly complex actuarial figures for a Fortune 500 insurance conglomerate. The client's Los Angeles representative from whence the data originated, which he was responsible for arranging on the CD, an expensive and tedious undertaking, never bothered to informe him that what she was sending was incomplete. It was only at the eleventh hour after he had already made the defective CD that he discovered this. After producing more than a few useless CD-ROMs (which the client paid for anyway but not the point), he asked Ms. Elay why she never bothered to check the tapes for data errors before she downloaded them to him. "If I'd known you were going to check, I would have told you," was her response. Go figure, but this is exactly what happens when people mindlessly abdicate their responsibilities to machines and systems, in the mistaken belief machines can think for themselves, when they are just being compliant doing only what they're programmed to, no more no less. Then you add in the hacker merry pranksters hanging out on the cyberspace "corner" who are there just to mess with you and your data because it's fun to break into somebody's house just to look in their bureaus. Oh it's nothing personal, they do it to everybody, it's part of the code, the initiation; that's just swell isn't it? At least in the old days you had a pretty good hunch who was messing with you and why, but now you have to worry about all those electronic bad guys who are playing out the hyper-card version of "Bad Day at Internet" with your precious data, your life. In this new business environment, you're at the mercy of people you don't know. People you can't even see, people you never had to deal with before. But OK you're a masochist and you're up for it, you've put in that delegated phone line and are ready for the free lunch at Cafe Internet. Having learned the protocols after being ritually singed by the flame artists out there on the Net, you're ready to rumble. Only then do you run into the biggest obstacle, for now you encounter lawyer sharks swimming out there armed with Power Books looking for ways to exploit the First Amendment, meaning their right to load up your singular space with advertisements for goods and services you really want or need. And they want a piece of your action too, which you thought was free. You have to admire the lawyers for this, the way they've dealt themselves into your game and are busily occupied with exploiting that good feeling which free exchanges of ideas engenders. In the Sixties they used to say that the streets belonged to the people, in the Nineties, it's the Net that belongs to the people but that is under assault by the telecom giants who want it all because in America there is no such thing as innovation without commercial exploitation (taxation without representation?). Reach out and touch someone? Right. Here's my credit card number. Sooner or later that brings in the feds to police it (as if they have any control now), and we all go back to high school where there's always a kid in every class who brings down the heat on everyone's cool scene. Say some people have a few beers after the game, there's always one who not only has a few more beers to blottos-ville, but then gets into his car and mows down the cheerleading squad or a group of nuns and you all get the heat and you're grounded forever. Every cyber chat room or bulletin board has someone, a trash-talking smarm, a scam artist selling snake oil, or apprentice terrorist-in-training who abuses the protocols for which eventually everyone pays and a little more freedom is given up for collective security. So the paper-less office has its sorcerer's apprentice, and while promising yet another "free" frontier it imposes a stiff admission price, just another dealer option which leads to specialization and fragmentation. Instead of opening up the possibilities of the human spirit, it paradoxically limits them, and in the process, we've become prisoner of forces whose complexity far outstrips our ability to comprehend them and their consequences. It leads us to a kind of technological anhedonia described 100 years ago by William James, in The Varieties of Religious Experience, as one of many types of depression characterized by "mere passive joylessness and dreariness, discouragement, dejection, lack of taste and zest and spring." Post that on the paper-less office bulletin board we say. Can you blame me if I'm not entirely comfortable with the situation on a general level? On a personal level, it's making me crazy that I've allowed myself to be suckered into this incrementally expensive technological dance. In truth I probably only have myself to blame for being a victim of this contemporary disorder, the computer inadequataphobia syndrome, a fear exacerbated by my own feverish perusings of the computer trade magazines, that I will be missing out on "something big" if I don't upgrade and take advantage of "what's next". On the other hand, it could easily have a great deal to do with spending protracted periods of time with my computer guru, Dan the Software Man, who, after a few years around me, has become quite the adept at orchestrating my eccentricities, fears and phobias about my place in the Information Age. Maybe it's because of his skillful feeding of my anxieties that I think it's inevitable, that the needs of the system come first, its needs, not necessarily mine. Despite this reasoning I'm not convinced. This technological break dance I'm engaged in has virtually nothing to do with me or my work. I've been meditating on this idea ever since Dan came over to my studio recently to perform another upgrade miracle on my "system", which to me is nothing more than a super typewriter/filing cabinet. The previous upgrade to the Windows program he "just had to install" a few months back was still primarily being used to play solitaire but no matter. This new installation, he patiently explained, this modem to wire me up to the wonderful world of e-mail and the Internet like the Windows program which preceded it, was for "my own good". He was saying all this with a gleam in his eye as he was deftly and professionally dismantling my electronic helpmate before my eyes and laying it out on my desk like the proverbial patient etherized upon a table: its driver cards and hard drive exposed, its dust cover upended. Apparently the real reason he was being Dr. Kildare, Albert Schweitzer and Mother Theresa combined boiled down to the fact that he was tired of playing telephone tag with me, and if I had an online e-mail address he could get me any time he wanted. Anyway when I got over feeling crazy because he was loading yet another program on my hard drive that I probably wouldn't use, I'd thank him in the end for being connected to the World Wide Web. He was certain of that. But who am I kidding, it's not my system after all, it's his. And even now I am of a few minds about that since I'm still examining the implications of having a computer or the computer having me, the improvement in inter-spousal relationships notwithstanding. It has taken me all this time to figure out that when Dan started me down the path to computing self-sufficiency and converted another computer-phobe to the cause, that he was really on a mission from You Know Who for my soul's salvation. Though he might think that, and I might let him, there's a part of me which remains skeptical, which stands apart watching the whole process, and my place in it, unfold. Dan should have figured out that if I was a true believer in the new world order, when he did come by for one of our sessions I'd buy everything he had in his briefcase, all the good drugs, the hip programs which are touted to keep me high, happy, productive and addicted. I don't hold it against him that he tries so hard to sell me whatever is the current fancy, for if nothing else, I represent a challenge to his salesman's ego. I guess I do because in fact, I'm rather fond of him so I'll allow him his delusion that it's his system and that I use it with his sufferance. And well I should since he set me up and has performed all my previous upgrades, and services my machine when it acts up, which ironically enough only seems to happen just before he's upgraded me. The whole process is similar to what happens just when you're thinking about investing in a new car; the old one catches on and starts to act up, subtly reinforcing your decision. Grow up ferchrissakes he tells me. It's not the Fifties or some other comparatively ancient time when one could (and some did) build one's own hi-fi or ham radio set, (or steam engines or electric generators) from the components; no one even bothers to look under the hood of one's car either 'cause it's become so complicated with all their associated anti-pollution devices appended. For that matter who can know what goes on behind the dashboard stuffed with microchips. Nevertheless the rationale for how it's all cobbled together is invariant: as night follows day, the least important "bell and whistle" display you thought was neat on the dash seems to incorporate the weakest link in the performance chain of command for the efficient running of your car. And when it blows, so does everything else. Those hardy hack-it-yourself-ers, those self-styled sports of the culture who on principal "don't read the manual" for macho reasons of hacker amor propre, actually spend more money and more time when waiting on-line for the phone techie to get to them and still they'll have to go out and buy whatever it is they'll need in the end. It's the same lesson those who buy deep-cut discount computers and software from Uncle Steve's Discount Store out in mall-land learn when they eschew patronage of their neighborhood store whose prices may not be as "competitive" in the short run. In the long run, the local guy ultimately is a better deal because he'll support whatever you purchase and even throw in the batteries for free. When you bring back your sweet deal to Uncle Steve's it's possible that the discount package you bought is no longer in stock so no one remembers how it was supposed to work, or the salesmen that you bought it from is long gone. If not so, the service department is pathetically understaffed and overworked and it will be weeks before they get to you since their warranty only covers their store and you'll have to take a number. The final indignity could be that Uncle Steve is now Uncle Janos, and the store's folded which leaves you, the thrifty consumer, up the proverbial creek. In the end you may wind up junking that system altogether and buying another one, but that's another mystery entirely, an entirely disposable one at that. Better to have Mike the Mechanic, or Dan the Software Man who, for $35 to $50 an hour or fractions thereof (not including parts replacement), he'll pull out the bad whozis, substitute another, reconfigure the what.sys and in under fifteen minutes (if you're that lucky) have you back up crunching numbers, words, playing Myst, poker or solitaire. Before this kind of technology became so indispensable, interchangeable, and commonplace, someone, somewhere at the point of manufacture, should have gone over it, if only for the sake of manufacturing integrity, a term which is harder and harder to define. In the era of multinational corporations every component comes from somewhere else and since manufacturing standards vary as do materials, ultimately fixing the blame when something goes down is almost pointless. So whether the defect was structural or conceptual means little in this consumer culture because we all know there's going to be an upgrade soon which will fix the problem, and that will be on the shelves next week or month rest assured. And we will buy it. We might think we're being modern and progressive but in reality our attitudes are more similar to our 17th and 18th century forbearers who also "... confused the assurance of the bigger and better with the purely directional conception of 'further'". Though we pride ourselves on being progressive pragmatic post-historical post-modernists, we are being naive, says the historian Huizinga, when we hold to our belief that" ...every new discovery or refinement of existing means must contain the promise of higher value or greater happiness." Additionally we also ignore another basic truth of the Internet Age which has been pointed out by essayist and academic David Ehrenfeld, that as a larger percentage of people become involved with manipulating information for the most part of a trivial nature, and all in the name of increasing everyone's efficiency, fewer people are left to concern themselves with the real goods and services needed for carrying on life... (and) there is a limit to what can be accomplished by increasing the designs and processes, and efficiency may have unexpected and undesirable effects...(which include) disrupting lives of people and communities and--less obvious--making it easier for us to do the wrong thing. Our century has been slow to grasp the truth that the efficiency of an action has absolutely nothing to do with its rightness or wrongness. Despite these misgivings and subconscious rumblings, I genuinely am fond of Dan, and though he's endlessly amusing to hang with, it still bugs me that whatever he installs never takes on the first go-round. His reasons are instructive in light of Ehrenfeld's observations too: the processor's defective, the software's defective, the installation environment (my studio) isn't static-free, the electricity's not pure enough, the phone line has too much static on it and so on. Sometimes in mid-surgery he'll have to go back to the office for the specialized connector or driver card that's sitting on his desk and come back a few hours later, that's OK isn't it? (do I have a choice, Dan?) It's only a modem ferchrissakes he was mumbling to himself that evening, how could it be defective just out of the box? Well, it's no biggie he observed, chump change, he'd installed lots. Besides going on-line was a snap, any idiot knew, he griped as he tried this and that alternative strategy while re-booting the computer which groaned and blinked uncomprehendingly. He was getting mad at me too because I(!!) had now made him late for his next appointment, did I miss something here? It was then I asked THAT QUESTION which all civilians tend to ask in situations like this: if this was so easy, why was it so hard for him of all people to install it. Dan hates that question, all those guys do, can you blame them? On the other hand, maybe it's me who's causing this Vortex of the Damned to exist-that's what Dan thinks when he's here. Or maybe it could be the combination of the three of us: me, Dan the Software Man and my gray box and I shouldn't be in the room when he installs anything in it because the computer knows and has it out for me, or him, or possibly is just being post-modern for the halibut. Strangely enough, none of this happens when he's gone, mind, only when it's time for another upgrade, so perhaps it's the computer's fault because it doesn't like being a victim of progress either. And how am I going to deal with a world whose current wisdom maintains that you're only as good or productive as your last upgrade just like out in Hollywood with movies? Why is that, I wonder? Indeed this is what Dan and I argue about constantly even as he's downloading another program I just "have to have" as he waxes eloquent on the possibilities of the paper-less office and I try to explain what I mean, but I'm just too tired and let him install it anyway. Nothing to be done. _____________________________________________________________________________ CLOSET PHILOSOPHY With Rusty Pipes CELEBRATION, SURPRISE AND BOREDOM It's September and that means that The Celebration Season has started. Make no mistake, America is in a state of constant celebration, it's just that we REALLY get into it for the next four months. In ancient times there may have been only two or three times a year that the people would come together en masse for a public spectacle. Now, starting with Labor Day, we will have a public holiday every three or four weeks until the end of the year. There's even more if you count special holidays like Yom Kippur, Columbus Day, Halloween and Veterans Day that, while not everyone gets the day off, there will be some sort of partying or an event to attend for a sizable portion of the population. And the month of October is the one month that all four major professional sports--football, baseball, basketball and hockey--are active. Have you ever been to a major league sporting event? I like to go for the game, of course, but it's always fascinating to me just for the festival atmosphere. You get everything from tailgate parties to fireworks and everyone is in a celebratory mood, decked out with team logos, anticipating special things to amaze and cherish. I love the crowd. I like the little noises the crowd makes even more than the big roars sometimes, especially when something happens that makes an emotional "Oooh" shiver through all at the same time. I don't bind myself to any one team (okay, sentimental favorite is Cincinnati because I grew up there) but I do love to watch any NFL game and will happily spend whole Sundays all through the fall watching these combination sumo-wrestling-match-times-eleven and army-of-conquest pageants. I marvel at the athletes doing what they do quicker than the speed of thought. Have you ever considered what a quarterback must do to place a ball into a receiver's hands 40 yards away, the third receiver he looked at because the first two were covered, ignoring the 350-pounder about to smash him flat and doing it all inside of three seconds? Can you imagine programming some sort of android to do the same? Just throwing the ball accurately without all the distractions would be a programmer's nightmare. A tiny fraction of degree error, a millisecond late and the ball goes incomplete. Athletes are wondrous. I'll admit that football is ritual violence, but better the ritual than the real thing. But why am I so fascinated by it? TV dramas try to generate interest each week but you always know how it will come out; there are certain grooves that the show must run in. The hero will be there next week, guaranteed. But with sports I don't know how it will come out. I watch it to be surprised. Surprise. The common thread running through all good entertainment, sports, music, books and art is a shot of surprise. We crave it. Maybe the essence of the whole human character is to seek out new things so we get that eureka-tweak, the touch of newness that keeps things interesting. Of course Boredom is to be avoided at all costs in this modern world. But the funny thing about boredom is that, unless it's created under duress like solitary confinement, it only happens when things are going right. Boredom doesn't happen until most all your needs are met. Boredom is a product of luxury. And we have lots of boredom going around this country lately. Human consciousness is rather like a radar system. Its design was originally honed by survival needs to pick out any threat that appears from a background of stimuli. It's designed to see what sticks out: problems, new things, SURPRISES. Aldous Huxley, in The Doors of Perception, called the brain a reducing valve. (Trivia point--that's the book The Doors took their name from and it's well worth checking out.) It takes all the incoming stimuli and reduces them, filtering out the myriad points of "unimportant" information so it can concentrate on the matter at hand. Boredom occurs when all the current stimuli are running at roughly the same level and nothing stands out. The trouble is when the basic needs are met, consciousness still looks for things to concentrate on, settling on the biggest problem of the moment and magnifying it. This is why lacking a pair the latest Nikes can seem like such a HUGE PROBLEM. Call it ennui, call it whatever you like, we have so much of every conceivable diversion that a kind of numbness is created. This can manifest itself in the middle of a howling, 120 decibel punk rock concert or on a lazy Saturday afternoon after lunch. It happens any time there are no surprises. Or none we want to perceive. Babies don't have this problem. To them everything is new. But swimming in a sea of Happy Meal toys and Saturday morning cartoons, kids quickly learn how to be bored. Sometimes we do the wrong things just to have the surprise of a moment's pleasure, knowing later we will have a problem to confront. Perhaps we place these obstacles in our paths just so the radarscope has something to fixate upon. On a societal scale we often create problems just to give ourselves a challenge, to get some focus, to put some meaning into our lives. For some it's a fixation on the Book of Revelations. For others it's a fixation on ethnic strife or hordes of immigrants. Then there's fixation on acquiring wealth. For others still, it's getting the next fix. "Where's that surprise? Where's that new thing? Give me something to think about because I can't stand it here when nothing's happening!" we all seem to say. There's plenty happening though. Everything is clamoring at such a high level that we can't even enjoy our luxurious boredom. Every week is some group's commemorative National Something-or-Other Awareness Week. We make these holidays, sporting events, movie premieres, tent revivals and more to keep up the interest, to make a special sort of surprise to look forward to. I'm told there are now only five days left out of the year that do not have some sort of major league sporting event taking place somewhere in the country. I suppose those are the truly special days now, but nobody notices them. We need to recalibrate the radarscope. The thing to do is retreat. Take the time to just sit and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING once in awhile. Maybe once a week to start. Just sit, even if it's not perfectly quiet, close your eyes, breathe deeply and do nothing. Stay there maybe five, ten even twenty minutes. When you open your eyes again you may see things that will surprise you. Thanks for reading, and until next month the Closet is closed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-MAIL ADDRESSES FOR CONTACTING COSMIK DEBRIS' WRITERS DJ Johnson (Editor)..........moonbaby@serv.net Shaun Dale.(Assoc. Editor)...stdale@well.com Jeff Apter...................jeffa@netaxis.com Ann Arbor....................Nprice@aol.com coLeSLAw.....................coleslaw@serv.net Robert Cummings..............rcumming@csrlink.net Phil Dirt....................reverb@cruzio.com Louise Johnson...............aquaria@serv.net Steven Leith.................leith@speakeasy.org Lauren Marshall..............Ocean@pluto.njcc.com Steve Marshall...............SteveM@pluto.njcc.com Rusty Pipes..................RustyKLST@aol.com Paul Remington...............prem@frontiernet.net John Sekerka.................jsekerka@gsc.NRCan.gc.ca Sparky Lou...................sparkylou@hotmail.com David Walley.................dgwalley@bcn.net Cosmik Debris' WWW site..http://www.cosmik.com/cosmikdebris Subscription requests....moonbaby@serv.net coLeSLAw's gAllARy is at http://www.serv.net/~coleslaw/ Shaun Dale's web site is at http://www.zipcon.com/stdale Phil Dirt's Surf Site is at http://www.spies.com/reverb/central.html