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OUR WEEKLY COLLECTION OF SHORTER REVIEWS
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Turning Point,
Ominous Seapods,
Big Open Road,
Jliat,
Like Wow,
The Ruby Doe,
A Night of Serious Drinking,
River City Rebels,
Egon / The Search for Saturnalia,
Luke Holder,
The Yo-Yo's,
The Supersuckers,
F Gerard Errante,
Rush Hour (DJ Mixed by Dave Audé),
DJ Cam,
Luxury Liners,
Bionic Finger,
Future Stars of Rap,
Fueled By Ramen Records: Audio Catalog,
The Jimmie Van Zant Band
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Turning Point / 1988-1991 / Jade Tree (CD)
Some bands become heroes in spite of themselves. Turning Point
are one of those bands. Seconds into 1988-1991, you'll
realize that this band truly is part of the foundation upon which all of modern
melodic hardcore is built. Everything that endears stalwart groups like
Boy Sets Fire or Hot Water Music to today’s youth was evident in Turning
Point’s music more than 10 years earlier: angular and complex rhythmic
thrusts, squalling guitars emanating tiny shards of melody and
an intelligent-yet-intense frontman. Songs like “Shadow of Lies” or
“Feeding the Fire” are as vibrant and visceral as anything being
produced today. 1988-1991’s 38 tracks compile all of Turning
Point’s recorded material, studio or otherwise. From the band's first
7” on Hi-Impact records to live material culled from a 1991 New York
radio performance, it’s all here in one nice, neat little package.
When you consider that the hardcore music of today most likely would not
exist without the efforts of this pioneering New Jersey group, you realize that
1988-1991 serves as their long overdue curtain call, and proves that Turning Point truly were heroes in spite of themselves. -- jj
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Ominous Seapods / The Super Man Curse / Palm Pictures
(CD)
What is it about the Northeast that breeds hippified jam bands? Like most
of their brethren, the Ominous Seapods (who hail from upstate New York) do not
seem to have much use for music post-1975. Rather than beating a
Gratefully dead horse, however, this five-piece owes more to the Allman
Brothers (with a curious dash of Frank Zappa). They still venture into
improvisation territory on "Money to Burn" and the title track, with
generally solid results. While the songs themselves are pleasant enough,
their fire tends to get dampened by flaccid production that sucks the power
out of otherwise energetic tracks. This restraint on wax leaves me
somewhat apathetic. However, if their future efforts avoid this problem, I
imagine they'll grow even bigger. -- rd
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Big Open Road / Humble to the Bone / Big Open Road
(CASS)
A year after the band’s CD single hit the streets, Big Open Road drops us a TDK
tape of what I presume is their next release. While it's sometimes
thrilling to get a super-advance tape of someone you know, it's a much
better idea to do some sort of packaging if your band is unknown. You can't argue that the band's folksy-blues-rock jams aren't produced well. Rambunctious bass lines interweave with guitar solos,
creating multiple compositions that can be appreciated by fans as well as
musicians. The vocals tend to go off-key quite a bit, contradicting the
solid playing, but this tuneless irritant does provide for a unique
delivery, balancing out the sound. For those into late-night bar bands, Big
Open Road will surely help you finish off that last round before you
stumble out the door. -- am
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Just the other day I was wondering what had become of
JLIAT. For a while there, his compositions were a
monthly staple in Splendid... And lo and behold,
here's a new one with a name that's forty-odd words long,
professionally packaged
and looking quite slick. For the uninitiated, a typical
JLIAT composition is thirty to seventy minutes of a single
sustained organ-like tone, with roiling, usually improvised
variations in the mix beneath it. The longer you listen,
the more your ear becomes attuned to subtle variations and eddies
within the broad swatch of organ drone. It can be
fascinating or, with a very small alteration in perception,
utterly maddening. I firmly believe that everyone should
listen through an entire JLIAT composition at least once, if
only to see what it does to your mind -- it's the aural
equivalent of looking at a blank white wall, and slowly
discovering its details and imperfections. Naturally, those
who listen purely for pleasure, as opposed to as an
intellectual exercise, may find this a bit taxing. -- gz
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Like Wow / Burn, World, Burn / Psycho Teddy (CD)
Like Wow are a quirky outfit dabbling in psychedelic, funk, punk, blues and
even (regrettably) reggae. While at times there are hints of innovation,
overall the songs are tiresome combinations of misguided and drawn-out hooks
and jams. Thomas Truax’s vocals are a huge distraction. He often drones in
a talking manner which might be some attempt at sounding creepy and
wacky. Other times he belts out wails, cackles and yelps that curl
like Sesame Street’s puppet Grover. If Weird Al was to record an album of
his own songs, it might come out along these lines -- too irritating to listen
to as music, not funny enough to enjoy as comedy. -- av
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The Ruby Doe / The Flame and the Fury / Burnout
(CD)
A confession: this CD has been sitting on my incoming pile for a long time. And not because I don’t like it. That’s not my problem with the Ruby Doe -– I just can’t figure out how to explain what they do. The Jesus Lizard and Big Black are probably the most obvious starting points. The Flame and the Fury certainly is about fury. A lot of the songs offer up mid-twenties male rage, leavened with some metal and punk rock tendencies. But don’t think Korn -- these guys are a lot more sophisticated than that. In fact, they served as Seattle singer Jana McCall’s back up band on her Up solo release. The work I’ve heard from that record features subdued, lush work about 180 degrees away from the sound on The Flame and the Fury. In their most basic incarnation, though, the Ruby Doe deliver intelligent, hard-hitting post-punk. --bl
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A Night of Serious Drinking / One After Another /Self-Released
(CD)
A Night of Serious Drinking are a number of fellas
who've written sporadically for a good music/snack zine called "Snack Food",
and their record seems to reflect all the musicians they seemed keen about.
While their Will Oldham influence can bring individual songs to a practical
halt, they generally bring a nice balance of emotions to their music, with
each track flowing nicely into another and breaking, occasionally, into
heightened drama ("What a delicious dream/this land I'll never see"). The
vocals of Anthony Bonet sometimes remind me of Paul Weller and the Jam
("Shades of Another Color" and "Little Black Buzzer") -- which is always a
compliment in my book -- and the songs themselves have a way of growing on
you, particularly on days when you're craving one drink after another while
stuck in front of your computer terminal at work. -- td
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Racism, Religion and War… is dedicated to "All the people who
fight for peace and equality". Its liner notes include a picture of
Martin Luther King and the caption "Fulfill the Dream". It is therefore odd
that a bunch of obviously enlightened punkers like the River City Rebels
should hate so many kinds of people -- Jehovah's Witnesses,
Catholics, Christians, the entire U.S.A., soldiers, the constabulary and
people who work for a living. I understand that punk rock is supposed to
be incendiary. I realize that half of the fun is outrageous "Fuck the
[blank]!" statements that aren't necessarily intended to hold up under
logical scrutiny. On the other hand, fighting stereotypes and bigotry with
more stereotypes and bigotry is just hypocrisy. The RCRs play punk music
that is convincing enough, but their political stance is naïve and
under-developed. If they're really dedicated to their cause they need to
deepen their rhetoric and avoid clichéd stereotypes and
self-contradiction. -- nw
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Two songs by two up-and-coming bands on collectible clear
vinyl. How can you lose? Egon, the better-known of the
pair, delivers "Blowing Trumpets" -- a proggish affair
characterized by falsetto vocals (they're almost Perry
Farrellish, though I apologize to Egon for the comparison)
and long, sprawling instrumental breaks. The Search for
Saturnalia offer "Velvet", a murkier and more introspective
track driven by understated guitar blur. Without the
piercing vocals and deliberate melody of "Blowing Trumpets",
it takes a few more spins to make an impact. Neither track
leaps out of the speakers, grabs you by the throat and gives
you the shaking of your life, but neither disappoints
either. -- gz
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If I were one of the record store boys in High Fidelity and I
had just broken up with my girlfriend, and I was rearranging my record
collection to mark the occasion, and I chose this time to rearrange the
records by genre, I'm not sure what I would do when I got to
Penumbra. I'd probably sit on the floor and give it another
listen, but given the low-key nature of most of the songs I would
probably drift off and start thinking about my ex-beloved instead of
actually listening closely to the songs, thereby wasting yet another
chance to categorize the record. Let's see...it's definitely not another
boring boy rock record. More rootsy, slightly bluesy, it feels like a
singer/songwriter CD, although there's a band involved on most songs.
They're good songs, pretty mellow, although there are a few rockier
numbers, and Holder has a nice fuzzy guitar sound. His voice is
fine, if unexceptional, and his lyrics are pretty interesting. That's a
pretty good description of Penumbra as a whole -- it's solid,
interesting, but not super distinctive music. -- ib
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The Yo-Yo's / Uppers and Downers / Sub Pop (CD)
I've had a hard time figuring out Uppers and Downers. Fronted by
former Wildhearts members, The Yo-Yo's (now that's an original name, isn't
it?) send out shockwaves of gritty rock laced with a ton of vocal melodies
and a bit of charming punk attitude. Looking for a black female rapper?
Perhaps you need to go somewhere else...now...fast. There's no question
that this band can write crafty tunes, as each of the 14 tracks has some
sort of catchy hook that'll grab your attention almost immediately. "1000
Mikes From Me" and "Rumble(d)" stand out for the rough, riff-heavy guitar
lines that lay down some mighty thick rhythms. What drives me crazy is the
almost over-produced quality of the recording. Everything here is so
pristine and perfect sounding that even the "cool-as-fuck" leather jacket
look on the front cover can't hide the fact that album sounds preconceived and trite. -- am
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The Supersuckers / The Evil Powers of Rock ‘n' Roll / Koch
(CD)
Despite claims to the contrary, plain ol' rock ‘n' roll still exists,
thanks to bands like the Supersuckers. Big, brash, loud and everything else
you'd want from a rock album, Evil... is a celebration of all of
rock's cliches. Although this description suggests a holier than thou
attitude, the Supersuckers are far from holy -- in fact, they revel in their
sins through songs like "I Want the Drugs" and "Gone Gamblin'". Although
most bands would play this card with tongue in cheek, the Supersuckers
sound serious when they say "It's a kickass life." With The Evil Powers of
Rock 'n' Roll blaring
loud enough to rattle all of the empty beer bottles on the table, I feel
compelled to agree. -- rd
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F Gerard Errante / Beyond Noend with Errante / Drimala (CD)
Should you fail to turn your volume up to the maximum level during "Silent
Tears", there's a good shot you may not even hear the first half of it.
Since it's the first track on the record, "Silent Tears" succeeds
in forcing the listener to play close (if not always rapt)
attention to Errante's music. My favorites, time and again, end up being the
pieces featuring John Toomey on keyboards and synthesizers. They're not deep
or overly complicated, but possess a wonderful prettiness (particularly "Cantabile" and "Interlude"). While similar moments of beauty
pop up in the five Toomey-less tracks, there's also a good deal of
banality or schlock, with "Twilight" among the sappiest instrumentals ever
composed for a non-Disney project. It's the type of composition that makes you want to break the CD in a thousand pieces, then maybe hug it. For the most part, though, this is a nice hour of pretty music
that's hard to dislike. It's not like the work of more adventurous jazz
artists (not even on the rare experimental track, like "Innerutterance")
whose pieces will set your mind reeling with thought, but it's great for
those days when you're looking for rest from thought and from rock. -- td
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Various Artists (DJ Mixed by Dave Audé) /
Rush Hour / Moonshine (CD)
Since all but a select few DJ mix albums feature utterly
flawless transitions, it's usually hard to say much about
the quality of the deck work unless you don't like the
style. I have nothing bad to say about Audé's
style. The tunes -- a mixture of hard-house, techno and
trance stuff in the 140+BPM range -- seemed a bit dull and
linear at first, but grew steadily more interesting once
Audé's own "Rush That Thing" hit the deck. For a
happy hour-and-a-bit of dancing, or perhaps exercising,
Rush Hour is spotless -- though it naturally shines
brightest on a system with good bass response. It's also
the only CD to date that my co-workers have had to ask me to
turn down, which must surely count for something. -- gz
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DJ Cam / Loa Project (Volume II) / Six Degrees
(CD)
DJ Cam claims to have "come from hip hop", but there's nary a whiff of
Brooklyn in the summer on Loa Project -- at least not the parts of
Brooklyn I've stuck my nose in. Paris in the summer must lack the
wafting delights of KFC, bus exhaust and spurting fire hydrants, because
DJ Cam's music is all about smooth, refined beats, tasteful samples and
mellow chord progressions. There are a couple of slightly rougher
moments, like "Mental invasion", which has a crunchy beat, some
scratching and a tough sounding male voice sample. But in general this
is pretty, restrained music, and even the drum 'n' bass-y beats seem to
be holding something back. It's good stuff, well suited to chilling out
in the shade on a hot summer day. I can't help but imagine the stylish,
sexy thrillers that these songs should be the soundtrack for. Sadly,
none of them take place in Brooklyn. -- ib
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The Luxury Liners / Sound as Ever... / Echomusic (CD)
From the press pack: “In addition to their proven pop sensibilities, the
boys also emit a winning sense of style and camaraderie.” ... “A chance
meeting led them to country couturier Manuel’s, where they were
loaned embroidered, rhinestoned shirts that cost more than their rent,” but,
“their look has expanded to include skinny thrift-shop suites, early
Beach Boys slacks and cardigans, and NASA-type jumpsuits.” What would
make them happy? “A Saturday-morning cartoon show and Luxury Liner lunch
boxes at all Kmarts.” They might have on the right jackets and shoes, but
the boys in The Luxury Liners sure as hell aren’t the Beach Boys. They’re
not the Beatles. They’re not even the Monkees. Sound as Ever... falls a
mighty far shot from being one of those classic simple-pop treasures and
instead meanders around like bubble-gum that’s lost its pop. -- av
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Bionic Finger / Inner Bimbo / Switcheroo Music
(CD)
Four bold and brassy gals from Manhattan, Bionic Finger have put together a confusing and ultimately rewarding debut CD. Confusing because: (1) their press kit came in a folder, usually a sure sign of impending lousiness, and (2) they cause highly disparate references to ricochet wildly in my brain. The latter isn’t an unpleasant sensation –- at one moment, I think the band sounds a little like the Throwing Muses, then Frightwig, then Bongwater, then PJ Harvey. Then I’ll decide they aren’t from New York City at all but really from Olympia. Bionic Finger are certainly soul sisters to Kathleen Hanna. Tight harmonies and tart lyrics compete in rapid succession for attention; the band can sound sweet one moment and downright saucy the next. Confused though I may be, all I can say is that if this is what my inner bimbo sounded like, I’d be pleased to meet her. -- bl
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Future Stars of Rap / Rap Album / Insane (CASS)
This is a rather, erm, interesting release, to say the least. The first indication came as I removed the cassette from its case and went to put it into my tape deck.
As I was doing this, the cassette's home-made cover fell off to reveal the tape's previous identity: Citgo Presents: Christmas in the Countryside. Then
I pressed play. What I heard was primitive, beat-box-driven pseudo-gangsta rap, replete with bad scratching and utterly ludicrous, expletive-peppered lyrics. Jurassic 5 they most certainly are not. The majority of Rap Album is made up of the Future Stars’ rather inept brand of hip-hop, with occasional
lapses into Barry White-aping faux-R&B ballads. I mustn't fail to mention their new dance craze -- the self-explanatorily-titled “Put a nut sack on your head”, which will no doubt be sweeping the country very, very soon. Scary as it seems, the Future Stars of Rap actually make the Bloodhound Gang look
mature. Rap Album is enjoyable on a strictly infantile level for about two minutes; any more than that and the eject button starts looking pretty good. -- jj
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Various Artists / Fueled By Ramen Records: Audio Catalog
/ Fueled By
Ramen (CD)
Are you now or have you ever been a part of the Fueled By Ramen
roster? If so, you're probably on this sampler, which appears
to feature a song from every artist to have released an EP or LP
on the Gainesville, Florida-based label. The compilers have
wisely eschewed the more ska-flavored material in favor of
straight-ahead punk (and) pop, with the occasional quirkier
stuff (like the Causey Way's marvelous "You Know You Love Me")
interspersed. You're bound to love some and hate others, but
with a retail price of US$3.98 the risk factor is low. -- gz
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Jimmie Van Zant Band / Southern Comfort / J-Bird (CD)
Jimmie Van Zant is the cousin of Ronnie "Free Bird" Van
Zant; when he
learned guitar, Ronnie served as his mentor. As family
connections go,
few seem prouder of theirs than Jimmie, and unlike other
relatives of famous
musicians, he makes no attempt to step out of the tall
shadow Ronnie
cast for him. Rather, he's dedicating all his music to
Ronnie's spirit,
while no doubt revelling in the similarities between Lynyrd
Skynyrd's musical
vision and his own. Southern Comfort boasts guitar
parts as strong as
Steve Gaines' work and deep vocals which recall Ronnie Van
Zant (and Kim
Wilson). Since all the melodies (save the middling "Angel in
the Night") are
tough and distinguished too, it's very easy for Southern
Comfort to shed the "redneck
music stigma" that its Confederate flag cover undoubtedly
draws.
Matter of fact, the album -- which boasts a great cover of
Ronnie's
"Simple Man" -- works better than even Lynynrd Skynyrd's
semi-recent acoustic
release (Endangered Species) at forcing listeners to
recognize the
rich musical legacy of the Vant Zant family. Thanks to the
music and Jimmie's straightforward, heartfelt lyrics, I
can't imagine Southern
Comfort -- especially its fast songs and the nostalgic
hoedown "Here to Stay" -- not
pleasing anyone who gives it a good Southern spin. -- td
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gz - george zahora | nw - noah wane | am - andrew magilow | ib - irving bellemead | jj - jason jackowiak
td - theodore defosse | rd - ron davies | bl - beth lucht | av - adam voith | rg - rodney gibbs
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