 |
We've had an "unofficial" copy of ADIOS for months, waiting for TVT to send us the official, reviewable version. Now, at last, the story can be told. As sitcoms demonstrate every year, there are two kinds of finales: the sort in which the events of the previous years are tied up into a neat little bundle and closure is offered, and the sort in which the end is ignored and life goes on. ADIOS fits into the latter pile. If you ignore the title, and shuffle the KMFDM discography, you won't be able to tell it's the band's last album -- especially because music-wise, it's business as usual. When you pick up a KMFDM album, you don't expect art; you know you're going to get buzzsaw guitars and ultra-heavy beats and sardonic sloganeering. But that's all history now. KMFDM is dead. Long live MDFMK... -- gz
|
 |
The Hurricane Lamps / Tales from the Sink / Sonic Boomerang Records (CD)
The Hurricane Lamps waffle a bit: according to their press release, maybe their first record, Tales from the Sink is a Rock Opera, or maybe it isn't. I'm going with "isn't", but it's a close call. Either way, Tales from the Sink is a pleasantly sloppy and low-fi collection of songs about girls, boys, breakups and love. The music's pretty straight ahead guitar/bass/organ/drums mid-tempo alt-rock, and by themselves none of the tunes really stand out. But as a whole it does hang together well, and after repeated listenings the sweet cleverness of the songs and lyrics begins to penetrate the rather muddy mix. According to the Lamps, these are all somewhat old songs, and they have another CD's worth ready to go. Given the potential lurking in this first outing, I'm guessing the next one will really shine. -- ib
|
 |
Mouth Odour / Refrigerator / Boing Being (7")
These six dense, fast, intricate, punkish/rockish tunes have the
unintentional added benefit of making excellent and thoroughly
convincing grindcore tunes if you guess the record's RPM rate wrong on
the first try. However, even when heard and assessed solely "as
intended", they're enjoyably confrontational in an art-damaged sort of
way, and they leave you with the curious notion that you've just been
roughed up, aurally speaking. There are worse ways to spend a weekend. -- gz
|
 |
In Walked Blank / Songs That Time Forgot / Boing
Being (7")
Prefer your tuneage sans vocal interruption? Our Finnish Boing Being
record label pals suggest In Walked Blank's 6-track 7" EP. Barreling
through a Touch & Go-tinged, Don Caballero-styled assault and battery, every tune here is a killer -- rock with enough math embedded in it to keep your interest, but still blessed with a
few choice riffs that make everything come together into a harmonious, noise-bliss. Few bands can make their tunes interesting enough NOT to need vocals, but this trio lets the instruments do all of the talking. -- am
|
 |
Various Artists / The Rough Guide to Australian Aboriginal Music / World Music Network (CD)
As you might expect, there's a world of rich and varied traditions
encompassed by the innocuous phrase "Australian Aboriginal music".
It's not all sticks, didgeridoos and people chanting, though that's the
first thing you get. "Saltwater", by Dusty Legune and Campbell Allenbar, is an
example of Wongga music (from the Aboriginal community of Mowanjum),
and you'll probably be shocked by Songman Legune's atonal, alien concept
of singing, as it sounds more like he's been badly injured in the neighborhood of his loins. Elsewhere on the disc you'll find politically conscious folk, reggae, didg-enhanced pop,
Aboriginal ambience and, yes, more combinations of chanting, sticks and
didgeridoo. One of the most intriguing tracks is a series of Birth Songs by
the Mornington Island Dancers, intended to bless, relax and inspire the
birthing process -- they're surprisingly sophisticated, spiritually speaking. -- gz
|
 |
The Chemical Brothers / Hey Boy Hey Girl / Astralwerks (CD)
The first single from the new Chems album seems, unexpectedly, to be indebted to
nu-beat rhythms -- take away the "Hey Boy, Hey Girl..." sample and the
song bears a distinct resemblance to the Lords of Acid's "I Sit On Acid".
If that means nothing to you, suffice it to say that the song is
danceable and quite a bit more technofied than their last few efforts,
though also a smidge more linear. Potentially more enjoyable is
"Flashback", carried by a driving breakbeat and a menacing sci-fi mood,
while "Scale" closes the disc with Magic Roundabout-style trippiness.
From this early warning, it's clear that the new album will be a force
to be reckoned with. -- gz
|
 |
Neglected Sheep / Ghostman on Third / Livestock Music (CD)
Did you think you'd heard the last of Neglected Sheep (assuming, of
course, that you'd ever heard them in the first place)? Well, you're
wrong -- they're back with a new vocalist, one Matt Funderburk.
For Ghostman on Third to take pride of place in your CD
collection, you'll need to be a fan of radio-ready post-grunge guitar
pop -- and preferably a fairly erudite fan, since Neglected Sheep's
lyrics are wordier and less catch-phrase-intensive than those of
their peers (which means they won't wear out their welcome quite as quickly, and will probably gain depth with repeated play). Those looking for Punk Rock are best advised to
look elsewhere. -- gz
|
 |
Sugarbuzz / Sugarbuzz / ReadyFireAim (CD)
Sugarbuzz lays down an infectious, funky-groovy, party-down, gettin'-crazy type of music. It's somewhat reminiscent of Living Color -- that same funk/metal, heavy-on-the-funk stuff. There's also a hip-hop flavor in the inflection of certain horn hits and in the rap-tinged vocals. "Buzz Envy" is a great example of the type of way-cool, funky grind coming from this Ohio band, reminding me equally of Public Enemy and the Ohio Players! While there is a certain charm to the raw production of this CD, I look forward to the day when these guys get signed and put out a cleaner product; there's a lot of potential there. -- nw
|
