 |
     
|
 |
|
OUR WEEKLY COLLECTION OF SHORTER REVIEWS
|
Seventh Sign,
ALL,
Dudley,
Kings of Convenience,
Versailles,
Maquiladora,
Exxxile on Main Street,
Puffball,
Wesley Willis,
Gooloo,
Brown 25,
Black Kali Ma,
Collapsis,
Shannon Wright,
Superheroes,
Recoil,
White Trash Debutantes,
The Capitol City Dusters/Aina,
The Mercury Program,
The Up On In
|
 |
Various Artists / Seventh Sign / Tapehis$ (CASS)
Home-burnt CDs have mostly supplanted the cassette as the preferred
medium
for the weirdo synths and trash cans, half-working-4-track-in-the-bedroom community, but there is still some
very strange, wonderful music being cranked out
on cassette. Witness Seventh Sign, a limited edition (100) collection of
six muted, dark electronic songs from Dark Matter,
hebephrenic and the Greyslade Project. Dark Matter's "Genesis" is a
lovely
smear of synth pads, cheap drum machines,
guitar and earnest boy vocals. "Seventh Sign" by Terra Firma is a more
aggressive, almost dancey tune with a heavily
flanged vocal track. Hebephrenic's "Television Skies" is in fine 1980's
underground synth-pop style: repetitive synth chord
progression, mellow sampled drums and a vaguely detached singer. This is
a
creative, interesting tape, and I hope these folks
keep making this sort of very personal, deeply non-commercial,
experimental music. -- ib
|
 |
ALL / Problematic / Epitaph
(CD)
Like snagging a free whack at the school's bitch-ass bully and
getting away with it, there's always an ALL tune that'll make you feel good
about a particular inadequacy you think you have. The delivery medium of the
band’s customary
self-esteem boosters has been and probably always will be the pop-punk
song, and Problematic is no different. Combining the band's familiar use of
speedster rhythms and
stinging lyrics with the ability to reinvent punk chug-a-longs, ALL steers
through 18 captivating
tracks. Of course, this quartet has been at it a hell of a lot longer than
most and it shows with
tracks like " Nothin' To Live For" and "ROIR". Both lack any
pretense, applying
appropriately acerbic bluntness that leaves no doubts as to what the band
really thinks. Are you
a pissed off teen or a disgruntled twenty-something? ALL may as well be your
personal punk rock guidance counselor, so go ahead and make an appointment with
Problematic and get the
treatment you deserve. -- am
|
 |
Dudley / Public Nudism / Household Ink
(CD)
Ellen Turner, the primary force behind Dudley, has put together a
collection of pop with a relaxing folk undercurrent. Turner's velvety,
enveloping voice is reminiscent of Frente!'s Angie Hart in its sweeping
sighs. In fact, many moments here recall Frente!, but without their
determined quirkiness. While this more mainstream approach is more
consistent, the conservative songwriting does not hit as many peaks.
Despite this, every song on the album is quite solid, providing plenty of
fine moments. Centering on the well-worn trials of finding/keeping/losing
love, the often melancholy but never mawkish tunes highlight Turner's
enchanting vocals. Despite her claims that she's "so poetic, but
pathetic," Turner has produced a good, if not especially adventurous album. -- rd
|
 |
Kings of Convenience / s/t / Kindercore
(CD)
Understated and mellow, The Kings of Convenience is
probably the most "adult" album Kindercore has ever released.
No bubblegum pop or psychedelia here; these two Norwegians are
packing a minimal arsenal: a couple of acoustic guitars and half
a dozen drum loops. At their most upbeat, the Kings sound like
the Aluminum Group ("Toxic Girl"), but as the album progresses
they grow increasingly Simon-and-Garfunkel-esque. With lyrics
heavy on loneliness and cautious love, The Kings of
Convenience is introspective rainy-day music at its most
primal -- basically, it's the album you'll listen to when you
lose your Kincaid and Dressy Bessy CDs in a bad breakup. -- gz
|
 |
Versailles / The Great Axis / Boxcar (CD)
Tampa trio Versailles, after a handful of singles, releases their full-length debut. Full of angular guitar noodling, male sing/speak vocals that take some getting used to and an underlying melody that's surprisingly sweet in contrast with the vocals, it's an album that fans of Cerbeus Shoal or former labelmates Mercury Program would love. "The System", an instrumental guitar/noise slugfest, is a hit, and every song has its moments...but there are better bands out there doing the same thing. -- ha-n
|
 |
Maquiladora / White Sands / Lotus House(CD)
The word odd is applicable to this jaded, country influenced disc. Scenes of a Sante Sangre-like carnival are evoked by its heat-haze-heavy soundscapes. Within the first two tracks, vocal styles range from Tiny Tim to Tom Waits, finding a happy medium by the third track. There are even some quite nice female vocals on "Mr. Grey". By the time White Sands comes to a close, it doesn't sound odd at all; in fact, you realize you actually like it. -- jp
|
 |
Various Artists / Exxxile on Main Street / Triple X
(CD)
Triple X Records has been busy providing the world with SoCal punk/alt rock/rap/metal for thirteen years now. To celebrate this rather random-seeming anniversary, they’ve released this compilation. When considering its song-to-dollar ratio, Exxxile on Main Street is certainly a bargain, handing over nineteen songs for less than four bucks. It features staples like Jane’s Addiction, Jeff Dahl, The Dickies and Urban Dance Squad. No doubt, many of these artists are important to a lot of people (though I might quibble with the label’s characterization of Jane’s first album as having “practically defined alternative rock”) but much of the other material is weak, to say the least. Personally, I really didn’t need to hear what Korn sounded like before they brought their current vocalist on board, nor did I need to receive the frightening news that The Exploited are still making records. But if those tidbits tickle your fancy, has Triple X got a bargain for you! -- bl
|
 |
Puffball / Leadfoot Ninja / Glazed (7")
I neither know from where Glazed Records popped, nor was I aware of the
rampant guitar ferociousness of Sweden's Puffball -- but hey, that's what
checking out new records is all about, right? This mysterious band is
rumored to be mighty decadent and troublesome, so if you like your music to
barrel down the road with reckless abandon as energy literally sparks off
of your record needle, Puffball is ready to be your chauffeur straight to
Hell. Two originals and a downright raw, callous 'n' nasty Motorhead cover
of "Mean Machine" sound like old school, gritty Hellacopters numbers. Pop
‘er on and take Puffball for a spin -- just make sure you’ve got some bail
money handy or a really good friend on the other end of the phone, 'cause
this here’s a damned joyride through foreign streets. -- am
|
 |
Wesley Willis / Greatest Hits Vol. 2 / Alternative Tentacles (CD)
If you want to call yourself punk rock -- and hey, who doesn't,
right? -- you really ought to have at least one Wesley Willis
album in your collection. This second hand-picked collection of
highlights is one of the best options available, offering a few
of Wesley's rock-star paeans, but also a lot of his
semi-autobiographical material and a couple of his most hostile,
creative-obscenity-laced works (i.e. "Suck a Caribou's Ass").
Wesley's full of contradiction: the same guy who sings "Stop the
Violence" whacks a minister with a board on "They Kicked Me Out
Of Church". The Wesley Willis Song Format (four lines spoken,
song title sung four or five times, repeat) deserves to be an art form
in its own right -- a fitting honor for Wesley, a man who
embodies the "anyone can be a rock star" DIY ethos at punk's
heart better than anyone else I can think of. And if you're a
newbie Wesley-phile, Greatest Hits Vol. 2 is an excellent
starting point. -- gz
|
 |
Gooloo / Monkey by Default / Super 8
(CD)
Fittingly, the cover art for Gooloo's latest release features a guy
hyperventilating into a paper bag (as well as an inexplicable picture of
Old Bob from "The Black Hole"). Since most of the vocals are delivered in
a frantic yelp while the music twists through a hardcore whirlwind, I'm
sure it will leave more than one listener gasping for air. Although
Gooloo's stop-start freakouts bring Helmet to mind, their freer approach to
their instruments bleeds through and avoids Page Hamilton's sterile
precision. The songs contain such an abundance of changes, it's amazing
that anyone could imagine them let alone learn to play them. This same
complexity, combined with the naked yowl of the vocals, will unfortunately
put off some listeners. However, for those willing to tough it out, the
song structures are something to behold. -- rd
|
 |
Brown 25 / Lunar Modular Unit / Bionic Milk Plant (CD)
I find it rather ironic that this album’s title evokes images of freeze-dried pizza and the colonization of distant planets, because a single listen to Lunar Modular Unit proves it to be firmly entrenched in the polyester-drenched 70s rather than the teflon-coated 21st century. A warm analog feel dominates the album’s 12 tracks, which are a retro-minded mix of countrified grooves, Moog drone and scratchy vocals. To say that Brown 25 sounds like Beck would be a fair assessment, as songs like “Whiskey Salad” and “Larvae” could probably have been slipped onto Odelay without anybody really noticing -- his voice is so similar to Mr. Hansen’s that it's almost surreal. While the music is good (as is the packaging) and Brown 25 shows considerable talent, he is not mining any new musical territory. Lunar Modular Unit is an enjoyable album by an obviously talented individual -- he just happened down the pike a few years too late. -- jj
|
 |
Black Kali Ma / You Ride the Pony (I'll Be the Bunny) / Alternative
Tentacles (CD)
Singer Gary Floyd may be a punk rock geezer, but he still knows how make
the kind of politically charged, hard driving,
bleeding ears blues-rock that he was known for in bands like the Dicks
and
Sister Double Happiness. There's a distinct
southern rock flavor to the tunes on You Ride the Pony (I'll Be the
Bunny) -- they're ten thick, powerful, barroom brawl inspiring
rockers. Floyd's terrific voice and the very strong playing on this CD
make it likely that would appeal to even fairly
conservative blues/classic rock fans. Which is a bit ironic, given that
the disc is put out by Alternative Tentacles, who
advocate the abolition of classic rock on the front page of their
website... Of course, Floyd's political/punk rock history ensures
that the lyrics to these songs are quite unlike those of, say, your
typical
Lynyrd Skynyrd tune. Oh, and the beautifully cheap
drawing of a freak-bunny and a drooling horse/man on the cover is a
pretty
good tip-off that this isn't your typical hard
rock CD. -- ib
|
 |
I just don't know about this one. I'm trying not to fall into any "big
label=bad" traps, but Dirty Wake was screaming "MODERN ROCK RADIO
FRIENDLY" before I even unwrapped it. Sure enough, it's full of big,
emotional rock songs with touching lyrics and rocking, sing-along
choruses. I don't have anything against those things, but man,
how many times do
we have to hear them in the same tired ways? This is about the safest
music
I can imagine a rock band making right now, which is pretty
disappointing. These guys are obviously good players, and I don't doubt
that they could make some really interesting music if they wanted to.
Sadly, it seems that they don't. -- ib
|
 |
Shannon Wright / Maps of Tacit / Quarterstick (CD)
For her previous album, Flight Safety, Shannon was compared by Lois
Maffeo to Carson McCullers. Maybe it was because Shannon pursues her muse
like a lonely hunter (she practically sold her feet to make her solo debut
on her own terms), and maybe it was because some lines from Carson's poetry
("Those who find it a little harder to live /And therefore live a little
harder") really seem to capture the impression which Shannon's songs bear
upon us. At any rate, Lois' comparison seems apt. Shannon's songs won't make
you smile (like Dar Williams' songs will) or tend to your heart (like Cheryl
Wheeler's will), but they'll do all that Shannon Wright probably wanted them to,
which is to keep her mind intact and her life afloat. This is obviously a CD
made with a great deal of sweat, which makes Shannon's songs a good
listen, but it is particularly enriched by the uncharacteristically gorgeous
"Ribbons of You", and by Wright's ever-present mastery of language (she even uses
the word "fray" a few times) and saddening insight ("Pay no mind to me/I
cannot show love"). While Maps of Tacit is not the sort of CD I'll
play over and over again, it's a perfect document from a true artist, and a
worthy testament to the value of unflinchingly honest music. -- td
|
 |
Superheroes / Igloo / Crunchy Frog
(CD)
Though the memory cheats, I don't recall the New Wave movement
being quite as over-the-top is most new wave revival bands would
like to believe. Denmark's Superheroes modernize the eighties' most notorious
sound more convincingly, using vintage analog keyboards as
instruments rather than bankable novelty items. The
band's love for analog equipment is well-documented on their website;
they use their large collection of keyboards to craft timeless pop songs, but aren't
afraid to put guitars at front and center when the occasion
warrants, as on the stroppy opener, "Karate". Only a few
elements -- song titles like "New Romantic Sounds," for instance
-- seem to force the mood. -- gz
|
 |
Recoil / Liquid / Mute (CD)
Despite the awful opening line in the press kit, "Water, alcohol, blood, tears, adrenalin, sweat...Water may change into ice. Alcohol can change the situation. Your life depends on liquids", your life does not depend on this Liquid. Even guest stars like Diamanda Galas, Nicole Blackman, Samantha Coerbell, Rosa Torras and The Golden Gate Jubiless Quartet can't put life into this release. A mishmosh of noise, random voice tracks, narration, train whistles and things of the like, it's a snore of a release because of the lack of substance and song. Perhaps it's meant only for diehard fans of the man behind Recoil, Alan Wilder. -- ha-n
|
 |
White Trash Debutantes / Breakin' All the Rules / Homepage (CD)
Ginger Coyote and the White Trash Debutantes are pretty good at publicity
stunts -- their band once boasted an 80-year old punker, then tried to make
room for Tonya Harding, who turned down their offer -- but they're not as
successful with the lighthearted sort of punk rock that the Vandals do so
well. In this collection of compilation-only tracks, two songs ("Lil' Bit of
Whore" and "Livin' Lavida Loca") are about Ricky Martin, and suffer from
being more repetitive than funny. Sadly, the others continue this trend, but
it's nonetheless nice for a band to sing about Judy Tenuta (and here's
hoping they'll do the same for Emo Phillips one day). Had they been wilder
and funnier, or simply straightforward and serious, I think their apparent
gifts -- hummable melodies, above-average playing and a wonderful, slapdash
vocal delivery (as if every line's casually sung with a beer in one hand) by
Ginger -- would be easier to appreciate. -- td
|
 |
The Capitol City Dusters/Aina / Split 7" / Superbad
(7")
Before you even get to the music, you’ve gotta admire the sleek packaging
and the marble blue
vinyl of this 7". D.C.'s Capitol City Dusters play games with volume
control on "Reason", crisscrossing through some positive soul searching as
vocalist Alec B. shifts from prowling
quietude to snappy melodic runs that’ll have you nodding your head in aural
agreement. The flip
side has Spain's Aina doing a solid Jawbreaker-inspired number that flows
consistently through a
viscous stream of mixed instruments, pushing the English-sung lyrics along
with a sense of
immediacy. Honestly folks, isn't it time you dusted off that turntable of
yours so you don't keep
missing spectacles like these? -- am
|
 |
The Mercury Program / From the Vapor of Gasoline / Tiger Style (CD)
Yes, the Mercury Program are post-rock -- but to their benefit they're a far more rocking bunch than, say, Tortoise. They hail from the Trans Am school of post-rock: a bit more Van Halen than vibraphone, if you will. It's not all M&M’s and DLR worshipping 'round Mercury Program’s way, but through the familiar off-kilter rhythms and winsome drone there seeps a deep desire to rock out. This becomes instantly apparent as “The Sea is in Here’s” winding arpeggios and wiry bass are scorched with nasty blasts of power chord bashing and percussive uprisings. Another facet that sets Mercury Program apart from the glut of post-rockers currently making the scene are Tom Reno’s subdued-yet-powerful vocals. His hushed tones navigate songs like “Leaving Capitol City For Good” and “Down on Your Old Lung” through seas of delicate instrumentation and subtle irony. When all is said and done, it is From the Vapor of Gasoline’s oddities that make it a far cry better than the majority of (what is labeled as) post-rock albums available today. -- jj
|
 |
The Up On In / Steps for the Light / Big Top
(CD)
What does this post-rock trio have that other moody instrumental
bands can't claim? Ex-Jawbox drummer Zach Barocas, that's
what. Because of his Jawbox credentials, Barocas hasn't been
forced to stay in the background and make sure everyone sticks
to the weird time signatures; his drumming is front and center
in the mix, thanks in no small part to the presence of J.
Robbins behind the board. Say what you like about Robbins, but
he knows how to capture the intense "thwack" of a live drum.
Sadly, the rest of Steps for the Light is a bog-standard
mix of angular start/stop guitar texture and jazz
fusion-inflected detail -- competent and entertaining, but not
overwhelmingly new or different, though Charlie Bennett's
upright bass is a step in the right direction. -- gz
|
gz - george zahora | nw - noah wane | am - andrew magilow | ib - irving bellemead | jj - jason jackowiak | ha-n - heidi anne-noel
dd - deirdre devers | td - theodore defosse | rd - ron davies | bl - beth lucht | jp - jennifer perkins
|
|
|
Think you're hard, d'yer? Then subscribe to Splendid's weekly e-mail update!
|
|
|
| |
