Loren MazzaCane Connors, Pulp, The Make-Up/Lung Leg, Dim View of the Future
Lackluster, Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited, Rev, Smoke City

	Loren MazzaCane Connors / Evangeline / Road Cone (CD) Sample 30 seconds of "The Bridegroom of the Snow" Evangeline is a 30-minute "tone poem" (for lack of a better word) portraying the famous Acadian folk story of a woman who scours North America to relocate her long lost love. Loren MazzaCane Connors' understated, "avant-blues" guitar is a subtle story-teller at best, but it isn't the details of the story that matter (although they are included in the liner notes if curiosity prevails). What matters is the intense loneliness that is the essence of the story, which is wonderfully expressed by the music. Listen to the haunting track "Bridegroom of the Snow" as it moans and croons and you'll start to feel the meaning of Evangeline. -- nw
	Pulp / Countdown -- 1992 - 1983 / Velvel (CD) Sample 30 seconds of "The Mark of the Devil" If you love Pulp, this double-disc "old stuff" compilation is pretty well essential to your ongoing happiness. If you're indifferent to Pulp, there's fair evidence here that they're entitled to more attention than you've given them. If you hate Pulp, cringe at the mention of Jarvis Cocker, etc., then you've already stopped reading and there's no point in trying to convince you that these discs are quite enjoyable listening and that Pulp's pre-UK-hit albums sported quite a few gems...but we're going to say it anyway. -- gz
	The Make-Up / Lung Leg / s/t / Vesuvius/Southern (7") Sample 30 seconds of Lung Leg's "Krayola" The Make-Up take a deviating path on "Pow! To the People" with a moderately paced tempo and vocals that border on the other side of soulful, 70's infused R&B. It's less punchy than other offerings, but the trademark Svenonius screeching falsetto-cum-gospel keyboard and bass lines still dot the vinylscape. The multi-faceted Lung Leg offer their all-female revue of tuneful garage pop, along the lines of fellow Scots Bis. They're catchy, they've got a schtick, they expect world domination and they upstage The Make-Up big time with this ditty. The masses speak: More Lung Leg! More Lung Leg! -- am
	Various Artists / Dim View of the Future / Hollows Hill (CD) Sample 30 seconds of "Cain or an Open Vein" by Apocalypse Theatre Looking for the state of the art in stateside Goth? Look no further than this comp, which should fill the needs of the dressed-in-black legions everywhere. From the post-Sisters gloom of Apocalypse Theatre to the near-folk of Shadow Project to the churning Ogresque sounds of Confession of Faith, there's something for everyone here. Well, not for elderly grandmothers or Southern Baptists, perhaps, but fans of the genre will find much to enjoy. -- gz
	Lackluster / That's What You Get / Short Bus (CD) Sample 30 seconds of "Mere Things" Baltimore area college rock with a musical locus of lead vocalist Erin Frisby's slightly bratty, slight whiny yet seductively inviting voice, Lackluster filter elements of The Smiths, Nina Hagen and 80's era indie rock and blend them into smooth, 90's-style radio friendly tunes. Frisby's frisky voice and stimulating lyrics turn several songs ("Sticky," "Mere Things" and "Bridge") into entertaining ditties. A little repetitive overall, but there are several promising tunes for the pop afficionado. -- am
	Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited / The Fluid Soundbox / Mai Tai (CD) Sample 30 seconds of "Theme From Stella Interstellar" A vast assortment of distinctly sixties audio scifi lounge kitsch is rendered anew for discriminating listeners to the fluid soundbox. Whether it's organ-driven jams like "The Wobbler", sultry guitar numbers such as "Love Goddess" or way-out stress-outs a la "Theme From Stella Interstellar", you'll find yourself sucked into the world of Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited. It's not easy to escape. -- gz
	Rev / Confessions of a Go-Go Dancer / Rev (CD) Sample 30 seconds of "10-42" Rev's semi-technofied hard rock sound drops somewhere between My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and White Zombie (in Luddite incarnations), with moments of NINness here and there. It's crunchy and gritty, and in general makes for a pretty enervating listen, though no single song is more memorable than any other. I'd like to hear more from these folks, though. -- gz
	Smoke City / Underwater Love / Jive (CD) Sample 30 seconds of the radio edit of "Underwater Love" Fans of Euro-style trip-hop will enjoy the eight mixes of this mid-tempo track -- you get everything from the basic radio edit to drum and bass and Latin mixes, as well as the typical instrumentals for padding. Few of the remixes manage to capture the reggae-like, loping charm of the original version, but isn't that always the case? -- gz

nw - noah wane | gz - george zahora | am - andrew magilow