Volume - III Issue - I January/February 1990 Network AAA U U DDDD IIIII OOO A A U U D D I O O AAAAA U U D D I O O A A U U D D I O O A A UUU DDDD IIIII OOO BBBB IIIII TTTTT SSS B B I T S BBBB I T SSS B B I T S BBBB IIIII T SSS & Audio Software Review (c) Copyright 1989 by Michael A. Murphy All original materials Copyright by the Author ======================================================================== Please send all suggestions/comments/requests concerning Network Audio Bits & Audio Software Review via E-Mail to: Michael A. Murphy - Anyone wishing to send U.S. Snail mail may write to: Network Audio Bits P.O. Box 328 Orono, Maine 04473 ======================================================================== CONTENTS Editorial Compact Disc Reviews 1) Old Wives' Tales - Exene Cervenka 2) Bound By The Beauty - Jane Siberry 3) You - Uncle Green 4) You And Your Sister - The Vulgar Boatmen 5) The Children 6) Pure - The Primitives 7) The Innocence Mission 8) Where The Rain Is Born - Michael Pluznick 9) In The Moment - Denny Zeitlin Record Reviews 1) The Mekons Rock and Roll - The Mekons 2) Bootstrappers 3) Numero Dos - Dos 4) Earwig - The Blake Babies 5) Seeds Of Love - Tears For Fears 6) Monsters - Meat Puppets 7) Nothingface - Voivod 8) Generations - Sally Rogers 9) Captain Swing - Michelle Shocked 10) New Day - Lost & Found 11) The Music Starts Right Here - Randall Hylton 12) Hellbilly - Elvis Hitler 13) Assault Down Memory Lane - Intensive Care 14) One Of Our Girls - A.C. Marias Bits and Pieces - mini/capsule reviews, news of: Warlock Pinchers, Tommy James & the Shondells, Righteous Brothers, Poopshovel, Stripminers, Joan Baez, _Commotion_ CD sampler, Trip Shakespeare, The Joneses, Christmas CDs, The Residents, _Ghosts Of The Civil Dead_ soundtrack, Pretty Boy Floyd, Nine Inch Nails, Walk On Fire, Laurie Lewis, _A Celebration of Scottish Music_, _Music In Trust 2_ soundtrack, Big Daddy Kinsey & Sons, Pajama Slave Dancers, IRS 10th Anniversary CD, Slash Records news. New and Recent Release Announcements Product Review: SOTA Sapphire Series II Turntable Premier FT-III Tonearm Monster Alpha Genesis 500 Cartridge By Dave Holmes ======================================================================== EDITORIAL Welcome to the seventeenth issue of Network AUDIO BITS & Software Review! Talk about frustrating! For the last several days I've been working on this issue and had every intention of getting it out before January 1st. As luck would have it, I cleared out the house (sent my wife and 3-year old daughter visiting) for an afternoon of peace to get this done. Before I could get back after dropping them off, Bangor Hydro- electric had some major problems that caused power outages over a good portion of Eastern Maine. Power came back, but was intermittent for the rest of the afternoon. So much for getting anything done then. Perhaps due to the power outages, phone lines between Maine and Yale were down and the phone company couldn't/wouldn't do anything about them until January 2nd. Thus, I couldn't send this issue anywhere until then. So, you get a few more tidbits in this issue because of that. Two or three more reviews and some news an information that I found out about today. Now, while things are running smoothly, I'm going to send this out. Enjoy! By the way, I'd like to thank Dave Holmes for contributing another equipment review. His review herein is entertaining and informative. Ratings guide: ***** Indispensable **** Merely excellent *** Solid ** So-so, but worthwhile * Don't bother Should you wish to order an album from any of the smaller labels found within Network Audio Bits, please include with your order request a small note letting the company know that you learned of their product through reading Network Audio Bits. I have been in contact with several record companies in order to provide a variety of music for these 'pages', and I know these record companies will take the magazine and its readership much more seriously once they have an indication that word of their product is being spread and being heard. Thanks! ======================================================================== Old Wives' Tales She Wanted Exene Cervenka Biggest Memory Producer: Tony Gilkyson T Here Come the Crucifiers Engineer: Tom McCauley R Cocktail Trees Rhino R2 70913 A Famous Barmaid Released: 1989 C Leave Heaven Alone Total Time: 34:32 K Good Luck Source - CD (AAD) S White Trash Wife He's Got a She Rating - ****-1/2 Gravel Coyote on the Town If you think that a member of one of rock's seminal west coast rock/punk groups (X) can pick up a few acoustic instruments, add a country flavor to songs and lyrics that harken back to those punk days while forging ahead, and make a powerful, moving album in the process - well, you'd be right. Exene Cervenka's _Old Wives' Tales_ is a captivating album that moves through the realms of folk, country and rock with ease. Produced by ex- X guitarist Tony Gilkyson, _Old Wives' Tales_ is clear and uncluttered. Exene's vocals rule the show with apt, but subtle (in most spots), instrumental accompaniment. Some of the best tracks are the folkish "She Wanted", the upbeat, rocking "He's Got a She", the country-rock "White Trash Wife" and "Biggest Memory". It's heard to categorize this as a rock album, but Exene's vocals slowly burn with the best that rock 'n roll has to offer. This is one of 1989's best. ======================================================================== Bound By The Beauty Bound By the Beauty Jane Siberry Something About Trains Producer: Jane Siberry and T Hockey John Switzer R Everything Reminds Me of My Dog Engineer: Kevin Killen A The Valley Reprise 25942-2 C The Life is the Red Wagon Released: 1989 K Half Angel Half Eagle Total Time: 42:55 S La Jalouse Source - CD (AAD) Miss Punta Blanca Are We Dancing Now? (Map III) Rating - ***-1/2 Another female singer/songwriter who's added elements of country to her latest recording is Jane Siberry. Her last three albums have all been in the realm of eclectic pop. Those albums have drawn her comparisons to performers as varied as Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega and Joni Mitchell, among others. If Jane's music could be described in one word or less, it would have to be 'quirky'. She brings that quirkiness to bear on _Bound By The Beauty_, though her musical approach is decidedly different from her last several recordings. I'm told, though I have not had the opportunity to hear it, that her first album has a much more folky/country flavor to it than the three releases that follow it. Jane now has four albums available in the U.S. _No Borders Here_ and _The Speckless Sky_ are/were available on Open Air Records (a Windham Hill affiliate). _The Walking_ and _Bound By The Beauty_ are available on Reprise/Warner Brothers. All of the above are available on Duke Street Records in Canada. What struck me initially about Jane's music and lyrics was her imagery and her ability to translate her mind's picture to a song. That strength is ever-present on this latest album. Just listen to her vision of a hockey game ("Hockey") and you'll understand what I mean. My first listen to this latest album was like suffering some sort of culture shock. Repeated listenings have worn the shock of the musical setting off and allowed these songs, which are pure Jane, to grow and develop. You can't possibly absorb Jane's music in one listen. So, give this release several listens, at least. If you don't have her earlier works, search them out and give each a dozen or more spins. If you let them sink in a bit, you won't be disappointed. ======================================================================== He's the Man You Time to Make Demands Uncle Green Pass it By Producer: Brendan O'Brien T Terrified Engineer: Brendan O'Brien R Vulnerability DB Records DB94 A At Least I've Got You Released: 1989 C The Suspense is Killing Me Total Time: 45:14 K Leave it Alone Source - CD S I Wonder Why A Word of Advice Rating - **** You Permanent Love Just what is it that makes a recording special? What is it that allows old ideas to be presented along with new ones, and they all sound fresh? Between the pop hooks, killer guitar riffs and simple, meaningful lyrics of _You_, we must ask ourselves the above questions. _You_ is a special recording, though Uncle Green don't do anything all that new, unusual or radical. Indeed, these twelve tunes are rooted in the mid- period Beatles and the band has similarities to the Smithereens, another band heavily influenced by the Beatles. Again, what makes this so special? Well, attitude and material are good things to point to on _You_. The band's attitude can be observed as a sum of the parts - ie the band has taken care to provide a fine recording while still managing to put across both feeling and warmth in their performance. Their material, while perhaps not 'classic', is much better than average and there are several killer tracks here - "He's the Man", "Pass it By", "At Least I've Got You", "You" and "Permanent Love". Highly recommended! ======================================================================== You And Your Sister Mary Jane The Vulgar Boatmen You and Your Sister Producers: Walter Salas-Humara & Margaret Says Robert Ray T Katie Engineer: Not Credited R Drive Somewhere Record Collect/ILA RC-1171-2 A Decision By the Airport Released: 1989 C Change the World All Around Total Time: 45:45 K Fallen Down Source - CD S Hold Me Tight Cry Real Tears Rating - ***-1/2 Drink More Coffee The Street Where You Live ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We Belong Together Home The Children Wendy The Children You Know (How I Feel About You) Producer: Bob Rupe T Deep End Engineer: Joe Chinnici R Listen to Your Heart Scale of Miles/ILA SM 2201-2 A Easy Way Out Released: 1989 C Lorraine Total Time: 33:16 K Here I Go Source - CD S Dear Mr. Pain Don't Tell Me Rating - *** I Don't Care Two Miles to Swim (We're Not Playing) That Game In the long silence between Silos recordings (they've been negotiating a major label deal that will see a new album released at the end of January, 1990) two members have been busy with other projects. Walter Salas-Humara released a solo album near the end of 1988 and two recent releases by the Vulgar Boatmen and the Children were produced by Salas-Humara and Bob Rupe, respectively. Both of these groups have a sound that is stripped down and basic, a realm where Rupe and Salas-Humara work in very well. The Children feature shifting harmonies that blend the 50/50 male/female make-up of the group into evocative, stirring vocals with lyrics to match. There are 14 songs on this release, but the CD times in at only 33 minutes. The group works very well together in a short-song format, but a few more tracks to flesh this out time-wise would have been nice. The Vulgar Boatmen have released two previous cassettes that helped to gain them a significant following in Florida. The group is based in Gainesville. Founded in 1982 by Walter Salas-Humara, the group is now comprised of Jim Bays, Carey Crane, Michael Derry, Dale Lawrence and Robert Ray. There are, as can be expected, similarities between the Vulgar Boatmen and Salas-Humara's New York-based Silos. The Vulgar Boatmen have stuck close to their roots, but are anything but a roots revivalist band. They blend modern rock with country and r&b to come up with a pleasing identity. Where the Silos have chosen to really rock in addition to their rootsier, countryish sound, the Vulgar Boatmen appear content to keep things at a leisurely pace. Most of the tracks on _You And Your Sister_ are laid back, but not at all lazy. The production is clear and basically kept simple - no tricks. The biggest difference between Salas-Humara's old and new bands can be seen in the recording of the title cut. The Vulgar Boatmen's version meanders along like a slowly flowing creek on a sunny summer afternoon. The Silos version (appearing on an unreleased cassette which was supposed to precede a new independent release about a year ago ) really kicks and Salas-Humara's expressive vocals turn this into a completely different song. Each group has its own identity clearly stamped on their own version. So, look for the new Silos album (on RCA) at the end of January. In the meantime, give the Children and the Vulgar Boatmen a few spins. If you have trouble finding these releases locally, write to the Independent Label Alliance, Box 594M, Bay Shore, New York 11706. ======================================================================== Outside Summer Rain Pure Sick of it The Primitives Shine Producers: Paul Sampson and Dizzy Heights Wayne Morris T All the Way Down Engineer: Paul Sampson R Secrets RCA 9934-2-R A Keep Me in Mind Released: 1989 C Lonely Streets Total Time: 45:49 K Can't Bring Me Down Source - CD S Way Behind Me Never Tell Rating - ***-1/2 Noose I'll Be Your Mirror All the Way Down (beat version) I Almost Touched You _Pure_ is an apt title for the Primitives second album release. It is an album of pure pop tunes featuring a varying guitar sound (sometimes fuzzy, sometimes jangly - always energy filled) and lead singer Tracy Tracy's airy, biting vocals. The Primitives, hailing from Coventry, England, formed in early 1986. Their first album _Lovely_ garnered them both critical praise and solid sales in Britain. The album sold 200,000 copies in the U.S. and reached #1 on alternative charts. Their sound is only alternative in the sense that Top-40 radio won't embrace them with open arms. If you're looking for good, pure pop music, though, you can't go wrong with the Primitives. Check out their single "Sick of it". The CD version of _Pure_ has several extra tracks. ======================================================================== The Innocence Mission Paper Dolls The Innocence Mission Black Sheep Wall Producer: Larry Klein Surreal Engineers: Steve Churchyard, T Curious Tony Phillips R Clear to You A&M CD 5274 A Mercy Released: 1989 C Broken Circle Total Time: 46:45 K I Remember Me Source - CD (AAD) S You Chase the Light Notebook Rating - *** Come Around and See Me Wonder of Birds Medjugorje This is an album that I find myself enjoying while it's playing, but if I think about it too much beforehand, I probably won't put it on. Call it, perhaps, a guilty pleasure while it's on. Maybe it's peer pressure, because several people I know who are involved with music in some way, shape or form have expressed a definite dislike for The Innocence Mission. In a couple of spots on the album, I can see their points. Karen Peris' vocals, though there are some beautiful vocal passages, can be a little grating in a subtle sort of way. Overall, though, her vocals soar and swoop and are generally the focal point of these 13 tracks. Karen is also the songwriter, with a little help from Don Peris on a few tracks, of every tune on the album. Her lyrics give you an idea of what Karen is about. Her subjects range from a family's mundane questions about "our dear brother's" fiancee ("Curious") to the elderly perspective of "Come Around and See Me" to the playful yet sober "Broken Circle". Perhaps this is what others have disliked about The Innocence Mission - the very strong personality of Karen Peris is on display in each of her songs and some can find this a little disconcerting. Now, after all that contradictory mish-mash above, I'm gonna tell you that I really do like this album quite a bit and I believe there could be some great albums in The Innocence Mission's future. This one is a more than acceptable debut that wears its influences openly (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor). The band is one to watch as they continue to develop their identity. ======================================================================== Where The Rain Is Born Michael Pluznick Solar Safari Producer: Michael Pluznick T Savannah Dance Engineers: Various R Rites of Passage Sona Gaia ND-62756 A The City's Reflection Released: 1989 C Desert Crossing Total Time: 40:12 K Time Caravan Source - CD S Big Foot Where the Rain is Born Rating - ***-1/2 _Where The Rain Is Born_ combines acoustic percussion with the electronics common in a good portion of today's music. The CD is full of Pluznick's intricate rhythms and varying percussion sounds. PLuznick uses no less than 20 different percussive instruments, potlids and miscellaneous toys in creating the rhythmically satisfying music on this CD. Also prominently featured is Peter Scaturro who handles the electronics portion of the recording. _Where The Rain Is Born_ is dedicated to the conservation of the threatened tropical forests of Earth. Sona Gaia and Pluznick have teamed with the Rainforest Alliance to help publicize the need for increased tropical forest conservation efforts worldwide. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated to support conservation and public-awareness efforts overseen by the Rainforest Alliance. _Where the Rain Is Born_ is a unique recording where the percussive voice is the focal point. The sounds are intriguing and the compositions are enthralling. This is one of the most interesting releases to bear a 'new age' moniker in 1989. ======================================================================== In The Moment Denny Zeitlin Celebration Producer: Denny Zeitlin T Blues in the Night Engineer: Bill Thompson R It Won't Take Us Any Time At All Windham Hill Jazz WD-0121 A Monk-y Business Released: 1989 C Just Passing By Total Time: 63:44 K I-Thou Source - CD (AAD) S Underlying Requiem Rating - **** Broadway Blues If I had to use one word to describe Denny Zeitlin's piano playing on _In The Moment_ it would be 'adventurous'. The first four tracks on _In The Moment_ feature the same performers as Zeitlin's 1988 Windham Hill Jazz release _Trio_. Peter Donald (drums) and Joel DiBartolo (bass) provide Zeitlin's piano with aggressive, sympathetic accompaniment. These tracks have a sense of muscle about them without being heavy- handed. The last 5 tracks on _In The Moment_ were recorded live in concert and feature a series of duets with Zeitlin and bassist David Friesen. The playing here is, at different times, expressive, intricate, simple and most of all, enjoyable. On the CD and cassette the fifth of these tracks is the bonus "Broadway Blues", an Ornette Coleman tune, that fills the CD out to 63+ minutes. The CD (aad) sound is clear and warm, placing Zeitlin's piano prowess on display. ======================================================================== Memphis, Egypt The Mekons Rock 'N' Roll Club Mekon Mekons Only Darkness Has the Power Producers: Mekons & Ian Caple T Learning to Live On Your Own Engineer: Ian Caple R Cocaine Lil A&M SP 5277 A Empire of the Senseless Released: 1989 C Someone Total Time: 45:24 K Amnesia Source - LP S I Am Crazy Blow Your Tuneless Trumpet Rating - **** Echo When Darkness Falls The Mekons are back with another album that sees their musical focus shift yet again. _The Mekons Rock 'n Roll_ does exactly that. Their sound has moved a little closer to straight ahead rock 'n roll, but is really still quite a ways from being straight ahead. They've retained their edge and made an accessible record without giving in to commercialism. Every tune on this LP is solid with "Only Darkness Has the Power", "Cocaine Lil" and "Empire of the Senseless" edging the others as the most compelling cuts. ======================================================================== The Memory is a Muscle Spider Baby Bootstrappers New Boots Bootstrappers Taxista Producer: Gary Smith T Flicker Engineer: Paul Kolderie R Third Rail New Alliance NAR 046 A Media Dub Released: 1989 C D-I-A-L-C-A-S-H Total Time: 40:01 K X/Delta Source - LP S Their Faces Are Green and Their Hands Are Blue Presidential Apology Rating - **** Mud Indeed Empty-Vee ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Numero Dos Dos Producers: Kira & Mike Watt T Don't Explain Engineer: Ethan James R Heartbeat New Alliance NAR 044 A P.C.H. Released: 1989 C I Worry, My Son Total Time: 15:44 K Silence Source - EP S Number Six Rating - *** _Bootstrappers_ is an album that really needs to be paid attention to and listened to several times. It's not something to put on as background noise or to sort of half-listen to (at least not until you've listened to it 20 or 30 times to get 'comfortable' with it). There are a couple of tracks that you can get comfortable with pretty quickly. Two of them are "D-I-A-L-C-A-S-H" and "X/Delta", which venture towards the familiar. "X/Delta" could almost be a Minutemen/fIREHOSE song without vocals. Almost. Since I mentioned the Minutemen/fIREHOSE connection, I should tell you that Bootstrappers are comprised of George Hurley (drums) and Mike Watt (bass), the rhythm section for both the Minutemen and fIREHOSE, and Elliot Sharp (guitar, bass clarinet). Most of the music on this LP is improvised - the trio worked out some of the basic structures beforehand. Sharp plays a double-necked instrument (one neck strung and fretted like a bass, the other like a guitar) which is run through a myriad of effects and also, at times, triggers a sampling unit. His bass clarinet was also run through the effects and sampler. Do yourself a favor and don't file this one away until you've given it at least a dozen listens. Me, I'm only on my fifth or 6th. I'll be spinning this at least several more times over the coming weeks to try and comprehend just a little of what's going on here. _Numero Dos_ is a very interesting EP that takes what would appear to be a limiting environment (two bass guitars and vocals) and exploring the possibilities. Dos' (Mike Watt & wife Kira) cover of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" is haunting, setting the tone for the rest of the pieces. The use of just bass(es) give the entire EP an ominous, dark feel. Good stuff to lay down, close your eyes and slip the headphones on for. Too bad it's only an EP and you've got to flip it over just when you're getting comfortable. ======================================================================== Cesspool Dead and Gone Earwig Grateful Blake Babies You Don't Give Up Producer: Gary Smith T Your Way On the Highway Engineer: Paul Kolderie R Rain Mammoth MR0016 A Lament Released: 1989 C Alright Total Time: N/A K Loose Source - LP S Take Your Head Off My Shoulder From Here to Burma Rating - ***-1/2 Don't Suck My Breath Outta My Head The Blake Babies make the kind of jangly, guitar-based music that might make you say 'oh no, another jangly-guitar-pop band'. But wait... give this album a few spins and it will, like other good jangly guitar albums/bands (early R.E.M., the Feelies, Close Lobsters, the Connells), separate itself from the pack and insinuate itself slowly but surely through your ears and into your brain. Like the Feelies, the Blake Babies use an understated guitar approach to lull and lure the listener - only to launch a more direct attack at various points. Juliana Hatfield's vocals have this same property and could be a cross between Aimee Mann ('til Tuesday) and Bjork (Sugarcubes), but with more warmth and only a slight edge that goes along quite well with the jangly guitar sound. The Blake Babies are currently a trio, based in Boston, comprised of Hatfield (vocals, bass), John Strohm (guitar, vocals) and Freda Boner (drums). Seven of these 13 tracks were recorded in mid-1988 with Evan Dando on bass. The other six were recorded in July, 1989 as a trio. This is solid stuff! Of particular interest are "Cesspool" and "Rain", which open and close side one, respectively. ======================================================================== The Seeds Of Love Tears For Fears Woman in Chains Producers: TFF & David Bascombe T Badman's Song Engineer: David Bascombe R Sowing the Seeds of Love Fontana/Polygram 838 730-1 A Advice For the Young at Heart Released: 1989 C Standing On the Corner of the Total Time: 49:28 K Third World Source - LP S Swords and Knives Year of the Knife Rating - ***-1/2 Famous Last Words After growing very tired of Tears For Fears last album, _Songs From The Big Chair_, it was with some trepidation that I gave _Seeds Of Love_ a spin. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the first two tracks featured, until now, little-known pianist/vocalist Oleta Adams - giving Tears For Fears a solid, soulful beginning to the album. Tears For Fears scrapped some early recording sessions that used the same recording 'formula' that brought them a megahit with 1985's overtly commercial _Songs From The Big Chair_. Opting for a more 'live' feel in the studio and their discovery of Adams, and her subsequent inclusion on this recording, has given Tears For Fears and honest, soulful sound that directly contrasts their earliest introspective, gloomy pop and the calculated pop sheen of _Songs From The Big Chair_. This is, mind you, still a big-budget recording and the sound is appropriately clean. The inclusion of Oleta Adams on three of these eight tracks authenticates the direction Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal have taken. In a world where almost everything is disposable (like their first two LPs) this one's a keeper! By the way - when is Oleta going to have an album of her own out?!? ======================================================================== Monsters Attacked By Monsters Meat Puppets Light Producer: Gary Smith T Meltdown Engineer: Paul Kolderie R In Love SST SST 253 A The Void Released: 1989 C Touchdown King Total Time: 46:01 K Party Till the World Obeys Source - LP S Flight of the Fire Weasel Strings On Your Heart Rating - ***-1/2 Like Being Alive The Meat Puppets have avoided easy classification over the course of their career. This album is no different. Their sound has some pretty heavy overtones, but just when you're ready to call this a metal album the Puppets toss in a track or two with jazz or country overtones. If you took the Texas out of early ZZTop, you'd come up with a couple of these Meat Puppets tunes. This is basically a hard rockin' album, but the Meat Puppets do so many things well that it's hard to file them quite so neatly. ======================================================================== Nothingface The Unknown Knows Voivod Nothingface Producer: Glen Robinson T Astronomy Domine Engineer: Glen Robinson R Missing Sequences MCA MCA-6326 A X-Ray Mirror Released: 1989 C Inner Combustion Total Time: 44:09 K Pre-Ignition Source - LP S Into My Hypercube Sub-Effect Rating - ***-1/2 It's a study in contrast to be browsing through the newly arrived issue of _Sing Out!_ (the folk music magazine) while spinning the first side of Voivod's new album. At first you might think that folk and metal have little in common. I hesitate to lump Voivod in the generic metal category, but that is largely how they are perceived and marketed. Folk music is a lot of things, but if one can generalize, it is often used to tell stories, to protest unfairness and to open the eyes of the populace through song. Metal, as a genre, sometimes uses storytelling as the framework for an album (Rush's _2112_, King Diamond's _Them_, etc.). Voivod *is* a story. From their beginnings in November, 1982, Voivod's releases have followed the pseudo-pattern of a science fiction series. _Nothingface_, their fifth album, turns their focus inward for 44 minutes of hard rock/metal that sounds, at times, like Pink Floyd meets Rush to do Lou Reed tunes. There aren't any real singles on this album, but Voivod should get some significant airplay on album oriented radio. Of special note is their excellent cover of Syd Barret's "Astronomy Domine". ======================================================================== Waiting For Rain Seven Long Years Generations Testimony of Patience Kershaw Sally Rogers Blue Lion Suite Producers: Paul Reisler/Bob Read T I'll Be There Engineer: Bob Read R Hvem Kahn Saile (Who Can Sail) Flying Fish FF 493 A Generations Released: 1989 C The Ballad of Sojourner Truth Total Time: 43:26 K Valse des Jouets (Waltz of the Toys) Source - LP S I'll Still Be Loving You Mother Rating - ****-1/2 Peace Round Dead Girl of Hiroshima If you've heard any of Sally Rogers' previous recordings I don't need to tell you that she is one of the most compelling vocalists folk music has to offer. Her seventh album, _Generations_, proves this yet again. Rogers' strength and expressiveness are most obvious in the a capella "Testimony of Patience Kershaw". There's a good mix of original tunes and covers on _Generations_. The common thread of these songs is that they are either about women or written by women. The album is dedicated to the generations of women in Rogers' own family. The songs range in style from the gospel-flavored "The Ballad of Sojourner Truth" to the instrumental "Valse des Jouets (Waltz of the Toys)" to the uptempo "I'll Be There". A more enjoyable 43 minutes of music would be difficult to find. ======================================================================== Captain Swing God is a Real Estate Developer Michelle Shocked On the Greener Side Producer: Pete Anderson T Silent Ways Engineer: Peter Doell R Sleep Keeps Me Awake Mercury 838 878-1 A The Cement Lament Released: 1989 C (Don't You Mess Around With) My Total Time: Approx 32:00 K Little Sister Source - LP S Looks Like Mona Lisa Too Little too Late Rating - **-1/2 Street Corner Ambassador Must Be Luff It's always nice to see artists move out of their comfortable niche and take a chance that challenges both themselves and their listeners. _Captain Swing_ presents us with quite a mixture of styles that rely more on arrangements than the sincerity and simplicity we've come to expect from Shocked's previous recordings. On _Captain Swing_, Shocked's previously penetrating vocals are surrounded by horns and strings. Her material is well delivered here, but the styles and arrangements take away from Shocked's charm. Two tracks that do stand out from the rest are the commercially viable "On the Greener Side" and the quiet, understated "Looks Like Mona Lisa". When all's said and done, the jury's still out on this album. The setting is so different that it will take many listens over an extended period of time to fully evaluate this record. Be forewarned... The LP is rather short at just over 30 minutes. Also, there's an extra track that closes side two that is not credited anywhere on the label or the jacket. ======================================================================== New Day Baby's Gone Lost & Found One Teardrop and One Step Away Producer: Lost & Found T I'll Take a Chance On Loving You Engineer: Otis L. Dillon R God Gave You to Me Rebel REB-1678 A You Were My Tomorrow Released: 1989 C Until the Day I Die Total Time: 27:34 K What Ever Happened to Our Thing Source - LP S Hello Trouble Wishful Thinking Rating - *** Country Side of Living Sweet Marie If you like music that harkens back to that olde time, foot stompin' - banjo pickin' country/bluegrass, then you ought to check out _New Day_. This 'string quartet' (banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass) displays its adept and nimble fingers throughout the recording, especially banjo picker Jody King. The only drawback, for me, is the country crooner style vocals that are on several of the tracks. Ronnie Bowman's vocals on the less countrified tunes are much more listenable. The vocals are not necessarily bad, but the instrumental prowess of the band far outshines their vocals. Killer pickin', though. I just wish it were longer than 28 minutes. ======================================================================== The Music Starts Right Here The Music Starts Right Here Randall Hylton The Bells of St. Mary's Producers: Randall Hylton and Kentucky Means Paradise Clark Williams T Pentecostal Camp Meeting Engineer: Clark Williams R Lara's Theme Rebel REB-1670 A Over the Counter Drugs Released: 1989 C Roscoe Thompson's 1950 GMC Total Time: 26:29 K Cannonball Blues Source - LP S The Guitar Rag Slack Jawed Bimbo Rating - *** Have I Loved You too Late Gonna Be Movin' _The Music Starts Right Here_ is an album that puts everything Randall Hylton's got on display. His guitar work is nothing short of amazing and highly entertaining. While he won't win many vocal contests, his singing and talking give this recording a homey feel. One that can make you feel like Hylton's sitting in front of your fireplace, with a handful of your friends listening to Hylton's stories and songs. It might be apt to describe Hylton as a bluegrass comedian, as several of his tunes have humorous overtones. As on the other Rebel release reviewed in this issue, the length of the album, at just over 26 minutes, is a disappointment. More excellent pickin' goin' on here, but it would be nice if it lasted long enough to get into it before having to flip the record over. ======================================================================== Showdown Hellbilly Hellbilly Ballad of the Green Berets Elvis Hitler Teenage Surf Slave Producers: Elvis Hitler, Damian T Booze Party Lang, John Defever & R Gear Jammin' Hero Warren Defever A Revolving Blues of Death Engineer: Warren Defever C Crush, Kill, Destroy Restless 72346-1 K Ghouls (Looking For Food) Released: 1989 S Hang 'em High Total Time: 35:04 Don't Blame Me if You Die Tonight Source - LP Black Death On a White Horse Dance of the Living Dead Rating - *** Misanthropes Elvis Hitler is back with a second Restless release that showcases their thrash/country/metal/rockabilly sound. Like and 18-wheeler out of control on a steep mountain road, these guys storm over everything in their path - and very little even slows them down. _Hellbilly_ picks up right where _Disgraceland_ leaves off. The only tune that doesn't satisfy is the thrashy cover of "The Ballad of the Green Berets", which lacks the inspired lunacy that made "Green Haze" something special. The rest of the album, however, shakes, thrashes, rattles and rolls over anything that it can find. ======================================================================== Assault Down Memory Lane Stirring Up Trouble Assault Down Memory Lane Song to the FBI Intensive Care Marijuana Past Producer: Doug McCurry T Perfect American Engineers: Frank Rogers/D.McCurry R Tourist Attraction Fresh Sounds FS 220 A Middle-Aged Cynic Released: 1989 C Girl Scout Beret Total Time: 36:54 K Burn it Down Source - LP S When a Lunatic Loves You The Real You Rating - *** All in a Day's Work True Seeker Intensive Care are a band with a fairly driving rock 'n roll sound that edges towards jangly, guitar-pop land. Chris Peigler's vocals are reminiscent, in spots, of Bob Walkenhorst of the Rainmakers. Intensive Care have quite a bit to say on these tracks, though they could benefit from a little applied lyrical restraint. Their songs would be more effective if they didn't try to say quite so much. A good example is the LP's best track "All in a Day's Work". Still, this is an excellent outing. Check out the title tracks, "Girl Scout Beret" and "Middle-Aged Cynic" as well. For more information, write to: Fresh Sounds, Inc., Box 36, Lawrence, Kansas 66044. ======================================================================== One Of Our Girls Trilby's Couch A.C. Marias Just Talk Producers: Paul Kendall, John T There's a Scent of Rain in the Air Freyer, Bruce Gilbert, R Our Dust Gareth Jones A So Soon Engineer: Not Credited C Give Me Restless/Mute 71437-1 K To Sleep Released: 1989 S Looks Like Total Time: 44:02 Sometime Source - LP One of Our Girls Has Gone Missing Rating - *** This is an album of soaring, floating vocals laid on top of some bright, though not happy, guitar work with an ominous undercurrent of bass/synthesiser sound. In all, this is quite a neat little recording. At times it is almost middle eastern in sound and texture. It is unsettling and beautiful at the same time. ======================================================================== Bits and Pieces - Mini/Capsule reviews and Music news ----------------------------------------------------- Anyone who reviews records on a consistent basis ends up with piles of several categories of records. Among those is the pile of 'interesting releases to be listened to again and written about later'. Well, later has arrived for some of the following. Also included are some quick words about releases that have only recently been added to this pile, and thus are not truly part of the pile. The Warlock Pinchers are a punkish outfit that mix up some pretty driving guitar/drum based tunes with snatches of spoken word, phone messages and a few samples and raps. Their recording, _Pinch A Loaf_, sounds a little hollow, but the low-budget sound is perfect for their grungy punk/rap. PMRC beware! These guys and their record can definitely be termed offensive to mainstream pop 'culture'. This is interesting stuff, but only hardy, adventurous music listeners need check it out. This is underground recording at its best/worst, depending on your own attitude. Their tune "I Think We're Tiffany" is a riotous take-off on Tiffany's cover of "I Think We're Alone Now". For more info write to: My Tongue Records, P.O. Box 17863, Denver, Colorado 80217. You'll love this because you'll hate it. You'll hate it because you can't help it. Speaking of "I Think We're Alone Now", Rhino records has released two compilations that should interest fans of 60's pop. From two different sides of the pop spectrum come these compilations. Tommy James and the Shondells' _Anthology_ (Rhino CD R2 70920, Time - 74:51) contains 27 songs in all, including all of their biggest hits. The booklet contains fairly extensive liner notes written by Parke Puterbaugh and comments by Tommy James himself about 16 of the 27 tunes. The CD sound is quite good, if a tad bright in spots. The band's sound has held up reasonably well over the years, evidenced by the number of commercially successful remakes by other artists over the past few years. On the other side of the fence, at the time TJ & the Shondells were introducing their harder edge (by early 60's standards) of rock, were the Righteous Brothers. Their blue-eyed soul sound produced enough solid material to force Rhino to issue a two-disc set (_Anthology 1962-1974, Rhino CD R2 71488, Time - 95:52). This set covers, in roughly chronological order, the Righteous Brothers (The duo of Bill Medley & Bobby Hatfield) 13-year output from the pre-"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" songs to their 1974 reunion recordings that followed a six-year breakup. The duo hit big at several points in their career and laid the groundwork for other blue-eyed soul acts to follow, most notably in recent years, Hall & Oates. This is a worthwhile set that features both hits and obscure b-sides. Moving to more recent times, Poopshovel's _Opus Lengthemus_ (Community 3 LP, C3-1189, Time - 39:52) features a very 80'sish in-yer- face vocal attack combined with a very 70'sish fuzzy, feedback laden guitar sound. Throw in some avante-funky jazz trumpet for a little spice. Basically, these guys wail and they do it well. You can probably find this in the metal section of a record store, but these guys come at you from a lot of directions, sometimes all at once! The Stripminers (Community 3 LP, C3-1089, Time - 22:19) sound something like an R.E.M. who woke up one morning thinking they were the Grateful Dead, in turn thinking they were and SST band. Hey, it works! This EP has some short, but bitchin' tunes, in the spirit of Minutemen/fIREHOSE. Jumping genres now, Joan Baez's latest, _Speaking Of Dreams_ (Gold Castle CD, D2-71324, Time - 45:40), features some impressive celebrity collaborations (Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Gipsy Kings, Larry Carlton) and 45+ minutes of new tunes. The most impressive is the first track, "China", which pays tribute to and remembers the events earlier in the year in China's Tiananmen Square. It is perhaps too bad that this track opens the disc, for the other eight tracks don't have the same power and emotion, though they are far from weak tracks. Joan can still use her voice to stir one's emotions effectively. This is a satisfying, if not stellar release. _Commotion_ (Windham Hill Jazz CD WD6-0119, Time - 60:39) is a Windham Hill Jazz sampler that showcases tracks from several recent or upcoming releases. From the endearing piano styles of Denny Zeitlin and Billy Childs to the eclectic jazz sound of the Turtle Island String Quartet to the powerful, soulful jazz of Tuck & Patti, this sampler disc only hints at the tasty morsels Windham Hill Jazz is releasing. Trip Shakespeare, an interesting psychedelic rock quartet from Minneapolis, are set to release their major label debut on A&M in early spring. The album was recorded in you-know-who's Paisley Park studios. Their first two independent albums are set to be reissued by Clean Records, a new Twin Tone label. _Applehead Man_ will be available on LP and cassette. _Are You Shakespearienced_ will be available on CD, LP and cassette. The Joneses, a California based band (recording for Trigon Records now), have been threatened with legal actions concerning the use of their name. Jon M. Waxman, Esq. is representing a Boston band of the same name, which has reportedly been using the name for a little more than a year and was reported to have signed recently with Atlantic Records. The California Joneses releases date back to 1982. One can only hope that these independent Joneses won't be overrun by the big- time corporate machinery in their battle to keep their name. Based on the above information, the little guy can't lose - or can he? Look for the Joneses upcoming Trigon release of _Tits And Champagne_, a six-song mini-LP. Let's hope their next release also bears the Joneses name. In the spirit of the season, there are few recordings that are worthy of mention. These three CDs have been around for over a year, but they deserve mention once again. Rykodisc has picked up the rights to Ocaso's _On Christmas Day_, a recording by the American Boychoir that features exquisite renditions of some traditional Christmas tunes and some more obscure carols, from other times and places. The most intriguing piece is a 20 minute carol sequence based on medieval carol texts. Tingstad and Rumbel's _The Gift_ (Sona Gaia/Narada) is comprised of traditional tunes in an acoustic setting, featuring guitar, english horn, oboe, piano drums, double ocarina and chimes. The sound is simple, but effective. _The Narada Christmas Collection_ features a variety of acoustic and electronic settings for traditional Christmas tunes by Narada's stable of artists. (Ed. note - this disc was reviewed in issue #11, November, 1988) The Residents have released a typically obtuse recording on Enigma Records. _The King And Eye_ is a collection of Elvis Presley tunes that is both respectful and irreverent to the originals (and the spirit of Elvis!). This apparent paradox isn't so difficult to understand if you consider the sources. The collection is rather varied and has its ups and downs. Particularly interesting are the spoken word pieces/fragments that separate some of the song tracks. Overall, this stuff is pretty cool. Will it hold the average listener's attention? Probably not. But then, the Residents have never aimed for an average audience. If you're looking for something really bleak to close the old year or start the new one (or do whatever else you might do to something this bleak), _Ghosts Of The Civil Dead_ (Mute/Restless LP 71433-1, Time - 31:47) is a soundtrack composed by Nick Cave, Mick Harvey and Blixa Bargeld that really sets a mood. Just hearing this soundtrack piques my interest in seeing what must be a dark, brooding and perhaps brilliant film. The film was inspired by actual events at the U.S. Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, where, in 1983, a prolonged wave of violence culminated in the killing of two prison guards in one day. The movie is set in the near future and the soundtrack lends it an ominous, futuristic feel. While both ominous and bleak, the music is quite compelling, perhaps even perversely so. Powerful stuff. Where can I find the movie? Pretty Boy Floyd, a Hollywood-based band, has released an album called _Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz_ (MCA-6341) that's a solid, hard rocking outing. However, I don't see much here that will separate this band from the large pack of other hard rock/metal acts. Steve Summers' vocals do have a built-in sneer that makes this at least interesting. The album abounds with teen anthems such as "Rock & Roll (is Gonna Set the Night On Fire)", "Wild Angels", "48 Hours" and "Rock and Roll Outlaws", which makes me think that I would much rather have heard this album when I was in my teens. _Pretty Hate Machine_ (TVT LP 2610) by Nine Inch Nails really pumps, kicks and grinds. It's a non-stop amalgam of ominous techno-pop with big beats and interesting guitar sounds, not to mention a myriad of effects. Trent Reznor is a one-man band on this release, with some production help from Keith LeBlanc & Adrian Sherwood (of Tackhead fame) and John Fryer. For all that I find interesting and primal here, though, I can't help but feel a certain sterility on this release, as if the human element has been made almost insignificant. Still, there's some cool stuff here if you're into techno-funk/dance that whomps you on the head here and there. Walk On Fire are a hard pop outfit whose lead singer (Alan King) sounds like a cross between Sammy Hagar, Rod Stewart and John Parr. The Parr comparison is especially apt on "Tell it Like it is" (not the Neville's classic), which has a few similarities to Parr's "Man in Motion" from the St. Elmo's Fire soundtrack. David Cairns' songs range in subject from their album's (UNI-602) title track "Blind Faith", a song inspired by the hypocrisy of certain American evangelists, to "Wastelands", which looks at urban deprivation in the UK, to "Caledonia", which chronicles the situation of Scottish workers forced to leave their homeland for opportunity. Unfortunately, the lyrics get a little lost in the mildly bombastic production, which takes your attention away from the hilights of this album, Alan King's vocals and David Cairns' lyrics. Laurie Lewis' Flying Fish album _Love Chooses You_ leans towards a country sound that I don't care too much for, but there's no doubt that this is a quality album. Lewis' vocals are bittersweet at times, twangy at others. Her acclaimed fiddle playing is supported by crack Nashville musicians and a few imported (from her San Francisco Bay home grounds) visitors. The tunes on _Love Chooses You_ range in style from country to Texas swing, from ballads to Irish traditional songs. Perhaps with continued exposure I'll come to like this more. The quality is definitely there. Unfortunately, even with all its variety, the album stays too close to the straight country sound that I grew up disliking. A few Flying Fish albums (all of the following are distributed by Flying Fish) that I can sink my teeth into a little more are Tom Dahill's (with Glen Walker Johnson on harp) _The Ragged Hank Of Yarn_ (Flying Fish LP FF 490), a various artists _A Celebration Of Scottish Music_ (Temple Records LP TP 028), _Music In Trust 2_ by the Battlefield Band with Alison Kinnaird (Temple Records LP TP 029) and Big Daddy Kinsey and Sons _Can't Let Go_ (Blind Pig LP BP-3489). Dahill's record has history on its side. Never mind that the history is largely one that few are familiar with. With these songs available on an album, the history will live a little longer. Dahill takes the Irish tradition to its utmost limits in that most of the tunes on this album were learned from other singers/players - something that keeps the folk tradition alive throughout time, if not always well. Dahill's been collecting and performing Irish music for two decades and has amassed a repertoire of 500 fiddle tunes and another 500 songs and ballads. Yes, there are bagpipes on the various artists compilation _A Celebration Of Scottish Music_, but that's certainly not all. This is an album rich with a variety of Scottish musicians and singers that give you a little under an hour's worth of Scotland's past, present and future traditions. Included on this album are Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band, Alison Kinnaird (Scottish Harp), Gaelic singer Christine Primrose, Hamish Moore (Lowland Pipes), singer Cilla Fisher, the well-known Battlefield Band and Jim Johnstone & His Band, one of Scotland's top traditional dance bands. _Music In Trust 2_ is the second in a series of 'soundtracks' for a Scottish TV endeavor that projects a total of eight programs. The project, as a whole, appears to be similar to some of the new age videos one can find on the market here in the U.S. That is, this music was recorded to accompany film of some of Scotland's beautiful landscapes and natural treasures. The aim is to evoke the feeling of Scotland through music while watching the scenes of the program. I haven't seen the program(s), but the music is delightful - well worth a listen! The "Sons" portion of Big Daddy Kinsey & Sons are perhaps more well known as 3/4 of the Kinsey Report (4th member Ron Prince is also featured on this album) whose two Alligator Records releases have garnered them both critical and commercial success. On _Can't Let Go_ they back their father in a more traditional blues setting, though there are occasional forays into sounds the Kinsey Report have championed recently. Big Daddy Kinsey's vocals are rough and ready, smooth as velvet and bite like gin on the rocks - not necessarily all at the same time. Like it's title implies, once you put this album on, you can't let go. Restless Records has released an album by the Pajama Slave Dancers that features humorous tunes with a punkish attitude. _Heavy Pettin' Zoo_ (Restless 72307) is pretty easy to figure out from song titles like "Bozo's Gone Berzerk", "Burnin' Rubber (Ode to Safe Sex)", "My Baby's Way Rad" and "Bare Naked in Bed With You". Even though you know what to expect, this foursome makes the trip a lot of fun. The only real klinker on the album is their version of the Brady Bunch theme. It's funny the first few times, but wears thin pretty quickly, unlike the rest of the tunes. IRS has released a compilation CD titled _These People Are Nuts_ to celebrate the label's 10th anniversary. The 74+ minute compilation features 22 songs, some of them hits by the label's more well-known groups, some by groups or performers who are part of the label's history, though they've fallen by the wayside or moved on for one reason or another. A few of these tracks are rare (The Police's "Nothing Achieving" was previously unavailable in the U.S.) or alternates. The fold out cover features press clippings of bad reviews that IRS bands and releases have received over the years. Good thing they didn't take some of these too seriously! Slash Records will be releasing albums by the Chills and the Wild Flowers on February 27th, 1990. An untitled new album from Los Lobos is also being prepared. The Zulus, Burning Spear and Violent Femmes are all beginning work on new studio albums - Look for these in the late Spring. Also be on the lookout soon for an album by the band Field Trip. ======================================================================== NEW and RECENT RELEASES Recently released from A&M -------------------------- Frank - Squeeze (SP 5278) The Mekons Rock 'N' Roll - Mekons (SP 5277) Recently released from Alligator Records ---------------------------------------- Midnight Drive - Kinsey Report, The (ALCD 4775) The Big Break - Little Charlie & The Nightcats (ALCD 4776) Two-Fisted Mama! - Webster, Katie (ALCD 4777) Fanning The Flames - Ellis, Tinsley (ALCD 4778) Recently released from Community 3 ---------------------------------- Important People Lose Their Pants - Chicken Scratch (C3-1389) Burn Your Sister - Horny Genius (C3-1289) Recently released from Enigma/Intima/Restless/Mute/Metal Blade -------------------------------------------------------------- Hellbilly - Hitler, Elvis (72346-1) Fire Merchants - Fire Merchants (72354-1) Soul Cakes - Junk Monkeys, The (72421-1) One Of Our Girls - A.C. Marias (71437-1) The Bride Ship - Crime + The City Solution (71422-1) Ghosts Of The Civil Dead - Soundtrack (71433-1) Tyranny And The Hired Hand - Tovey, Frank (71438-1) Dirty Sings - Lane, Anita (71436-1) Live - I Love You (72356-1) The Big Problem ^= The Solution... - Crispin Glover (72316-1) Out There A Minute - Sun Ra (71427-1) Rude Awakening - Crisis Party (72402-1) Hydrology and 1 + 2 - Recoil (75413-2) Let It Swing - Blackmale (73537-2) On Returning (1977-1979) - Wire (72358-2) Recently released from Flying Fish ---------------------------------- Guitar Man - John Cephas & Phil Wiggins (FF 470) Down On The River - Hartford, John (FF 514) The Very Best Of Tom Paxton - Paxton, Tom (FF 519) Generations - Rogers, Sally (FF 493) Recently released from the Independent Label Alliance ----------------------------------------------------- The Children - The Children (Scale of Miles/ILA SM 2201-2) You And Your Sister - The Vulgar Boatmen (Record Collect/ILA RC-1171-2) Recently released from IRS -------------------------- These People Are Nuts! - Various Artists (IRSD-82010) Change. - Alarm, The (IRSD-82018) Animal Logic - Animal Logic (IRSD-82020) Recently released from Island ----------------------------- Silent Assassin - Sly And Robbie (91277-1) Fresh Out The Pack - Shelley Thunder (MLPS9845) Recently released from Mammoth ------------------------------ Earwig - Blake Babies (MR0016) Procedure - Blackgirls (MR 0017-1) Recently released from Manufacture ---------------------------------- Something In My Room - Gruel (MAN 001) Must Be Destroyed - Insect Fear (MAN 002) Recently released from MCA -------------------------- Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz - Pretty Boy Floyd (MCA-6341) Speak - Roches, The (MCA-6345) UK Jive - Kinks, The (MCA-6337) The Chess Box - Waters, Muddy (CH6-80002) Blind Faith - Walk On Fire (UNI-602) The London Chuck Berry Sessions - Berry, Chuck (CH-9295) The London Bo Diddley Sessions - Diddley, Bo (CH-9296) The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions - Howlin' Wolf (CH-9297) The London Muddy Waters Sessions - Waters, Muddy (CH-9298) Fathers And Sons - Waters, Muddy (CH-92522) Nothingface - Voivod (MCA-6326) When I Call Your Name - Gill, Vince (MCA-42321) Dance! ...Ya Know It! - Brown, Bobby (MCA-6342) You Wanna Dance With Me? - Watley, Jody (MCA-6343) Deaf Gods Of Babylon - Lord Tracy (UNI-606) Special Love - Williams, Deniece (MCA-6338) Large And In Charge - Chunky A (MCA-6354) Born On The Fourth Of July - Soundtrack (MCA 6340) Master Of The Game - Taylor, James 'J.T.' (MCA-6347) Recently released from Narada/Sona Gaia --------------------------------------- Narada Artists Sampler #4 - Various Artists (ND-61025) Dig - Mounsey, Rob & Flying Monkey Orchestra (Sona Gaia ND-62761) Recently released from New Alliance ----------------------------------- Numero Dos - Dos (NAR 044) Bootstrappers - Bootstrappers (NAR 046) Recently released from Polygram ------------------------------- The Seeds Of Love - Tears For Fears (838 730-1) Captain Swing - Michelle Shocked (838 878-1) Recently released from RCA -------------------------- Raging Slab - Raging Slab (9680-1-R) Pure - Primitives, The (9934-2-R) Legacy - Poco (9694-2-R) Blow - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (9937-2-H) Smoking In The Fields - Del Fuegos (9860-2-R) Diva - Melodie, Ms. (1210-2-J) Greatest Hits - Ocean, Billy (1271-2-J) Recently released from Rebel Records ------------------------------------ The Music Starts Right Here - Randall Hylton (REB-1670) Express Tracks - Appalachian Express (REB-1674) New Day - Lost & Found (REB-1678) Recently released from Rhino Records ------------------------------------ The Dionne Warwick Collection - Dionne Warwick (R2 71100) UnKihntrollable Live - Kihn, Greg (R2 70932) Cover Me - Various Artists (R2 70700) Lonesome Crow - Scorpions (R2 70915) The Sun Years - Orbison, Roy (R2 70916) Bad News - Bad News (R2 70931) The Edgar Winter Collection - Winter, Edgar (R2 70895) Anthology - Tommy James & The Shondells (R2 70920) All My Friends - House Of Freaks (R2 70943) Anthology 1962-1974 - Righteous Brothers (R2 71488) Recently released from Warner Brothers -------------------------------------- Bound By The Beauty - Jane Siberry (25942-2) Floating Into The Night - Julee Cruise (25859-2) Laughter - The Mighty Lemon Drops (26017-2) The Iceberg - Ice-T (26028-2) Mlah - Les Negresses Vertes (26029-2) Other recent releases --------------------- Pretty Hate Machine - Nine Inch Nails (TVT 2610) Point Of Confusion - Screed (Canned Music CM-892) Texas Electric - Ditto (Ditto DIT-0102) Rabies - Skinny Puppy (Capitol/Nettwerk C1 93007) Dead On - Dead On (SBK CDP-93249) On Christmas Day - The American Boychoir (Ocaso HR002) Simple. - The Dead River (Shattered Glass SGR 8901) Quickness - Bad Brains (Caroline CAROL CD 1375) You - Uncle Green (DB Records DB94) Ironside Management Presents... - Various Artists (Fast Track) Assault Down Memory Lane - Intensive Care (Fresh Sounds FS 220) Jan DeGaetani Sings Berlioz, Mahler (Bridge BCD 9017) ======================================================================== Product Review: SOTA Sapphire Series II Turntable Premier FT-III Tonearm Monster Alpha Genesis 500 Cartridge Individual Product Specs: Sumiko Premier FT-III Tonearm: Manufacturer: Sumiko PO Box 5046 Berkeley, CA 94705 Phone: (415) 843-4500 Pivoting tonearm Overall length : 305 mm Effective length : 239 mm Overhang : 17.3 mm Offset angle : 23 degrees Cartridge weight : Up to 14 grams with extra weight Nominal effective mass : 12 grams Price : $475 Record center to pivot point distance: 221.7 mm SOTA Sapphire Series II: Manufacturer: SOTA Industries PO Box 7075 Berkeley, CA 94707 Phone: (415) 527-1649 Belt drive, two-speed, suspended subchassis turntable Dimensions : 20 1/4" W by 7 1/2" H by 16 1/4" D Price : $1200 Monster Alpha Genesis 1000: Manufacturer: Monster Cable Products Inc. 101 Townsend Street San Francisco, CA 94107 Phone: (415) 777-1355 Low output moving coil with microridge stylus Output voltage : 0.2 mV (3.54cm/s, 1kHz) Frequency response : 10Hz - 75 kHz +/- 1 dB : 20Hz - 20 kHz Channel separation : >30 dB (1kHz) Channel balance : <0.5 dB (1kHz) Recommended tracking force: 1.8 gm. Tracking force range : 1.5 gm. - 2.5 gm. Compliance, Horizontal : 15 X 10 (-6) cm/dyne Vertical : 12 X 10 (-6) cm/dyne Trackability : >80 micrometers/1.8 gm. (300Hz) Internal impedence : 4 Ohms Recommended load : >100 Ohms Price : $800 Well, Mike said he wanted a turntable review for a change of pace so that's what we get this month. Actually it's more of a turntable/tonearm/cartridge review seeing as how I have neither the equipment nor time to do individual testing on the above items in different configurations. Those of you who read my last article will have noticed by now that this is the system I use as my current reference. This was kind of on short notice so I grabbed what was handy. This will not only be just a turntable/tonearm/cartridge review but also a discourse on the differences between analog (vinyl) and digital (CD) playback. One thing that needs to be mentioned is a change in amplifiers since my last article. Right now I am using a pair of Threshold SA/2's to drive the Maggie's (possible review forthcoming). In short these have a lot of the strengths I mentioned about the S/500 without the moderate reservations I had about some aspects of the sound that the S/500 produced. First off let me say that I have never been overly thrilled with turntables for listening to some kinds of music, namely any kind of music that has single notes for sustained periods of time (classical for instance). I am very sensitive to pitch irregularities and, due to the fact that there is no center to a spiral, all albums are by definition not concentric. This coupled with the fact that you'd have a hard time finding many record companies taking the time or effort to even try and hit the center of an album when they punch the hole can make for a very frustrating listening experience. So now I've pretty much admitted, by default if nothing else, that a cd player is generally preferable to a turntable if for no other reason than the fact that there are no fluctuations in pitch added by shortcomings of the recording medium. However this is not to say that the actual sound quality or "musicality" is as good. After spending a lot of time listening to the differences between the cd's and their vinyl counterparts in my collection I have reached the conclusion that cd (or at least the players) have a lot of catching up to do. Now, before this starts the digital versus analog debate again I am also going to point out a fact that to date I haven't seen many in the "underground" press bring to light. This is something that has been bothering me for a long time now and that is the fact that most of the reviews that have been written (with VERY few exceptions) have been comparing moderately priced cd players with very expensive turntable/arm/cartridge combinations. The same is true in this case but you'll see more of my views on that aspect as the review progresses. Debates continue to rage (mainly from Linn's Ivor Tiefenbrun) about what the most important component of a system is. From Linn's standpoint it is the turntable first in the hierarchy, then the tonearm, then the cartridge. I firmly believe this to be bunk! At this point in time it should be fairly simple to design a competent platform to spin a 12" piece of vinyl without the associated equipment interacting too adversely. I'm not saying that all turntables are created equal, far from it, it just isn't hard to find a good one at a fairly moderate price. I have had a number of turntables over the years and the last couple I've had have been virtually indistinguishable from each other from a sonic viewpoint. One had marginally better bass performance but that was directly attributable to a different type of turntable mat being used. Trying to distinguish differences in turntable sound is very difficult at best. For one thing you have to have two completely different turntables set up with the same tonearm and cartridge combinations to make the test even start to approach any semblance of validity. Not to mention having the test equipment on hand to be able to verify that the cartridges are at least measuring the same spec wise. In other words I consider this to be more of a cartridge review than a turntable review, completely subjective as always. By now readers of my older reviews should be getting a feel for my overall sonic biases and should be in a position to either agree or disagree completely with my personal preferences. Enough already, on with the review! The turntable loosely under review is the SOTA Sapphire Series II. This is not the latest and greatest of the line. The latest model is the Series III. I'm not sure of all the differences between models but the most notable is the change from particle board to aluminum for the tonearm mounting board. The model under review has the aluminum arm board installed. The Sapphire is SOTA's "inexpensive" turntable coming in with a list price of around $1200. The build quality is superb in every respect, which of course it should be at this price! The turntable is based on the same suspended subchassis design that AR (among others) made popular back in the 60's. One of the big differences between this and the old AR's (other than price!) is the shear weight of the turntable. The SOTA Sapphire weighs in at approximately 60 pounds as opposed to around 10 for the older AR's. The power supply comes in it's own box and is separate from the turntable proper. The connection is made via thin twinax cable at the back of the turntable. A lot of "audiophile" products are separating the power supply from the equipment that they power. This should cut back on noise and just general distortion that would arise from having a power supply close to any amplifying electronic components. You may be asking, "for a turntable? There's no real signal amplification present." I suppose SOTA's logic is that the further you can get the power supply away from such things as both the cartridge and tonearm the better off you'll be sonically. Overall, probably not a bad idea. The turntable comes without a tonearm so you'll have to supply your own. Pre-drilled arm boards are available for a number of popular tonearms, both esoteric as well as reasonably priced. Mine happens to have a Sumiko Premier FT-III, which I believe has just recently gone out of production to be replaced by the Premier FT-IV. As I said earlier I'm not going to even attempt to quantify the differences I've heard from going from my previous table/arm combination to this one since I really don't believe I can make any valid judgments without being able to make direct comparisons. As to the tonearm I'll just give the highlights of the design. It is a fairly straightforward pivoting tonearm. The main highlights are the fact that there is no removable headshell. This makes it a real pain to mount a cartridge on but probably makes up for it by giving the cartridge an exceptionally rigid mounting surface. The tonearm also features adjustable VTA, which if you're extremely careful, you can change while a record is playing. Keep in mind this would be a much simpler procedure on a turntable not using a floating subchassis. So much for the turntable and tonearm end of all of this, now onto the cartridge. The Monster Alpha Genesis 1000 is the flagship model of the Monster line of cartridges. The cartridge comes in its own very handsome wood case with a sheet of paper hand signed by the cartridge designer Hisayoshi Nakatsuka. The cartridge also comes with a set of mounting hardware, stylus cleaning brush, and a small screwdriver to assist in mounting. Something that is sorely missing is some sort of alignment gauge. Shure is one of the only companies I know that ever supplied one (with the V15-VMR) and it would certainly make life much easier if Monster saw fit to throw one in. As it is I ended up using both a Telarc Omnidisk (I believe out of print but you may still be able to obtain one by contacting Telarc directly) and a Dennesen Soundtractor to check the alignment. Either one of these will give you accurate alignment although the Soundtractor is much easier to use albeit around 5 times the price of the Omnidisk. Ok, so now it's aligned, how does it sound? This cartridge has made a vast improvement in the overall sound of the system when compared with the Denon DL-160 I was using previously. By now a lot of you are saying, "But it costs 5 times as much, it oughta sound better!". OK, so you got me on that one. Let's face it, big improvements typically don't come cheap and this is no exception. The differences between the two cartridges are quite large. The 1000 is much more detailed than the Denon throughout the whole frequency range. It throws a very big soundstage, an area where the Denon also excelled, although the 1000 does an even better job. You get a sense of "speed" when it comes to transient response that was missing with the Denon. Vocals are portrayed with stunning realism. I really don't have any complaints with this Ÿcartridge. ŸAs you can see I've been comparing with the Denon ŸDL-160 Ÿ(my previous cartridge) to try and make comparisons Ÿto anything I owned before that would just not be valid. Sonic memory is a tenuous thing at best. ŸOne thing you should keep in mind is that the Alpha 1000 Ÿis a low output moving coil Ÿcartridge so you will need Ÿa moving coil input stage on Ÿyour preamp or receiver. I have a friend who is using one straight into a moving magnet Ÿpreamp Ÿsection Ÿand it does work Ÿbut Ÿhe's always complaining about not getting enough volume out of it so be forewarned. Ok, back to my thoughts on the differences between analog and digital. We have here a review of essentially around a $2300 turntable/tonearm/cartridge combination being compared to a $685 cd player. As an aside, the cd player is a Sonographe SD-1 which I reviewed a while back so if you're interested in reading my thoughts on that you can dig up the old article. Seeing as how there is a large price differential between the cd player and turntable one would expect the latter to sound better, at least as long as you're not of the opinion that digital is the "perfect" medium. When comparing albums to their cd counterparts I could not find a single cd that outperformed any of the albums I auditioned. When listening to the turntable you always got a much better sense of the recording environment both on classical, jazz, and rock recordings. Basically the analog system was much more natural sounding than the digital. Bear in mind that the differences were far fewer with the Denon Dl-160 cartridge mounted in the same turntable and arm. Of course you are getting the aforementioned shortcomings of the analog medium, wow and flutter, noise, and wear, to name a few of the more obvious problems. But if you are seeking a "musical" experience I think that analog is still the best way to go. Be prepared however to pay the price. I got in a long discussion with someone who was claiming that his (very cheap, i.e poor quality) turntable/arm/cartridge combo easily outperformed his $1000 cd player. This is something that I have certainly never experienced. I believe you are much better off with a cd player at certain price points. So far I haven't been able to find a $250 turntable that would outperform a $250 cd player. In all honesty I think you have to be willing to spend approximately $750 to $1000 on a good analog playback deck before you start really surpassing the quality of around a $250 cd player these days. A lot of people have to really question whether it's worth it or not what with albums becoming increasingly scarce it's highly debatable whether the added expense of a good turntable is justifiable unless you already have a sizeable investment in vinyl. Thus ends my thoughts on the analog digital debate. As for the review, the SOTA, Sumiko, Monster would appear to be a very good combination overall but you may be able to come close to the same musical satisfaction with a less expensive turntable. The new AR ES turntable comes instantly to mind at less than half the price. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the cartridge! If you're willing to pay the price you can expect to get more musical enjoyment out of a good analog playback system than digital. This is fairly sure to change in the future. Improvements continue to be made and a lot of the cheaper cd players these days sound as good as the "audiophile" players of just a few years ago. Things continue to get better and should only continue to do so in the future. Until next time. DMH ========================================================================