Volume - III Issue - III May/June 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 1990 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) Naked City - John Zorn 2) In Florescence - Cecil Taylor 3) Psychefunkapus 4) High Wire - Ernie Isley 5) Waking Hours - Del Amitri 6) Rock & More Roses - Pat Kilbride 7) Eye - Robyn Hitchcock 8) Miller's Pond - Sea Stories 9) Reunion - Gary Burton * By Andy Hong * 10) The Language Of Life - Everything But The Girl * By Andy Hong * 11) Brightside - Killing Time * By Andy Hong * 12) Here Comes Trouble - Scatterbrain * By Andy Hong * 13) BRASIL - Ratos de Porao * By Andy Hong * 14) Armchair Theatre - Jeff Lynne Record Reviews 1) Not Of This World - Dash Rip Rock 2) Hide Your Eyes - Tail Gators 3) Ah Via Musicom - Eric Johnson 4) Deep Soul Diver - Disappear Fear 5) Spawn - Harm Farm * By Rob Woiccak * 6) See The Money In My Smile - The Jack Rubies * By Rob Woiccak * 7) Closer To The Flame - Dave Edmunds 8) Two Left Feet - File' 9) Spanking Machine - Babes In Toyland 10) Slow - The Sneetches * By Rob Woiccak * Bits and Pieces - mini/capsule reviews, news of: Chickasaw Mudd Puppies, Gear Daddies, Hurricane, Johnny Clegg & Savuka, Boxed Set News (Bee Gees, Art Tatum), Rap Compilations (_We're All In The Same Gang_, _Pride_), Ice-T, Eric Clapton tour. Reissues Tom Lehrer, Beach Boys, Graham Parker, J.J. Cale, Itals, Van Dyke Parks. Concert Reviews New and Recent Release Information ======================================================================== EDITORIAL Welcome to the nineteenth issue of Network AUDIO BITS & Software Review! I'd like to thank Rob Woiccak and Andy Hong for their contributions to this issue of Network Audio Bits. Each contributed several reviews, hopefully giving you, the reader, a couple of different viewpoints on some new releases and also keeping the magazine from becoming too dependent on *my* viewpoints. This issue is a little late for many reasons and I won't bore you with any details. Suffice to say that the times I attempted to make time to finish this up all were subverted in some way or another until now. I'm glad it's done now - just in time to get ready for the next issue! As usual, I feel like there's so much more that I could/should include in this issue, but there are only so many hours in the day and days in the week. So, here's issue number 19. Hope you enjoy it and find the contents entertaining and useful. 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! ======================================================================== Batman The Sicilian Clan You Will Be Shot Latin Quarter A Shot in the Dark Reanimator Snagglepuss I Want to Live Naked City Lonely Woman John Zorn Igneous Ejaculation Producers: John Zorn/Naked City T Blood Duster Engineer: Roger Moutenot R Hammerhead Elektra/Nonesuch 79238-2 A Demon Sanctuary Released: 1990 C Obeah Man Total Time: 55:14 K Ujaku Source - CD S Fuck the Facts Speedball Rating - ***** Chinatown Punk China Doll N.Y. Flat Top Box Saigon Pickup The James Bond Theme Den of Sins Contempt Graveyard Shift Inside Straight ------------------------------------------------------------------------ J. Pethro Visiting the Abyss Saita In Florescence For Steve McCall Cecil Taylor In Florescence Producer: John Snyder T Ell Moving Track Engineer: Joe Lopes R Sirenes A&M CD 5286 A Anast in Crisis Mouthful of Released: 1990 C Fresh Cut Flowers Total Time: 61:58 K Charles and Thee Source - CD (ADD) S Entity Leaf Taken Horn Rating - **** Chal Chuiatlichue Goddess of Green Flowing Waters Morning of Departure Feng Shui If you're looking for something challenging to listen to - something you can't possibly digest in just one listen - there are two recent releases that you shouldn't miss. Cecil Taylor's _In Florescence_ and John Zorn's _Naked City_ explore musical ideas that know no boundaries. Both of these releases demand the listener's attention. They aren't the sort of thing I'd recommend for background music. Both releases move abruptly back and forth between highly energetic, eclectic jazz to more relaxed, paced sounds. That each album sounds like a sunsplashed stained-glass window rather than the fragments of colored glass it's made up of is due to the musical vision of these leaders and their sidemen. Taylor (piano) and Zorn (saxophone) both dominate their respective releases. Rather than overshadow their support, though, their expressive, burning styles offer a challenge that each group rises to. _In Florescence_ is a trio date that features William Parker on bass and Gregg Bendian on percussion. Parker has been a part of Taylor's Unit for most of the 80's. Neither Parker nor Bendian really step forward into the limelight on _In Florescence_, but both players are in 'tune' with Taylor, providing a complementary, rather than base, structure for Taylor's musical leaps and bounds. Repeated listenings are recommended. One, two or even ten listenings aren't enough to digest all the ideas Taylor is expressing here. Zorn's music, on the other hand, can be at least partially digested on the first listen. The takes of Henry Mancini's "A Shot in the Dark" and "The James Bond Theme" assure that listeners will have at least a small common denominator with these performances and tunes. Of course, faithful fans of Zorn and his band (Bill Frisell on guitar, Wayne Horvitz on keyboards, Fred Frith on bass and Joey Baron on drums) won't need these links with popular culture to get into this recording. These members of the avante/fringe of jazz and rock touch on other common areas of music as well. From the swampy, Texas feel of the opening track to the swinging "Latin Quarter", and from the eerie surf's up feel of parts of "A Shot in the Dark" to the metallic feel of "Punk China Doll", from the offbeat eclecticism of tracks 10 through 18, none of which last much longer than 30 seconds, to the fairly straight reading of "The James Bond Theme", this quintet snaps, crackles, pops, sizzles, burns and sears itself into your consciousness. _Naked City_ (26 tracks, 55+ minutes) has nearly anything you could want on one CD - short bursts of hellbent creativity, sustained insanity, quieter, reflective moments that allow the listener to take a deep breath and then forge ahead once again - music that reflects a wide body of influences in a seemingly random fashion. Closer inspection of these tracks show that this is a tight and cohesive unit. What may sound random at first all falls into place with a few repeated listenings. _In Florescence_ and _Naked City_ are two releases that I wouldn't recommend to a casual music listener. For listeners who want or need a challenge, these discs will provide it and more! ======================================================================== Psychefunkapus We Are the Young Psychefunkapus Movin' Producer: Marc DeSisto T Jesus Crispies Engineer: Marc DeSisto R Fixx Atlantic 82063-1 A Freedom Released: 1990 C Regeneration Total Time: 39:57 K A.M. Source - CD S Slut Child 17 and Under Rating - ***-1/2 Young Love is a Bitch ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Song For the Muses High Wire High Wire Ernie Isley Love Situation Producer: Davitt Sigerson T Diamond in the Rough Engineer: Several R Deal With it Elektra 60902-2 A In Deep Released: 1990 C She Takes Me Up Total Time: 50:38 K Fare Thee Well, Fair-Weather Friend Source - CD (AAD) S Rising From the Ashes Deep Water Rating - **** Back to Square One The Muses Psychefunkapus are an inter-racial quintet whose music inspires immediate comparisons to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Color, Bad Brains and other bands (Faith No More also comes to mind) who meld hard hitting rock 'n roll with an in-yer-face funk attitude. Like the aforementioned bands, Psychefunkapus has put their own stamp on their brand funk/rock - rock/funk. They've added a good dose of psychedelia (imagine that... with a name like Psychefunkapus...) to their funk/rock base that has yielded an interesting and intriguing album. Psychefunkapus draw more from their Hendrixian influences than from the James Brown/George Clinton school of funk. Their sound is dominated by crunching guitars and punchy percussion. Tracks to check out are the punkish/hardcore funk of "Jesus Crispies", the psychedelic sounds of "Movin'", the funky "A.M." and the cover version of Hendrix' "Freedom". Ernie Isley's _High Wire_ explores some similar territory, though from the soulful side of the tracks. Isley was influenced by Hendrix, though a little more directly - Hendrix lived for a time in the Isley home. Ernie says that Hendrix "did things without an amp in his bedroom that were more amazing than the records." Ernie was just a kid when the Isley Brothers were forging their early musical history. He later joined the group and laid down sizzling guitar grooves for their 70's records, among them "Who's That Lady?", "3 Plus 3", "Summer Breeze" and "Fight the Power". _High Wire_ is filled with Ernie's guitar sizzle. The grooves lay back and simmer as well as searing through to one's soul. There's a good balance between Ernie's guitar-oriented tunes ("Song For the Muses") and the slower, soulful ballads ("Love Situation") that emphasize vocals and lyrics. While the songs here are certainly no dogs, if they were somehow just a bit better (Don't ask me *how* - If I knew that I'd be writing music rather than writing *about* music) _High Wire_ would earn a spot in the list of indispensable recordings. Taken as it is, it comes pretty close. ======================================================================== Waking Hours Kiss This Thing Goodbye Del Amitri Opposite View Producer: Mark Freegard T Move Away Jimmy Blue Engineer: Not Credited R Stone Cold Sober A&M CD 5287 A You're Gone Released: 1990 C When I Want You Total Time: 45:47 K This Side of the Morning Source - CD (AAD) S Empty Hatful of Rain Rating - **** Nothing Ever Happens If pure and simple (not simplistic) pop music is something you've just got to hear once in a while, amidst all the glitter and vagaries of 'pop' music today, you don't have to look any farther than Del Amitri's _Waking Hours_. Del Amitri's songs have an elegant simplicity to them that is refreshing in the pop world of ever increasing glitz and sheen. Their songs are neither too poignant or pointed, nor are they obtuse or obscure. Close inspection of their lyrics shows strong themes (relationships/love on "Kiss This Thing Goodbye", "Opposite View", "This Side of the Morning") and distinct, if not vividly burning, images ("Move Away Jimmy Blue", "Nothing Ever Happens"). It's difficult to describe Del Amitri's sound using words. Their influences range from Dylan and the Beatles to the Clash and the Cramps. Their sound is about as pure of a pop sound as I've heard, which means its influences are as wide as that statement implies. There are touches of country, blues, folk and rock. _Waking Hours_ may not be a perfect pop recording, but it comes pretty damn close. ======================================================================== Anne's Favorite/Kitty's Wedding Tir Na Nog Si Beag, Si Mor Rock & More Roses The Galbally Farmer Pat Kilbride Dominiques Favourite Producers: Various T The Flowing Tide/The Plains of Boyle Engineers: Various R October Song Temple COMD 2011 A The Boy in the Gap Released: 1990 C Lord Randall Total Time: 72:11 K The Swedish March Source - CD S The Dublin Reel/The Wind That Shakes the Barley Available on CD and The Blackbird cassette only We Work the Black Seam Humours of Ballyloughlin/Slieve Russel/The Eavesdropper Rating - ****-1/2 Sgt. Early's Dream Rodney's Glory/Rakish Paddy Pat Kilbride's _Rock & More Roses_ is a 72 minute compilation of largely traditional Irish and Irish-inspired, guitar-based music. On various tracks you'll hear The Battlefield Band's Brian McNeill on fiddle, The John Renbourn group's John Molineaux on highland pipes, Na Cabar Feidh's Trevor Ferrier on tablas, and Patrig Molard on uillean pipes. The first ten tracks were recorded in 1980 and released as the album _Rock & Roses_ (Temple). Tracks 11, 12, and 14-16 were originally released as the b-side of the album _Both Faces_ (Colour Records, Belgium) in 1987. Kilbride's haunting, acoustic rendering of Sting's "We Work the Black Seam" was originally released on the compilation album _Het Zwante Goud_ ('The Black Gold', BRT CD, Belgium). Listening to _Rock & More Roses_ I'm reminded a wee bit of Richard Thompson, though where Thompson has taken this sort of music as a base and run with it in many (rather interesting) directions, Kilbride keeps things on an even Irish/traditional keel. So enthralling is this CD that it wasn't until after a half dozen or so listens that I finally read through the liner notes and disovered that these recordings were as much as 10 years old. Pat Kilbride is the only native born Irishman to have been a member of Scotland's acclaimed Battlefield Band. He performed with the band in the late 70's and appeared on the album _At the Front_ (Topic Records). He's also played with The Pavies in Dublin and in England, The Pat Kilbride Band in Belgium and has formed a new band of mostly traditional musicians from his home in New York City. _Rock & More Roses_ is Kilbride's first release since he emigrated to the U.S. It is distributed by Flying Fish. _Rock & More Roses_ has a quiet charm about it that doesn't merge into sappiness. It's a forceful album, but not overtly so. "We Work the Black Seam" is the only track that really stands apart from the rest - largely due to it being a cover of a pop tune. It's dark, haunting feel also helps it to stand apart. ======================================================================== Cynthia Mask Certainly Clickot Queen Elvis Flesh Cartoons Eye Chinese Water Python Hitchcock, Robyn Executioner Producer: T Linctus House Engineer: R Sweet Ghost of Light Twin/Tone TTR 89175-2 A College of Ice Released: 1990 C Transparent Lover Total Time: 64:32 K Beautiful Girl Source - CD S Raining Twilight Coast Clean Steve Rating - ****-1/2 Agony of Pleasure Glass Hotel Satellite Aquarium Queen Elvis II (Electric) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For 1000 Years Miller's Pond Still They Stand Sea Stories Always Feel Better Producers: Mark Woods/Sea Stories T So Much More Engineers: Mark Woods/Sea Stories R The Immigrants I.R.S. IRSD-82036 A How You Live Released: 1990 C Stay Awhile Total Time: 44:19 K In Memorium Source - CD S Secret World The Same Path Rating - **** Backroads It's Alright if You Do _Eye_ is the sort of release that ardent fans of an artist yearn for. An album that is up close and personal, the setting bare and clean. On _Eye_ Hitchcock uses an acoustic guitar (on most tracks) or a piano to augment his many vocal personnae (sarcastic, sardonic, wistful, ironic). The album was recorded in San Francisco during parts of 1988 and 1989 - Hitchcock sees it as a thank you to fans who have supported him throughout his career. A new Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians album is scheduled to be recorded over the summer and released in early 1991. _Eye_ *is* Robyn Hitchcock, pure and simple (well, as simple as he gets). The songs are intimate in ways that only Hitchcock could conceive. If you're a fan of his previous, sometimes distorted, often highly original, but always unique, material (yes, his material has sounded Bowie-ish or Lennon-ish in the past, but it always had the Robyn Hitchcock indelible stamp on it), then don't waste a moment more reading - get out and pick up a copy of _Eye_. Hitchcock has always been an intriguing songwriter. With less emphasis on pop (ie hit) tunes, the tracks on _Eye_ are barren and haunting - songs in their simplest form. There aren't any hooks to grab you immediately on _Eye_. A few listens, though, and you will be hooked. The Sea Stories _Miller's Pond_ is another rather simply (that is not a derogatory comment) produced and conceived album. The songs are driven by haunting, acoustic arrangements and by the vocals of Simon Honisett and Penelope Hewson. Honisett's vocals have a bit of a Michael Stipe feel to them (and even a touch of a Robyn Hitchcock feel), though I wouldn't compare the band directly with REM (or Hitchcock). Hewson's vocals are airy, but not at all light - sort of like a muggy New England summer day either just before or just after a storm. I don't know what it is about Australia, but groups whose albums manage to make it over into the U.S. almost always have some quality that makes them intriguing. It's no different on _Miller's Pond_ - Sea Stories manage to sound haunting and original in a setting (guitar/bass/drums with Hewson's slide guitar, viola and piano to spice things up a bit) that's as old as rock 'n roll. _Miller's Pond_ contains twelve strong tracks that contain excellent melodies and strong, narrative lyrics. Good luck finding anyone in radio giving these tracks some airtime - head to the store and give the Sea Stories a listen. You won't regret it. ======================================================================== Reunion Autumn Gary Burton Reunion Producer: Gary Burton T Origin Engineer: Rob Eaton R Will You Say You Will GRP GRD-9598 A House on the Hill Released: 1990 C Panama Total Time: 58:54 K Chairs and Children Source - CD S Why Wasn't Always Easy The Chief Rating - **** Tempos Felice (Happy Times) Quick and Running I first heard about this album a year ago, when Pat Metheny was promoting the release of his latest record, _Letter from Home_. In a radio interview, Metheny was talking about his current projects, the most inspirational having been a reunion with his old mentor and band leader, Gary Burton. After 12 years of virtually no contact, Metheny and Burton performed five songs together at the 1988 Montreal Jazz Festival, and immediately, their friendship was revived. The collaboration at the Festival was so successful, that the two decided to record an album. _Reunion_ is the product of this renewed collaboration. Featuring Gary Burton on vibes, Pat Metheny on guitar, Mitchel Forman on piano and keys, Will Lee on electric bass, and Peter Erskine on drums and percussion, the album consists of three Metheny tunes, two Forman tunes, two by Vince Mendoza, one by Paul Meyers, and three by Polo Orti. The three by Polo Orti are my favorite. When I attended one of the shows on the current tour, Burton stated that when he listened to a demo tape given to him by Orti, he was surprised that a young man living in such a remote location as Spain's Canary Islands could come up with something so contemporary and musically rich. "Autumn" is the strongest of Orti's compositions. The intro and end sections have that orchestral "arranged" feel that has been popularized recently by bands like the Pat Metheny Group and Steps Ahead, while the solo sections for both Burton and Metheny are left open and expansive, highlighting the differences between Burton's and Metheny's solo styles--Burton seems to move in by surrounding while Metheny concentrates on a line drive. My least favorite is track #4. It has that cheesy jazz-fusion feel to it with toned-down popping bass and vocal-waveform Korg M1 keyboard washes. In general, the production of this album bothers me. I wish the drums were more up front. Peter Erskine is a fantastic drummer and much more dynamic live than on this record. And although I'm a fan of Will Lee, who adds a good deal of character to the David Letterman show's band, his playing on this album is too fusion-ny; too much pulling and popping--not the style that I think of when I listen to other albums recorded by Burton. _Reunion_ sounds over-produced and because of this, it loses a lot of energy--a characteristic of many GRP recordings. But with production aside, this is a solid album that any fan of Gary Burton or Pat Metheny should own. --Andy Hong ======================================================================== The Language of Life Driving Everything But the Girl Get Back Together Producer: Tommy Lipuma T Meet Me in the Morning Engineer: Al Schmitt R Me and Bobby D Atlantic 82057-2 A The Language of Life Released: 1990 C Take Me Total Time: 41:22 K Imagining America Source - CD S Letting Love Go My Baby Don't Love Me Rating - *** The Road Everything But the Girl is the team made up of guitarist/arranger Ben Watt and vocalist Tracey Thorn, backed by an ensemble of session musicians that changes for each new album. On _The Language of Life_, the backup musicians include a surprising array of familiar names including Omar Hakim, Larry Williams, Joe Sample, Stan Getz, and Michael Brecker. The first time I heard Everything But the Girl was back in 1985. The album _Love Not Money_ immediately caught my attention. Tracey Thorn's sensual voice on top of catchy tunes tricked me into dancing. But quickly, I realized that the songs were about prostitution, small town decay, male domination, and greed. And then I really *listened*. Since then, I've listened to each new Everything But the Girl album, hoping to feel the same confused-awareness that I felt the first time round. But each time, I've been slightly more disappointed. Six years after the first, self-entitled album, Everything But the Girl is a very different band. Gone now are the jangly guitars and the affective pop. Instead, _The Language of Life_ is closer to the jazz-pop catering to the *thirtysomething* audience--the stuff you find on new-age radio: relaxing, without contemplative lyrics. My favorite tunes are "Driving", "Meet Me in the Morning", and "Letting Love Go". These tend to focus more on Thorn's vocals, less on the un-moving instrumentation. I still love Thorn's voice, rich with texture (and tasteful reverb). And I like the modest r&b feel of these songs. Although I'm giving this record only three stars, I highly recommend it to any Everything But the Girl fan. If you're like me, you'll forget that this album is less "meaningful" than previous recordings, and you'll find yourself lost in the luxurious vocal tracks. --Andy Hong ======================================================================== Brightside Cheap Thrills Killing Time Brightside Producer: Killing Time, Fools Die Tom Soares T Telltale Engineer: Tom Soares R What I Want In-Effect 88561-3007-2 A No More Mr. Nice Guy Released: 1989 C My Reason Total Time: 23:18 K New Release Source - CD S Backtrack Wall of Hate Rating - ***** Wisdom Formerly called Raw Deal, New York City's Killing Time is one of the many NYC Hardcore bands that mixes the crunchy guitar grooves of metal with the driving beat and preaching vocals of traditional hardcore. What separates Killing Time from the rest of the NYCHC pack is their consistency in delivering a full-force wall of sound. Every guitar stroke, every drum beat, every word, is presented with full-blown emotion. I get the feeling that they mean it 100%. Like the songs by other NYCHC bands, like Sick of it All, Uppercut, and Rest in Pieces, Killing Time's lyrics tend to focus on the negative aspects of city-life, friendship, and self-awareness. Each song is an anthem about taking control of one's own life by learning from hurt, hatred, and mistakes. For the last few months of 1989, this was my favorite record. I listened to it at least two or three times a week. The whole album is significantly less than half an hour long. I'm glad that it was kept short--not a single "filler" here. When I was listening to this album for the first time, I was sure that the band had two guitarists. But a quick look at the back cover proved me wrong: one guitar putting out more than 100%. Carl Porcaro is a master of the NYCHC style of guitar. Jeeb-jeeb to quick rhythmic hits to melodic lines, without losing any momentum. And the vocals scream out at you while the drums and bass lay down the solid, "move forward or get out of the way" feel that the kids at all-ages shows can't get enough of. Live, these guys are much more raw. For a hardcore album, this album is over-produced--you can even hear overdubs. But I don't mind at all, because this production makes for a clean recording and a monster guitar sound--with no slop and no breaks between songs. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think this is one case where listening to the album is at least as powerful as the experience of seeing the band live. --Andy Hong ======================================================================== Here Comes Trouble Here Comes Trouble Scatterbrain Earache My Eye Producer: Paul Nieder T That's That Engineer: Tom Soares R I'm with Stupid In-Effect 88561-3012-2 A Down with the Ship (Slight Return) Released: 1990 C Sonata #3 Total Time: 37:04 K Mr. Johnson and the Juice Crew Source - CD S Goodbye Freedom, Hello Mom Outta Time Rating - ***** Don't Call Me Dude Drunken Milkman The album's cover art is a reproduction of a Robert Williams painting juxtaposing a boy flying a kite into a high-voltage line and a well-lit skeleton of a person in a tub with his finger in the electric socket. Its museum catalog title is _With the Grace of Ignorance a Pre-pubescent Human Conductor Can Momentarily Distinguish the Difference Between Voltage and Amperage by Attempting to Ground Out the Mighty Dynamos_. The humor in this lengthy title is the same kind of humor found throughout the songs on this album. _Here Comes Trouble_ is an album that focuses on growing up--dealing with drugs and alcohol, living with obnoxiously conservative parents, learning to respect peers. The music incorporates elements from 50's rock & roll, classic 70's rock, funk, rap, metal, hardcore, and thrash. None of the songs are discernibly any single style--instead, each song encompasses hooks from all of the aforementioned styles. What makes this album so enthralling is that the humor in the lyrics and in the mixed-up hooks is blatant--but presented in a quite subtle manner. Before you know it, the band's slipped in a reference to _1984_ while you're still laughing at a contemporary rendition of a Mozart sonata. Featuring guest vocalist John Connelly from Nuclear Assault, "Goodbye Freedom, Hello Mom" focuses on Orwellian themes in society, "where the government's your mother... where Mommy know's what's right for you." "Down with the Ship" is a medley of 60's, 70's and 80's rock tunes, pieces of which are snuck in between sections of a tune originally done by Ludichrist, some of whose members are now in Scatterbrain. Hendrix, Zeppelin, Metallica, Billy Squier, Aerosmith, Yes, The Doors, Van Halen, Phil Collins, and the national anthem are all represented here. The first time I heard this song, I couldn't stop laughing when I started recognizing riffs from bands I listened to when I was growing up. "I'm with Stupid" is another song with subtle humor--this time in the form of lyrics that say something about dealing with other people. The chorus states that "I've grown stupid, it happened overnight." The character singing the song has literally grown Stupid--a second head of a *stupid* person--overnight, after dreaming of being a king who thinks himself better than all the idiots in his kingdom. Now he's condemned to live with the head of one of his subjects on his shoulder. Without any preaching whatsoever, and without sounding self- righteous, Scatterbrain has put together an extremely catchy album of deceptively intelligent songs about living and learning. Although the album is constantly (but unpredictably) changing pace, it's easy to bang your head to the grooves. And as the catchy hooks get caught in your head, and you find yourself singing along, you realize that the songs are both humorous and meaningful-- surprisingly aware of the problems plaguing the youth and adults of today. This is definitely an album that can open eyes, ears, and minds. Scatterbrain, considered a "metal" band, is much more than just that. Everyone should check this album out. --Andy Hong ======================================================================== BRASIL Amazonia Never More Ratos De Porao Backwards Producer: Harris Johns T AIDS, Pop Repression Engineer: N/A R Law of Silence RC 9424 A SOS Broken Country Released: 1990 C Gil Coma Total Time: 29:26 K Drink til You Die Source - CD (AAD) S Suicidal Heroin Children without Future Rating - ***** Nationalist Farce Traitor Bloody Pigs Animal Life The End Military Machine Land of Carnival Will I Receive My Heritage This is the first domestic release by Ratos De Porao, a crossover/thrash band from Brazil. The band name translates to "basement rats." My biggest gripe about this CD is that it doesn't come with a lyric sheet. (The LP comes with one.) From the titles of the songs and from the cover art (which is a collage of cartoon figures in scenarios showing military-government oppression, Uncle Sam sucking money, Catholic priests forcing crosses into the rear ends of Amazon tribesmen, corporate businessmen robbing a native Brazilian at gunpoint, etc) it's easy to see that this is a "social-awareness" band-- "social-awareness metal" to be more precise. Social-awareness metal has become popular in the last two years. Thrash bands like Atrophy, Acrophet, School of Violence, and Angkor Wat have paved the way, combating the lack of intelligence and caring in the metal scene. But unlike these bands, whose songs tend to be five minutes or longer, Ratos De Porao writes songs that are "open your fuckin' eyes now!" punk-anthems, typically 90 seconds long with sing- along choruses. Vocals are of the dry-heave variety--no high-pitched screaming. Crunchy guitars speak the jeeb-jeeb, speed, and groove riffs of crossover/thrash. Best of all, solos are kept to a minimum. Although the recording quality could be better and the production gets muddy at times, I'm giving this record five stars. Anyone who's into social-awareness metal should purchase this NOW. And anyone who's at all interested in metal but turned off by the typical MTV "get loaded and fuck scantily-clad women" attitude should check this out. --Andy Hong ======================================================================== Armchair Theatre Every Little Thing Jeff Lynne Don't Let Go Producer: Jeff Lynne T Lift Me Up Engineer: Richard Dodd R Nobody Home Reprise 26184-2 A September Song Released: 1990 C Now You're Gone Total Time: 37:06 K Don't Say Goodbye Source - CD (AAD) S What Would it Take Stormy Weather Rating - *** Blown Away Save Me Now Imagine, if you will, this scenario between Jeff Lynne and a Reprise/Warner Brothers marketing exec: Exec: "Jeff, just give us one ELO-type tune that we can sell the album with and you can do whatever you want with the rest of it." With a little coaxing, prodding - whatever it takes, Lynne agrees. Thus, we have a new Lynne solo album which has a lead track ("Every Little Thing") that would have fit comfortably on any of several ELO albums. The rest of _Armchair Theatre_ has touches and moments that are reminiscent of ELO, but for the most part the other tunes move a little ways away from that sound. The most obvious moments that remind one of ELO are the backing vocals and harmonies, especially on "Lift Me Up" and "Now You're Gone". "Now You're Gone" does shift the sound a bit with rather intriguing Indian vocals contributed by Ravi Shankar's vocalists, Ashit and Hema Desai The biggest difference between _Armchair Theatre_ and ELO's recorded output is the simpler approach Lynne has taken here. With the exception of "Every Little Thing" the songs are a pretty far cry from the grandiose (at times bombastic) sound of many of ELO's hits. In short, _Armchair Theatre_ is a very good album. It may take ELO diehards a few listens to get used it, but I think Lynne's recent associations (Traveling Wilburys, producing albums for Tom Petty and George Harrison - among others) have had a positive influence on his music and this album. ======================================================================== Bum For Egypt Not Of This World Under the Jail Dash Rip Rock Rich Little Bitch Producer: Jim Dickinson T You Were On My Mind Engineer: Don Smith R Little Girl Blue Mammoth MR 0020 A String You Up Released: 1990 C Rattle Trap Total Time: N/A K Jolie Source - LP S Promenade Betty Rating - ***-1/2 Christmas in El Paso I Don't Wanna Stop ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hallelujah, I'm Coming Home Hide Your Eyes Come On Baby The Tail Gators Hoodoo Producers: Don Leady/Mike Stewart T Rockin' in the 1990's Engineer: Mike Stewart R Nuevo Loredo Restless 72343-1 A Let's Have Some Fun Released: 1990 C Long Tall Young Boy Total Time: 34:18 K Wear Your Black Dress Source - LP S 20-75 Pick Up the Deck Rating - ***-1/2 Shake Dance Let's Go Boppin' Tonight Somethin's Got a Hold On Me If you like your boogie mixed with a little swamp sound, two bands you shouldn't miss are Dash Rip Rock and the Tailgators. Dash Rip Rock's _Not Of This World_ is produced by Jim Dickinson, who's worked with the Replacements, ZZTop, Big Star and others. Dickinson is an excellent choice to produce Dash Rip Rock. His ability to capture a band's raw sound and contain it (without restraining it) makes this album an excellent listen. Dash Rip Rock are the trio of Bill Davis (vocals, guitars), Ned "Hoaky" Hickel jr. (bass, backing vocals) and Chris "Lucky Dog" Luckette (drums, backing vocals). Together they rip through a dozen tunes that touch the worlds of rock 'n roll, rockabilly, country and swampland. Well, the don't rip through all 12 tunes - "Little Girl Blue" is a slow, melancholy country-tinged number. "String You Up" is a rockbillyish tune that expresses the sentiments of many a guitarist - essentially it's a love song for a guitar, though it doesn't exclude the human factor ("I'll mix the two finest things/in the entire world, a Fender Telecaster/and a beautiful girl"). Dash Rip Rock sound like a load of fun on LP. I hope I get a chance to catcha performance sometime. The Tail Gators sound on their latest album is a little more bluesy than the Dash Rip Rock album, though it's no less of a swamp-boogie feast. The Tail Gators have been branded with many one or two word descriptions relating to swamps, swampabilly, swamp-boogie, etc. It's rather easy to relate what their music is like in this fashion, but one or two words are rarely enough to completely describe a band's sound. _Hide Your Eyes_ is the Tail Gators fifth release. Their last album (_Ok Let's Go_) sounded a little too slick for my ears. _Hide Your Eyes_ has a more basic sound that better showcases the Gators swamp rock. Much like the early Wrestler Records releases (_Rock and Roll Till the Cows Come Home_ & _Mumbo Jumbo_) _Hide Your Eyes_ has gutsy, meaty tunes and production. Forget the slickness of _Ok Let's Go_, these guys are at their best when they're down 'n dirty. You better hide your eyes before you get a pile of mud in 'em! ======================================================================== Ah Via Musicom Ah Via Musicom Eric Johnson Cliffs of Dover Producer: Eric Johnson T Desert Rose Engineer: Not Credited R High Landrons Capitol C1-90517 A Steve's Boogie Released: 1990 C Trademark Total Time: 40:49 K Nothing Can Keep Me From You Source - LP S Song For George Righteous Rating - *** Forty Mile Town East Wes Quite honestly, the first time I listened to this album I was less than impressed. Johnson's reputation preceded him and this album is not what I expected. Subsequent listens to _Ah Via Musicom_ have proved to be more enjoyable and beneficial. Familiarity with Johnson's style definitely helps. Unfortunately, I have not yet heard his earlier album _Tones_. Knowing some of his music rather than his reputation would've made my first listen to this new album a vastly different experience, I'm sure. Eric Johnson fans (at least the dozen or two whose words I've seen or heard) seem to be a very vocal, supportive bunch. Johnson is a guitar hero of sorts, after all. And like other guitar heroes (Knopfler, Clapton, Malmsteen, Vai, Satriani, etc.) his fans are very vocal. Guitar 'hero' is probably not the best term to describe Johnson, though. His style is not typical of most guitar 'heroes'. Coming out of Texas, there's just a touch of Texas style on most of these tracks - the unconscious sort. Of course, there's the more obvious Texas-boogie style of "Steve's Boogie", but the Texas influence is mostly an undercurrent, supporting Johnson's fluid, expressive guitar. Rather than rely on chops and hot licks, Johnson's concentrated heavily on the compositions and their arrangements. He's also concentrated on vocals on _Ah Via Musicom_. As far as instrumental wizards who've gone on to do vocals on their own albums (Satriani for one), I like Johnson's better than most. His voice mixes well with the songs - woven in neatly rather than competing with his axe. ======================================================================== Deep Soul Diver Disappear Fear Photograph Producers: John Grant w/ Sonia T Deep Soul Diver Engineer: R Sexual Telepathy Disappear DR 1004 A The Loveliest Part of the Day Released: 1989 C For Hollywood I Will Total Time: 31:++ K French Illumination Source - LP S On the Beach Time to Love Rating - **** I don't think I can write about Disappear Fear without mentioning the Indigo Girls. Mainly because the two duos feature similar strengths - strong harmonies, versatility (they move from mellow folk/pop songs to driving rockers with ease) and intelligent songwriting all contribute to a record that is greater than the sum of its parts. The extra ingredient that pushes this one onto a higher level is fun - not so much because this is a fun, good time album, but because Disappear Fear (sisters Sonia and Cindy) quite obviously enjoy what they are doing. This comes shining through on _Deep Soul Diver_. Disappear Fear have been building a steady following on the east coast. Performing in Durham, NC, with the aforementioned Indigo Girls, they were kept on stage for three encores. If you can't see them live (will they ever get closer to Maine than Massachusetts?) _Seep Soul Diver_ will at least give you a hint as to what makes this duo tick. One more Indigos reference... - if you like _Strange Fire_ more than the Epic debut album (as do I) then you should definitely check out _Deep Soul Diver_! For more information, write to: Disappear Records, P.O. Box 65095, Baltimore, Maryland 21209. _Deep Soul Diver_ is available on LP, CD and cassette. ======================================================================== Spawn Heads Harm Farm T Jersey Devil Producer: Henry Kaiser R Snapdragons->Greeneyedgirl Engineer: Oliver Di Cicco A Clams Alias A007 C Discovery Running Time: N/A K Maguire's Wooden Leg Source: LP S Creases, SAgs and Wrinkles Rating: ***-1/2 Lucy Ann Miss Mercury Sleep/Senor Tuchus Warm Hen Arabs & Jews Trust Sporting a violinist and that "esoteric" sound, the first band that springs to mind for comparison would be Camper Van Beethoven. Indeed, Harm Farm's first violinist, Morgan Fichter, was enticed away to join the Campers not long after Harm Farm made the move to San Francisco in 1987. But such a comparison would be, as usual, limiting, for Harm Farm uses the violin of ex-drummer Noah Crispin not as a gimmick, but as the force by which the band unifies its sound. Probably the easiest way to describe their debut album is a fast- paced blend of rock, folk and bluegrass, closer to the Meat Puppets than Camper Van Beethoven. Traditional elements abound in the rhythms, but unexpected guitar riffs and Billy Sheehan-ish basslines lie around every bar and measure, waiting for the unsuspecting listener. But where the Meat Puppets stop at their oddball rock sound, Harm Farm ties the forces of rock and folk together by Crispin's flowing, frenetic violin, retaining their roots charm, but transcending the stigma that many associate with "folk music". I would almost go as far as to say that Harm Farm could very well be America's Fairport Convention, forging a folk-rock fusion that, while uniquely American, previously was only heard in Britain. --Rob Woiccak ======================================================================== See The Money In My Smile Mona Lisa The Jack Rubies T Baby Fire Producer: Pat Collier R Good Morning Heartache Engineer: Steven Nunn A A Walk Down Any Street Tim Lewis C Beautiful Joe TVT 2570 K Lost in the Crowd Released: 1990 S Crazy Letter Running Time: N/A Beautiful Joe's Bad Dream Source: LP Calamity Jane Rating: *** Book of Love Western Sky Tijuana Bible I Saw the Glory As with so many other recent releases these days, _See The Money In My Smile_, by England's Jack Rubies, seems to fall into the general category of college radio rock with its melodic power pop sound and strummy guitars. But, despite an unoriginal sound, the Rubies manage to float above the sea of mediocrity by virtue of their musicianship and songwriting. Their songs are direct and skillfully played without pretention. Upon the foundation of Steve Brockway's bouncy, wandering bass and the intricate percussion provided by Lawrence Giltnane (in addition to the drums), the guitars of Sd Ineson and vocalist Ian Wright build infectious melodies with an edge not always heard in other guitar pop. Sometimes shimmering, but more often driving, the Rubies deliver British guitar pop with an almost American point of view. Wright's versatile singing deserves equal merit. His voice ranges from the soft and breathy croon heard on "Calamity Jane" and "I Saw The Glory" to the biting cynicism of "Tijuana Bible" to the screech of "Beautiful Joe's Bad Dream". In all cases though, his low pitch is honest and sincere, strengthening the conviction of the music. In the music of the Jack Rubies, a number of influences can be heard: the Silencers, the Commotion, and America's own Connells. But, the Rubies manage to pull together these sounds, adding an powerful edge to create a solid and talented, if unspectacular (from the point of originality) album. Nonetheless, the songcraft may pull _See the Money in My Smile_ up and into the limelight. --Rob Woiccak ======================================================================== Closer To The Flame Closer to the Flame Dave Edmunds Fallin' Through a Hole Producer: Dave Edmunds T Don't Talk to Me Engineers: Dave Charles & Leslie R Every Time I See Her Ann Jones A Stockholm Capitol C1-90372 C King of Love Released: 1990 K I Got Your Number Total Time: 38:37 S Never Take the Place of You Source - LP Sincerely Test of Love Rating - *** Stay With Me Tonight Edmunds career in the music business has been a lengthy (20+ years) and busy one. If not as a recording artist/performer, then as a producer (Stray Cats, k.d. lang, Mason Ruffner, Nick Lowe & others). His latest album _Closer to the Flame_ is his first for Capitol Records and his first studio release in five years. The music on _Closer to the Flame_ is pretty basic stuff for Edmunds - tastes of rockabilly here and there, some r&b served on the side, flat-out rock 'n roll as a snack. What makes this album a delectable meal is Edmunds' supporting cast. He's assembled a fine studio band, consisting of Jim Keltner (drums), Chuck Leavell (keyboards), Phil Chen (bass), and Dave Charles (drums, percussion). Add dashes of the Memphis Horns and the Uptown Horns, sprinkle on some background vocals by Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker (of the Stray Cats)... Put it all together and you get a tasty musical gumbo that compares very well with Edmunds past work (both as a producer and performer). A very solid album. ======================================================================== 2 Left Feet Perrodin Two Step File` Quoi Faire Producers: Eugene Foster & File` T La Valse a Deux Temps Engineer: Not Credited R Les Blues A Cleoma Flying Fish FF 507 A Chanson D'Amour Pour Elle Released: 1990 C Two Left Feet Total Time: 35:56 K Little Foot Stomp Source - LP S Tribute the Clifton Chenier Last Waltz Rating - ***-1/2 'Tit Gallop Pour Mamou Hard Times File` are an acoustic/electric band (mostly acoustic) who feature a combination of folk musics. Traditional folk, cajun, french, blues, country (and probably a kitchen sink or two) are the parts that make up the whole that is File`. They mix fiddles and accordions with electric bass, mandolins and acoustic guitars with electric guitars. These guys could probably take *anything* you put in front of them and use it to make music that will get folks movin' and dancin', which is what _2 Left Feet_ will make you want to do. File`'s sound is very traditional - much more so than, say, Les Negresses Vertes, who share some of the same musical roots, but have a more punkish urgency about their music. _2 Left Feet_ is a very clear and uncluttered recording. Plucked notes from Darren Wallace's mandolin sound as crisp as biting into a fresh leaf of lettuce. The fiddle and accordion are also very bright and clear. ======================================================================== Swamp Pussy Spanking Machine He's My Thing Babes In Toyland Vomit Heart Producers: Jack Endino & BiTL T Never Engineer: Jack Endino R Boto(w)rap TwinTone 89183-1 A Dogg Released: 1990 C Pain in My Heart Total Time: 35:44 K Lashes Source - LP S You're Right Dust Cake Boy Rating - ***-1/2 Fork Down Throat Babes in Toyland sound like the kind of girls who'd like to dress you up and keep you at home. And you'd go willingly, though the consequences of this action are unpredictable. Just the title of the album will keep you on a string for these babes. Babes in Toyland make the Pandoras sound like Diana Ross and the Supremes. Babes in Toyland combine sex, lust, guitars and screams in ways that make you feel like they really mean it. Kat Bjelland's guitar has all the raw appeal that, say Greg Sage (Wipers) or early replacements have. Her vocals recall some early Pretenders, though at a higher pitch than Chrissie Hynde and twice as raw. I can't think of any other girl groups around like Babes in Toyland. A lot of guys out there have a similar sort of raw sound, though they can't express the same sort of sexual energy, anger and lust (at least not from my male point of view!) as these three Babes in Toyland. I can only imagine what Babes in Toyland must be like live. I hope they come to the northern New England area sometime so I can check them out. ======================================================================== Slow Over Round Each Other The Sneetches T Things We'll Never See Producer: Matt Carges R What's In Your Mind Steve Savage A Wish You Would Engineer: Steve Savage C How Does It Feel Alias A008 K Voice In My Head Released: 1990 S Heloise Running Time: N/A Broke Up In My Hands Source: LP Crystal Ball Rating: **** Let Us Go While a lot of bands are jumping onto the pop revivalist bandwagon, few are doing so with the talent of these San Francisco based musicians. Playing sweet, melodic ballads, The Sneetches, whose name comes from the title of a children's book by Dr. Seuss, have crystallized the essence of sixties pop, while introducing a subtle tension that makes the music distinctly their own. Slow, their third full length LP and second on Alias, sees them streamlining the lush arrangements of their previous work into a simpler, tighter creation, exemplified in the stronger bass line of ex- Stingray, Alejandro Palao and the choppier guitar work. While this change helps to tie the loose ends of previous albums together, their music still refuses to be confined. Wandering on a textured, meandering path that feels like a warm lazy summer afternoon, Slow evokes images of the Beach Boys and XTC, corroborating the dual nature of The Sneetches as a band of the past in the present. While the music is the first thing to hit the listener, vocalist Mike Levy has a smooth and versatile singing style that plays off the music, emulating the horns on "Voice in My Head" as easily as it wanders over the drums of "Over Round Each Other". Introspectively musing about topics ranging from mindless bimbos to daydreaming, Levy's crooning, while neither powerful or overbearing, successfully infiltrates the music and the ear. --Rob Woiccak ======================================================================== Bits and Pieces - Mini/Capsule reviews and Music news ----------------------------------------------------- Pieces contributed by Michael A. Murphy, Rob Woiccak and Andy Hong. The Chickasaw Mudd Puppies have created a recent buzz around music circles. Their nine song CD EP _White Dirt_ has been released recently on Wing/Texas Hotel/Polydor (843 217-2, Time - 22:49, AAD). The Chickasaw Mudd Puppies are Ben Reynolds (guitar) and Brant Slay (vocals, harmonica). Both Reynolds and Slay add some unique touches on stomp- board and other homemade percussion. The music on _White Dirt_ is a mixed bag that encompasses blues, country, southern-fried rock, rockabilly, swamp rock and maybe even a touch of funk here and there. The EP is produced by Michael Stipe (of REM) and John Keane. A full length LP is planned with Stipe and blues legend Willie Dixon handling production, which should make for an interesting album. _White Dirt_ has an appropriately raw sound that fits their music and their homemade instrumentation to a T. It's very refreshing to hear music like this on a major label in this day and age of digital processing and techno-wizardry. The Gear Daddies _Let's Go Scare Al_ (Polygram CD 843 429-2, Time -35:52 AAD) was recorded for an independent label two years ago. Polygram has reissued the album, giving it a much wider distribution. For the few who bought the album originally, _Let's Go Scare Al_ will be old news. A new album is in the works for a September, 1990 release. The Gear Daddies sound is right at the midpoint of an equilateral triangle consisting of the Silos, BoDeans and the Cowpokes (or Tom Petty). The focal points of the Gear Daddies songs are Martin Zellar's lyrics and vocals, which capture the downside of small town life with exquisite feeling. The words and music describe perfectly the sort of life that many younger small town inhabitants just want to get away from. It will be interesting to see what the next Gear Daddies album is like since they'll have major-label backing and won't have to worry about where the money is going to come from. Up until just recently they've been been (like a good many Americans) struggling to make ends meet. Hurricane's second full length album is probably going to be more notable for its cover(s) than the music inside. The album _Slave To The Thrill_ has been released with two different covers. The one that is bound to spark controversy feature a naked (though strategically covered) woman strapped to a somewhat menacing-looking machine. The 'clean' version of the cover features only the machine. Frankly, I find both covers rather intriguing. I'm sure most any science fiction fan will, as well. The covers both express (though perhaps not directly) ideas and an image that is certainly not foreign to the science fiction of the last 50 or so years. The music on _Slave To The Thrill_, which is what should be the focal point of the release, is fairly tame compared to the sparks the cover(s) will cause. It's a hard rock album that MTV should be able to slide easily into it's video rotation. Good tracks, but nothing that really elevates it above the rest of the field. Still, get your copies of the album with the controversial cover while they last - I hear they are disappearing from shelves quickly (both as items sold and in being recalled). With the release of Nelson Mandela, South Africa has lifted a ban on Johnny Clegg & Savuka's song "Asimbonanga (Mandela)". A track from their new album _Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World_, "One (Hu)'man, One Vote" has been banned by South Africa. The track expresses democratic hopes that the South African government, obviously, isn't too excited about. One can only hope that one day soon there will be no need to ban songs (of any nature) in South Africa. Clegg & Savuka are currently touring with Tracy Chapman. In boxed set news, Polygram has scheduled a Bee Gees retrospective for July release. The four CD set will encompass material from their earliest releases to their most recent _One_. The set will feature fifty unreleased tracks and several tracks remixed from the original sessions, marking their first appearance in true stereo. Pablo has released a six CD collection of Art Tatum tracks. _The Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces_ (6PACD-4401-2) was released recently. The boxed set contains material recorded between 1954 and 1956 with at least 10 previously unreleased tracks. Artists involved in the various sessions include Louis Bellson, Benny Carter, Buddy DeFranco, Roy Eldridge, Lionel Hampton, Barney Kessel, Buddy Rich and Ben Webster. Warner Brothers and Enigma have eached recently released rap compilations that contain tracks promoting pride and unity. _We're All In The Same Gang_ and _Pride_ contain tracks by a slew of rappers, some well known and others who are trying to break into the big time. _We're All In The Same Gang_ features the West Coast Rap All-Stars, a veritable who's who of West Coast rap - Tone Loc, Ice-T, Young MC, N.W.A., Digital Underground, M.C. Hammer, Eazy-E, Body & Soul, Michel'le, King Tee, Def Jef, Above the Law, J.J. Fad and Oaktown's 3.5.7. The track, more or less obviously, is a rap against (black) gang violence that hits almost as hard as the gang culture they're rapping about. The track will undoubtedly bring some attention to the gang situations. Let's hope it does some good. The Enigma compilation features several known rappers, such as Schooly D, Three Times Dope, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Blackmale and Robbie B and DJ Jazz. The emphasis of the CD is more on the pride of the black man and more general in it's message of pride and peace. Twenty cents from each album sold will be donated to the United Negro College Fund. Both of these CDs contain some hard hitting, beat-filled raps with positive messages aimed mostly at the black communities of the U.S. You don't have to be black, though, to realize that we are indeed all in the same gang. In other rap news, Ice-T's _The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say_ has been certified gold by the RIAA. Since many of the tracks on the album are not playable on radio (and radio being the conservative entity is has become) it is somewhat surprising that the album has sold well enough to go gold. At any rate, it is a good piece of information - Ice-T's album deserves to be heard. Eric Clapton will begin a month-and-a-half long U.S. tour at the end of July. This is the second leg of Clapton's tour and will cover mostly the eastern seaboard with a 9 or 10 date trip into the eastern part of the midwest. Dates include 2 nights at the Capitol Centre in Washington, DC (8/3, 8/4), the Meadowlands in NJ (8/6, 8/7), Great Woods in Mansfield, MA (8/10, 8/11), The Spectrum in Philadelphia (8/14, 8/15), Nassau Coliseum on Long Island (8/17, 8/18), and Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI (8/25, 8/26). Check your local sources for other east coast dates. ======================================================================== REISSUES The popularity of the compact disc has sparkeda reissue boom over the last several years. This isn't news to anyone, I'm sure. Some reviews of recent reissues (some long overdue, I might add) follow. I don't think I've seen as much of a buzz at the listener level over a set of reissues (that didn't have an accompanying large scale media campaign) as over the recent CD reissues of three Tom Lehrer albums. The three albums (_That Was The Year That Was_ (6179-2, 37:13), _An Evening With Tom Lehrer_ (6199-2, 42:24), _Revisited_ (26203-2, 41:09)) have been reissued by Reprise Records. In a way it's kind of sad that Lehrer's largely politically oriented material still maintains a high degree of relevance today. What this means is that, though recorded in 1959 (_Evening_ & _Revisited_) and 1965 (_Year That Was_), the names have changed (well, some of them are the same - Reagan is mentioned in one song) but the political issues haven't changed all that much in the past 30 years. Topics such as censorship/freedom of expression, religion, racial problems, the armed forces, ecology/pollution are all addressed in Lehrer's songs in an intelligent, often irreverent fashion. That they could have been recorded yesterday and be relevant today says an awful lot about the ponderous, slow-to-change beast we call society. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Lehrer CD reissues all sound sharp and crisp. The only negative thing I can say about the recording quality is that Lehrer's between song banter on _Revisited_ is so soft that it is difficult to hear when one plays the disc at a comfortable volume for the songs. Lehrer hasn't performed since 1967, which may be a good thing. Since the political climate obviously hasn't changed terribly much over the last 23 years, had Lehrer continued to perform with any regularity, his music would probably have lost some of it's 'charm' with overexposure. Indeed, I'm a little sick of seeing some of the issues Lehrer sang about 25 and 30 years ago still headlining magazines and newspapers today. Voices like Lehrer's are always welcome, but I'd guess he'd probably get a little sick of writing songs about the same issues for 25+ years. Lehrer says, "I haven't performed since 1967. If I wanted to, I guess I would have by now. People tell me my songs, and the subjects I sing about, are still relevant today. When it comes to my political material, at least, that unfortunately seems to be true." Sticking to the sixties, Capitol has, after a long wait, reissued _Pet Sounds_ by the Beach Boys. Along with this release, Capitol is also releasing several 2-for-1 Beach Boys CDs. Those that have been released within the last month or so are _Little Deuce Coupe / All Summer Long_, _Surfer Girl / Shut Down Vol. 2_, _Surfin' Safari / Surfin' USA_ and _Today / Summer Days And Summer Nights_. Each CD contains two albums of music and several bonus tracks that are either single versions of songs, alternate takes or previously unissued tracks. Polygram has finally issued the early Graham Parker albums on CD. These releases did rather well critically when they were first released, though they sold only modestly. The reissues have been handled with care and sound as good as they possibly can. Parker's Arista release _Squeezing Out Sparks_ is generally recognized as his best album, but these earlier Mercury albums (especially _Howlin' Wind_ and _Heat Treatment_) are also nuggets to be found in the gold mine that is rock 'n roll. _Stick To Me_ is the other title that has been reissued. J.J. Cale is probably best known for the songs he's written that others have covered (most notably Eric Clapton). Polygram has reissued three Cale albums on CD, all recorded in the 1970's. _Really_, _Okie_ and _5_ (all on the Mercury label) all feature a bluesy, electric-folk sound that sounds surpisingly fresh. The CD sound is a bit subdued, though that's more likely due to Cale's laid-back touch rather than anything in the master recordings or their transfer to CD. Give Bill Levenson a couple of gold stars for the work he did in getting these Mercury reissues ready to fly! Nighthawk Records has released four excellent Itals albums on CD. Their spiritual reggae hasn't captured as wide an audience or as much attention as Bob Marley and the Wailers, but their music is no less intense and no less important. If you like reggae, you most likely already know about the Itals. If you're just getting into reggae, then be sure to check out this excellent group. The four Itals releases now available on CD are _Cool and Dread_ (1989), _Give Me Power_ (1984), _Brutal Out Deh_ (1982) and _Early Recordings 1971-1979_ (compiled and released in 1987). If you have trouble finding them, write to Nighhawk Records, P.O. Box 15856, St. Louis, Missouri 63114. Probably the most stunning elements of each Itals release are the smooth, sweet, fluid vocal harmonies. The releases feature the vocals of leader Keith Porter and the harmonies of Ronnie Davis and Lloyd Ricketts (Ricketts is replaced by David Isaacs on _Cool and Dread_). The various backing bands on each of these albums roll along with smooth reggae rhythms rather than some of the pounding beats one often hears in reggae. The smooth rolling sound suits the Itals perfectly. Their sound is beautiful and uplifting. Warner Brothers is planning on reissuing Van Dyke Parks catalog on CD and cassette. The four reissues (_Song Cycle_, _Discover America_, _Clang of the Yankee Reaper_ and _Jump_) join last year's _Tokyo Rose_, making Parks' entire Warner Brothers catalog available simultaneously for the first time. ======================================================================== CONCERT REVIEWS Living in the upper northeast corner of the USA can sometimes be like living in a musical wasteland, at least as far as live shows go. There isn't a happening area closer than two hours away (Portland, Me.) - and that is two more hours away from Boston. The past couple of months have been rather different, though. Granted, there will never be as much happening up here as Boston, or New York or LA. At just over a show/week, April and early May has been the most active concert month I've ever had in Maine. Smithereens w/ Richard Barone Portland, Maine - April 16th, 1990 Richard Barone opened the evening's entertainment at T-Birds club with a set that lasted almost an hour. His show featured a good mix of new material (from the recent MCA album _Primal Dream_), tunes from the _Cool Blue Halo_ album and old Bongos tunes. The near-perfect, crystalline sound balanced Barone's sweet vocals perfectly with the music. Approximately 1/3 of the crowd were really into his set. Another 1/3 seemed to be pleasantly surprised, not knowing what to expect when he came out. The other 1/3 seemed to care only about when the Smithereens were coming out, paying little attention to Barone. When Barone performed the sparsely accompanied "I'll Be Your Mirror" (written by Lou Reed) the talkative portion of the crowd was in direct competition with Barone for the crowd's ears. This was the only pock mark on an otherwise excellent performance, and unfortunately was out of Barone's control. The Smithereens came on after a short break and, though it may be cliched to say it, rocked the house down. From the opening strains of "Drown in My Own Tears" to the closing notes of "A Girl Like You" the Smithereens barely stopped for a breath. Well, they did do two slower tunes in the middle of the 14-song set, "Blue Period" and "In a Lonely Place". Surprisingly, "In a Lonely Place" seemed to be the favorite of the evening. Most of the crowd were singing right along with Pat DiNizio - which was probably easier to do on this song (and "Blue Period") because you could actually hear DiNizio's vocals. Through the rest of their rocking set, the guitars were really cranked up and DiNizio's vocals were rather buried beneath the guitars. After closing their set with "A Girl Like You" the Smithereens came back for a few more songs, among them two of the better known tracks from my favorite Smithereens album, _Especially For You_. These were a real kicking version of "Blood and Roses" and a rather moody but kicking "Cigarette". Chicken Scratch w/ Stumbling Way Ellsworth, Maine - April 28th, 1990 As often happens in rock 'n roll, great performances, by bands who have had small national exposure, are witnessed by a handful of people. Such was the case at the Grand Auditorium in Ellsworth, Maine on April 28th. The show was advertised as four bands for five bucks, with a dollar from each ticket being donated to charity. The two opening bands were from two ends of the rock 'n roll world. The members of Chidy Ho looked to be in their mid-40's or so and performed rather well together, though I can't say that their music really did a whole lot for me. The other group, who's name I've managed to forget, was a local outfit of high school aged kids fronted by (I was told) a 13 or 14 year old female singer. Their set consisted mostly of covers of present and past hit songs - some of which hit the mark, others didn't. What was interesting about this band was the energy and flair that their drummer had and the raw talent of the vocalist. If someone points her in the right direction to suit her voice, she could go a long way as a singer. Basically, what she needs to do is expose herself to music outside of the rather narrow pop genre of tunes that the band played. Stumbling Way performed next. They are a rather tight three man band from New Jersey. Their music, like that of Chicken Scratch, has detectable traces of a Minutemen influence, though they rely more on stronger melodies and less on vocals. It didn't take long for the crowd of 150 or so to get up on their feet and bounce around (I don't know as I'd call it dancing) with Stumbling Way cranking out beefy guitar and bass chords with pounding, driving, intricate drum rhythms (this night was really a good one for percussion enthusiasts - all four drummers were quite hot). What really made this the beginning of a couple of special hours of rock 'n roll was the quick rapport Stumbling Way developed with the crowd. It was obvious that the band was enjoying watching the kids in the crowd as much as the kids enjoyed watching, listening and moving to Stumbling Way. It didn't stop there. After Stumbling Way had finished its roughly hour-long set, Chicken Scratch came out and picked up right where they left off. Chicken Scratch has musical roots similar to Stumbling Way, but place much more emphasis on Kevin Kelly's vocals. Kevin was very definitely the visual focal point of the band as well. His stage presence and antics, along with his singing and screaming, dominated the stage. Musically, the three members of Chicken Scratch were tight, together and clicking. The crowd rapport that started with Stumbling Way intensified with Chicken Scratch's performance. Chicken Scratch worked their way through several of the tunes from their two Community 3 releases and a few covers, winning over a crowd which contained few, if any (other than myself), who had heard their albums prior to the show. The show climaxed (and I do mean CLIMAXED!) with what was essentially a free-for-all jam where Kevin told the members of the crowd to just come up on stage and do whatever they wanted. Kevin started the ball rolling by using a metal fold-up chair as a percussion instrument. It didn't take long for the stage to fill up with the group of kids who'd been dancing/bouncing/jumping around in front of the stage for most of the show. What ensued was pure rock 'n roll magical mayhem. It was band/crowd interaction/participation at its utmost. Kids were everywhere. Bodies were bouncing up and down. Anything on stage was fair game for making noise. The chair and a drumstick were rather popular. Wood blocks were pounded. The overall effect was a primal, tribal, let-it-all-hang-out feeling. It was probably a good thing that someone pulled the plug on the show at the end of that. Anything further would've been anti-climactic. Ah, but what a night for music! When a band (or bands) connect with an audience, be it 100, 1000, 10,000 or 100,000, the result can me a memorable, magical evening of music, mayhem and release. On April 28th, at the Grand in Ellsworth, Maine, Stumbling Way and Chicken Scratch put on just such a show. After the show I had the opportunity to talk with the band(s) and have a couple of beers with them. I also had the opportunity to see Chicken Scratch's video for the song "Undertoe". All I can say is that I hope you'll be able to see it on MTV's 120 minutes in the near future. Michelle Shocked w/ John Wesley Harding & Poi Dog Pondering Portland, Maine - May 4th, 1990 John Wesley Harding opened up this show with acoustic versions of some of the songs from his recent Warner Brothers release. His 30 minute set ended just as he was starting to win over the crowd, most of whom, I'm sure, knew little about him. Poi Dog Pondering came out and performed their first song along with Harding, who left the stage as the song ended. I've heard some of Poi Dog Pondering's recorded material and haven't really been all that impressed. Seeing them perform, however, is something that you really need to see to believe. On stage they are like a kaleidescope - many parts and pieces seeming to randomly come together to form a beautiful whole. The eight member band featured several members who played more than one instrument. The resulting sound (and stage show) was one of constant motion and change. I still don't care for their recorded work much - vinyl/CD/tape media are just too confined for Poi Dog's music - but if I have a chance to see them perform again, you can bet I'll be there. Poi Dog Pondering gave Michelle Shocked a tough act to follow. It took a couple of songs for the crowd (and Shocked) to get into the swing of things. The turning point of Shocked's show was when she exhorted the crowd to get out of their seats and dance in the aisles, up by the stage, just dance, dance, dance. And dance they did. After another two songs there were more people in the aisles than there were left in seats. From that point forward, the performance seemed to gel and intensify. After the show Shocked said that she didn't have much energy that night. She drew it all from the crowd. As in the Chicken Scratch show, the interactivity between the crowd and the performer made this a show to remember. Shocked's show featured tunes from all of her albums in a juiced up, swinging, horn-filled atmosphere. During the middle of the show she did two songs without the horns (to appease the folks who expected a 'folkie' show), one of which was an excellent mandolin duet with her father, who was travelling along during part of the tour. Melissa Etheridge w/ The Havalinas Portland, Maine - May 10th, 1990 The Havalinas were a pleasant surprise as an opening act (for me, anyway). Prior to their arrival on stage, I'd had no information about who was opening for Melissa Etheridge. The Havalinas played songs from their Elektra album and made their bid to be the loudest acoustic band in the world. If they were just a bit less loud, they would have sounded a lot better. As it was, their sound was a bit muddled, though the band is only three members strong (acoustic guitar, acoustic bass and drums). The most striking impressions of their performance were of Smutty lugging his bass around the stage through most of the set. Towards the end singer/guitarist Tim McConnell sang and played his guitar while standing on the side of Smutty Smith's bass (while he played the bass, mindy you). If you're a Melissa Etheridge fan, I can tell you that there is no better place to hear Melissa's songs than at a live performance. Her recorded material reaches out and grabs the listener, but these same songs take on a new life when heard live. Rather than just grabbing a listener, they have developed an iron-tight grip that holds an audience spellbound. I think this same grip affects Melissa as well. It grabs her and squeezes every ounce of strength it can into her performance. The result is a high energy concert that features songs from Melissa's two Island Records releases. The energy is of a type that is felt more than seen, though. Unlike the shows mentioned above (Chicken Scratch, Michelle Shocked) where the crowds were very visually moved, Melissa's show connects with an audience on a different level. The atmosphere during Melissa's show was almost tangible, something she felt as well, I'm sure - her eyes seemed to be saying "Is this really happening? Are all these people really yelling, screaming and cheering for me?" Yes, Toto, you're not in Kansas anymore... Hilights of the show? There weren't any. That is, the whole show was like a hilight film. Melissa has released two albums that have no weak tracks between them. In concert the songs seem even stronger. Actually, I do have a favorite of the evening - Melissa performed "Occasionally", a tune where she accompanies her vocals by thumping her guitar body, using it as a percussive instrument. I've always like tunes like this which are laid bare to the bones. You don't get much more bare than standing on stage with nothing but your voice and a piece of wood to use for percussion. In a studio you can take as many takes as you need to pull off a tune like this. Live, you get one shot. One is definitely all Melissa needed. Thinking and writing about her show now, I can almost hear and feel it all over again. When are you coming back to Maine, Melissa, so I can see you perform again?! ======================================================================== NEW and RECENT RELEASES (including reissues - arranged alphabetically by label) Brown, Vernell Jr. A Total Eclipse A&M 43:13 Getz, Stan Apasionado A&M 50:42 Roach, Max & Gillespie, D Paris 1989 A&M 126:06 Taylor, Cecil In Florescence A&M 61:58 Various Artists Live At The Knitting Fact A&M 61:18 Neal, Raful Louisiana Legend Alligator 33:50 Paladins, The Let's Buzz! Alligator 40:15 Taylor, Koko Jump For Joy Alligator 47:02 Watts, Noble Return Of The Thin Man Alligator 40:30 Beloved, The Happiness Atlantic 45:17 Branigan, Laura Laura Branigan Atlantic 43:32 Colours Rules Of Attraction Atlantic 58:12 Hunters & Collectors Ghost Nation Atlantic 43:28 Plant, Robert Manic Nirvana Atlantic 49:39 Psychefunkapus Psychefunkapus Atlantic 39:57 Nee Tumi More Than Life Itself Bathos Co N/A Loop A Gilded Eternity Beggar's Banq 56:21 Lowery, Ian - Group King Blank To The Ian Low Beggar's Banq 48:57 Shoes Stolen Wishes Black Vinyl 54:17 Beach Boys, The Pet Sounds Capitol 43:00 Beach Boys, The Surfer Girl / Shut Down V. 2 Capitol 59:56 Beach Boys, The Surfin' Safari / Surfin' USA Capitol 55:57 Blakeley, Peter Harry's Cafe De Wheels Capitol 43:41 Clegg, Johnny & Savuka Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful W Capitol 45:22 Cocker, Joe Live Capitol 72:53 Cole, Lloyd Lloyd Cole Capitol 52:00 Edmunds, Dave Closer To The Flame Capitol 38:47 Heart Brigade Capitol 53:45 Johnson, Eric Ah Via Musicom Capitol 40:49 London Quireboys, The A Bit Of What You Fancy Capitol 45:00 Moore, Melba Soul Exposed Capitol 46:18 Morgan, Meli'sa The Lady In Me Capitol 52:12 Parks, John Andrew John Andrew Parks Capitol 16:21 River City People Say Something Good Capitol 44:52 Thunder Back Street Symphony Capitol 51:15 Cowpokes, The Hey Judy Circularphile 50:11 2 Deep Honey, That's Show Biz Cold Chillin' 61:03 Grisly Fiction C'mon Bean Juice Community 3 35:56 Inspiral Carpets Cool As **** Cow Records 26:42 Heyman, Richard X. 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Okie Mercury 29:10 Cale, J.J. 5 Mercury 38:02 Morrison, Van The Best Of Van Morrison Mercury 76:24 Parker, Graham Howlin' Wind Mercury 42:15 Parker, Graham Heat Treatment Mercury 35:59 Parker, Graham & The Rumo Stick To Me Mercury 37:10 Telling, The Blue Solitaire Music West 38:12 Barone, Richard Primal Dream MCA 42:45 Bell Biv Devoe Poison MCA 39:38 Body Easy To Love MCA 47:19 Boulevard Into The Street MCA 45:57 Flotsam And Jetsam When The Storm Comes Down MCA 49:29 Hay, Colin - Band Wayfaring Sons MCA 38:39 Johnson, Henry Never Too Much MCA 48:34 Kill For Thrills Dynamite From Nightmarela MCA 44:38 Little River Band Get Lucky MCA 43:28 Loveless, Patty On Down The Line MCA 34:00 Lover, Bret Time To Make Love MCA 38:14 Manitoba's Wild Kingdom ...And You? MCA 26:28 Mark Dee All In A Day's Work MCA 51:58 Newtrons, The The Newtrons MCA 44:42 Shy England Misspent Youth MCA 42:32 Soundtrack Always MCA 68:01 Soundtrack Night Breed MCA 42:21 Strait, George Livin' It Up MCA 30:53 Various Artists Glasnost MCA 45:23 Who Join Together MCA 131:49 Arkenstone, David Citizen Of Time Narada 48:50 Chin, Colin Intruding On A Silence Narada 46:15 Illenberger, Ralf Heart & Beat Narada 38:39 Jones, Michael Magical Child Narada 53:37 Mann, Brian Cafe Du Soleil Narada 44:16 Tingstad, Eric & Rumbel, Homeland Narada 43:37 Trapezoid Moon Run Narada 38:12 Itals, The Brutal Out Deh Nighthawk 35:41 Itals, The Give Me Power Nighthawk 36:58 Itals, The Early Recordings 1971-197 Nighthawk 45:56 Itals, The Cool And Dread Nighthawk 38:23 Gear Daddies Let's Go Scare Al Polydor 35:52 Kimmel, Tom Circle Back Home Polydor 44:28 Lava Hay Lava Hay Polydor 41:44 Malmsteen, Yngwie Eclipse Polydor 49:07 Hothouse Flowers Give It Up (Single) Polygram 06:46 Tony! Toni! Tone'! 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