== ISSUE 172 ====  CONSUMABLE ONLINE  ======== [March 28, 1999]

  Editor:             Bob Gajarsky
                         E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
  Managing Editor:    Lang Whitaker
  Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim 
                      Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva 
  Correspondents:     Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey 
                      Bleile, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino, 
                      John Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale, 
                      Paul Hanson, Chris Hill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, 
                      Franklin Johnson, Steve Kandell, Reto Koradi, 
                      Robin Lapid, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, 
                      Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon Speichert, Jon 
                      Steltenpohl, Michael Van Gorden, Simon West
  Technical Staff:    Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann

 Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription 
information is given at the end of this issue. 
==================================================================
	All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). 
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the 
editor.
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                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
REVIEW: Blur, _13_ - Robin Lapid
REVIEW: Steve Wynn, _My Midnight_ - Michael Van Gorden
REVIEW: Wedding Present, _Singles 1989-1991_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Friends of Dean Martinez, _Atardecer_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Church, _Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ - Joann D. Ball
INTERVIEW / REVIEW: Dubtribe Sound System, _Bryant Street_ - Krisjanis Gale
REVIEW: Joydrop, _Metasexual_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: The Ladybug Transistor, _The Albemarle Sound_ - Tim Hulsizer
REVIEW: Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors, _!Sock Ray Blue!_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Various, _The Disco Box_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Sammy Hagar, _Red Voodoo_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Love Kit, _Who's Afraid Of The Radio Tower?_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Janet Robbins, _All the Worlds_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Bottle Rockets, _Leftovers_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Various Artists, _SLC Punk Original Motion Picture 
   Soundtrack_ / _The Other Sister Original Motion Picture 
   Soundtrack_ - Joann D. Ball
NEWS: Rhino Musical Aptitude Test
TOUR DATES: Asian Dub Foundation, Candlebox, Chamber Strings, Cubanismo 
   Spring Tour, Dubtribe Sound System, Eve 6 / Lit, Flick, Godsmack / 
   Loudmouth, Jets to Brazil / Euphone, Low, Marvelous 3, Mighty Blue 
   Kings, Steve Miller Band, Alanis Morissette, Olivia Tremor Control, 
   Placebo / Stabbing Westward, Push Kings, Sick Of It All, Sleepyhead, 
   Elliott Smith, Sparklehorse / Varnaline, David Wilcox
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	REVIEW: Blur, _13_ (Virgin)
		- Robin Lapid
	Blur have a more decisive air about them, and their sixth 
album resonates with their new attitude. On _13_, they take their 
deconstructionist leanings to heart, and the desire to make 
British-inflected three-minute pop songs have been nearly overtaken 
by the need to overlay their sound with a more experimental vibe.  
Lead singer Damon Albarn bares his soul in his lyrics, admitting 
that the entire album is a chronicle of his break-up with Elastica 
frontwoman Justine Frischmann. As a result, _13_ is a more expansive 
take on their last, eponymous (perhaps ominously-named?) album.
	For the most part, Blur overhaul their unabashed pop hooks, 
infuse some punk ethics and crook them into an array of musical 
diatribes.  With producer William Orbit at the helm, they spread over 
this a panoply of dark, moody trip-hop and similar tricks of the trade 
(the samples of a vacuum cleaner in overdrive, a radio tuner suddenly 
trailing off into sonic hyperspace and Albarn druggily intoning, 
"space is the place").  It's mood music of the highest order, 
sometimes effervescent and at other times just overindulgent.
	The band load their aural script with the dark echo of 
electronic reverb, looped drums, and a thematic series of mantras.  
In "Caramel," a comatose Albarn intones, "where is the magic?/ Gotta 
get better" over gloomy synth; couched in the trip-hop and piano 
of "Trimm Trabb" he repeats, "I can't go back/ let it flow/ I sleep 
alone that's just the way it is" before Coxon superimposes an ascending 
whine of guitar and the voice trails off.  Their experiments acquire 
a hit-and-miss ratio, smushing every traditional sound, lyric, and 
sample into a cacophonous sea of sonic waves, some fluid and haunting, 
and others merely the foam and drone of static eccentricity.
	Tempering these temperamental tracks are aggressive punk 
freak-outs similar to Blur's "Chinese Bombs" ("B.L.U.R.E.M.I.") and 
"Movin' On" ("Swamp Song").  The odd sprinklings of love-lost ballads 
ground them to a less ethereal reality, from the doting sobriety of 
"No Distance Left to Run" to the pared-down, transcendent pop of 
Coxon's "Coffee and TV."  
	But there's a reason the band chose to open with soaring 
choir-backed ballad of "Tender," a song that grows on you with each 
listen.  It's the gospel cry of "Come on, come on/ get through it" 
that becomes the album's overriding mantra, redeeming the awaiting 
melancholia with pop hope in one gentle, fell swoop.
---
	REVIEW: Steve Wynn, _My Midnight_ (Zero Hour)
		- Michael Van Gorden
	Listening to the new Steve Wynn CD is like running into 
an old friend you haven't seen in a wile. You notice they have 
changed, maybe gotten a little older, or look different - yet 
the familiar feeling is still there. No matter what changes, they 
are still the same old friend you used to enjoy spending time 
with. And if you ever enjoyed spending time with Steve Wynn's 
music, whether solo or part of the Dream Syndicate, then you 
will enjoy spending time with _My Midnight_.
	On his 7th solo release Steve Wynn stretches his musical 
muscles a little and allows us another peek inside his mind. The 
CD starts off strong with "Nothing But The Shell" a retro-glam 
rocker featuring Wynn's scorching harmonica solo. Lines like 
"finally stashed away the vices, like a shield against the coming 
crisis" might lead one to think that Wynn is preparing himself 
for the end of something important, perhaps the end of the world.
	The songs "My Favorite Game" and "Cats and Dogs" might 
surprise some longtime Wynn fans. Wynn has admitted to a fondness 
for 70's funk and soul music, claiming that it was more of an 
impact on him than what others might think. The rhythmic soul 
intro  to "My Favorite Game" lays the ground work for the great 
sound achieved by the background vocals of Linda Pitmon mixed every 
so lightly with Wynn's trademark growl. You barely notice her 
singing in the background, as you try to figure out what vice no 
one wants to play along with. The horns on "Cats and Dogs", arranged 
by Joe McGinty, make for an interesting new sound for Wynn, 
combining with his soft and seductive voice to make one of the 
most interesting sounding and fun songs Wynn has recorded.
	That is not to say that the album is all funk and no roll. 
The track "In Your Prime" is a great song about the "glories of 
raw - untamed youth". The chorus is one of the most infectious in 
the Wynn catalog. I found this hook roaming around in my head for 
days after I heard it.
	The title track is a scary look at oneself, through the 
eyes of one suffering with a sleep disorder. "My midnight hates 
me much like I hate myself, always steps between me and someone 
else" and "when I start to lean to love the night, My midnight 
blinds me with it's flashing lights". Lines like this show that 
Wynn hasn't lost his talent for looking at the dark side of life 
and putting into words what many of us feel but are afraid to 
face. 
	"The Mask of Shame" has that dark haunting sound we have 
come to expect from Wynn. Evoking a feeling we have probably all 
felt at one time or another with lines like "Broken by my own 
promise, haunted by my own name, hiding from the world, wearing 
the mask of shame". This song reminds me of a slower version of 
"my old haunts", and would have felt right at home on Dream 
Syndicate's _Ghost Stories_.
	The last two songs on the CD are classic Wynn songs. 
"We've Been Hanging Out" is a warped duet that Wynn describes 
as silky smooth and sinister. While lovers in a love-hate 
relationship of codependency and seduction dance around each other, 
the strings add an eerie feeling to their love making. A great duet.
And, while "500 Girl Mornings" ends the album on such a high note, 
you want to go back and start over. With a driving backbeat ala 
David Bowie's "Heroes", Wynn name-drops a litany of fictional 
girlfriends, dysfunctional all. And when he sings the chorus of 
"Hey can I look in your eyes again" your not sure how it fits 
with the line preceding it "all that I want, more than anything 
I want, is to just be alone, just be alone". Doesn't matter, 
this is the best song on the CD.
	Throughout this disc, the one constant I truly enjoyed 
was the piano playing of Joe McGinty. Always present but never in 
the way, his subtleties seemed to drive the songs along even more so 
than the guitar, while for the most part remaining in the background. 
Just as in the past, Wynn got to hand-pick his band and his taste in 
sidemen continues to standout. Long time collaborator Chris Brokaw 
is joined by members of Pere Ubu, Psychedelic Furs and Zuzu's Petals. 
The band spent 11 days Last November laying down the tracks and 
practically living together at Water Music in Hoboken. This closeness  
adds to the energy and excitement about the music evident in the 
sound of the disc.  Without a doubt long time Wynn fans will 
thoroughly enjoy this CD, but Steve Wynn takes enough chances without 
losing his vision to make any fan of rock and roll want to play _My 
Midnight_ again and again.
---
	REVIEW: Wedding Present, _Singles 1989-1991_ (Manifesto)
		- Christina Apeles
	Headed by David Gedge, who founded the band in 1985 in Leeds, 
Britain, Wedding Present's music can be compared to a rollercoaster 
ride that never ends with enough revolutions and twists to keep you 
bobbing your head all day long.  If your ears have yet to be blessed 
with the ditties of Wedding Present, _Singles 1989-1991_ is the perfect 
way to get a sampling of their finest.  A double CD packed with close 
to two hours of pogo-friendly tunes, this release is a godsend for 
dedicated fans and a certain treat for new listeners.  Even if you 
own all of their albums, this would be a fine companion to your 
collection with rare, previously unreleased, and out-if-print 
Wedding Present B-sides and live tracks.
	Gedge has a voice that has all the machismo you could ever 
ask for, backed by guitar riffs galore, and pounding drums in 
indie-hits "Crawl" and "Kennedy," never letting the momentum drop.  
Of course, having fifteen of the recorded and live tracks 
produced by Steve Albini of Big Black (whose also produced the likes 
of Sonic Youth and Nirvana) only serves as proof of the kind of rock 
appeal that Wedding Present offers. My personal favorites continue 
to be "Corduroy," "Dalliance," and "Lovenest," all energetic, jangly 
tunes culled from their celebrated 1991 _Seamonsters_ release, but 
the covers and live tracks that account for half of _Singles_ are 
not to be dismissed.
	There are a slew of covers ranging from the low tempo Lou 
Reed-penned "She's My Best Friend" to Pavement's  indie fave "Box 
Elder" and the early punk song "Don't Dictate" by Penetration.  The 
most notable covers are the rockin' version of "It's Not Unusual," 
yes, made famous by Tom Jones, and Wedding Present's pop punk 
rendering of the King of Skiffle, Lonnie Donegan's "Cumberland Gap." 
Meanwhile, the band's live tracks, which include "Brassneck" and 
"Everyone Thinks He Looks So Daft," are a nice addition to _Singles_, 
though it is hard to discern them from the studio-recorded songs 
except for some audience cheers, because the Wedding Present is such 
a tight band it just goes to show they sound just as exceptional live.
---
	REVIEW: Friends of Dean Martinez, _Atardecer_ (Knitting Factory)
		- Tracey Bleile
	Sporting a completely new line up of Friends, Bill Elm has taken 
his show and moved it from splashy poolside splendor straight into the 
heart of the desert at near-dark. _Atardecer_ (apropos title:  Spanish 
for "to get dark" or "grow dark") takes the beautiful backdrop 
instrumental and crash lands it upon the hardpacked sand lit by a 
zillion stars, cold and fiery at the same time. Aha!  I smirkingly dub 
thee Atomic Lounge. But the Friends defy easy categorizing, and being 
in the all-or-nothing genre of instrumental music, they make that 
work to capture your attention and keep it seem like no work at all.
	A dark shift in mood sees the abandonment of the brass and 
traditional keyboards used on past Friends' releases, and Bill Elm's 
signature lapsteel is relegated to more of a backing vocal role in 
many of the songs to allow for some new experimentation to creep in. 
_Atardecer_ features much more programming, keyboards and effects, 
taking a sweet cowboy lope in the Friends' cover of "La fin de le'te'" 
and making it ever so slightly eerie and off-kilter. "Casa Mila" takes 
a more traditional intro from Elm's catalog and turns it on its ear 
with lots of spooky Moog and space phone guitar.
	Although the disc likes to veer way out into sci-fi sound 
effect territory, with the squonks and bleeps of the opening track 
to the UFO blast off midway through "Contact,"
it always manages to slide back onto a more musical course and save 
_Atardecer_ from too much goofiness. The classic swingin' vibe is kept 
alive in the slow-samba "Otra Vez," and the sinuous cry of the 
lapsteel and simple percussion of the title track keep you fully 
engaged and have you believing you can see the northern lights, even 
trapped in the heart of the city.
	To be both retro and futuristic, and not be camp is an 
accomplishment.  Call _Atardecer_ music to set the end of the century 
to. No one here will argue.
---
	REVIEW: Church, _Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ (Thirsty Ear)
		- Joann D. Ball
	Reunited and reinvigorated, The Church made a triumphant 
Stateside return with the brilliant _Hologram of Baal_ several months 
ago.  The interest generated by that record and subsequent sold-out 
tour is particularly noteworthy because it paved the way for the 
American release of an essential volume in the band's impressive 
catalog.
	_Magician Among The Spirits Plus Some_ was the first record 
to feature the reunited trio of principle members Steve Kilbey, Marty 
Wilson-Piper and Peter Koppes and their musical union with newcomer 
Tim Powles.  The record's name stems from the fact that it is an 
expanded version of an album originally released in the band's native 
Australia in 1996.  In its repackaged form, the record includes four 
additional tracks (Man," "Sads," "Won't Let You Sleep" and "Why Don't 
You Love Me") that were only available as bonus tracks on the single 
for the jangly guitar power-pop track "Comedown."
	Running almost 80 minutes and with all of its pieces intact, 
the CD contains those signature elements one expects from The Church. 
Kilbey's lyrics and the instrumentation are first-rate, and the songs 
range from the hauntingly mysterious track ("Welcome") to trippy 
psychedelica ("Could Be Anyone"). There's also an ambient excursion 
(the title track) and an atmospheric, 14-minute sonic journey 
("Grandiose").  Overall, the 13 tracks that comprise  _Magician 
Among The Spirits Plus Some_ exemplify the band's refined and 
magnificent art rock, making this prequel to _Hologram of Baal_ a 
must for Church fans old and new.
---
	INTERVIEW / REVIEW: Dubtribe Sound System, _Bryant Street_ 
		(Jive Electro)
		- Krisjanis Gale
	_Bryant Street_ does not hesitate to convey what Dubtribe Sound 
System is all about... really deep house incorporating a wide variety of 
musical influences which, at the very least, will have you shifting 
left-to-right in your office chair, and at best, moving and grooving 
all over your living room rug, full of zest for life.
	The last bit can be taken wrongly as exaggeration, until you've 
actually heard this album.
	Throbbing bass.  Swishy cymbals.  Speedy, eccentric, slap-happy 
congas, bongos, and other native skins.  Deep, percussive organ riffs.  
Bubbly acidic synth basses.  Floating flutes.  Strings that surround you. 
And a life-loving groove that just does not let up once it's begun.
	Lead founder-member clearly brought back tons of influence from 
his travels in Morocco, the Balearic islands, Mexico, the Yucatan 
Peninsula, and home-base San Francisco.  This isn't just House music, 
and it certainly isn't just a group of DJs pawning themselves off as 
true musicians.  This is what is means to open your eyes, ears, and 
heart to the whole world, take it all in, and reinterpret it via your 
own musical means.  As a result, the work of Dubtribe is close to 
impossible to classify...except to say that it has lots to do with soul.
	"Samba Dub," "No Puedo Estar Despierto," "Wednesday Night," 
"Loneliness in Dub," "Ain't Gonna Do You No Good," "Breeze", and "If 
You're Not Coming Back to Me" are the most infectious of the twelve 
tracks, which are at the same time both a retrospective look - at the 
Jazz of the 30's and 40's, the Disco and Funk of the 70's, and  the 
groove-centric House of the late 80's - and a fast-forward to the 
collision of tribal musical forms (World music) and everything that 
came after it.
	Best of all, the album is mixed like one of the many life 
sessions at which Dubtribe has continually proven themselves as the 
Harbingers of House...  once you begin your journey upon this body of 
work, it's rather difficult to end it.  So get a copy of _Bryant Street_, 
put it in your CD player, and lose yourself in the Dubtribe Sound System 
for an hour... or two... or three...


	And now, a few words with Dubtribe Sound System...

	Consumable: How would you describe your own music?
I get a sense of soul-salsa-house while listening to _Bryant Street_.
	Dubtribe (Sunshine Jones):  A lot of folks have asked us about 
the Latin influence in our music from the last few years and I say this: 
dutribe means "tribal house music in dub" the name comes from the party 
we started in 1990 in San Francisco. We were musicians, not DJ's, and 
it was difficult for us to leave well enough alone, so we spun Latin, 
African, Brazillian and Middle Eastern records over the top of our drum 
machines and keyboards.
	Eventually, we got a sampler and started to consolidate the 
whole experience. slowly folks caught on in our home town and we were a
traveling electronic studio, after a few heavy trips across the US in
a van we pared down the setup to a much smaller list of gear and
nowadays we look more like a band than anything.
	I would definitely say that the Latin influence on _Bryant 
Street_ is strong, but by no means the end of the description.  It's 
hard to resist the urge to pigeonhole us, but try it and you'll soon 
be wrong. San Francisco House music has never been about one style 
all night; it seems to me that the more diverse the DJ the better the 
response. We liked this a lot about our home town and brought it in 
as a seminal source in Dubtribe Sound System.
	(Moonbeam Jones):  House music is the foundation on which we 
lay all of the rhythmic influences you hear in our music; Latin, 
Soul, Disco, Tribal... as long as you can put a 4/4 kick drum under 
it, anything goes.
	CO: Who are your main influences?
	D (SJ): Some traditional influences including Herbie Hancock, 
Third World, King Tubby, Miles Davis, George Clinton; some house 
influences including Frankie Knuckles, Nu Groove, and the DJs from 
the late 80s / early 90s in San Francisco.
	But mainly, we're most influenced/inspired by our peers... 
people out there unafraid to move ahead and force dance music to grow 
and change, to examine itself more deeply, to take itself more 
seriously. Like Keri Chandler, Joe Clauselle and our friends and 
family in San Francisco like Corey Black, Cosmic Jason, Onionz and the 
rest of the crew.   We see these people as pushing house music forward 
from the inside, taking risks and opening avenues for everyone on the 
dance floor, in their living rooms and in their hearts and minds as 
well.  
	We don't approach the music from a "stomp, stomp, stomp" place. 
House is an art, like jazz, and 15 years into the movement I say we 
have arrived at a quantifiable force in the underground. people take 
the music as far away from the simplicity of a 4 on the floor groove 
as the will (and they WILL; see jungle, tech step, hardcore, drum and 
bass...) but it always comes back to house. 
	CO: What is the main philosophical driving force behind Dubtribe?
	D (SJ): There's no easy way to answer that; I'll try to 
explain by way of a true story: it was 1988, I was in a suit.  I felt 
pressure from all sides to proceed into a career in law or advertising. 
So I spent some time abroad, traveled a lot, ended up in Morocco. After 
a pretty sad trip there i went via hovercraft to the Balearic Islands 
(VERY different islands back then) and danced and danced in the tiny 
little clubs there. For the first time I heard all forms of music 
played together in a night held together by the four on the floor 
kick drum of house. 
	When I got back to San Francisco it was winter of 1990 and 
house and rave had just begun to happen there. I must admit I didn't 
care much for it right away. I missed the gay community's involvement 
in the dance scene and I really missed the soul influence in the music. 
So I started a group of people playing together, we made a jazzy 
kind of music more like a cross between massive attack.  One night, 
I went to Osmosis (a San Francisco club) and my mind exploded.  I 
finally heard something in the music i had been missing. 
	I went home and locked myself in the closet, wrote a set 
of music. Dubtribe was born.
	Electronic music is just the music of the people in the US. It's 
definitely different in Europe and it's even beginning to change here, 
but for now and up until now house music has been our music, run by the 
people, developed and performed and presented independently in America. 
We have had so little help from the main men of money in the industry 
here. I'm proud of our movement and pleased with the ingenuity and 
progressive thinking we have devoted to the cause. Not everyone shares 
our personal politics, but if you're out there doing it for yourself, 
then you are our family in my eyes.
	CO: Has your music always had a political vein? (as in "Holler!")
	D (SJ): "Holler!" is my road to walk, a personal cross I 
needed to bear. At the end of 1995 we were done. It was effectively 
over for us. We were more popular and well traveled than ever, our 
price had quadrupled and we were miserable. Everywhere I looked I saw 
capitalism and greed. The movement I loved so much and had thrown any 
hope of an ordinary life away for had evapourated. 
	"Holler" became an ever changing tirade for me as a means of 
sharing my rage. as I worked through the rage it also became a 
message of resolution and a source of strength for me. A way of 
offering hope to everyone who felt burnt and bummed like me. Although 
we have reinvented ourselves entirely through imperial DUB and 
guidance records since then, I still felt like "Holler!" had a 
place on _Bryant Street_.
	The message you interpret (as political), I say, comes from 
the listener. If they shrug and say "what a load of crap that peace 
and love thing is..." then I say that points back at THEM doesn't it? 
It tells me they have a lot more personal work to do, because we 
didn't say "peace" or "love" anywhere on the recording, only in the 
liner notes. you dig?
	(MJ): Politics is just one of the "veins" through which 
we travel. We have many sides and moods; we are not all one thing. 
Pretty much whatever is on our minds comes out in our work.
	CO: What is your favorite tracks on _Bryant Street_ and why?
	D (SJ): My favourite track on _Bryant Street_ is "Breeze"; 
it's a song that came slowly for us. Initially it cleared the floor, 
coming after "Holler!" in the live set. We meant it to have a sort 
of cleansing effect on the whole room. After such a purging tirade, 
we wanted to help bring the vibe back around to a loving place. At 
that time, it seemed that a deeper energy was hard for the folks 
to get their heads around.
	Eventually, "Breeze" became like a triumphant celebration 
for us at the end of the set. Really heavy and such a triumphant 
song now. Very inspiring.
---
	REVIEW: Joydrop, _Metasexual_ (Tommy Boy)
		- Jason Cahill
	In analytical terms, _Metasexual_, the debut album from Toronto's 
Joydrop, could easily be labeled as textbook schizophrenia.  At times, 
the album is both lush and hypnotic.  At others, it is choppy, disjointed 
and inexplicably arresting.
	Joydrop claim themselves to be "first and foremost a rock band", 
but that description can be a bit constricting, as fledgling bands 
strive towards what they consider to be - the quintessential rock sound. 
More often than not, however, the resulting sound can be derivative as 
bands wear their influences on their sleeves, their shirts and wherever 
else they can showcase them.  
	On "Fizz", the opening track on _Metasexual_, Joydrop seems to 
just be begging for comparisons to Elastica.  The song is catchy enough, 
but cluttered with samples and drum loops - not to mention some of the 
most nonsensical lyrics this side of Soul Coughing.  "Spiders", a 
hard-edged rocker, seems awkward, placing most of its emphasis on overly 
aggressive guitars and samples, completely pushing Joydrop's best 
asset, their vocalist, into the distant background.
	But remove the clutter and strip the songs down to the basics, 
and _Metasexual_ really shines.  "Beautiful", the album's first single, 
is an example of minimalist splendor.  Pensive and quiet, the song 
showcases lead singer Tara Slone's powerful, yet fragile voice.  Once 
too often, however, the song gains momentum, only to eventually 
culminate in periodic and unnecessary bursts of industrial feedback 
and sampling.  Despite the occasional bit of over-production, 
"Beautiful" remains both the finest song on _Metasexual_, as well as 
one of the year's most exciting discoveries.  "Breakdown" is a lush 
and richly orchestrated tune with a string section that gives the 
song added dimension.  "Dream Today" and "If I Forget" are two other 
standouts that blend Slone's unique voice with rich melodies and 
evocative lyrics.  
	The downside, of course, to creating an album filled with 
highly accessible tunes is that it probably won't be long before they 
show up on any number of shows on the WB.  Note - the quickest way to 
ruin perfectly good pop songs is to have them conjure images of 
Felicity Porter walking despondently down a lonesome New York City 
street.
	In all, it's erratic, slightly over-produced and rough around 
the edges, but when stripped down to its core, _Metasexual_ is a 
truly impressive effort.
---
	REVIEW: The Ladybug Transistor, _The Albemarle Sound_ (Merge)
		- Tim Hulsizer
	It's a tribute to the power of this band's vision that one can 
scarcely draw similarities between The Ladybug Transistor and Gary 
Olson's earlier group Iron Works.   Ladybug consists of Olson (a man 
of many instruments), Jennifer Baron (ex-Saturnine) Jeffrey Rush Baron, 
Sasha Bell, San Fadyl, and Mike Barrett.  The overall tone of the disc 
is one of a laid-back Saturday afternoon, cruising about with the top 
down.  Hell, one of the songs is titled "The Automobile Song".  Which 
isn't to say the music is mindless; far from it.  In fact, it's one of 
the densest, most consistently intriguing pop albums I've heard in 1999.
	With songs like "Oriental Boulevard" (the opening number) and 
others, The Ladybug Transistor use trumpets like they're back in style, 
evoking images of Pet Sounds and Eric Matthews simultaneously.  There 
are quiet moments with violins on the album and playful spots with 
whistle, organ, saxophone and more.  _The Albemarle Sound_ is definitely 
on the retro tip, but it never grates like the self-conscious, 
"we're-so-ironic" music by Ladybug's contemporaries.  The best part of 
this disc is that you get a distinct personality from the band, 
something I've heard lacking in some other 90's music of this kind.
	Other standout tracks include "Aleida's Theme," a wonderful, 
loping puppy of a song, and the pseudo-Spanish instrumental "Cienfuegos." 
As it is with the best releases, this album makes me want to have their 
two previous full-lengths.  The Ladybug Transistor are playing with 
Belle & Sebastian (the other retro act everyone should own) in England 
quite soon, and it's not hard to hear why.  From the lush, green 
60's-style artwork to the closing notes of the trumpet, this band has 
definitely hit its stride in the pop music world.
---
	REVIEW: Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors, _!Sock Ray Blue!_ (Shanachie)
		 - Jon Steltenpohl
	When you've been immortalized by the Dead Milkmen, made your claim 
to fame by calling for the death of Don Henley and impregnating Debbie 
Gibson, and been named Honorary Captain of the 1998 Olympic Luge Team, 
there isn't much else to aim for.  So, Mojo has released a gen-u-ine 
retrospective of Mr. Sock Ray Blue's Texas Prison Field Recordings Vol. 3. 
At least, that's what the album cover and the liner notes tell you.
	In reality, it's just the same old Mojo.  Honky tonk and redneck 
music is in full swing, and the lyrics are as acerbic as ever.  Subtlety has 
never been Mojo's forte, and he isn't about to let a single joke pass over 
your head on this album.  Whether it's "Drunk Divorced Floozie (The Ballad 
of Diana Spencer)" or "I Don't Want No Cybersex", Mojo gives you the world 
as he see it through his whiskey blurred eyes.  "She died in the backseat / 
Unzipping Dodi's pants," explains Mojo, "A buncha non-working rich pigs / 
So camera shy / They got drunk, drove fast, and proceeded to die."
	As if one famous blonde's death wasn't enough, check out the choice 
words in "Orenthal James".  "Orenthal James killed his bimbo X-wife," 
states Mojo.  Yes, in the immortal words of Mojo, "Orenthal James was a 
mighty bad man."  It's not exactly "Bad Bad Leroy Brown", but at least the 
song is fun to listen to.  Yes, no matter whether Mojo is dogging the "Rock 
n Roll Hall of Lame" or Disney ("watch a topless Pocahontas and hear the 
people sing"), the music is rollicking.
	"When did I become my Dad?" is the best song on the album.  It's 
just Mojo singing solo with his acoustic guitar doing a mournful, no 
depression riff.  No screaming or over the top lyrics.  It's funny without 
being outrageous, and kind of makes you wonder what Mojo could do if he 
didn't seem to be hell bent on trying to make most of his lyrics go over 
the top.  If Mojo would drop his schtick and write depressing, love sick 
lyrics, he'd probably be hailed some sort of genius.  But just like Jim 
Carrey being snubbed at the academy awards, Mojo Nixon has no chance in 
hell of ever being taken seriously.
	As it is, this Mojo album is pretty much the same as every other 
Mojo album with the exception that the music on this one is probably the 
tightest of any of his albums.  There's stuff as sick as old classics like 
"She's Vibrator Dependent", but nothing quiet as funny.  The soundtrack to 
the video game "Redneck Rampage" is included as is a tribute to the late 
Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers.  Probably, the funniest part of 
the album is the bogus liner notes by John Swenson.
	Of course, saying that the liner notes are the funniest part of a 
comedy album isn't saying much.  You'll get your chuckles, but don't expect 
to fall out of your chair.  Fortunately, Mojo Nixon and the Toadliquors 
play honky tonk and rockabilly well enough that you'll have fun just 
listening.
---
	REVIEW: Various, _The Disco Box_ (Rhino)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	The master label of reissues, Rhino, has released this 
definitive four disc set of the disco era simply titled _The 
Disco Box_.
	The eighty songs bring together in one collection 
the best (or worst) of the disco era in all their full-blown 
polyester glory.  The Ritchie Family's "The Best Disco In 
Town" was the knee-jerk reaction to the medley / Stars on 45 
fever which gripped the nation, and even resulted in a huge 
smash of Beethoven's "modernized hits" (thank you, Walter 
Murphy). While the Pittsburgh Pirates were utilizing "We Are 
Family" as their World Championship theme song, the 
country was shake-shake-shaking their booty to KC and the 
Sunshine Band and enjoying good times provided by Chic.
Sex ran rampant in the clubs and in the music (Donna Summer's 
"I Feel Love", Musique's "In The Bush", "More More More" by 
the porn queen Andrea True Connection).  Truly, it was the 
age of decadence and dancing, and nowhere is that more 
apparent than _The Disco Box_.
	Arguably the most interesting part of the set occurs 
on the fourth disc, where the generic 'disco' sound, after 
being run into the ground in the late 70s, re-emerged and 
influenced much of the 80s dance scene.  Blondie's "Heart 
of Glass" predated the 80s alterna-boom, "I.O.U." by Freez 
helped launch the freestyle craze, and "It's Raining Men" 
by the Weather Girls (formerly 2 Tons of Fun, performing 
at fairgrounds around the country) helped make Martha Wash's 
voice, if not her image, a staple at dancehalls around the 
world.
	Today's "wedding songs" ("I Will Survive", "Celebration", 
"Y.M.C.A.") unmistakably show that disco has crossed over from 
the clubs to the mainstream.  VH1 "Behind the Music" specials on 
Studio 54 and the glamourized excesses of the era have 
brought the sensations of the seventies back to the forefront 
at no time since the end of the gas crisis.  And thanks yet 
again to the folks at Rhino, the feel and groove of those 
times has been indelibly captured on four compact discs.
---
	REVIEW: Sammy Hagar, _Red Voodoo_ (MCA)
		- Linda Scott
	Sammy Hagar's _Red Voodoo_ is a pure rock and roll album.  It 
follows on the heels of Hagar's popular 1997 _Marching To Mars_, which 
featured the hit single "Little White Lie".  Like _Mars_, _Red Voodoo_ 
rocks  with a lighter, party album touch.   There's a joyful, good 
times, party groove going, with visions of audiences up on their feet 
and dancing in the aisles get YOU up and grooving in your living room.  
What a great icebreaker for a party!
	Sammy Hagar knows about partying with your friends.  The Red 
Rocker owns a Cabo San Lucas club called Cabo Wabo where industry pros 
like Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Slash and many others come to perform 
and sip Sammy's own brand of tequila.  Hagar's been in the music 
business since 1972.  He's done solo work and worked in the Montrose 
and Van Halen bands.  Now he's put together his own band called the 
Waborites, recorded an album, and they are off on a US tour.
	_Red Voodoo_ has 11 tracks with great lyrics, vocals, and a 
solid rocking beat.  The opening track and first single is a winner 
called "Mas Tequila". There is no way to stay seated during this one. 
It's definitely a standing, clapping, dancing track.  "Shag" is right 
behind it with a solid, catchy beat that has the power to be another 
single.  And the title tells you what its about.  There's a beautiful 
breather with "Lay Your Hand On Me". The lyrics are gentle, and Sammy 
sings it just right.  "Sympathy For The Human" is an odd selection 
about religious diversity, but you can tune out the lyrics and just 
get into the music.  All eleven are good to great, they're made for 
dancing, and they just make you feel better. Whatever Sammy is 
bottling along with the tequila, he needs to keep doing it.
	To check out the tour schedule and hear clips from _Red 
Voodoo_, check Sammy's web site at: http://www.redrocker.com
---
	REVIEW: Love Kit, _Who's Afraid Of The Radio Tower?_ (Ginger)
		- Bill Holmes
	Impossible to pigeonhole, difficult to forget; not a bad 
combination! Featuring titles like "Red Meat," "Spider On A Window," 
"You're My Food" and of course the two-for-one punch of "Dandelion / 
Victorian Motorhome," Chicagoland's Love Kit is back with perky, 
quirky pop tunes that are as odd as their titles.
	"Red Meat," with its odd lyrics and Toad The Wet Sprocket 
tempo intact, opens the door for this wild ride through pop's inner 
recesses, but the following cut, "Bookmobile," sounds too fuzzed out 
to be from the same record. Then delicacy: the toy piano intro of 
"Champion Pony" is joined by some Beach Boy harmony chirps to bridge 
your way across to the next track. But that's "New Low," which is just 
pedestrian, alternative sludge (hey, maybe it was intentional?).
	So four cuts in and you're still wondering what the hell is 
going on, but then "Tiger Beat Heaven" kicks your ass and you swear 
this is the best thing you've heard all year. Yikes!
	Fortunately the batting average goes up shortly afterwards. 
"Dandelion" is a little stressful but is the perfect set up for the 
fuller "Victorian Motorhome." "Go There" creates a dreamy ambiance 
using guitar phasing, and "Dear Gaspara" mines '60s pop and psychedelia. 
"Spider On A Window" is stark by comparison -- acoustic six string and 
wah-wah bass guitar -- but conventionally melodic despite the setting. 
Ditto "Around The Bend," whose dual vocals and lightweight percussive 
thrust carry the song to its fade out vocal coda. For you uptempo folks, 
"Medium Crash" is Bo Diddley incarnate. In many spots, songs literally 
bleed into one another; there's a lot going on here besides the 
standard two guitar/bass/drum army.
	Many comparisons can be made to the late great Let's Active, 
and this is perhaps no more evident than on the aforementioned "Tiger 
Beat Heaven," an urgent rocker just drenched in lo-fi glam. The vocals 
on the verses sound like they're shouted through a kazoo, but the 
chorus call-and-responses drag you right back in for the big finish. 
Come on radio, you have to play this!
	Rick Sparks and Eddie Jemison are a solid guitar attack, and 
bassist Ellen Phillips locks down the bottom very well. All three sing, 
and the arrangements are diverse. Kudos also to drummer Tim Ford for 
providing wallop on even the softest of songs. Regular rock programmers 
will never get this, but Love Kit should be a slam dunk for college 
radio. For more information visit the label's website 
http://www.gingerrecords.com .
---
	REVIEW: Janet Robbins, _All the Worlds_ (Star Seven)
		- Jon Steltenpohl
	Although name recognition is everything, letting the whole 
world know your dad is Marty Robbins in the first line of your bio 
isn't exactly going to win you instant accolades. Depending on your 
point of view, Janet Robbins is thankfully or regrettably not her 
father when it comes to music. Where Marty garnered hits with quirky 
country classics such as "El Paso," Janet has decided to focus on a 
more modern, alternative sound. The result is a seven-song debut 
called _All the Worlds_.
	After mentioning her father, Robbins' bio quickly compares 
her to Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Jeff Buckley. It's another quick 
plea to get your attention for an obscure indie album, but, unlike 
many overblown bios, these comparisons are somewhat warranted. 
Robbins has put together an album that features some soaring vocals, 
atmosphere, and tender moments. It would be easy to write off such 
an album if it were either derivative or a major label effort. But 
this is a wholly original debut made in Robbins' own home studio and 
distributed on her own label.
	_All the Worlds_ is definitely worth paying attention to. It's 
a polished sounding effort that shows what can be done without a major 
studio behind it. The sound is crisp and clean. Distortions and effects 
are used seamlessly, and Robbins does a good job of coming out 
aggressively and then pulling back quietly. There is a Gothic 
sensibility of disjointed guitar and plaintive wails, but it doesn't 
include the Goth scene's reliance on black eyeliner and spooky lyrics. 
Vocally, she employs the same crooning yodel Kate Bush uses to scale 
up the octaves. On "Space Train," Robbins bends her notes like a 
harmonica player and flutters between major and minor chords. When 
necessary, she pulls back into a shell with quiet touches that lull 
you in, much like Tori Amos. But unlike Amos and Buckley, Robbins 
never seems to embody the songs as a personal diary. Her howls have 
all of the volume of Sinead O'Connor's debut, but none of the passion.
	This lack of passion is also reflected in the lyrics; they 
are abstract and are merely flavors of emotions. Robbins sets a high 
bar for herself with the musical peers she's chosen for herself. While 
other artists seem intent on reaching down deep in their guts for 
intensely personal lyrics, Robbins is mired in meta-poems about 
misguided loves set on islands and wastelands. On "Eve," she sings, 
"Gash wide and blistered dry / there's a harpist playin' in some 
distant sky / spoon fed from a bone dry plate / this world's in 
destruction." Not all of the lyrics are this obtuse, but none of them 
really resonate with the listener on an emotional level either.
	_All the Worlds_ is certainly an album worth checking out, 
if nothing else but to say you knew Janet Robbins when. Anyone who 
had a chance to hear some of Joan Osborne's early recordings will see 
similarities in the budding talent. Although Osborne's eventual major 
label debut was molded heavily by the record label for possible radio 
play, Robbins' seems pretty intent on going the independent route, a 
la Ani DiFranco. Her website - http://www.janetrobbins.com - Real 
Player demos of 4 tracks, and she's maintaining a web ring for 
independent artists.
---
	REVIEW: Bottle Rockets, _Leftovers_ (Doolittle)
		- Bill Holmes
	Sometimes resilience is its own reward. Although the recent 
major label meltdown made meteor-sized headlines, bands being shed 
like so much dead skin is an age old ritual. Signed by Tag/Atlantic 
(the same label with the ears to grab Fountains Of Wayne) after the 
success of their indie debut for East Side Digital, the Bottle 
Rockets figured they had the best of both worlds. The new label 
promised wider distribution and publicity, and their stint at ESD 
hooked them up with Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, the closest thing y'alternative 
music has to a human divining rod. But Tag wasn't "it" for long, and 
ported to Atlantic they were just another legal liability on a dead 
sea scroll. So kiss momentum goodbye - out comes the obligatory record 
with a whimper instead of a bang, and into the tank go the rest of the 
tracks that were recorded. Needless to say, breaking a rootsy band is 
a hard job when you try. Not even trying is like pulling the plug on 
the respirator. After you forgot to turn it on in the first place.
	Fortunately the band was able to walk away from Atlantic and 
the _24 Hours A Day_ sessions with their songs, which drummer Mark 
Ortmann says "didn't work with that particular album". Claiming 
inspiration from sources as diverse as Aerosmith and Merle Haggard, 
the sound of a Bottle Rockets record doesn't necessarily have a thematic 
flow anyway, so imagine what a collection of "leftovers" sounds like! 
Like most bands, there are a range of influences that sometimes play 
nice and sometimes head-butt each other. _Leftovers_ is head-butt 
territory all the way; it contains some solid moments but is more 
enjoyable than it is essential.
	The record starts with a sweet, pretty country tune "Get Down 
River", followed by the acoustic bluesy tone of "Dinner Train To 
Dutchtown"; both tracks feature yeoman work by Ambel. Then a trip down 
a much darker road with "Skip's Song", an appropriately somber homage 
to Skip Spence ("oars in the water/paddling's such a bore/acid and 
madness / and nothing more..."). But lest you think your head will bow 
forever, the strong 1-2 punch of "If Walls Could Talk" and "Financing 
His Romance" is but a short tune away. "Walls" is Bakersfield swing and 
George Jones in a Waring blender, which makes the country-fried 
pop-a-billy of "Romance" even more appealing. Vocals by guitarists 
Brian Henneman and Tom Parr are solid throughout, but especially good 
in that pair.
	However, one reality jolt is the painful dirge "My Own 
Cadillac", which to these ears sounds like Neil Young at the wrong 
speed. Anguish and atonality have their place, but somehow this 
abandons the emotion and just becomes...noise. (Hold the letter bombs, 
I'm sure it has its appeal, but I haven't seemed to have been in the 
right mood for this one yet. I'm not sure I have a mood like that 
though). The "bonus track" is three minutes of almost silent passage...
except for some light crickets chirping. Peace, at last? Or the sound 
of their last label doing nothing to promote their career?
	Ironically, they went from a company that did little to a 
company called "Doolittle". With this stepping stone of "odds and 
sods" holding our attention, let's see what the boys can do when they 
release their new one later this Spring backed by a more artist-centered 
organization. (For more information, visit http://www.doolittle.com )
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _SLC Punk Original Motion Picture 
		Soundtrack_ / Various Artists, _The Other Sister 
		Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ (Hollywood Records)
		- Joann D. Ball
	Movie soundtracks can be hit-or-miss, sometimes filled with 
everything except the songs from the movie that you wanted to hear 
again. But that's definitely NOT the case with two new releases on 
Hollywood Records, the _SLC Punk Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_ 
and _The Other Sister Original Motion Picture Soundtrack_. Both 
showcase fitting song selections in perfect order, with the former 
soundtrack coming across like a cool college radio show circa the 
mid-1980s and the latter sounding like a warm, feel good Adult 
Contemporary collection.
	Hollywood Records' own Detroit upstarts The Suicide Machines 
get _SLC Punk_ off to a rousing start with a ska-punk cover of the 
country classic "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden." Then the punk 
classics start rolling as if part of an underground radio playlist. 
There's the pure energy of Exploited's "Sex & Violence" and Fear's 
"I Love Livin' In The City, and the raw power of punk godfather Iggy 
Pop on the Stooges's seminal "1969." "Too Hot" by The Specials provides 
a brief ska break, before the punk history lesson continues with CBGB's 
scenesters the Ramones' ("Cretin Hop") and Blondie, an old skool band 
currently riding an incredible popularity wave. Blondie's punk pop hit 
"Dreaming" seques perfectly into "Kiss Me Deadly" by Billy Idol's first 
band Generation X, and is followed by the Velvet Underground's "Rock 
and Roll." An interesting point of departure is the trip-hop cut 
"Gasoline Rain" by Moondogg, but it actually provides an even greater 
sense of just how groundbreaking punk was and how it continues to 
influence new forms of music.  Several songs later, the Dead Kennedys' 
"Kill the Poor" brings the 14-track release to a fitting close, 
capturing both the primacy of punk and the social welfare policies 
of the Reagan era at the same time.
	_The Other Sister_, more mainstream in appeal and less 
aggressive in tone, features lead singles "Loving You Is All I Know" 
by The Pretenders and "The Animal Song" by Savage Garden. On the former, 
Chrissie Hynde lends her unmistakable vocals to a Diane Warren 
composition. A power ballad of near "Armegeddon" proportions, it 
similarly emphasizes the passionate voice of the lead singer while 
burying the band's signature guitar sound under elaborate 
orchestrations. Australian chart-toppers Savage Garden wrote "The 
Animal Song" especially for the romantic comedy, and the song's 
catchy chorus and upbeat tempo reflects the film's "love conquers 
all" message. 
	The 11-track release also features top selling artists Joan 
Osborne, whose previously-unreleased version of the Etta James classic 
"At Last" is a real treat, Paula Cole on the radio hit "Me" and 
Hollywood Records' breakthrough artists Fastball on "She Comes 
Round.'" "Follow If You Lead" by their label mate Idina Menzel should 
find a well deserved audience and "When You Say Nothing At All" by 
Alison Krauss suggests yet another country crossover waiting to 
happen. Juliet Lewis' recording debut and a selection from Rachel 
Portman's original score close out the soundtrack.
	_SLC Punk_ and _The Other Sister_ are so strong as records 
that they could exist independently of the films to which they are 
attached. In this case, the soundtracks are crucial vehicles for the 
movies rather than the typical "see-then-hear" arrangement. _SLC Punk_, 
a comedy which chronicles the experiences of a pair of punks in staid 
Salt Lake City during the early 1980s, opens nationwide on April 
16th. _The Other Sister_, an uplifting comedy about a slightly 
mentally challenged woman's desire to live and love on her own terms, 
is currently playing in America.

_SLC Punk Motion Picture Soundtrack_ TRACK LISTING [artist in brackets]: 
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden [The Suicide Machines], Sex & Violence 
[Exploited], I Love Livin' In The City [Fear], Beat My Guest [Adam & The 
Ants], 1969 [Stooges], Too Hot [The Specials], Cretin Hop [The Ramones], 
Dreaming [Blondie], Kiss Me Deadly [Generation X], Rock and Roll [Velvet 
Underground], Gasoline Rain [Moondogg], Mirror [Fifi], Ameoba 
[Adolescents], Kill The Poor [Dead Kennedys]

_The Other Sister Motion Picture Soundtrack_ TRACK LISTING [artist in
brackets]: The Animal Song [Savage Garden], Loving You Is All I Know [The 
Pretenders], When You Say Nothing At All [Alison Krauss], Mrs. Robinson 
[Lemonheads], She Comes 'Round [Fastball], Me [Paula Cole], I'm Free [The 
Soup Dragons], Follow If You Lead [Idina Menzel], At Last [Joan Osborne], 
Come Rain Or Shine [Juliet Lewis], Carla & Danny's Theme [Rachel Portman] 
---
NEWS:	> The third annual Rhino Musical Aptitude Test (RMAT) will 
take place on Wednesday, May 12 at 7 pm and will be hosted by Alice Cooper.
The contest will take place in four cities - Dallas, Chicago, New York 
and Los Angeles - and over the Internet.  For further information, 
check out Rhino's site at http://www.rhino.com
---
TOUR DATES:
	Asian Dub Foundation
Apr. 2 Toronto, ON Opera House Concert Venue
Apr. 3 Montreal, QC Caberet Music Hall
Apr. 5 Cambridge, MA Middle East

	Candlebox
Apr. 1 Cedar Rapids, IA 3rd Street Live
Apr. 2 Springfield, IL Club S.S.
Apr. 3 Springfield, MO Juke Joint
Apr. 5 Colorado Springs, CO Music Hall

	Chamber Strings
Mar. 31 New York City, NY Brownies
Apr. 1 Cambridge, MA TT the Bears

	Cubanismo Spring Tour
Apr. 3 Seattle, WA Meany Hall/ U of W
Apr. 4 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom

	Dubtribe Sound System
Apr. 1 Buffalo, NY Marquee

	Eve 6 / Lit
Apr. 2 Pittsburgh, PA Graffiti's
Apr. 3 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Apr. 4 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's

	Flick
Apr. 1 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Apr. 2 Detroit, MI Clutch Cargo
Apr. 3 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
Apr. 5 Milwaukee, WI Rave
Apr. 6 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club

	Godsmack / Loudmouth
Mar. 30 Springfield, MO Juke Joint
Apr. 1 La Cross, WI Valhalla/Uni of WI
Apr. 2 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Apr. 3 Des Moines, IA Super Toad's
Apr. 4 Madison, WI Kit's Corner

	Jets to Brazil / Euphone
Apr. 2 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 dwnstrs 
Apr. 3 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre 
Apr. 5 Minneapolis, MN 400 BAR 

	Low
Apr. 1 Pontiac, MI 7th House 
Apr. 2 Ann Arbor, MI Halfway Inn - UofM 
Apr. 3 Pittsburgh, PA Millvale Industrial Theater 
Apr. 5 Waterbury, CT Brass City Records 

	Marvelous 3
Apr. 1 San Francisco, CA Slim's 	 	
Apr. 2 Sacramento, CA Bojangles 	 	

	Mighty Blue Kings
Apr. 2 Tampa, FL Rubb
Apr. 3 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish

	Steve Miller Band
Mar. 31 Fresno, CA Warrior Center for the Perf. Arts
Apr. 1 Thousand Oaks, CA Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Apr. 2 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
Apr. 3 Bakersfield, CA Bakersfield Centennial Gardens

	Alanis Morissette
Apr. 1 San Jose, CA Arena
Apr. 2 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock
Apr. 3 San Diego, CA Cox Arena

	Olivia Tremor Control
Mar. 29 Columbus, OH OSU 
Mar. 30 Detroit, MI Magic Stick 
Mar. 31 Toronto, ONT Horseshoe 
Apr. 1 Northampton MA Pearl Street 
Apr. 2 Boston, MA Middle East 
Apr. 3 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom 
Apr. 4 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's 

	Placebo / Stabbing Westward
Apr. 1 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Apr. 2 Detroit, MI Clutch Cargo
Apr. 3 Chicago, IL Riviera
Apr. 5 Milwaukee, WI Rave

	Push Kings
Apr. 4 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Apr. 7 Minneapolis, Mn 400 Bar

	Sick Of It All
Apr. 1 Philadelphia, PA Electric Fatory
Apr. 2 Providence, RI Lupos
Apr. 3 Lewiston, ME Central Maine Civic Center
Apr. 5 Buffalo, NY Erie Community College
Apr. 6 Toronto, ON The Warehouse

	Sleepyhead
Apr. 2 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax 
Apr. 3 Louisville, KY at Mercury Paw
Apr. 5 Columbus, OH Bernies 

	Elliott Smith
Apr. 3 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall
Apr. 5 Columbus, OH Ludlow's

	Sparklehorse / Varnaline
Apr. 1 Vancouver, BC Starfish Room
Apr. 3 Salt Lake City, UT DV8
Apr. 4 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre

	David Wilcox
Mar. 31 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
Apr. 3 New York, NY Bottom Line
Apr. 5 Minneapolis, MN Guthrie Theatre
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest 
music reviews publication on the Internet.
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