== ISSUE 168 ====  CONSUMABLE ONLINE  ======== [February 15, 1999]

  Editor:             Bob Gajarsky
                         E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
  Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim 
                      Kennedy, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva, Lang Whitaker 
  Correspondents:     Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Tracey 
                      Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Jason Cahill, Patrick 
                      Carmosino, 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, 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: Sebadoh, _The Sebadoh_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Sparklehorse, _Good Morning Spider_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Marvelous 3, _Hey! Album_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Cassius, _1999_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Nancy Wilson, _Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Various Artists, _United States of Punk_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Mucho Macho, _The Limehouse Link_ - Christina Apeles
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Reich Remixed_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Cesar Rosas, _Soul Disguise_ - Tracey Bleile
REVIEW: Plastico, _Boomerang_ - Chris Candreva
CONCERT REVIEW: Fuzzbubble - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Oleander, _February Son_ - Jason Cahill
NEWS: Boo Radleys
TOUR DATES: Absinthe, Afghan Whigs, Babe The Blue Ox / 
   Trinket / Interpreters, Joan Baez / Hank Dogs, Better Than 
   Ezra / Jude, Candlebox, Cardigans / Kent, Eve 6 / Marvelous 3, 
   50 Tons of Black Terror / Groop Dogdrill, Flys, King Missile, 
   Kodo, Local H, Alanis Morrissette, Offspring, Plastic People 
   of the Universe, Rusted Root, Samples, Sepultura / One Minute 
   Silence / Biohazard, Sloan, Ten Foot Pole, Waco Brothers, Josh Wink
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	REVIEW: Sebadoh, _The Sebadoh_ (Sub Pop / Sire)
		- Steve Kandell
	In an interview with The Big Takeover around the time of 
Harmacy's 1996 release, Sebadoh's Lou Barlow lamented that he felt 
he was destined to become the next Paul Westerberg, which is not the 
compliment it used to be.  By this, he meant that he felt himself 
making the ugly transition from fussy post-punk icon to cuddly easy 
listening drone.  The please-play-me-on-the-radio sheen that marked 
that album's singles "Willing to Wait" and "Ocean," showed an eagerness 
to usher in that mainstream acceptance sooner rather than later.  In 
his apologetic mission statement on the band's official website, 
Barlow now distances himself from that album and its bald-faced grab 
for the brass ring.  Three years and one drummer later - newcomer Russ 
Pollard is actually the band's third, supplanting Bob Fay, who replaced 
founding member Eric Gaffney - Sebadoh has reemerged with the new, 
sort of eponymous The Sebadoh, an album of fifteen songs that neither 
break new ground nor hint at Billboard glory.  And that, Barlow seems 
to be saying, is just fine.
	For the better part of the 90's Barlow has ranked among the 
elite songwriters in rock.  The odd thing is, he might not even be the 
best songwriter in his own band.  Some of Sebadoh's most memorable 
songs have actually come from bassist Jason Loewenstein, a fact that 
often gets overlooked because his and Barlow's voices and styles tend 
to be pretty similar.  It's easy to imagine the plaintive "Happily 
Divided" (from 1993's Bubble and Scrape) or "License to Confuse" (from 
1994's Bakesale) coming from Barlow, but they don't.   On the new 
album's "Decide" and "Bird in the Hand," Loewenstein actually sounds 
more like Mudhoney's Mark Arm than he does his own bandmate, and he 
continues to carve himself a reputation as being anything but Barlow's 
subordinate.  Barlow might be the more high-profile member, even 
scoring an unlikely Top 40 hit with "Natural One" from the Kids 
soundtrack, but without Loewenstein's solid contributions, this album 
would be nothing more than a middling EP.
	With the exception of Barlow's glossy ballad "Love is Stronger," 
The Sebadoh largely consists of mid-tempo rock tunes.  Like Guided by 
Voices, Sebadoh has managed to successfully trade the gleefully low-fi 
hiss of their early four-track recordings for a big-studio sound 
without turning into The Smashing Pumpkins.   Only Barlow's "Tree" 
sounds like it could have been recorded in a bedroom.  "Sorry" sounds 
expressly written for Bob Fay, who was unceremoniously dismissed from 
the band after the last tour, and is thanked no less than eight times 
in the liner notes.  But to paraphrase a band from a generation ago, 
the songwriting, pretty much all of which deals with some sort of 
relationship-fueled angst, remains the same.  Love songs, nothing but 
love songs.
	Ironically, the album's new wavey first single, "Flame," has 
more commercial potential than anything on the last album.  Undeniably 
catchy pop that goes a long way with a four-note riff, it could wind 
up being the exact sort of crossover hit that the band claims to not 
care about having.  Sebadoh's latest may not be the commercial 
breakthrough that 1996's _Harmacy_ tried to but failed to become, nor 
may it boast the highs of their best album, _Bakesale_, but it does go a 
long way in establishing the band as more than a one-weapon arsenal.  
---
	REVIEW: Sparklehorse, _Good Morning Spider_ (Capitol)
		- Chris Hill
	_Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot_, the first album by 
Sparklehorse, is a bluebook exam in musical guise, years of 
study consolidated in a brief space.  An accumulation of moods 
and tempos, the 16 songs reintroduce themselves over time:  one 
day, it's the plodding guitar of "Cow" that appeals, the next 
day, the footstomping "Rainmaker" strikes your fancy, and the 
day after that, the in-your-face "Someday I Will Treat You Good" 
is the song du jour.  
	_Viva..._ enjoyed success overseas while Sparklehorse's 
native America remained indifferent, perhaps offput by the 
dream-inspired title and a sound that evaded categorization.  
	While on a U.K. tour for the album, Mark Linkous (who 
essentially *is* Sparklehorse, while in the studio) accidentally 
overdosed on prescription medication, and awkwardly collapsed in 
his hotel room in such a way that prevented circulation to his 
legs.  Discovered hours later, Linkous was rushed to a hospital, 
where doctors worked to save his legs.  His heart stopped during 
the operation.  Revived on the table, he spent three months in 
the hospital, and endured numerous operations to save his legs.  
After a long rehab and a year in a wheelchair, he's now back on 
his feet and out on tour.
	A blackly humorous NME review of _Viva..._, lauding 
Mark's bleak-yet-beautiful songwriting, ended with "Mark Linkous 
is now in a wheelchair.  Bad karma or what?  The next 
Sparklehorse record's gonna be so great!"  Very precognitive.  
Mark's misfortune set the stage for _Good Morning Spider_.  On 
his second full-length, the glimpses into his experience and new 
outlook make for a frankly confessional album of bared nerves 
and pain, couched in a musical balm, aided by a cast of musical 
friends, that included members of Cracker.  (Sadly, good friend 
Vic Chesnutt doesn't play on the record, but his voice appears, 
explaining his absence to Mark's phone on "Sunshine".)  
	References to his injuries abound: "I want a new body 
that's strong/I'm a butchered cow" ("Pig"), "My bones wish to 
escape/...to sleep, oh to sleep" ("Box of Stars (Part One)"), or 
"blanket me, sweet nurse/...In the bloody elevator/Going to the 
bright theater now" (the heartbreaking "Saint Mary").  At times, 
the feeling is claustrophobic.  
	Balancing the weight of the words is a musical jigsaw 
puzzle, ranging from distorted glam to country lullaby to sugar 
pop to instrumental, all connected by their disconnection.  
"Maria's Little Elbows" is a beautiful country ballad, straight 
and true with acoustic guitar, cello, and drums.  "Cruel Sun", 
against a squalling vocal and driving electric guitar, spits 
words dart-like, terse and short.  "Come On In" uses vibraphone, 
cello, organ, and piano to provide a gentle, comforting musical 
pillow to an "if I die before I wake" entreaty.  And the gentle 
lilt of "Painbirds" counters the despair of its lyrics, which 
evoke a Van Gogh sky of crows, black wings bringing their burden 
of hurt closer, beat by beat.  
	Linkous' worldview CAN be grim.  Note the cover graphic 
of a sparrow in flight and consider the wry food chain titular 
humor.  "It's a hard world for little things", he sings.  Or a 
second interpretation - the attraction of the sparrow in flight 
to a wheelchair-bound man.   Much like the album, there's no 
easy answer.
	Linkous is easily pictured in bed, enduring and stewing, 
fermenting the album while recovering.  In _Good Morning Spider_, 
he's pieced bits of experience and environment together into a 
diary of a trip to the other side of the mountain and back.  For 
more of the guidebook - http://www.parlophone.co.uk/sparklehorse/ 
---
	REVIEW: Marvelous 3, _Hey! Album_ (Elektra)
		- Bill Holmes
	Now we're talking! If you ever need to define the epitome of 
power pop to someone, all you're going to need is a copy of _Hey! 
Album_ and a loud stereo. The three piece Atlanta band is well 
schooled in the college of Cheap Trick, Rubinoos, The Sweet, and 
The Cars, as well as lesser known purveyors like The Beat Angels 
and Shazam. In other words, great harmonies, sharp drumming, a solid 
bottom, big guitar and hook after hook after hook. Get those mopey 
shoe-gazers off the stage, because power pop rules again!
	"Freak Of The Week" seems to have grabbed the initial headlines 
with its Cars-like riff, but "You're So Yesterday" is equally strong, 
handclaps and doo-doo-doo background vocals that should make listeners 
run to turn up the volume. "Write It On Your Hand" is a major player, 
pulsating beat leading to a call-and-response chorus worthy of the 
Knack, or The Jags, or Jellyfish ... damn, there I go again. But it 
doesn't matter if it's the psychedelic "Lemonade", the bouncy "Mrs. 
Jackson" or any other track - each of the twelve songs is bursting 
with energy and personality. Guitarist/songwriter Butch Walker, 
bassist Jayce Fincher and "Slug" the drummer pack a wallop and nail 
three part harmonies throughout the record.
	Every power pop record comes complete with the big slow-dance 
anthem, and that's "Let Me Go" - an arena ballad with sweeping falsetto 
vocals. I can see the Bic lighters and the swaying crowd already. My 
favorite is the irresistible "Vampires In Love", which mixes clever 
but goofy lyrics with an absolute killer hook that you'll be singing 
in your sleep. 
	Last year pop bands like Fastball and Semisonic got an opening 
and exploded onto the charts. It stands to reason that some programmer 
won't need the Homer Simpson head-slap to realize that there's an 
audience for energetic, exciting music. If this record isn't a bonafide 
smash, bleeding out of radios four tracks deep, something is very, 
very wrong.
---
	REVIEW: Cassius, _1999_ (Astralwerks)
		- Christina Apeles
	What do any of us really have to look forward to in 1999?  
Well, Cassius proposes their brand of electronica with credits 
galore to back them up.  This production team has worked with MC 
Solaar and remixed the likes of Daft Punk, Depeche Mode, Air, and 
Bjork -- now that is something to write home about. Bringing in a 
blend of hip hop beats, underground sensibility, and house grooves 
plus a bit of funk, Cassius' _1999_ appeals to the clubgoer of 
varied tastes along with vocal samplings to singalong to.
	The mellow, slow tempos of "Crazy Legs" and all-about-the-bass 
track, "Chase," commingle with the funkier, fast-paced rhythms of "La 
Mouche" and disco-tinged, house stylings of "Foxxy" in this sixteen 
track release.  Consisting of Parisians' Boombass and Philippe Zdar, 
this pairing create tunes that are generally free of the anxiety that 
the year 1999 promises in anticipation of the new millenium.  Their 
use of technology has a lithium effect on the aural senses rather 
than feeding into the paranoia the mass media has already wrought.  
The _1999_ that Cassius offers is one that many will welcome.
---
	REVIEW: Nancy Wilson, _Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop_ (Epic)
		- Bill Holmes
	John Hiatt was reborn in this intimate setting over a decade 
ago, a performance which led to the classic  _Bring The Family_ record 
that finally brought him commercial success and widespread critical 
raves. No such metamorphosis is going to occur to Nancy Wilson as a 
result of this record, but then again she's already got a well documented 
history with Heart.  Instead, this record is a signpost in her career - a 
true treat for her fans, and a notice to skeptics that her talents 
don't require a stack of Marshall amps.
	Opening without introduction, the familiar lines of "Even It 
Out" kick in, until the first verse is launched by her strong vocal. 
Playful and emotive, she sounds as good as her sister did on the 
original. She follows that with a solid rendition of "Kathy's Song", 
which reminded me how long it has been since Paul Simon wrote simple, 
poignant, classic songs. Switching to mandolin, she then introduces 
"Half Moon", her first original on the record.  Nancy plays the 
mandolin as well as the guitar, but every acoustic mandolin song by 
either Wilson sister sounds remarkably like Led Zeppelin's "Battle Of 
Evermore" (which the sisters covered on the _Singles_ soundtrack with 
their side project, The Lovemongers). Of her other originals, "Ground 
Zero" had the most appeal to me - a dark, brooding Richard Thompson 
feel that seemed further removed from the usual Heart material.
	I don't need to hear another version of "In Your Eyes" - every 
acoustic troubadour does that one, thanks - but her pipes shine on 
Joni Mitchell's "A Case Of You", and a less bombastic version of "These 
Dreams" is a plus.  (Although it seems to follow the Heart blueprint, 
"Dreams" is a cover - Bernie Taupin and Martin Page wrote the song.)
	The sound of the record is crystal clear, as if she were in 
your living room. Wilson clearly enjoys her performance, giggling on 
occasion and joking about the missing campfire. For those who get lost 
in such atmosphere, _Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop_ is a pleasant way 
to spend the evening. Of course, "Kumbaya" is optional.
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _United States of Punk_ (Music Club)
		- Steve Kandell
	This mid-priced collection of American punk classics and 
rarities gets off to a strange start, with a live version of the New 
York Dolls' "Personality Crisis" that sounds so muffled it would barely 
qualify as bootleg-caliber.  There's no denying the energy of the 
performance or the quality of the song itself, but I can't help but 
wonder why it sounds like David Johansen is singing in a club across the 
street from the rest of his band.  But then again, defying sonic 
expectations was what these early punk bands were all about, so why not?
	In addition to showcasing legendary bands like the Dolls, Dead 
Kennedys and The Ramones (represented here by a demo version of "Judy 
Is a Punk"), lesser-known bands such as Boston's DMZ are also featured 
on this disk.  The word "punk" is too easily associated with fast songs 
and snarling lyrics, but there is a lot of room for variety in the 
genre as far as styles are concerned.  Songs like "Wimp" by Southern 
California's Weirdos and The Real Kids' "Do the Boob" are also slower, 
and even playful.  "Rocket USA," from New York's Suicide, is droning, 
minimalist synth pop, but it's still somehow no less "punk" than Jello 
Biafra's angry ranting.
	Thing is, if you already appreciate this mid-to-late-70's 
proto-punk, then you probably have most of these songs in other, more 
sonically strident versions.  In fact, the included versions of the 
Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" and Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia" 
don't appear to be outtakes at all.  A notable exception is Devo's 
four-track basement recording of "Mongoloid," Ohio lo-fi that predates 
Guided By Voices by well over a decade.  These alternate tracks are 
not without their curiosity value to the punk completist, but they are 
hardly revelations.  There is simply not that much difference, musically 
speaking, between a Ramones demo and a final version - hell, there's 
not even much difference between individual Ramones songs at all - but 
that's exactly the appeal of this music.  At its inception, punk was a 
direct reaction to the canned theatrics of prog-rock, and the whole 
point was that the records were all demos, raw and of the moment rather 
than produced and nuanced. 
	On the other hand, if a sampler like this is your introduction 
to most of these seminal American bands, you would do well to go down to 
your local used shop and trade in those Green Day and Offspring CD's for 
as many early Ramones and Dolls albums as you can.  But if you must, 
this compilation is an inexpensive way to start.
---
	REVIEW: Mucho Macho, _The Limehouse Link_ (Beggars Banquet)
		- Christina Apeles
	If you're among those that long for the dance music of 
yesteryear, when acid house music ruled the undergrounds and techno 
only began to make its way into everyone's vocabulary, _The Limehouse 
Link_ may be the answer to your prayers.  You'd have to rummage 
through deejay tapes at the onset of this decade to find a mix like 
this, because if old school dance is what you want, Mucho Macho delivers.
	When I say old school, I'm referring to that time in the 
underground scene before ravers treated the speakers like gods, 
surrendering themselves to that space closest to the altars of sound, 
gyrating to the music because the music was too monotonous or too 
fast -- in short, not danceable.  Mucho Macho's Tim Punter and Neil 
Dunford have been DJing since the mid 80s and their expertise is evident 
with a release that takes you back out onto the dancefloor with tracks 
that make you just want to move with familiar breakbeats, synthesizer 
progressions, and sounds that can take you well into the a.m. hour.
	With a keen bass line, seriously groovy beats, and timely 
breaks versus the typical repetitive nature of recent techno,  "Rap 
Is Really Changing" has the ups and downs that keeps you entertained.  
Followed by "The Airport Freeze" and "Rockley Sands" which any 808 
State fan would scream, 'Rip offs!' I treat these songs as more of 
Mucho Macho’s way of paying homage to one of the masters of electronic 
music.  Not just another lofty dance mix, _The Limehouse Link_ is a 
non-stop hip-shaking, sweat-dripping collection of tracks.  And if you 
can't take my word for it, consider this: Guess who the Beastie Boys 
invited to play their launch party for Grand Royal Records in the 
U.K.?  If anyone in this world knows what fun music is all about, the 
Beasties do, and they chose Mucho Macho.
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _Reich Remixed_ (Nonesuch)
		- Chris Hill
	A gem in a sonic landscape littered with ill conceived 
or executed tribute projects, _Reich Remixed_ is a quality 
effort on all counts: the subject is honor-worthy, the artists 
chosen are uniformly at the top of their fields, and the redone 
pieces are aesthetically superb.
	Named as one of the most important composers in the 
latter half of the 20th century, Steve Reich is a vanguard in 
the minimalist tradition, a position he holds alongside Philip 
Glass, Terry Riley, and LaMonte Young.  
	The minimalist form, composed of ideas examined in 
minute, repetitive detail, is unlike traditional Western 
classical structure, which is directional, guiding a piece 
towards a climax.  Minimalism is directionless, and cyclical 
or static in design.  The form lends itself to attentive 
listening - the changes occur gradually, audibly, like a tide 
moving in and out.  
	Reich pioneered "phasing" while experimenting with two 
spoken word tape loops playing in tandem.  He delayed one 
incrementally, pulling it out of phase with the second, until 
it eventually returned to sync, but one beat behind, creating a 
tactile aural vibration in the process.  This technique guided 
many of his early works, first using spoken word manipulation 
for structural clay, then moving to acoustic instruments like 
violin, piano and organ.  
	"Drumming", composed after a three month study under 
a Ghanian master drummer, expanded upon his phasing style, by 
playing with subtactile beats - the spaces between the tactile, 
heard beats.  Rests are substituted for beats over time, then 
reintroduced, creating a negative space as apparent as the 
positive.  Much like a 3D poster, relaxed concentration inverts 
the rhythm, bringing the background to the foreground.  
	His later works move from strict minimalism, wedding 
orchestral elements to his penchant for recording and sampling 
everyday sounds of the cityscape.  
	Track listing: "Music for 18 Musicians (Coldcut remix)", 
"Eight Lines (Howie B remix)", "The Four Sections (Andrea Parker 
remix)", "Megamix (Tranquility Bass remix)", "Drumming 
(Mantronik - Maximum Drum Formula)", "Proverb (DJ Takemura 
remix)", "Piano Phase (D*Note's Phased and Konfused Mix)", "City 
Life (DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid (Open Circuit))", and "Come 
Out (Ken Ishii remix)".  
	Each version is faithful to the original, while artists 
seamlessly blend in elements of their individual areas of 
strength (turntablism, house, trip- and hip-hop, ambient house, 
techno, and more). 
	Particularly wonderful are the palate cleansing 
"Megamix", a sinuous assortment of the various themes and ideas 
found on Reich's resume, including 1966's "Come Out" and 1996's 
"City Life" (found further on the stack), and "Piano Phase" - a 
well chosen combination of artist and selection.  Ideal for 
experimental dance act D*Note, the co-mingling of synthesizers, 
percussion, and piano evolves over five minutes into an ideal 
modern dance accompaniment.
	"Come Out", remixed by techno artist Ken Ishii is yet 
another standout.  Backed by simple rhythmic instrumentation, 
the phrase "I had to, like, open the blues up, and let some of 
the blues blood come out to show them" is dissected, repeated, 
and phased: tape manipulation from 1966 that predates hip-hop 
sampling by decades.
	Granted, this is only a cursory overview - exhaustive 
essays and information are available on the web, both on Reich 
and the artists involved, which makes for fascinating reading, 
and a true picture of Reich's impressive influence on music.  
Begin with http://www.slis.keio.ac.jp/~ohba/srhome.html and 
http://atlantic-records.com/steve_reich for Reich.
---
	REVIEW: Cesar Rosas, _Soul Disguise_ (Rykodisc)
		- Tracey Bleile
	The next step in a long, industrious career as a member of 
a well-known band (or many bands) can sometimes be the solo effort.  
You've already got the fan base, now you gotta see if they want to 
hear you on your own. In the case of Cesar Rosas, a founding part 
of Los Lobos, a Latin Playboy, and most recently the California/Texas 
supergroup Los Super Seven, his release _Soul Disguise_, is a prime 
candidate to reach said fans and so many more.  _Soul Disguise_ serves 
to deliver this extension of Rosas and what he has brought to these 
projects all these years in fine solo-artist form.  Besides, it's 
just plain fun to be in charge for once, and he takes full advantage.
 	This disc is a return to the pre-_Kiko_ Los Lobos sound, lots 
more stripped-down and tight blues ("Tough To Handle"), and that 
unique blend of Nortena (featuring The Man Flaco Jimenez on accordion) 
and roots rock (that all-important title track) that took Rosas and 
his bandmates from a Latin/Mexican-American audience to encompass any 
red-blooded dancin' fool who comes along.   "Shack and Shambles" has 
enough soulful sax groove and overheated Hammond to transport you 
instantaneously to that dark smoky club that lives for your ears, not 
your wallet.  "Treat Me Right" and "Racing The Moon" might as well be 
the backdrop to a basement dance party that ends sometime around the 
wee hours of the morning in time to drive your baby home to the disc's 
slow burnin' ender, "E. Los Ballad #13".
	The only place _Disguise_ suffers a bit is the dual-role Rosas 
played as producer.  It's a bit too thick and thumpy in spots, even 
for the blues, and there are some definite flattened spots that could 
have used some push in the mixing phase.  But for doing it all himself, 
and having a great many excellent musician friends around him, Cesar 
Rosas is hiding nothing in _Soul Disguise_.  This is open, honest 
enjoyable music showing the staying power of the combination of classic 
American influence and a classy musician at work.
---
	REVIEW: Plastico, _Boomerang_ (Epic Import)
		- Chris Candreva
	I'm going to cut to the chase on this one: Buy this album.
	_Boomerang_ marks the second release from the Swedish group 
Plastico. While their self-titled debut album is available only as 
an import, Plastico's stateside appearance can't come soon enough; 
I'm tired of only playing old music at my parties.
	Juding from the links on their web site (located at 
http://www.cabal.se/mnw/mnwlabel/plastico/index.html ), Plastico 
seems to call themselves a glam band, citing the 70s influences 
of Abba, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Gary Glitter and Sweet.
On this one album though I hear a multitude of styles; they owe as
much to Blondie, Berlin, and Joan Jett as any glam rocker.  A few 
tracks almost even have a Nine Inch Nails flavor. Rather than just 
another "Retro" band, what we end up with is a Glam / Pop / New Wave / 
Rock / Techno fusion that may be one of the only truly unique sounds 
to come out recently.
	The driving force behind Plastico's sound is the duo of Peter 
Guzz on keyboards and guitar, and Penny on guitar, percussion, and 
CD-ROM design the lead vocals, both individual and as duets. Guzz is 
also the main composer and producer of their work. A host of other 
musicians provide other instruments and vocals, resulting in the full 
and varied sound we hear on the album.
	_Boomerang_ opens with "I Fade Away", a driving techno-rhythm 
with vaguely sexual lyrics that, though slightly unclear, make you 
want to pull the love of your life out on to the dance floor. "(I 
Wanna Get Into Your) Heart" is a moderate up-tempo rock number whose 
name should be self-explanatory. "Waste of Time" is the closest the 
album comes to a downer. Though it's a song about getting out of a 
relationship, it's a pretty acoustic ballad otherwise.
	We pick right up with other musical references including "The 
Bump" (apparently a cover about doing - you guessed it - The Bump), 
"Going Down" (where Penny harkens to Joan Jett singing "Black Leather"), 
"Resist" (about how you can't), "How We Try" (with a drum-beat ala Gary 
Glitter), and "Voulez Vous" (which manages to mix Blondie with The 
Runaways while completely avoiding the Abba song of the same name). 
	If you like Pop, Glam, or music about going out and having 
fun instead of sitting around and complaining in flannel, then 
Plastico is exactly what you have been waiting for.
---
	CONCERT REVIEW: Fuzzbubble, Asbury Park, New Jersey
		- Al Muzer
	Featuring one of the best rock 'n' roll vocalists to stand 
and deliver since Lennon left most of his tonsils in Abbey Road's 
Studio Two laying down tracks for Anytime At All, New York's Fuzzbubble 
are one of the best selling bands you've heard, but never heard of, before.
	With a track ("Bliss") featured on a Bad Boy/Footlocker 
compilation; the same tune on the _Hell City Hell_ indie collection; 
another song ("Out There") prominently placed on the five million (and 
counting) sold Godzilla soundtrack disc; another track ("Nowhere To 
Run") on South Park's Chef Aid album that is actually Old Dirty Bastard, 
DMX and Ozzy Osbourne backed by Fuzzbubble; a guest appearance on Puff 
Daddy & The Family's "It's All About The Benjamins" rock remix; and 
camera time in Puffy's video for "Rock Benjamins" that won an MTV 
Viewer's Choice Award - Fuzzbubble are already about nine million 
records ahead of most bands with, technically, nothing more than a 
four-song advance and a slew of local gigs to their name.
	A pop-perfect four-piece that'd be golden even without the 
golden touch of Sean 'Puffy' Combs and his Bad Boy Records, vocalist / 
guitarist Mark DiCarlo, guitarist/vocalist Jim Bacchi, drummer/vocalist 
Jason Camiolo and bassist Brett Rothfield kicked off their first 
official East Coast mini-tour under the Bad Boy umbrella with an 
engaging, arena-ready blast of Beatle-esque three-part harmonies and 
solid Gibson chime undercut by walloping drums and a powerful, 
strut-stepping guitar crunch that had Asbury Park's (N.J.) The Saint 
respectable, if not exactly packed, Tuesday night crowd hooked in no time.
	Anchoring the neck-snapping, jet-engine blast (and one of those 
things so many other bands seem to leave out these days) were 
genuinely-memorable pop songs sportin' big-ass hooks made brilliant by 
playful, occasionally sly, nods in the direction of legends such as 
George Harrison ("Isn't It A Pity" on "Real World"), Paul McCartney 
("Rock Show" and "Jet" during soundcheck), Golden Earring, the Who and 
Cheap Trick.
	Proudly inspired by influences ranging from Kiss, Cheap Trick, 
the Raspberries, Beatles, Badfinger and Big Star to Jellyfish, Best 
Kissers In The World, Matthew Sweet, Husker Du and The Pursuit Of 
Happiness; Fuzzbubble pack enough sugar into each three-minute wonder 
to make you wanna sing (loudly) along - and just enough snarl into their 
buzzed-out crunch-pop to push ’em right over the top.
---
	REVIEW: Oleander, _February Son_ (Republic)
		- Jason Cahill
	The opening chords of "Why I'm Here", the opening track on 
_February Son_, are so alarmingly reminiscent of Nirvana that I thought 
I had mistakenly cued up _In Utero_ .  In retrospect, I wish I had.  
_February Son_, the major label debut from Sacramento's Oleander is, 
at its best, the backwash at the bottom of the soda can that was grunge 
music.  Instead of allowing that genre its dignified demise, Oleander 
seem intent on reminding us of the good old days when plaids were 
fashion and bands like Sponge were the flavor of the minute.
	One of the few bands who have successfully maintained the 
so-called grunge sound and built upon the foundation laid by bands like 
Nirvana is Local H.  Odd when you consider that Steven Haigler, the 
producer behind Local H's early masterpiece Ham Fisted, is also produces 
_February Son_.  With Local H and Fuel, Haigler managed to capture a 
raw energy while still sculpting a cohesive rock landscape.  _February 
Son_, by comparison, sounds stale and processed with relatively few 
elements of raw energy.  Haigler's fault?  Possible, but improbable 
when you consider his track record.  Sometimes you just can't get blood 
from a stone.
	In terms of the album's actual sound, it's something of a 
conglomeration of varied styles.  Think Soundgarden meets White Lion. 
Traditional hard rock coupled with the occasional metal ballad thrown 
in for good measure.  None of what is heard on _February Son_ is 
either cutting or original; some of it works, most of it doesn't.  
"Why I'm Here", the album's first single, takes the opening riff of 
Nirvana's "Rape Me", but fails to borrow any of that song's edge or 
originality.  "How Could I?" is slow, very slow and contains lyrics 
like "..how could I be so blind that I could not see...".  Well doesn't 
that just go without saying?
	Oleander does show signs of life in "I Walk Alone", which  
could just as easily have been a Third Eye Blind single, and "Lost 
Cause", a fun rocker which manages to do something most of the other 
songs on the album don't - it rocks.  One of the album's better 
moments comes in the form of a cover of The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry".  
While the vocals don't begin to even approach the stylistic and emotive 
wails of Cure frontman Robert Smith, the cover does have its charm.  
Then again, it may just have been a welcomed respite from Oleander's 
tiresome originals.  Imagine a mediocre opening band finally playing 
something other than songs from their soon to be released album - you'd 
still rather they just left the stage, but if they absolutely must stay, 
they might as well play something you know.
	The centerpiece of _February Son_ is "Never Again", a song 
which borrows lyrics from, of all bands, Reo Speedwagon.  Enough said.
---
NEWS: 	> The Boo Radleys, after being together for the past 
ten years, have split up.  Songwriter Martin Carr, who has 
been working in his home studio, plans to pursue solo 
projects.
---
TOUR DATES:
	Absinthe
Feb. 18 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
Feb. 19 Arlington, VA IOTA
Feb. 20 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac
Feb. 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Feb. 23 Providence, RI Met
Feb. 24 Boston, MA Lansdowne St. Playhouse

	Afghan Whigs
Feb. 17 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Feb. 18-20 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Feb. 21 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
Feb. 23 Old Bridge, NJ Birch Hill Nightclub
Feb. 24 Baltimore, MD Bohager's 

	Babe The Blue Ox / Trinket / Interpreters
Feb. 16 Columbia, SC University of South Carolina
Feb. 17 Durham, NC Page Auditorium
Feb. 18 Blacksburg, VA  Sheraton
Feb. 19 Charlotte, NC Cone Center
Feb. 20 Raleigh, NC Ballroom
Feb. 22 Clemson, SC Edgar's
Feb. 23 Atlanta, GA Smith's Old Bar
Feb. 24 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club

 	Joan Baez / Hank Dogs 
Feb. 16 Albuquerque, NM Popejoy Hall
Feb. 17 Phoenix, AZ Orpheum Theater
Feb. 19-20 Fort Worth, TX Caravan of Dreams 
Feb. 23 Austin, TX Paramount Theater
Feb. 24 New Orleans, LA House of Blues

	Better Than Ezra / Jude
Feb. 19 Jackson, MS Rodeo's
Feb. 20 Birmingham, AL 5 Points South Music
Feb. 23 Fort Lauderdale, FL Chili Pepper
Feb. 24 Tampa, FL Rubb

	Candlebox
Feb. 19 Missoula, MT UM Theatre
Feb. 20 Pocatello, ID Rock
Feb. 21 Bozeman, MT Cat's Paw
Feb. 22 Billings, MT Shrine Auditorium

	Cardigans / Kent
Feb. 17 Seattle, WA King Cat
Feb. 18 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Feb. 20 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Feb. 22 Los Angeles, CA Palace
Feb. 23 San Diego, CA SOMA

	Eve 6 / Marvelous 3
Feb. 16 Virginia Beach, VA The Abyss
Feb. 17 Charlottesville, VA Trax
Feb. 18 New Orleans, LA Howlin' Wolf
Feb. 19 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Feb. 20 Baltimore, MD Bohager's
Feb. 21 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance Theater 
Feb. 23 Concord, NH Chantilly's
Feb. 24 Boston, MA Paradise 

	50 Tons of Black Terror / Groop Dogdrill
Feb. 16 Washington, DC Phantasmagoria
Feb. 19 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge

	Flys
Feb. 18 Greenville, NC Attic
Feb. 19 Nashville, TN 328 Performance

	King Missile
Feb. 19 Carrboro, NC The Temple
Feb. 20 Columbia, SC New Brookland Tavern
Feb. 21 Atlanta, GA Point
Feb. 22 Orlando, FL Sapphire Supper Club
Feb. 23 Tallahasse, FL Cow Haus
Feb. 24 Baton Rouge, LA Bayou

	Kodo
Feb. 17 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre
Feb. 18 Madison, WI Union Theatre
Feb. 20 Chicago, IL Medina Temple
Feb. 23-25 Ann Arbor, MI Power Center

	Local H
Feb. 16 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater
Feb. 17 Jacksonville, FL Choices
Feb. 18 Atlanta, GA Roxy
Feb. 19 Birmingham, AL 5 Pts. Music Hall
Feb. 20 Fayetteville, AR JR Dickson St. Ballroom

	Alanis Morrissette
Feb. 16 Cincinnati, OH Crowne Center
Feb. 18 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum
Feb. 19 East Rutherford, NJ Continental Arena
Feb. 21 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center
Feb. 22 Boston, MA Fleet Center

	Offspring
Feb. 24 Cleveland, OH CSU Convention Center

	Plastic People of the Universe
Feb. 23 Boston, MA Middle East
Feb. 24 Montreal PQ Foufounes

	Rusted Root
Feb. 16 Wayne, NJ William Paterson University
Feb. 17 New Haven, CT Palace
Feb. 19 Worcester, MA Palladium
Feb. 20 Providence, RI PAC
Feb. 21 Portland, ME Expo Center
Feb. 23 Albany, NY Suny Albany

	Samples
Feb. 16 Killington, VT Pickle Barrel
Feb. 17 Providence, RI Lupo's
Feb. 18 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Feb. 19 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Feb. 20 Saratoga Springs, NY Skidmore College
Feb. 24 Manchester, NH Chantilly's

	Sepultura / One Minute Silence / Biohazard
Feb. 16 San Francisco, CA Maritime Hall 
Feb. 18 Seattle, WA Fenix Underground 
Feb. 19 Everett, WA Jimmy Z's 
Feb. 20 Vancouver, BC Croatian Cult Centre 
Feb. 21 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre 
Feb. 23 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theatre 

	Sloan
Feb. 16 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
Feb. 17 Toledo, OH Main Event
Feb. 18 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
Feb. 19 Buffalo, NY Tralf
Feb. 20 East Lansing, MI Erickson Kiva

	Ten Foot Pole 
Feb. 19 San Francisco, CA Cocodrie 
Feb. 20 Sacramento, CA Bojangles 
Feb. 21 Reno, NV Del Mar Station 
Feb. 22 Boise, ID Bogie's 
Feb. 23 Salt Lake City, UT DV8 Basement 
Feb. 24 Denver, CO Aztlan Theater 

	Waco Brothers
Feb. 18 Lexington, KY Lyngagh's
Feb. 19 Newport, KY Southgate House

	Josh Wink
Feb. 20 London, England The End Nightclub   
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
	> Hi!  I've been enjoying Consumable Online a lot 
over the past few months. Can you recommend any good music 
email-discussion lists?  Thanks! - Pat L.

(Ed. Note - Can any readers suggest any?  We'll publish a 
list of the most popular ones in a future issue of Consumable).
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest 
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