==== ISSUE 142 ====    CONSUMABLE     ======== [April 27, 1998]

  Editor:             Bob Gajarsky
		        Internet: gaj@westnet.com
  Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Bill Holmes, Tim 
                      Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean 
                      Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva, 
                      Lang Whitaker
  Correspondents:     Tracey Bleile, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott  
                      Byron, Jason Cahill, Patrick Carmosino, 
                      Arabella Clauson, Krisjanis Gale, Paul Hanson, 
                      Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Robin Lapid, Scott 
                      Miller, Linda Scott, Scott Slonaker, Simon 
                      Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West
  Technical Staff:    Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann

 Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
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                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
REVIEW: Page & Plant, _Walking Into Clarksdale_ - Bill Holmes
INTERVIEW: Stabbing Westward - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Tones On Tail, _Everything!_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Marc Cohn, _Burning The Daze_ - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Danny Wilde & The Rembrandts, _Spin This!_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Jann Arden, _Happy?_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Soulfly, _Soulfly_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Jolene, _In the Gloaming_ - Arabella Clauson
REVIEW: Largo, _Largo_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Pat McGee Band, _Revel_ - Arabella Clauson
REVIEW: Alejandro Escovedo, _More Miles Than Money Live 
   1994-96_ - Tracey Bleile
INTERVIEW: Cheri Knight - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Destroyed By Anger, _Destroyed By Anger_ - Paul Hanson
REVIEW: Both Worlds, _Memory Rendered Visible_ - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Dadawa, _Voices From The Sky_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Various, _Mega Hits Dance Party Volume 2_ - Bob Gajarsky
NEWS: Beastie Boys, Rhino Musical Aptitude Test, Sidewinders
TOUR DATES: Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Cows, Kyle Davis, John 
   Wesley Harding / Steve Wynn, Irving Plaza, Ziggy Marley & 
   Melody Makers, Morcheeba, Gary Numan, Sherry Rich, Slackers, 
   Smart Went Crazy, Trinket
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	REVIEW: Page & Plant, _Walking Into Clarksdale_ (Atlantic)
		- Bill Holmes
	During the heyday of Led Zeppelin, an interviewer asked 
Robert Plant what he thought lie in the band's future. He answered 
by saying that while he wasn't sure how long the band would continue 
as a unit, he felt sure that he and Page would always continue to 
write and play together, even if it was the two of them on stools 
in a small bar.  History has shown that Zeppelin went out with a 
bang instead of a whimper, and although Page and Plant have 
survived (and even had success) apart, they are still each other's 
best foils. There never will be another Led Zeppelin, much to the 
dismay of their fans, and those looking for a rebirth of the band 
in _Clarksdale_ will be sorely disappointed.
	Engineer  Steve Albini usually overwhelms whatever act he 
produces; yet here he probably deferred out of reverence. Instead, 
as much as they may want it not to be considered one, Page and 
Plant's production sounds like an attempt to make another Led 
Zeppelin record. Zep did draw heavily from Eastern influences, 
especially in their waning days, and parts of _Clarksdale_ sound 
like they could pick up right where the last releases ended off. 
But Zep always had strong material and an undeniable flair that is 
not so consistent here.
	Whether the record succeeds vocally depends on how you feel 
about Robert Plant as a singer. You might appreciate his efforts to 
avoid standard phrasing (and the way he uses his vocal tone as an 
separate instrument) or you might naturally make comparisons to 
older days. Fair or not, he just isn't as forceful as he was in 
his prime. When he stays within his limitations he exhibits the 
subtleties that veteran pipes can shine with, but when he tries 
to recapture Marshall stack moments (and these are thankfully few), 
it just doesn't happen.
	Likewise, Page doesn't do a whole lot of wailing, preferring 
to mostly add short bursts of texture. He's played so many licks in 
his career that he even rips himself off now ("Over The Hills And 
Far Away" and "The Song Remains The Same" are just two of the 
signature riffs that the astute listener will pick up on.). Where 
he once was a very "busy" player, he now waits for his moments to 
insert a run or jack the volume. This is a good thing, actually - 
if you have your air guitar handy you'd be better served grabbing 
the aforementioned _BBC Live_ disk to do the mirror dance with.
	Moments truly shine - "Upon A Golden Horse" and "Burning Up" 
do catch a little fire, and Plant's bluesy vocal on "When I Was A 
Child" does hint that maybe he and Page could fulfill that ancient 
barstool prophecy. But "Please Read The Letter" sputters and never 
gets going, and "Blue Train" and "Sons Of Freedom" (a weak closing 
cut) are padded and indulgent. The best tracks are the opener, 
"Shining In The Light", whose jangly tone sets an early standard 
that's quickly eclipsed by the second and best cut, "When The World 
Was Young". The latter starts slowly and loosely, until the band 
kicks in for the refrain where Plant's strong vocals, Page's 
determined blast of sound and (gasp!) a hook all combine to win the 
listener's ear. This is the one song that not only would fit well on 
a Zeppelin record, it would probably be the single. In the salad 
days, the pure energy of the band could take average material up to 
a higher level. Despite a good rhythm section (and bassist Charlie 
Jones and drummer Michael Lee actually get writing credit on each 
track!) the weaker songs are easily exposed. They're not bad per se, 
but if it weren't two legends involved in the project, they'd never 
get the focus or attention they will inevitably get by their 
inclusion here.
	The fans of both Page and Plant, as well as Zep fans, will 
naturally savor every second of this release and find value in each 
sonic warble and plucked note. Those who felt that the band was 
overrated and bombastic rock at best are going to find nothing here 
to change their mind. The truth is actually the middle ground. While 
nowhere near as exciting as 1997's _BBC Live_ was (a release that 
truly could convert the non believers), _Clarksdale_ does have its 
moments. It's no _Physical Graffiti_, but it's still light years 
better than _No Quarter_ or any Page or Plant solo effort.
	I imagine that repeated listens will being out more of the 
charm of the record. But regardless, if I were John Paul Jones,  I 
wouldn't feel threatened at all.
---
 	INTERVIEW: Stabbing Westward
		- Al Muzer
	Darkest Days indeed.
	With a lyrical focus that rarely strays from abject 
despair, resigned pessimism, wrist-slitting self-loathing, 
angry recrimination, a keen sense of loss and more what ifs, 
sighs and if onlys than most folks are forced to endure in one 
lifetime - Stabbing Westward's third Columbia Records release is 
a strident reminder that things aren't as peaceful in the real 
world as they appear to be on the surface.
	That our _Darkest Days_ are here. Now.
	An urgent, edgy, edge-of-your-seat piece of work, the 
frequently-delayed new release from this Chicago-based five-piece 
addresses the confused, lost, overwhelmed and frightened soul in 
each of us with songs (including "How Can I Hold On", "Torn Apart", 
"Drowning", 'When I'm Dead", "Save Yourself", "On The Way Down", 
"The Thing I Hate" and "Goodbye") that play in stark contrast to 
the sugar-coated good-time pabulum fouling the FM airwaves these 
days.
	"You know - we've been chasing this record for about a 
year now", begins vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Christopher Hall 
when he's asked about the oft-changed release date for the 
long-awaited new album. "We wrote most of the songs about a year 
ago - rehearsed them for a few weeks - and then went in and 
recorded everything fairly quickly."
	"It was just in the mixing process that _Darkest Days_ 
bogged down and became us forever chasing our tails," he laughs 
ruefully. "In the end, we wound up mixing it ourselves."
	"And, you know what? I think we wound up with a great 
record," he says of the 16-song labor of love he, keyboardist/
guitarist Walter Flakus, guitarist Mark Eliopulos, drummer/
guitarist/programmer/backing vocalist Andy Kubiszewski and 
bassist/guitarist Jim Sellers recorded in Burbank with producer 
Dave (Alice In Chains, Janes Addiction) Jerden.
	"Jerden did a really great job making us sound like a 
band," Hall says with a trace of pride. "You know, we've never 
really been able to capture that big, full, powerful rock sound 
before, but Jerden definitely locked in a vibe for us on this 
record."
	Interrupted by a knock on his door, Hall puts the phone 
down and can be heard talking with someone. Back a moment later, 
he apologizes by explaining: "I've been away for a few weeks 
taking care of stuff and came home today to find that all sorts 
of bad things have been happening here - the worst of which was 
that the ceiling caved in over my bed; my bed and apartment got 
soaked; and there's soggy plaster, like, everywhere," he sighs as 
he surveys what sounds like some fairly extensive, El Nino-related 
damage.
	"My personal shit is being held hostage by a bitter young 
girl at the moment", he snorts, "so, thankfully, none of that got 
wet."
	Reminded that it was the thirteenth of the month and a 
Friday, Hall laughs,  "It would be, wouldn't it?"
	Collapsed ceiling aside, you'd think that world-wide tours 
with the likes of Prong, Alice Donut, Depeche Mode and Killing 
Joke, two successful releases (1994s _Ungod_ and 1996s _Wither, 
Blister, Burn and Peel_) and a couple of chart-topping hits ("What 
Do I have To Do" and "Shame") would result in more than one 
semi-uplifting, things aren't so bad track ("Waking Up Beside 
You") on _Darkest Days_.
	Instead, there's "Drowning".
	"Ahhh, now thats a great song," offers Hall. "It makes you 
feel really sad. And it makes you feel like you're in some sort of 
sensory deprivation tank.  It's got a real weird vibe to it."
	"We have two lyricists and three songwriters in the band," 
Hall says by way of explaining the groups less-than-bubbly 
songwriting tendencies, "and, between the three of us, we just 
seem to tap into something really kind of," he tails off.
	"Well, I don't want to call it negative," he continues 
after a bit of thought, "because I don't think it's negative music. 
I think it's very cleansing in a weird way; let's just say that we 
tend to not embrace the happy side of things."
	"I'm not a particularly angry person," Hall says after 
another pause. "I just get really depressed sometimes."
	"We don't hate everyone or anything like that," he laughs 
as he catches himself heading off on a dark tangent. "We're just 
trying to deal, not only with the day-to-day problems going on 
within the band, but with the disintegration of our personal lives 
and personal relationships because of the band.'
	"We've been taken away from any regular sort of life for 
five years now," he adds with a trace of wistfulness, "and, I guess 
it's finally starting to catch up."
---
	REVIEW: Tones On Tail, _Everything!_ (Beggars Banquet)
		- Joe Silva
	Concocted as a brief stepping stone before settling 
into Love and Rockets, Tones on Tail was Daniel Ash's first 
breath of artistic liberation after helping to establish the 
Goth standard during his four years with Bauhaus.
	In the two short years of its existence, Ash, brother/Bauhaus 
drummer Kevin Haskins, and ex-Bauhaus roadie/bassist Glenn Campling 
flexed their wings over fields of modern psychedelia, left-field 
minimalistic jazz, and proto-electronica.
	Collected over two discs are their first and only LP, all the 
B-sides, and a twisted but fun live reading of "Heartbreak Hotel."  
There's also a interview piece where a BBC interviewer prods a 
polite but squirming Ash for the details of Bauhaus' demise ("...it 
was unforunate that we split up when we did...").
	But what the recordings of this episode reveal are that Ash 
probably wanted more liberty to explore beyond whatever stylistic 
boundaries eventually engulfed Bauhaus. And when reviewed as a whole, 
(the first disc) _Pop_ is a reeling pastiche of several convictions. 
Opening with "Lions," a haunting, electronic piece that not much more 
than a few delicate pulses and Ash's voice, it's immediately followed 
by a funky, bass-heavy dance bit with wailing guitars ("War"). And 
on and on. _Pop_'s multi-planked platform works because 
virtually all the tracks are carefully laid out and tres tuneful. 
Tracks like "Performance," which worked when played thundering loud 
in the clubland of the day may seem a touch cheesy now, but oddball 
tracks like "Slender Fungus" echoes and improves upon the 
experimental sensibilities of the Floyd's "Several Species Of Furry 
Animals Sitting In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict." The bigtime 
hit "Go!" is also included come disc two and the remaining singles 
and b-side material besides being quite worthwhile, show our Danny 
to be severely bent on putting a pop face on his brooding trippyness.
	As a template for what came after once Campling was booted 
and bassist David J returned from his own post-Bauhaus excursion, 
_Everything!_ makes a lot of sense and the songs are the obvious 
benefactor from Ash being able to call most of the aesthetic 
shots.  What's curious though, beyond the presumed struggle for the 
alpha male spot in Bauhaus, is the notion that their split occurred 
along musical lines since Peter Murphy ran off to do equally 
experimental work in Dalis Car band eventually returned to work 
dark voodoo over his own ultra-poppy goods.
	Ultimately this probably turned out to be a thorn in 
Murphy's hindsight; particularly since the heights of his own solo 
material didn't match those of the Love and Rockets camp on either 
the commercial or artistically-credible front.
---
	REVIEW: Marc Cohn, _Burning The Daze_ (Atlantic)
		- Lang Whitaker
	When Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett broke up, Lovett's 
fans (myself included) secretly rejoiced, because we all thought 
Lyle was at his best when he was heartbroken. Time has proved 
my thoughts irrelevant, as Lovett has gone on to record even 
better love songs than ever before. But when someone like Marc 
Cohn, one of the greatest love song troubadors around, gets 
divorced, it makes you worry. Will Cohn ever be able to move 
us again?
	From the opening wah-wah guitar lick on _Burning The 
Daze_, Marc Cohn lets you know you're a long way away from 
Memphis. After Cohn's self-titled debut, which featured the 
classic single "Walking in Memphis", ripped through the 
Billboard charts in 1991, eventually garnering Cohn the Best 
New Artist Grammy, Cohn has had a mostly uphill climb. Just 
two years after the skyrocketing success of _Marc Cohn_, 
Cohn's second record, _The Rainy Season_, peaked on the charts 
at #64, a largely forgettable follow-up for an artist 
shouldering such high expectations.
	In order to rediscover the sparkle that made _Marc 
Cohn_ so good and that lacked on _The Rainy Season_, Cohn did 
what most of us wish we could do: he took some time off. More 
specifically, he took 5 years off. When Cohn was finally able 
to sit back and look at his life after his back-flip into the 
celebrity pool, he found his personal life springing leaks. 
His marriage ended, and his children needed a father, so Cohn 
sat back and lived.
	Now, with his personal ship back afloat, Cohn sets 
sail again on _Burning The Daze_, a great album from one of 
the lone remaining male American singer/songwriters. Bob Dylan, 
Robbie Robertson, and Lovett aside, there really aren't that 
many male artists around these days, doing what Cohn does 
best - singing with soul and confidence. _Daze_ is not as 
introspective an album as you'd expect, what with Cohn's 
personal problems being so paramount. Instead, Cohn focuses 
on metaphorically putting things back together.
	The opening track off of _Daze_, the Al Green colored 
prodigal son tale "Already Home", preserves Cohn's dusky 
baritone, perhaps his most memorable chop,  and surrounds it 
with horn stacks, taking Cohn in a totally different direction 
than anything we've heard from him before.
	Cohn also hits the target on songs like "Saints 
Preserve Us" and the haunting "Girl of Mysterious Sorrow". 
Ballads, always a showcase for Cohn's strong vocals, again 
prove fertile. The lovely "Healing Hands", already immortalized 
on the Dawson's Creek episode where Dawson's parents 
recapitulated, details the reconciliation of a relationship. 
Also, "Ellis Island" is a beautiful reminiscience on Cohn's 
ancestors and their travels and travails.
	But perhaps Cohn's most compelling work is found on 
"Olana", the true story of 19th century American artist 
Frederic Church, who upon being stricken with arthritis, 
turned his creative forces towards building a house for his 
family, a house that came to be known as "Olana", which means 
"house filled with treasures". Even without knowing the story 
behind the song, "Olana" stands tall and solidly. With the 
story in hand, its masterpiece is even more evident; Church's 
labor even more back-wrenching.
	Producer John Leventhal, a frequent Cohn contributor, 
does an excellent job of shaking things up without spilling 
anything on the carpet.  Leventhal sinks into the background 
as only he can do, allowing Marc Cohn to be Marc Cohn. While 
_Daze_ goes heavier on the guitars than past Cohn releases, it 
retains the piano driven squalor Cohn's music has always 
sparked from. The only glaring mis-step is the horrid 
electronic beeping at the beginning of "Lost You in the 
Canyon", which sounds about as authentic as U2's electronica 
efforts. Otherwise, Leventhal and Cohn's band do terrific jobs 
blending into the background and letting Cohn do his 
multi-instrumental waltz center stage.
	While Cohn's personal life may never be the same, and 
his professional life may never return to the place it once 
was, Marc Cohn still is has a pretty sweet seat at the big 
dance. Cohn may never again duplicate the commercial success 
of _Marc Cohn_, but that will not make him a failure.  The 
music industry is currently not set up for your Marc Cohn's 
to have a place to shine. Until Lillith gets over Frasier and 
allows men on her tour, Cohn really doesn't fit in anywhere. 
However, as long as Marc Cohn continues to periodically bless 
us with albums like _Burning The Daze_, we'll all be just fine.
---
	REVIEW: Danny Wilde & The Rembrandts, _Spin This!_ (East West)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	How does a #1 record change things for an artist?  In 
the case of the Rembrandts, three albums were exchanged as the 
answer for the question, 'Who sings the theme song from Friends?'
	Time passed on, Phil Solem departed the duo, and Danny 
Wilde continued solo.  But Danny Wilde's name didn't attract 
people during his solo career in the 80s...and the Rembrandts name 
does...so Wilde & The Rembrandts it is.
	Fortunately, nothing much has changed from the Rembrandts 
formulaic lightweight power pop.  "Shakespeare's Tragedy" is a 
prototypical Rembrandts should-be-in-a-perfect-world hit.  With the 
orchestral arrangements being written and conducted on two tracks 
by Brian Wilson-cohort Van Dyke Parks, it's easy to tell where 
Wilde's loyalties lie, even if the actual performances don't 
match up to anything from the _Smile_ era.
	The first single from _Spin This!_, "Long Walk Back", which 
was co-written the Gin Blossoms' Jesse Valenzuela, is a dead 
ringer for the Blossoms' "Follow You Down".   However, on 
most of the remainder of the album, it appears Wilde has tried 
to mimic (with a fair amount of success) the songwriting developed 
on _The Rembrandts_.  For those unsure of the softer rock in Wilde's 
arsenal, producer Gavin McKillop's track record (Toad The Wet 
Sprocket, Goo Goo Dolls) offers a strong glimpse as to what The 
Rembrandts offer.
	Not quite measuring up to the high standards of the 
Rembrandts eponymously titled 1990 debut album, _Spin This!_ will 
prove to be another fine addition in the Rembrandts - or Danny 
Wilde - catalog.
---
	REVIEW: Jann Arden, _Happy?_ (A&M)
		- Tim Kennedy
	Your opinion of Jann Arden's latest album, _Happy?_, 
will depend on whether you like her new idiosyncratic vocal 
style.  She has changed since her last release a couple of 
years ago - this time round she is querulous, sad-sounding 
and more nasal.  The title implies that she is having a less 
than happy time.
	Musically she breaks no new territory,  mostly content 
to coast through late-night MTV easy listening soundtracks.  
Her voice and lyrics are often miserable yet the backing is 
laidback and contented which is a little bewildering.
	Some washes of Byrdsian guitar occasionally brighten 
things up on "The Sound Of". The sparser arrangements where 
Jann uses a bit of piano or supplies minimal acoustic guitar 
work better.  In one instance, a tune of sinister menace 
("Weeds") momentarily grabs one's attention,  but it is not 
until the final track,  a mildly psychedelic cover of cult 
sixties smash "To Sir With Love" that Jann relieves the boredom 
of this unsatisfying collection by providing a performance 
with real personality.
	To suit the style of the music,  she could loosen her 
voice up a bit. Better still, she could utilize something a tad 
more imaginative to back up the emotion of her words.
---
	REVIEW: Soulfly, _Soulfly_ (Roadrunner)
		- Linda Scott
	Hard, aggressive, metal riffs with a South American 
influence, samples, raps, Brazilian tribal rhythms and chants - 
this is the take-no-prisoners debut album of Soulfly.  The vocals 
are gravelly shouts.   While songs may be short on melody and 
sometimes hard on the ears, they all have a beat made for banging 
your head or tapping your feet.
	_Soulfly_ is technically a debut album, but the power 
behind the release is Max Cavalera, a man with 15 years experience 
as lead singer for Sepultura.  Max, wife and manager Gloria, his 
brother Igor yanked Sepultura from Brazil and made it a world 
famous band.  Amazingly, Max and Gloria were abruptly fired 
during a successful Sepultura world tour.  Combined with the 
death of his stepson at around the same time, it's been a tough 
period for this highly successful singer/songwriter.  Cavalera's 
taken his feelings of anger, misery and frustration and poured 
them into _Soulfly_.  Three experienced musicians with a creative 
attitude and a metal wavelength were chosen: Jackson Bandeira 
(guitar - from Brazilian band Chico Science), Marcello Rapp 
(bass - former Sepultura roadie), and Roy "Rata" Mayorga (drums - 
from Thorn). With the new band and album, Cavalera draws a line 
for Sepultura to measure up to.
	The first key song on _Soulfly_ is the leadoff track, 
"Eye For An Eye".  The lyrics about betrayal and revenge are a 
message to old bandmates in Sepultura.  This is one of the great 
tracks of the album and could easily have been the first single.  
Max's voice growls with anger while snarling, dissonant guitars 
pound the point home.  A great introduction!  Other highpoints 
are "The Song Remains Insane", "Bleed" (first single), "Soulfly", 
and "Prejudice".  The title cut, "Soulfly", is so different it 
almost belongs on another album.  It shows off Cavalera's ability 
to take a softer rock song, add some tropical feelings, and get a 
wonderful, mellow sounding piece.  Cavaleras wanted to take this 
band to a new level beyond just metallic riffs, and he's done 
that here.
	Soulfly looks like a major contender.  What they will do 
to Sepultura in terms of battling for sales, fans, venues is not 
yet known.  But if you like metal and hard rock, Cavaleras hasn't 
changed his style *that* much - which makes _Soulfly_ a must-get 
album.
	For more information on them, you can check out related sites 
at http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com or http://www.sepultribe.com
---
	REVIEW: Jolene, _In the Gloaming_ (Sire)
		- Arabella Clauson
	Rumors circulating about Jolene suggest this North 
Carolina country-rock band borrows its name from a Dolly 
Parton song.  While the monicker actually derives from a 
great-great-aunt of first cousins John Crooke and Dave 
Burris, the tribute is highly appropriate, as Jolene makes 
no bones about acknowledging those predecessors of the 
alternative-country circuit.  Much more than a straight-up 
rock band, Jolene seamlessly incorporates subtle qualities 
of a rickety country porch into a roots-heavy urban rock 
sound.  An unlikely marriage of the city mouse/country 
mouse variety, the style recognizes similarities while 
emphasizing the benefits of genre blending.
	Soon after its inception in 1995, the group quietly 
bred a grass roots following as the unnanounced opening act 
for a 1996 Hootie and the Blowfish tour. An eleventh hour 
signing to Sire Records led Jolene quickly into a Montreal 
studio to record this relaxing, Neil Young hand-me-down 
brand of wash-and-wear rock and roll.
	Spending an hour with _In the Gloaming_, the band's 
major label debut, is like taking a relaxing stroll down a 
rural interstate highway.  Every time the flat electric 
sound meanders dangerously close to the white grunge line, 
singer John Crooke yanks it back with his nasal, deep 
hickory-smoked vocals. He repeatedly sqeezes another drop 
of country out of almost every track, even the Hootie and 
the Blowfish sound resonating from the depths of "So 
Sleepless You" and "Two Sisters and the Laureate."
	Like a mop of tangled hair, the bleeding electric 
guitar is everpresent, lending a sometimes pleasing, 
sometimes highly irritating thematic unity to an otherwise 
disheveled surface.  Just when the listener might have a 
break from the flat, surging sound, the electric reclaims 
its place in yet another power chord.  Suffice to say the 
guitar dominates instrumentally, as do Crooke's distinctive 
vocals, leaving percussion and bass in a sort of irrelevant 
struggle to break through the suffocating layers of humid 
noise.
	High points include first track "Pensacola, " and 
the jangly "Exhibit (World Disturbance) No.2"  where Crooke 
wafts around in tribute to something with quite incomprehensible 
lyrics, "I just want to live this life forever." "Recline and 
Sensible" and "Begin 1000" boast guitar riffs derivative of 
R.E.M.'s _Monster_ and vocals which seem to channel a soaring 
Jeff Buckley (albeit rather slurred).  Chock full of fairly 
typical chord progressions, none of the tracks can really 
spread the radio disease, but overall Jolene puts forth an 
interesting cross-genre appeal. 
---
	REVIEW: Largo, _Largo_ (Blue Gorilla / Mercury)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	When Antonin Dvorak composed "Symphony No. 9 
(From The New World)", he became the first European 
composer to pay homage to American music by writing in the 
spirit of National American melodies.  Nearly 100 years 
later, a lineup of musicians brought together by Rob 
Hyman and Rick Chertoff have furthered the spirit 
which Dvorak pioneered.
	Hyman and Chertoff are best known for their work 
with the Hooters; Hyman as a performer, Chertoff for his 
production work.  Rather than merely serving as a renaming 
of the Hooters, Largo truly becomes a project bigger than 
that band.
	Some of the Hooters' earlier work foreshadowed _Largo_.  
An updated version of Hedy West's traditional folk ballad "500 Miles", 
with Peter Paul & Mary, and one of the oldest songs known to man, 
"Greensleeves", was used as their introduction to the live version 
of "Johnny B".  Having graduated from simply the hooter, Hyman and 
the man of a million sounds and languages, Eric Bazilian, bring out a 
cornucopia of musical instruments (nyckelharpa, tremolo guitar, 
mandolin, harp, milk drum, peckhorn and more) for this collection.
	"Freedom Ride" has all the hooks of any Bazilian/Hyman 
collaboration, with Taj Mahal taking the lead on this Harlem meets 
the Underground Railroad setting; "Gimme A Stone" pairs David 
Forman up with the Dylan-like Levon Helm as an unlikely co-lead 
vocalist, but the team works well on this hummable, addictive, 
David vs Goliath track.  "Before The Mountains" has a 50s doo-wop 
feel in the church setting, as Hyman's organ contrasts nicely with 
Little Isidore's oldtime vocals. Finger snapping is simulated with 
the bass pedals and washboard and takes the listener back to another era.
	Irish group the Chieftains bookend this album with their 
version and reprise of Dvorak's "Largo", and perform on the 
all-star collaboration of Carole King and Joan Osborne on "An 
Uncommon Love", where the woman who brought us _Tapestry_ produces 
another writing gem.
	While listening to _Largo_, I could not help but imagine 
a time gone by, where the citizens would gather in the center of 
town, performing their musical crafts.  No outsiders would be 
present, but a diverse group of people offering reminders of 
their past would entertain the townsfolk with an assortment of 
music including folk, gospel, and whatever else caught someone's fancy.
It wasn't to be chic, it wasn't to be hip - it would come from the 
heart.
	In this age of self-pity, trend-setting, and electronica, it 
takes guts to produce a record such as _Largo_. 
---
	REVIEW: Pat McGee Band, _Revel_ (McGee)
		- Arabella Clauson
	The problem with independent music is the 
insurmountable challenge of widespread distribution.  Without 
the luxury of excessive budget record label publicity 
departments, promotion workers getting the word out to the 
media, and a small army of dedicated staff members to 
champion a single artist, independents often find themselves 
grasping at the fringes of a modern industrial machine.
	Enter Pat Mcgee, a young singer/songwriter who has 
made quite a name for himself on the mid-Atlantic East Coast 
five years of constant touring.  A master storyteller,  McGee 
is the bleeding-heart sensitive guy big enough to channel his 
feminine side, and his earnest songs and striking good-looks 
have swept many a female undergraduate off her feet.  
Billboard calls him the "East Coast college darling," which 
is entirely accurate as the young band delivers an exciting 
set of infectious, roots-rock grooves on McGee's second 
independent release, _Revel_.
	Recalling a more subdued Dave Matthews and the fluid 
acoustic grooves of the Freddy Jones Band, _Revel_ is either a 
great collection of driving tunes, or relaxing background music 
for a perfect first date.  Raucous college boys should take 
notes and learn how to woo those women from Pat Mcgee, who 
seems to have a firm grip on everything: the smooth bedroom 
voice, the steady subtle rhythm section, twisting three-part 
harmonies.  He's a high-class, easy on the ears roots-rocking 
stylish smooth-talking salesman without the polyester suit, 
connecting people to their stories through ultra-smooth, 
polished songwriting far beyond his years.  If he were a car 
salesman, he could probably have even the most reluctant 
customer driving out of that lot in a '76 Duster.
	Passion lauches the album with a toe-tapping upbeat 
saxophone intro before McGee practically throws an invitation 
through the speakers: "I'm trying to ask you to open up your 
senses/To all the fine things that tear down your fences/Put up 
by, and kept by those who don't always listen."  Well, once 
those senses are open, the disc just gets better, sometimes 
recalling an extremely upbeat James Taylor ("Passion" and "All 
Around Us") as the band explores different sounds and styles 
through acoustic instruments and occasional bongo percussions.  
McGee proves himself adept at writing everything from danceable 
foot shuffling boogie to the hearfelt ballad on "Rebecca" and 
"On Your Way Out of Here" before ending with the extremely 
touching memorial, "Elegy for Amy."
	Fans of the Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, and Freddy 
Jones Band should take note, as some of them clearly play a 
stylistically influential role on Revel. Merchandise and sound 
samples are readily available through the website 
http://www.patmcgeeband.com or by calling (703) 941-1496.
---
	REVIEW: Alejandro Escovedo, _More Miles Than Money Live 
		1994-96_ (Bloodshot)
		- Tracey Bleile
	I recently had the opportunity to see this elder statesman 
of the Austin music scene play here in my town, but as the rest of 
you working stiffs with a day job knows, live shows on a weeknight 
wreaks all kinds of havoc on you when you gotta get up at 5:30 the 
next day.  So, regretfully I passed.  I figured I would console 
myself with _More Miles Than Money_, a collection of Alejandro 
Escovedo performances taken right off the sound board from five 
different shows spanning about three years of his endless touring.
	Well, it half-worked.  It really only made me wish I had 
taken the trouble to see the live show.  The sound board recordings 
retain the warmth and immediacy of the music's presentation, which, 
when coupled with the performance consistency and flexibility that 
is Escovedo's trademark, makes this recording a joy to hear.  The 
material covers all the ground of his solo career with a couple of 
staple cover tunes - including a snarly shouted Iggy Pop's "I Wanna 
Be Your Dog" -  that date back to his True Believers days.  Songs 
that were originally heavier rockers, as in "One More Time" from 
_Gravity_ take on a new force when slowed way down, and with a 
backdrop of steel guitar and cello, becomes an exercise in hearing 
a confession set to music, painful and beautiful at the same time.
	The disc closes with a medley, if you will, of a song that 
exists in two versions, "Gravity/Falling Down", quiet on _Gravity_, 
noisy on the Buick MacKane album.  Escovedo starts out at the quiet 
end, builds it up, and then seamlessly flows into Lou Reed's 
"Street Hassle" back down again to the last quiet verses, bringing 
the command performance for you to a shimmering end.
	So you better believe this is a live show worth seeing 
(yes, even suffering for if it happens to be on a night where you 
gotta be somewhere too early the next day).  I won't make that 
mistake twice.
	For more information, check out Bloodshot's web site at 
http://www.narl.com/bloodshot
---
	INTERVIEW: Cheri Knight
		- Al Muzer
	More than a little bit country and the unmistakable owner 
of a rock n roll soul, former Blood Oranges bassist and present-day 
yall-ternative chart hopeful Cheri Knight comes up Aces with her 
second solo shot, _The Northeast Kingdom_.
	One of the richest, fullest, most emotionally grounded, 
genuinely felt collections of real-life stories set to 
melodically-compelling hooks since her own contributions (All The 
Way Down, Shine, Hells Half Acre, Crying Tree, Shadow Of You) to 
the Blood Oranges catalog or her 1996 solo debut, _The Knitter_  
Knight's latest song cycle (recorded for country music outlaw Steve 
Earle's E-Squared Records) twangs when you think it should, soothes 
when it needs to, shouts when you want it to, hooks when it has to 
and hits you where you hurt each and every time you smack the play 
button.
	A Massachusetts (Hatfield, population 3,390) flower farmer 
and, with Blood Oranges, a genuine No Depression architect and next 
generation inspiration, Knight's new release comes hard on the 
heels of years of bad luck (1996s _The Knitter_ and all three 
Blood Oranges efforts were on the no-longer-in-existence East 
Side Digital imprint) and bad breaks (radio barely recognized 
alterna-twang until just a few years ago) that left a lot of truly 
great music pretty much unheard.
	Recorded in two whirlwind weeks in Nashville with 
contributions from Earle (on harmonium, guitar and bouzouki), 
Emmylou Harris (vocals on two tracks), former E Street bassist 
Gary Tallent, fiddle wizard Tammy Rogers, one-time dBs drummer 
Will Rigby and former Blood Oranges members Jimmy Ryan (mandolin) 
and Mark Spencer (guitar) throughout; _The Northeast Kingdom_ and 
E-Squared should be able to do for Knight what four previous 
releases couldn't do - get brilliant songs such as "All Blue", 
"Rose In The Vine", "If Wishes Were Horses", "Black Eyed Susie" 
and "White Lies" played on the radio.
	Although that, in turn, presents Knight and the amazingly 
eclectic _The Northeast Kingdom_ with yet another dilemma. What 
radio station? What radio format? Rock? AAA? College? Pop? AOR? 
Country?
	"I don't really get much action on the college stations 
or anything like that," Knight says during a phone call on a 
recent day off ("I was out on the road for six weeks and I just 
got home the night before  now I have to go out, buy a van and 
somehow get it on the road before Tuesday.") between East and 
West Coast tours.
	But, "It's not a country record," she adds quickly. "It's 
a songwriters' record. I think that, basically, is the direction, 
in terms of marketing, they're [E-Squared] going with. Triple AAA, 
Americana and public radio," Knight laughs. "Wherever the market 
for, say  a Lucinda Williams or a Steve Earle is is where they're 
trying to take my record.
	"I'm really surprised, I have to say, at the response the 
album's gotten so far," Knight ventures somewhat awkwardly. "The 
reaction to _The Northeast Kingdom_ is just so beyond anything I 
imagined."
	"I'm just so glad that people get it," she adds with a hint 
of pride mixed with genuine relief, "that they enjoy it. Because 
this record is so much more me than any project I've ever done 
before. When you put that much of yourself out, and that much of 
yourself in, to something - let's just say that it's nice to get 
a little feedback for a change. I'm someone who has to really 
believe in what they're doing - so it's kind of reassuring to 
know that I followed the right track."
	"I've spent my entire life trying to get to the point 
where I can do cool things, have those things be something I could 
use to support myself and have those things be what I love doing," 
Knight says when the second half of her tour is mentioned, "I 
love playing live. We're in a van. Touring around. Four musicians 
and a tour manager. Town to town. The old fashioned way. [laughs] 
What more could I possibly want?
	Look for Knight on the road with guitarist Eric Lewis, 
guitarist/vocalist Marlee MacLeod, Rigby and, if the night and 
location are just right Jimmy Ryan sitting in on the mandolin 
("Jimmy's coming out on the road with us again!," Knight insists. 
"We did a bunch of East Coast dates - New York, Boston, North 
Hampton - and he's gonna hook up with us again in the Southwest 
for a bunch of shows.") on tour at a large, but not too darn 
large, club near you later this summer.
	For more information, check out E-Squared Records on the 
web at http://www.e2records.com
---
	REVIEW: Destroyed By Anger, _Destroyed By Anger_ (Vulture)
		- Paul Hanson
	Amid the anger Destroyed By Anger's vocalist Jay (no last 
name) conveys through his hardcore gruff lyrics, DBA establish 
themselves as a band to keep an eye on as their (hopefully long) 
career unfolds. I am often captivated by a band's urgency and DBA 
is urgently racing through their songs with conviction. DBA's sound 
is physical. Their recent self-titled release pumps you up.
	While other hardcore bands have let the chug-chugging guitars 
dominate their sound, DBA doesn't. Their sound is a flat EQ, with no 
instrument overpowering the others. The brief acoustic interludes 
between the aggression serve as just enough of a breather.
	Jay (who wrote all the lyrics) is constantly in your face.  
In "Fistful of Daisies," he demands an answer to the question "Can 
you feel my fuckin' pain?" Undoubtedly, anyone that hears this disc 
will answer "Yes!" That pain is examined closer in a track called 
"Minus One," which I think is probably the best song on the disc. 
Jay growls, "I am going to die/ and I am so alone/ Like an 
eleven without a one/ I am nothing!"
	Not even half-way through this year, and I have at least 
one (this disc) on my Best of 1998 list.
---
	REVIEW: Both Worlds, _Memory Rendered Visible_ (Roadrunner)
		- Sean Eric McGill
	When I first took a look at Both World's _Memory Rendered 
Visible_, visions of Rage Against the Machine danced in my head. I 
don't know why, really - they just did. Perhaps it was the song 
titles, catchy little phrases like "Free Speech (Will Cost You)" 
and "Hate Mantra". So I sat down and gave it a listen...which leads 
to the good news and the bad news...
	First, the good news: Both Worlds are nothing like Rage 
Against the Machine. You know this from the first bars of the album 
opener "Cornered".  Sure, it's got that thick bass groove through the 
verse and the lyrics are delivered in more of a shout than anything 
else - but Both Worlds bring something different to what looks to be 
a tired execution on paper - true heart.
	_Memory Rendered Visible_ isn't an album based on following 
whatever trend is hot right now, it about doing what the band members 
believe in. And while a song like "Hate Mantra" does recall 
Soundgarden to a certain extent (and not just any Soundgarden, but 
pre-Badmotorfinger Soundgarden), it still carries the heart of Both 
Worlds with it. And the same goes for every song on the album. 
Even "Militant", which isn't one of my personal favorites is 
as good as any other hard rock song I've heard this year.
	Oh yeah...the bad news. One can only assume listening to 
_Memory Rendered Visible_ that Both Worlds puts on one helluva live 
show. But, if you don't happen to live around the upper east coast 
of the U.S., you might not see it for awhile. This is where I could do 
a shameless plug for the magazine and tell you to keep reading 
Consumable and we'll have the dates for you as soon as they're 
available...but I'm above that - really, I am...
---
	REVIEW: Dadawa, _Voices From The Sky_ (Sire)
		- Jon Steltenpohl
	Tibetan artist Dadawa uses a unique blend of eastern 
harmonies, western mixing to create a completely exotic and echoed 
sound.  _Voices From The Sky_ is a more mature and engaging album 
than her previous release, _Sister Drum_.  Once again, she comes 
close to attaining the crown of the Asian Enya, but, unlike Enya, 
Dadawa doesn't force her album into a single sonic dreamscape.  
Instead, she allows herself to punctuate silent moments with 
mind-bending vocal leaps.
	At times, Dadawa is quiet and demur.  At other times, 
she is striking and rampant.  "The Sixth Dalai Lama's Love Song" 
is a perfect example.  Her voice sounds like fine porcelain.  It 
glistens and dazzles despite being precariously fragile.  Slowly 
though, it transforms into something more beautiful and bold.  
Like a peacock spreading its tail, Dadawa emerges with a 
brilliant, shattering voice that is strong and blinding.  
Thunderbolts strike across the musical landscape, and Dadawa is 
unleashed.  Even without a translation, this is a song befitting 
of its title.  It's the Dalai Lama's love song indeed.
	"Ballad of Lhasa" is a pretty, acoustic song with 
traditional Chinese instruments done in a very modern style.  It 
features haunting background vocals and an interesting overlay of 
spoken voices that ends with a throng of people singing the chorus 
in what sounds like a large auditorium.  Lhasa is the region of 
Tibet where Dadawa and her collaborator He Xuntian are from, and 
the track conveys a sense of broad community and harmony.
	"The Believer" features a flute and Enyaesque layering of 
voices, instruments, percussion that flows in and out like 
overlapping waves caressing a beach in the moonlight.  "Question 
From The Other Shore" borrows its tone from "The Believer", and it 
echoes and resonates with soothing fundamental harmonies.  The only 
drawback to _Voices From The Sky_ is when a little Yoko Ono appears 
on "Seven Drums".  Amidst beautiful chorus's are the discordant 
cacophony often employed in Asian music.  This is actually a 
stunning and engaging track, but it breaks the Enya-esque mood.
	True fans of world music will find their ears challenged 
and invigorated, but casual fans may find their musical sensibilities 
assaulted.  You can't relax to music like this in the sense that you 
can with an Enya album.  This is captivating music, and it pulls 
your attention toward it rather than allowing complete relaxation.  
As an album, _Voices From The Sky_ is arranged superbly.  "Seven 
Drums" is included as the middle track, and acts as the emotional 
peak of the album.  By the time the album finishes with the subdued 
"Question From The Other Shore", you have taken a journey. Those 
looking for a mystical experience that exposes new levels of 
emotions might find that _Voices From The Sky_ provides the path 
they are looking for.
---
	REVIEW: Various, _Mega Hits Dance Party Volume 2_ (Interhit)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	Interhit continues their domination of the Hi-NRG and Eurodisco 
formats with the second in their series of dance versions of today's 
hits, _Mega Hits Dance Party Volume 2_.	
	Not as strong as volume 1, the latest offering in this series 
still offers up some interesting tracks with dancified covers of 
Ben Folds Five's "Brick", Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and 
Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply".  Covers of "Torn" (sung by Natalie 
Browne) and "How Do I Live" (by Linda Imperial) are highlights 
here, and the two versions of Deja Vu's "My Heart Will Go On" are 
infinitely more pleasing to this set of ears than Kenny G's horn, or 
the warbling of Celine Dion.
	Normally, Interhit's collections are packed with interesting 
interpretations of songs which wouldn't necessarily make the leap 
to Eurodance.  However, the cover of Janet Jackson's "Together Again" 
lacks imagination or distinction.  And, the major question here...who 
decided covering Aqua's "Barbie Girl" was a good idea? After all, you 
can't "Eurodisco"-ize a song which already is the epitomy of that genre.
	More hit than miss, this is best for DJs looking to mix in 
the periodic dance cover version of today's hits than casual listening 
at home.
---
NEWS:	> Pittsburgh, PA promoters for the Ghetto Booty 
Battle have been swindled for $10,000 by someone fraudulently 
claiming to book the Beastie Boys under the auspices of the 
band's Grand Royal label.
	> Music trivia experts can show their mettle at 1998's 
Second Annual Rhino Musical Aptitude Test (RMAT), set to take 
place simultaneously at live locations in Los Angeles, New York, 
Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, DC, 
and over the Internet.  
	The RMAT (held Sunday May 17 at 3 pm EST) is an annual  
300-question, open-book trivia test covering all genres of music 
with the exception of classical.  This year two new categories 
are being added: Test takers will be asked to "name that tune" 
and "identify that album-cover artwork."
	For more information and entry instructions, check out 
the web site at http://www.rmat.rhino.com 
	> On June 2, 1998 Contingency Records will release a CD 
containing 15 tracks (including one unreleased track) hand-picked 
by David Slutes & Rich Hopkins from their two, long out-of-print 
Sidewinders albums, _Witchdoctor_ and _Auntie Ramos' Pool Hall_.
	Check out Contingency's website ( http://www.contingency.com ) 
for details on how fans can order this item in advance as well as a 
chance to win a limited edition print celebrating this release.
	The Sand Rubies are in the final stages of picking out 
artwork and taking photos for their fifth studio release, the 
first in nearly five years, tentatively titled _Cinco_, set for a 
late June / early July release.
---
TOUR DATES:
	Cherry Poppin' Daddies
May 1 Eugene, OR Univ. of Oregon

	Cows
Apr. 28 Los Angeles, CA Dragon Fly 
Apr. 29 San Francisco, CA Slim's 
May 1 Portland, OR La Luna 
May 2 Seattle, WA Crodile  

	Kyle Davis
Apr. 27 Annapolis, MD Rams Head
Apr. 28 Virginia Beach, VA Rogues

	John Wesley Harding / Steve Wynn
May 1 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
May 2 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
May 3 Eugene, OR Wow Hall

	Irving Plaza (NYC concert hall - www.irvingplaza.com)
Apr. 27 Indigo Girls / Michelle Malone
May 1 Pietasters
May 2 Gary Numan

	Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Apr. 27 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
Apr. 29 Shrevesport, LA The Malibu
Apr. 30 New Orleans, LA Fairgrounds Racecourse
May 1 New Orleans, LA UNO Lakefront Arena
May 2 Nashville, TN Nashville River Stages
May 3 Memphis, TN Beale Street Music Festival

	Morcheeba
Apr. 27 Toronto, Canada Lee's Palace
Apr. 28 Montreal, Canada Cabaret Music Hall
Apr. 29 Boston, MA Axis
May 1 New York, NY El Flamingo
May 2 Washington D.C. The 9:30 Club
May 3 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero

	Gary Numan
May 1 Philadelphia, PA TLA
May 2 New York, NY Irving Plaza
May 3 Cambridge, MA Middle East

	Sherry Rich
Apr. 29 Nashville, TN Cafe Milano

	Slackers
Apr. 28 New Orleans, LA Maple Leaf 

	Smart Went Crazy
Apr. 27 Cleveland, OH Speak In Tongues
Apr. 28 Springfield, MA Daddio's
Apr. 29 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Apr. 30 Portsmouth, NH Elvis Room
May 1 Providence, RI Tap Room - Rhode Island School of Design
May 2 Middletown, CT Wesleyan University

	Trinket
Apr. 29 Valdosta, GA Valdosta State
Apr. 30 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's
May 1 Baton Rouge, LA Bayou
May 2-3 New Orleans, LA Aquarium of the Americas
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
	> What is Mr. O'Hagan's problem?  I've got _Hawaii_ - 
nice album. But it's really just a passing piece of ear candy 
designed to make some of us think "boy, they don't make 'em 
like Brian Wilson used to anymore".  And that includes the High 
Llamas.  Talk about disingenuous...that's exactly what separates 
the High Llamas music from actual *original* song writing - Passion.
	Listening to their tunes is nice.  Kinda 'hey look!  I can 
do this, too!'
	- Brian, Orlando, FL
	PS:  I don't think _OK Computer_ saved the world either, but 
at least it was a stretch far, far away from Puffy.
===
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest 
music reviews publication on the Internet.
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
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===
