== ISSUE 211 ====  CONSUMABLE ONLINE  ======== [June 1, 2000]

  Editor:             Bob Gajarsky
                         E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
  Managing Editor:    Lang Whitaker
  Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann D. Ball, Chris Hill, Bill 
                      Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Jon Steltenpohl
  Correspondents:     Michelle Aguilar, Paul Andersen, Christina 
                      Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Jason Cahill, 
                      Matthew Carlin, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan, 
                      Matt Fink, Krisjanis Gale, Jade Hughes, Paul Hanson,  
                      Scott Hudson, Jianda Johnson, Steve Kandell, 
                      David J. Klug, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes 
                      Long, I.K. MacLeod, Al Muzer, Wilson Neate,
                      Mike Pfeiffer, Linda Scott,  Don Share, Scott 
                      Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, 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 Consumable 
and their author(s). 
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                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
REVIEW: Steve Earle, _Transcendental Blues_ - Matt Fink
REVIEW: Olive, _Trickle_ - Joann D. Ball
CONCERT REVIEW: Wire at Irving Plaza, New York City - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: Various Artists, _VH1 Storytellers_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Robert Belfour, _What's Wrong With You_ - David J. Klug
REVIEW: King's X, _Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Songs for the Jet Set 2000_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Julie Ritter, _songs of love and empire_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Dianogah, _Battle Champions_ - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Damon Bramblett, _Damon Bramblett_ - David J. Klug
REVIEW: Land of the Loops, _Puttering About a Small Land_ - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: pApAs fritAs, _Buildings & Grounds_ - Chris Hill 
REVIEW: the scoldees, _My Pathetic Life_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Panther - A Tribute to Pantera_ - Paul Hanson
REVIEW: Cerulean, _Skylight_ - Paul Andersen
NEWS: Joey Waronker / R.E.M.
TOUR DATES: Dope / Primer 65 / Pimpadelic, Eels, Foreigner, 
   Indigo Girls / Spearhead, Jayhawks, Korn, Steve Miller / Gov't Mule, 
   Skint (record label) tour - Brassic Beats, Elliott Smith, 
   3 Doors Down, Sally Taylor, Tonic, Wheat
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	REVIEW: Steve Earle, _Transcendental Blues_ (Artemis)
		- Matt Fink
	There is a rather well-known quote from Steve Earle in which he 
claims that the late Townes Van Zandt was the greatest songwriter alive and 
that he'd stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table and make that proclamation.  
No doubt, Van Zandt was a tremendous songwriter, but sadly served as an 
all too real role model for a young Steve Earle, who would follow his 
lead and spend a good portion of his life fighting chemical vices.  Life 
rarely gives second chances, and in the end Van Zandt paid the price for 
a life that put a little too much strain on his body, as he died at the 
age of 52.  Earle, however, has made the most of his.  
	To be sure, few artists had a better decade in the 90's than 
Earle, who kicked heroin, was released from prison, remarried, *and* 
recorded four fantastic albums in the span of five years.  From the 
pastoral acoustic folk of _Train a Comin'_ to the rambling stoic song 
cycles of the junkie coming through his struggles a stronger man on _I 
Feel Alright_ and the spectacularly eclectic _El Corazon_, Earle has 
been busy making up for lost time.  Heck, he even recorded a bluegrass 
album with 1999's _The Mountain_.  No matter how close Earle was to the 
edge, he managed to turn his experiences into a voice of real-life 
perspective, and we should be happy that he was inspired to use the 
musical medium to heal his largely self-inflicted wounds.
	To this day, Earle seems to be a haunted man.  No doubt, very few 
artists have stared into the void as intently as Earle, who found the 
allure so strong that he took up residence there for awhile, eventually 
finding himself a frail 95 pound ghetto junkie who didn't even own a 
guitar.  Earle knows how far he has come, and he's not looking to 
squander any opportunities.  After all, this is a man who pleaded with 
Woody Guthrie to "come back to us now," but ended up being too impatient 
and took to personally playing at political rallies whose causes he was 
interested in, just as the folk legend had done himself.  All that being 
said, the stakes have been raised for _Transcendental Blues_, the more 
legitimate follow-up to the watershed release of _El Corazon_.
	 Coming off almost as a summary of the four aforementioned 
recordings, _Transcendental Blues_ sounds somewhat like a collection 
of unreleased gems from those sessions, as the new effort revisits much 
of the same territory musically and thematically.  Blowing through 15 
songs in less than 50 minutes, Earle opens with two rather lumbering 
guitar tracks, with both the title cut and "Everyone's In Love With You" 
being somewhat alt. rock friendly.  These mid-tempo rockers almost seem 
to melt into one another with psychedelic Beatles circa-_Magical Mystery 
Tour_ effects, fuzzed out guitars, crashing drums, backmasked vocals 
and vaguely Eastern elements.  Recalling the Fab Four again, especially 
McCartney's "Fool on the Hill," "The Boy Who Never Cried" is quite 
literally unlike anything Earle has done in the past.  Being a strange 
mini-epic with dramatically sweeping orchestration and tempo changes 
uncharacteristically grandiose for Earle, the ballad shows an amazing 
extension of his abilities as a songwriter.
	For all the critical acclaim Earle gets for his startling 
narratives and intense introspection, he really can write a great tune. 
The bouncy Cajun-influenced "Steve's Last Ramble" is about as infectious 
as anything he has ever written, with blissfully blown harmonica and 
tight accordion lines all wrapped around Earle's ruminations on giving 
up the wild life.  Once again showing his resourcefulness, the high 
energy "The Galway Girl" is yet another surprise, with Earle 
incorporating Celtic touches with beautifully soaring penny whistles 
and the accordion of Irish musician Sharon Shannon.  Seeing that he 
has recorded with both the Del McCoury Band and the Supersuckers in 
recent memory, you have to wonder if a collaboration with the 
Chieftains could be too far away.
	Even as Earle seems to be breaking new ground, the majority of 
the tracks seem to have musical relatives on his other albums.  The 
driving "I Can Wait" brings to mind "Somewhere Out There" from _El 
Corazon_; whereas, the gently finger-picked guitar and shuffling drums 
of "Lonlier Than This" recalls much of the work on _Train a Comin'_.  
The Byrds-ish chiming guitar and ringing organ of "Wherever I Go" finds 
Earle again trying to outrun his relentlessly pursuing demons, yet 
somewhat resolved that he'll just have to deal with them.  The striking 
verse of "Halo 'Round the Moon" recalls Van Zandt's "If I Needed You" as 
much as anything, as Earle often pays homage to the songwriter's legacy. 
Earle returns to bluegrass on "Until The Day I Die," which must be at 
least in part semi-autobiographical, as a country boy is bewitched by 
the city and ends up longing for the familiar fields of home while 
behind prison bars.  No doubt the most powerful statement on the album, 
Earle creates a character who laments his wandering ways and wearily 
looks forward to the release of death in "Over Yonder (Jonathan's 
Song)," as he makes a list of who he'd like to receive his earthly 
possessions.  Saying "I hurt everyone I loved" and "I'm goin' over 
yonder where no ghost can follow me" is about as moving as anything to 
spring from Earle's pen and probably sums up a good deal of what he has 
been through. 
	All in all, _Transcendental Blues_ seems to lack the urgency and 
cohesiveness of _El Corazon_ or _I Feel Alright_.  Still, adding all the 
elements reveals an album that is a nearly note perfect country rock 
album, being equal parts Gram Parsons and the Beatles. So, even if it 
isn't Earle's most dizzyingly fantastic album, it might be the best 
album you hear all year.  If, as Earle would have us believe, Townes Van 
Zandt's death left a void at the head of the singer-songwriter movement, 
he's obviously doing everything he can to make sure he can put a claim 
on that distinction.
---
	REVIEW: Olive, _Trickle_ (Maverick)
		- Joann D. Ball
	_Trickle_ is the much anticipated sophomore release from 
Northern England's electronic duo Olive.  Building on a solid foundation 
established in 1997 with the excellent debut _Extra Virgin_, keyboardist 
Tim Kellett and vocalist Ruth-Ann Boyle once again experiment with an 
adventurous mix of drum 'n' bass, jungle and reggae dub.  And this time 
out, Olive add yet another amazing twist to their signature trip-pop 
sound.
	Olive have a new record label, and the duo's relationship with 
Maverick Records has everything to do with impressing the right people. 
Super fans Madonna and her Maverick co-partner Guy Oseary initially 
contacted Kellett and Ruth-Ann about contributing to the _Next Best Thing_ 
soundtrack.  Since Olive had just ended an agreement with RCA Records, 
Maverick was well ahead in the recruitment game.  Not only did Olive 
produce an exciting dance cover of the 10cc classic "I'm Not In Love" for 
the soundtrack, the duo also signed a long term deal with the label.  And 
_Trickle_ is the fantastic result.
	"I'm Not In Love," which is included on the new release, is 
connecting with audiences in dance clubs and is receiving significant 
airplay on dance/hits-oriented radio stations across the country.  But that 
cover is just a mere hint of what fills the long player.  Olive once again 
casts that signature ethereal hypnotic spell from the first sounds of the 
opening track "Love Affair" through the last note of the secret bonus 
track "Take My Hand."
	While the grooves on _Trickle_ are more subtle, the sound remains 
melodic, textured and multi-layered.  The songwriting is still brutally 
honest and straightforward as it addresses the various emotions and moods 
evoked by love and loss.  Kellett, who writes from a distinctly feminine 
point of view, penned half of the tracks solo and collaborated with Ruth 
Ann on four songs.  The heartfelt and soulful "Smile," however, was written 
by the duo with partner Peter Vettesse.  Ruth-Ann's captivating and 
soothing vocals, which made "You're Not Alone" an international hit for 
Olive three years ago, work similar magic on "All You Ever Needed" and 
"Speak to Me."  The most outstanding track here, though, is "Push" which 
enhances an electronic ambient sound with classical orchestration.
	Olive are scheduled to perform a series of live dates in the U.S. 
this Summer to support _Trickle_.  With a new record label, a new record 
and tour, Olive will once again deliver trip-pop to the masses.
---
	CONCERT REVIEW: Wire at Irving Plaza, New York City
		- Wilson Neate
	All right, here it is . . . again . . . the return of Wire 
nearly quarter of a century after their inception and 12 years after 
their last US gig.  While Finnish electro noodlers Pan sonic did their 
best to hold the audience's attention, they offered only a minor 
distraction from the more pressing concern on most people's minds: 
namely, could Wire still be the fly in the ointment or would Wire 2000 
be a load of kidney bingos?
	It's a worrying question given the many circa '76-'77 acts 
who've become the very dinosaurs against which they once railed, wheeling 
out aged, zimmer-frame punk and playing gigs that often consist of 
40-something blokes with beer bellies playing to 30-something blokes 
with beer bellies, stage-diving and pogoing.  In other words, one of 
the deeper circles of rock hell -- an evening of sad pantomime nostalgia 
in pursuit of a past authenticity delivered by has-beens and 
never-weres, long deprived of the context in which they might have 
been relevant for a fleeting moment.
	But last night, as the first layers of sound coalesced gloriously 
into 1977's "Pink Flag," we were reminded of what we already knew. To 
ask if Wire are still relevant misses the point.  Wire's relevance has 
never had anything to do with a context exterior to them as they've 
always constructed their own context and have routinely reinvented it.  
Wire have constantly rewritten the rules of the game -- live and on 
record -- often defying comparison. Even to measure Wire in terms of 
how authentic they sound compared to one of their previous incarnations 
is a red herring.  They were never authentic and have never kept it 
real, opting instead to be the ideal copy and to emphasize a performed 
identity and an ironic distance.
	Although they were never fully part of the punk scene, they 
were the consummate punk band.  By mid '77, punk's fleeting creativity 
and spontaneity had stagnated into homogeneity and caricature, yet 
Wire's "40 Versions" of themselves would offer a postmodern antidote 
to the fixed identity that punk quickly assumed.  With their first 
album in 1977, Wire were already offering a metacommentary on the 
scene, pushing songwriting and performance in new directions with a 
degree of humor, experimentation and unpredictability that, while 
allegedly central to the punk ethos, was sorely lacking from most of 
their peers in anything but posture and pose.
	Wire prefer the path of most resistance, especially live.  
Infamous for choosing to play unrecorded, new tracks in place of "the 
hits" -- sometimes in an almost confrontational fashion, as evidenced 
on the _Document and Eyewitness_ CD -- they often managed to out-punk 
audiences who wanted to hear familiar material. In view of their modus 
operandi, it might seem unthinkable then, not only that the original 
four members of Wire have come together once more but also that 
they're touring and playing old material in a "proper" concert format.  
But of course, in the Wire scheme of things it makes perfect sense, 
given that it's so unexpected. As drummer Robert Gotobed explained 
recently, "For Wire, this is radical."
	In an hour-long set featuring tracks from the '77-'79 albums 
_Pink Flag_, _Chairs Missing_ and _154_, '80s material from _The Ideal 
Copy_ and _A Bell is A Cup_ and a new song ("He Knows"), Wire didn't 
falter for an instant.  Just four blokes grafting away on a bare stage, 
with basic lighting, no-frills instrumentation and no special effects, 
they managed to generate and maintain a compelling level of intensity 
and energy.
	With his trademark sneering delivery fixed somewhere between 
irony and sarcasm, Colin Newman took care of lead vocal duties as well 
as one half of the guitar onslaught. The other half was provided by 
Bruce Gilbert, who stood characteristically motionless for the 
duration, focused on the job at hand and proving that -- while he 
might look like your high school geography teacher -- he's undoubtedly 
the hippest 55-year-old punk around.  Although Graham Lewis took a back 
seat vocally, occasionally joining with Newman on choruses, his bass 
sounded fuller than ever.
	But the star of the evening was drummer Gotobed. Eyes closed 
and hammering away on the sparsest of kits with the insistence and 
consistency of a human metronome, he didn't miss a beat. From the 
older material through mid-period fare like "Advantage in Height," 
"Silk Skin Paws" and "The Boiling Boy" and even on the new track, his 
performance proved that he has always brought a crucial dimension to 
Wire. It's ironic that the man who made himself redundant in 1990 on 
the verge of the band's fuller exploration of computer technology should 
now return as the pivotal member.
	Despite their metamorphoses over the years, last night's gig 
foregrounded the common denominators of their sound that have remained 
recognizable: namely, an inimitable ability to craft unique, textured 
songs out of the juxtaposition and layering of minimal, individual 
elements and a lyrical repertoire that comes and goes between the 
twin -- often overlapping -- poles of snapshot observation and surreal 
abstraction.
	Among the highlights were a chunkier rendering -- thanks to 
Lewis's bass -- of their paean to postmodern identity, "40 Versions," 
and "Mercy," a track that somehow brings together the shipping forecast 
and cross-dressing. "Mercy" was particularly impressive as Wire edged 
it through its menacing build up, put it through its varying paces and 
rhythms and finally pushed it onto its crashing climax.  Punk's two 
initial challenges with regard to duration and speed -- "How short?" 
and "How fast?" -- were revisited with blistering renderings of 
"Another the Letter" and the inevitable "12XU," which provided the 
respective answers, "still under a minute" and "faster than Fear."
	The taut, pared-down funk of "Lowdown" witnessed the hitherto 
unthinkable prospect of a Wire sing-a-long (of sorts) as a smiling 
Newman briefly yielded to the audience.  During the performance of 
"12XU," Wire's ludic side openly declared itself in full-on comedy as 
Newman engaged in a deliberately camp rendition of what appeared to be 
a snake dance.
	With Robert Poss of the Band of Susans adding to the guitar 
arsenal, Wire came back for an encore, a 10-minute version of "Drill."  
Last night's rendition was rough and raucous, shot through with 
feedback and shorn of almost all its lyrics.  It was the ideal coda.  
"Drill" is a track whose myriad incarnations have stood as the perfect 
embodiment of Wire's own trajectory of continuities and discontinuities. 
Ultimately, last night's mutation of "Drill" underscored the point made 
by the gig as a whole -- that Wire continue to reinvent themselves in 
ways that demand our attention.
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _VH1 Storytellers_ (Interscope)
		- Scott Hudson
	VH1's Storytellers series has been enormously successful, so it 
was certainly no surprise when the fine folks at VH1 released _VH1 
Storytellers_, a compilation CD extracting best-of performances from 
the show. What was a huge surprise, if not a downright disappointment, 
was that the disc contains no stories. Let's face it, the allure of the 
show are the stories that inspired the songs, told by the artists in 
their own words, in their own voices. So if it's stories you want, 
you'll have to pull out the booklet that accompanies the disc and read 
them.
	The disc does feature some fine performances from artists such 
as David Bowie, James Taylor, Stevie Nicks, The Bee Gees, The Pretenders, 
Counting Crows and Elvis Costello. But without the stories, there is 
nothing that sets this disc apart from any other big-time compilation 
disc you may find in your local record store. To VH1's credit, a 
portion of the proceeds from the sale of _VH1 Storytellers_ will 
benefit City Of Hope programs in pediatric oncology, as well as other 
forms of cancer.
	One can only hope that VH1 will learn from its mistake. And 
with recent installments to the show featuring such artists as The 
Stone Temple Pilots, Pete Townshend and Steely Dan, a second compilation 
disc could be rather interesting not only because of the great music, 
but the inspiring stories behind them. 
	As for this disc, the only story that was told, was the one 
VH1 told you when they packaged this disc and stamped _VH1 
Storytellers_ on the cover. 
---
	REVIEW: Robert Belfour, _What's Wrong With You_ (Fat Possum)
		- David J. Klug
	The Fat Possum label has been heralded for unearthing electrified 
North Mississippi juke-joint blues by R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, 
and T-Model Ford, in addition to offering the stirring music of 
Mississippi natives Asie Payton and Super Chikan.  Robert Belfour is 
a striking addition to the Fat Possum catalog, as he makes music that's 
genuinely difficult to distinguish from vintage blues recordings of the 
20s and 30s. Any familiarity with that era's country blues serves as 
excellent reference, because with the exception of two songs _What's 
Wrong With You_ is a solo acoustic recording.  It may also be the 
finest blues record I'll hear all year.  
	What astounds as much as the music on record is that this is 
Belfour's first full-length release.  Now 60, he's recorded only once 
before -- in 1995 he contributed eight songs to an obscure German 
anthology titled _The Spirit Of Blues Lives On._  Belfour's vocals at 
times recall John Lee Hooker in utilization and tonal range but as 
remarkable as his singing is, his guitar playing is outstanding (it's 
notable too that he's entirely self-taught).  The power of Belfour's 
music is undeniable, and at least comes from the tradition of Hooker, 
Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters. What's Wrong With You gets my highest 
recommendation, and makes for an essential addition to any serious 
blues music enthusiast's collection. In 1982 John Swenson (Crawdaddy 
editor and frequent contributor to Rolling Stone and Village Voice) 
wrote that Lightnin' Hopkins was the last of the great country-blues 
singers.  Had Belfour been recording then, that statement would never 
have been written. 
---
	REVIEW: King's X, _Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous_ (Metal Blade)
		- Scott Hudson
	King's X eighth studio release _Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous_ 
could have easily been titled _Crime Of The Century_ , and for good 
reason. When the Houston trio consisting of Ty Tabor (Guitar), Doug 
Pinnick (Bass) and the underrated Jerry Gaskill (Drums) released their 
debut album, _Out Of The Silent Planet_ in 1988, they brought to the 
table a unique blend of seamless Beatlesque harmonies amidst a wall of 
heavy-rock riffs, Revolver-era psychedelia and driving prog/metal 
rhythms. The result was sheer musical magic. There was every reason to 
believe, at that time, that King's X were mega-stars in-waiting. But 
that didn't happen!
	While the world bandwagon-jumped from fad-to-fad, King's X 
unceremoniously released five brilliant records that went largely 
unnoticed by the record-buying public. As a matter of fact, the albums 
that followed, _Gretchen Goes To Nebraska_, _Faith Hope Love_, _King's 
X_ and _Dogman_ sold just under 500,000 units, combined.
	Despite the lack of mainstream support,  _Please Come Home...Mr. 
Bulbous_  proves the band's unwillingness to alter their direction or 
to conform for the sake of commercial success. 
	If there is a weak song on this set, it is the record's opening 
track "Fish Bowl Man" with its chaotic intro. Although not a bad song, 
actually the chorus is rather catchy, it does contain a lengthy, 
meaningless spoken dialogue about two-thirds of the way through.
	The tracks that follow, "Julia," "She's Gone Away" and the 
trippy-smooth "Marsh Mellow Field" are outstanding tunes and prove, 
once again, that the band has lost absolutely nothing.
	"When You're Scared" harkens back to the _Dogman_ album and is 
reminiscent of "Flies and Blue Skies", although a bit darker. The song 
captures Pinnick's knack for creating a vocally haunting atmosphere.
	And there's "Charlie Sheen" which features a classic Ty Tabor 
intro, melodic and flowing with an almost Dickey Betts feel, but your 
guess is as good as mine as to where the title comes from.
	The disc is also graced by one of the most beautiful King's X 
tunes ever written in "Bitter Sweet." The song features the band's 
excellent three-part harmony, with Tabor's atmospheric guitar lines 
carefully carrying the song to the heavenlies. 
	_Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous_ is an excellent disc, worthy of 
any collection. After 12 years and eight amazing albums, these guys ought 
to be mega-stars, but they're not. And that, my friend, is a crime.
	Perhaps we should take this disc and the rest of the King's X 
collection and put it into a time capsule, not to be unearthed for 100 
years. No doubt that those listening several generations from now would 
wonder what kind of fools we were for not allowing this band the success 
they so richly and justly deserve.          
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _Songs for the Jet Set 2000_ (Jetset)
		- Chris Hill
	Perfectly engineered for mid-afternoon autumn drives in 
the country, the third volume in the "Songs for the Jet Set" 
series is filled with breezy, sun-drenched tunes.  Their guiding 
aesthetic is '60s soundtracks:  movies of experimentation (with 
or without the aid of pharmaceuticals), romantic expression, and 
personal exploration:  movies which are quaintly dated by modern 
standards, yet still boldly visionary given today's restrictive, 
politically-correct, "just say no" environment.  Dubbing this 
aesthetic "Cinema Pop", the artists involved have managed the 
supremely rare feat of three compilations which please from start 
to finish, while firmly adhering to their initial vision.
	This installment begins with the playfully flirtatious 
"El Graphic" by Tomorrow's World - retro-chic keyboards, rhythm 
guitar, and harmonized "ba ba ba" syllables reintroducing the 
band and atmosphere to their initiates.  Responsible for one of 
the high watermarks in the series ("Kites are Fun" on the first 
volume), Tomorrow's World deliver a powerful one-two punch here, 
following their blissful, love-struck "On A Saturday" with the 
Sandra Dee, crying-in-the-windowbox "I Realised You".  Leading 
the first with male vox, and the second with female, the band 
clothe their romantic sentiment ("Visions of someone special/ 
appearing to be just daydreams of love/...All I ask's for someone 
who cares/who understands and just needs me") in unisex, one- 
size-fits-all garb.
	_Songs..._ continues the previous releases' seamless 
placement of the naive and the worldly side by side.  "Day Out" 
by Daisies ("Oh, what a hand in glove day!/Oh, what an 'I'm in 
love!' day!") is sassy and innocent, yet fits perfectly against 
the hazy, Vaseline-smeared-lens psychedelia of Milky's "Willow's 
Song".  For my money, the most cinematic of the twelve tracks, 
Milky's soft female vocals and Spanish guitar create a palpably 
dreamy setting.  Bolstering this visual quality, the aptly-named 
Wallpaper ante in with three instrumentals ("At the Art Museum", 
"Sun", "Dreams That Money Can Buy") which serve as both stand- 
alone pieces and intermissions between vocal tracks.
	Death by Chocolate offer two quirky tunes, delivering on 
the promise shown in volume two's gleefully kittenish "Zap the 
World".  The first is a cover of the cheerful, druggy "My Friend 
Jack":  "My friend Jack eats sugar lumps/Sugar man hasn't got a 
care/He's been travelling everywhere."  Their second, "Bears", 
springs from a child's inventive imagination:  "When you're 
walking between the lines and the squares/be careful that you 
don't step on the bears/...There's a bear in the gutter/so be 
careful not to utter/a sound that will disturb".  Bowery bums or 
bears, there's no judgment implied.  A girlish whisper of "Ssssh, 
there's a bear!" and a growl finish the song with its amusing 
reality intact.
	Like this track, _Songs for the Jet Set 2000_ maintains 
its humor tongue-in-cheek, convincingly sincere in its love for 
the genre, while avoiding any hints of kitsch or mockery.  This 
devotion ensures that the next volume will be as eagerly awaited.  
See http://jetset.sinner.com for further info on this series.
---
	REVIEW: Julie Ritter, _songs of love and empire_ (Luxstar)
		- Paul Andersen
	Mary's Danish was one of the most underrated, most talented 
bands ever to grace the Los Angeles music scene. They were verged on 
the big things that everyone predicted for them, only to have the 
proverbial rug pulled out from under them by an unscrupulous record 
label. They eventually splintered up, disillusioned, tired, with members 
going various ways, some to other bands, some to real estate lives in 
suburbia.
	Julie Ritter co-founded the band with kindred spirit Gretchen 
Seager, and the two vocalists forged a give-and-take style that still 
sounds better than 99 per cent of the bands out there today. But out of 
the ashes sometimes phoenixes arise, as this album verifies. Quite 
simply, Ritter has crafted a set piece that is stunning from the 
rave-up opening chords of "Bed" to the bell-ringing close of "And 
What Were Roses," with all facets of emotion and textures caught 
within the grooves echoing ever so forcefully. Even when she drops to 
a whisper, the gale force is ever at hand, threatening to burst forth 
like a biblical storm.
	Ritter's voice is not one of operatic range, and she has a 
tendency to modulate her notes in a yelp-like style, but it is signature 
sound so personal and so full of the depths that it absolutely grabs you 
by the ears and makes you notice it. Stylistically, the songs run the 
gamut from jump-up ravers to blue-tinged ballads to a mollish version 
of the only cover here, Lennon/McCartney's "Cry Baby Cry," that uses a 
noirish trumpet to set a Marlowe-like mood that would sound right at 
home on the jukebox down at your corner dive.
	As a music writer, listening time is always at a premium, but 
when I'm relaxing and listening for myself, this is the first disc I 
grab. A tour de force, well worth finding (try Amazon, or her own site, 
http://www.julieritter.com ).
---
	REVIEW: Dianogah, _Battle Champions_ (Southern)
		- Kerwin So
	Chicago's Dianogah has always stood out among underground 
rock bands for its unconventional lineup:  two bass guitars -- one 
"sharp," one "round"-- and a drummer.  That's it.  They claimed the 
reason for this arrangement was because nobody in the band could 
play guitar.  Once you hear the soft acoustic guitar tones of 
"Kaisakunin", the vignette which opens Dianogah's latest album 
_Battle Champions_, you'll realize that this has changed.
	And that's not all that's changed.  Dianogah's previous recordings 
generally tended to be muddy and plodding, favoring a more "math-
rock" type of sound, replete with mechanical and sometimes sterile 
progressions.  But hints of brilliance shone underneath, particularly the 
gentle tenderness that Dianogah has the unique capability to evoke.  
_Battle Champions_ takes this potential-- realized last year in the 
band's stunning contribution to the _Reach the Rock_ soundtrack -- 
and stretches it into the gorgeous expanse of a full album.
	In fact, _Battle Champions_ is less a rock album than a modern 
symphony composed of eleven movements.  Warm, melodic basslines 
wrap around surging rhythms that unravel from looping syncopation 
into expansive, meditative passages, occasionally accompanied by just 
the right amount of piano (as in the epic "Indie Rock Spock Ears").  
These elements together command an air of such innocence, quiet, 
and vulnerability, that you almost feel ashamed to do anything else 
while listening to it.  In this sense, Dianogah bears an aesthetic 
resemblance to '70s troubador Nick Drake.
	Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is that Dianogah very ably 
tugs at your heartstrings with very little use of vocals.  And, while the 
imperfect voice of frontman Jay Ryan remains by far the weakest 
point of an otherwise astounding band, Ryan sings with enough quiet 
conviction to carry the two voiced songs through, diminishing 
Dianogah's power not a whit.  Sample lyrics:  "I pull my head inside 
my shirt/ I've had to cover up and hide/ Because I know that it's going 
to hurt/ It's going to hurt this time."
	But if Dianogah has proven anything, it's that you don't need 
words to evoke deep emotion and get your message across.  In 
saying that, I think I've already used too many words attempting to 
describe this album-- it's just something you have to experience for 
yourself.  Me, I've been listening to _Battle Champions_ repeatedly 
for weeks now, to the point where it has weaved its way inextricably 
into the dark passageways of my consciousnessness.  Credit another 
masterpiece to producer Steve Albini, and hope that _Battle 
Champions_ finally gains Dianogah the recognition they deserve.
---
	REVIEW: Damon Bramblett, _Damon Bramblett_ (Munich)
		- David J. Klug
	I saw Damon Bramblett perform at this year's SXSW, having gone 
out of my way to hear the singer/songwriter tagged as sounding like the 
Man in Black.  For about a month prior to that show I'd inquired about 
Bramblett's music and always got the same response: he sounds like 
Johnny Cash.  Hey, that's not bad company but it nevertheless made me 
wonder if most of the people with whom I spoke ever heard a lick of 
Bramblett's music.  Yet even I took the bait and found myself telling 
others before the show that I was off to see this guy, Damon Bramblett: 
"sounds like Johnny Cash."  
	With or without the Cash comparison Bramblett's music has been 
labeled alternative country -- flag waving that is sure to make plenty 
of prospective listeners turn up their collective noses and run from 
the hills.  Too bad, because his self-titled debut is alternative 
country only because Nashville has yet to embrace its kind (and probably 
never will).  It's alternative country for lack of a better description, 
just like the "hillbilly" and "rockabilly" music of the 50s from Johnny 
Cash and Orville Couch to Carl Perkins and Warren Smith.  Those artists 
and dozens more like them were equally important contributors to early 
rock 'n' roll as much as country and would today, just like Bramblett, 
arguably be branded as alternative country artists.  Which all means 
that this record is intelligent and sassy and of the purest form of 
country music, flavored with honky tonk passion and performed rock 
solid.   
	Bramblett's an ace songwriter -- his characters come to life in 
story songs -- and real country music endears itself to him.  He penned 
all eleven tracks and stand-outs include the opener "Tear Him Down," 
which bite's hard about a critic's darling, "Nobody Wants To Go To The 
Moon Anymore," about disgust for complacency and status-quo (and 
recorded by Sara Hickman on her Misfits album), "Heaven Bound," an 
exceptionally tuneful song (and recorded by Kelly Willis on What I 
Deserve), "Falling Apart," a bopper about the selfish sorrowness of 
love lost, and "Waiting For The Mail," the record's best, and most 
haunting, track.  Pedal and lap steel, harmonica, and upright bass 
figure prominently throughout Bramblett's songs, as do his vocals that 
recall none other than Mr. Cash.  Produced by Lloyd Maines (Robert Earl 
Keen, Wayne Hancock, Richard Buckner), who also plays on the record, 
the songcycle offers continuity not often found in recordings from the 
current slew of "alternative country" bands and couldn't be farther 
from the sounds of the Wilcos and Son Volts.  Beyond the tags it's 
also a record, like the very best of what's ignored by Music Row, that 
will stand the test of time and be as enjoyable now as in years to come. 
---
	REVIEW: Land of the Loops, _Puttering About a Small Land_ (Up)
		- Wilson Neate
	Apparently, Land of the Loops mastermind Alan Sutherland grew 
up consuming snacks and television in equal measure, so it's not 
surprising that _Puttering About a Small Land_ should sound like the 
residual memory of childhood sci-fi cartoon animation translated into 
lo-fi electronica, filled to the brim with countless tasty, bite-sized 
samples.
	Possibly (mis)named after the Philip K. Dick novel, _Puttering_ 
recalls the Young Marble Giants and a less dense and less fluid Cocteau 
Twins by way of a stripped down Stereolab.  With the help of vocalists 
Heather Lewis (of Beat Happening), Takako Minekawa (a Cornelius 
collaborator), Jovita Carpenter (aka Lady Mallard of Volume All 
Star) and DJ Trouble, _Puttering_ serves up a delicious collage of 
sonic morsels, complete with intra-song movie dialogue snippets.
	This follow up to 1999's _Bundle of Joy_ is a similarly 
intriguing sonic rattlebag that never strays far from its basic 
coordinates: largely unchanging, circular rhythmic patterns filled out 
with bass and beats, and topped with fragile vocals and miscellaneous 
layered sounds that loop in and out of the overall musical buffet.
	While tracks like "Knee Deep in Packasandra" and the bubbling, 
aquatic "How to Feed a Sea Monkey" take a Cocteau Twins approach with 
melodic, swirling, ethereal vocals whose words are barely discernible, 
cuts like "Slumber Party," "Automotive High School" and "Marshmellow 
Pillows" reduce the vocal component to sampled fragments and inflections 
that come and go, weaving their way through the textured sound.
	The real winners are the sleeker numbers like "Drive Safely 
(and Hurry Back)" with its dubby driving flavor and slight vocals -- 
sounding not unlike a low-key St. Etienne -- and "Party Pooper" (which 
is anything but).  Starting out with hovering vocal fragments and a 
vaguely menacing Aphex Twin feel, it morphs into a mesmerizing, 
dub-inflected mid-section before looping back to its point of departure.
	_Puttering_ is a quirkily hypnotic, addictive aural experience 
fashioned from a smorgasbord of samples. While Sutherland's approach 
may not be as seamless and polished as higher-end electronica, neither 
does it jar nor is it pedestrian -- despite a tendency to "plod" rather 
than "putter" on occasion. Rather, it retains a deceptively simple, 
almost minimalist charm.
---
	REVIEW: pApAs fritAs, _Buildings & Grounds_ (Minty Fresh) 
		- Chris Hill 
	The third time must be the charm, as album number three 
from pApAs fritAs is embarrassingly rich with sugar-coated pop 
tunes.  Drummer/vocalist Shivika Asthana's graceful poise and 
guitarist/vocalist Tony Goddess' light yet masculine tones make a 
yin and yang of formidable power.  With bassist Keith Gendel 
adding to the singing duties, lush harmonies pervade the album, 
equaling 13 tracks with nary a throwaway among them. 
	"He said/she said" songs being personal favorites, "Way 
You Walk" smote like a thunderbolt on first listen.  The Human 
League's "Don't You Want Me", Lush's "Ciao!", and now this song: 
perfect examples of the moments when love and blame intermingle, 
and the different perspectives give air to their grievances.  He: 
"I can tell by the way you walk/You wanna be alone with him."  
She: "Why do you make up all these stories?/Made up your mind, 
decided for me".  He: "Will you tell him all the special things/ 
You told me you could never say?"  She: "If I go, I won't be 
lonely/If I stay now you don't own me."  Sheer heaven, by words 
alone.  Add a sweet acoustic guitar solo, hand claps, and an 
insanely boppy keyboard riff and the confection improves. 
  	 An album destined for summer road music, _Buildings and 
Grounds_ radiates sunshine.  "There's shots to take and plans to 
make/There's candy bars and pizza to chew", Goddess sings in 
"Another Day", a bouncy urging of "carpe diem" conviction.  This 
feeling springs up again on the waltzing "Girl", a devotional 
dedication of love.  Even the melancholy "I'll Be Gone" looks at 
the brighter side of breaking up: "Draw the blinds/Let the 
sunshine find a way.../We're not walking together/And now I'm 
feeling alright." 
	"It's Over Now" is a momentary squall, as Asthana sifts 
the ashes of love for answers: "Every time I think of you, I 
stop and wonder why/It's over now, it's time to say goodbye".  
Rainstorms pass, and brighter climes reappear:  R. Buckminster 
Fuller would be pleased with Gendel's contribution to the album, 
"Vertical Lives".  Its assertion that "Only geodesic domes can 
save us now" is made structurally sound by a stomping drum beat 
and clapping hands. 
	The band, with Goddess being the primary songwriter, has 
an ability to mix in familiar elements that get the song's foot 
in the aural door:  be it the Brady Bunch lollipop bliss of 
"Questions", the Rentals' sing-song of "Vertical Lives", the 
Fleetwood Mac background vocal/guitar/keyboard ambience of 
"People Say", or the Scud Mountain Boys' croon of the closer 
"Lost in a Dream".  Familiarity breeds instant welcome here, not 
contempt. 
	It's rare that a male and female singer match up as well 
as Asthana and Goddess.  Prop Asthana's "You were always quiet/I 
was always cold/Walking there beside you/Promises were gold" 
against Goddess' "But now you say you've grown/So tired of being 
alone/Ask me did I wait/I believe in fate" and the vulnerability 
is equally conveyed by both sexes.  Listen particularly to 
Goddess in the above lines from "I Believe in Fate", as his 
voice progressively strains on each line to impart the emotion, 
with fantastic success. 
	As the seasons change, summer will always be close, 
thanks to discs like this.  "Pop has freed us", indeed.  Surf 
warning: http://www.mintyfresh.com and http://www.papasfritas.com 
---
	REVIEW: the scoldees, _My Pathetic Life_ (Spinning Plates)
		- Paul Andersen
	Like a breeze blowing into Manhattan from Long Island, the music 
of the scoldees will pick you up and take you away from your cares, the 
way an old friend you haven't talked to in awhile might cheer you up. In 
fact, the scoldees -- Nancy Sirianni, Jack Hoffmann, John Collis and Ted 
Rydzewski -- are four self-described best friends whose musical paths 
have finally coalesced into a whole. The result is an organic sound and 
feel that is the 180 degree opposite of the standard 
industry-manufactured slickness that permeates much of the airwaves.
	If Sirianni's name strikes a bell, it is because she has been an 
irregular feature on the Howard Stern show, doing musical parodies and 
suffering Stern insults. Here, however, she displays a voice that some 
may initially compare to Natalie Merchant, yet about three songs in, its 
timbre and phrasing become hers solely. Yet the nice thing about this 
album is that no one scoldee predominates. Some songs ("Cellophane Man" 
and others) feature Hoffman's lead vocals, and the harmonies are always 
dead on - in fact, the four initially got together to work on choral 
arrangements of Christmas carols!
	Throughout this album, the melodies and lyrics match up in such 
a way as to reverberate in the brain, with a catchiness amongst the 
hooks that just screams 'radio airplay.' In fact, this disc is doing 
amazingly well with programmers, who have latched onto "All I Want" as 
the chosen first single, making them stars in such places as Hot Springs, 
Arkansas and Roswell, New Mexico. It's a momentum that just might cause 
_My Pathetic Life_ to come out of left field in the larger markets, also.
	With their simple adult acoustic-rock sound and superb songwriting 
abilities, the scoldees are the antithesis to rap/metal, boy bands, teen 
girl angst and all those other entities that make up millennial radio. 
Hopefully, there will be a place in the scheme of things for four old 
friends making honest music, too.
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _Panther - A Tribute to Pantera_ (Eclipse)
		- Paul Hanson
	"Does Pantera really DESERVE a tribute CD?" is a reasonable 
question. Bands  like the Led Zeppelin, KISS, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, 
Van Halen, and AC/DC certainly do. Can Pantera be added to that list? 
After all, the band is only about 10 years past a little-known glam 
metal phase, which critics used as fodder to criticize vocalist Phil 
Anselmo's anti-Metallica tirades during their 1996 tour. Are they really 
that good?
	Perhaps that question would be better answered in a review of 
their latest release _Reinventing the Steel._ For this CD, you get 12 
fairly familiar names, none of them as popular or with as much success 
as Pantera in touring to sold-out arenas. The 12 bands here are signs of 
metal to come. 
	Pissing Razors, a Noise recording artist, kicks the CD off with a 
turbo-charged version of "Domination." Like their own releases, drummer 
Ed Garcia is a master of the double bass drums, combining aggressive 
chops with precision. Vocalist Joe Rodriquez bellows his part with 
conviction. Boiler follows with "Mouth for War" which demonstrates the 
band that made "The New Professionals" still have the fire that made 
that CD heavy. Step Kings follow with "Good Friends & A Bottle of Pills" 
which falls short of the original. Drummer Mike Watt fakes the double 
bass part of this song. Murder 1 come next with "I'm Broken" which is 
then followed with Ill Nino's version of "Five Minutes Alone."
	The CD comes to a screeching halt with A.C.'s version of "The 
Great Southern Trendkill." Those that might have thought "Picnic of 
Love" was that band's swan song can rest assured that Seth and Josh 
are in fine form. Disarray, from the Volunteer State, and one of my 
personal favorite bands, kick out "Cowboys from Hell" with their 
trademark heaviness. Vocalist/guitarist Chuck Bonnett, drummer Shane 
Harmon and bassist Chris Looney have been slugging out the metal since 
1996's classic "Widespread Human Disaster." FINALLY, they're with Eclipse 
Records and getting some attention.
	Another band in Disarray's league of not previously getting their 
due recognition is Crush Efekt from Columbus, OH. CE burst through "Use 
My Third Arm" with a ferocious intensity that made their "Real" release 
so brutal. NOK rounds out this release with the worst mixed track, 
"Fucking Hostile." Vocalist Jeremy Jenkins is shoved to the front of 
the mix, which covers the faking of the riff by guitarists Mike 
Marchand and Frank Busshaus. Drummer John Keane attempts to hold this 
chaos together, but isn't very successful with sloppy fills.
	This is definitely a mixed bag. On one hand, you get rising stars 
like Pissing Razors, Boiler, Step Kings, Disarray, and Crush Efekt 
playing songs that Pantera has bashed out previously. On the other 
hand, though, you get A.C. screeching like a banshee, Hollow's decent 
(but not outstanding contribution) and the ugly rendition by NOK.
---
	REVIEW: Cerulean, _Skylight_ (Spinwheel)
		- Paul Andersen
	Cerulean is an L.A.-based trio consisting of guitarist/vocalist 
Rick Bolander, drummer Mike McCabe and bassist Roger Marinelli. Bolander 
and McCabe, childhood friends from New York, had lost contact over the 
years until a chance meeting in Los Angeles in the summer of 1997. They 
began writing music together, and _Skylight_ is the first fruit of their 
labors. It is swirling guitar-driven melodic pop music that is as azure 
as the group's name.
	The music contained here swirls with an ebb and flow similar to 
the waves pictured on the front cover. Pulsing one minute, driven by an 
edgy fuzzed-out guitar, the next might find it touched by light drum work 
not often found in this kind of music. Cerulean knows the beauty that 
openness and lightness can create, and they're not afraid to let it 
shine through.
	The poetic lyrics touch on themes of optimism, lust, regret and 
other human traits, buoyed by Bolander's rich voice that is equal parts 
hope and angst, one never overtaking the other. It is an encounter of 
imagery and sound that makes you sit up and take notice. A band 
definitely worth checking out - and not for 'locals only.' You can find 
Cerulean on the web at http://www.ceruleanmusic.com.
---
NEWS:	>  Former Beck drummer Joey Waronker will 
continue his role as drummer and collaborator for 
R.E.M. on their upcoming LP and tour.  
---
TOUR DATES:
	Dope / Primer 65 / Pimpadelic
Jun. 1 New Haven, CT Toad's Place 
Jun. 3 Norfolk, VA The Boathouse 
Jun. 4 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall 

	Eels
Jun. 12 Washington, DC Garage
Jun. 13 Philadelphia, PA The Upstage
Jun. 14 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

	Foreigner
Jun. 9 El Paso, TX Biggs Park
Jun. 10 Sierra Vista, AZ Libby Army Field
Jun. 15 Burlington, IA "Steamboat Days" Festival

	Indigo Girls / Spearhead
Jun. 2-3 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park 
Jun. 4 Raleigh, NC Alltell Pavillion at Walnut Creek 
Jun. 7-8 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap Amp. 
Jun. 9 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Center 
Jun. 10-11 Boston, MA Fleet Boston Pavillion
Jun. 13 New York, NY Summerstage / Central Park 
Jun. 15 Lewiston, NY Art Park 

	Jayhawks
Jun. 3 Petaluma, CA Mystic Theatre
Jun. 4 San Francisco, CA Slim's
Jun. 6 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
Jun. 7 Vancouver, BC Richards on Richards
Jun. 8 Seattle, WA The Showbox
Jun. 10 Santa Monica, CA Arcadia
Jun. 12 Los Angeles, CA Troubador
Jun. 13 San Diego, CA Belly Up Tavern

	Korn
Jun. 2 Dusseldorf, Germany Philipshalle
Jun. 3 Eindhoven, Holland Dynamo Festival
Jun. 5 Hamburg, Germany Stadtpark
Jun. 6 Berlin, Germany Arena
Jun. 8 Katowice, Poland Spodek
Jun. 10-11 Germany Rock Am Park Festival

	Steve Miller / Gov't Mule 
Jun. 9 Lewiston, NY Art Park
Jun. 10 Pittsburgh, PA Starlake Amphitheatre
Jun. 11 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
Jun. 15 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Art Center

	Skint (record label) tour - Brassic Beats
Jun. 1 New York, NY Twilo (2K Lounge)
Jun. 3 Chicago, IL Smat Bar the Metro
Jun. 6 Los Angeles, CA Atmosmphere the Viper Room
Jun. 7 San Francisco, CA Backflip
Jun. 8 Portland, OR The Cobalt Lounge
Jun. 10 Seattle, WA Nation
 
	Elliott Smith
Jun. 1 Seattle, WA Showbox
Jun. 2 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Jun. 3 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Jun. 5-6 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Jun. 7-8 Los Angeles, CA Palace
 
	3 Doors Down
Jun. 2 Oklahoma City, OK All Sports Stadium
Jun. 3 Kansas City, MO Sandstone Amphitheater
Jun. 4 Omaha, NE Westfair Amphitheater
Jun. 6 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room
Jun. 7 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Jun. 8 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Jun. 9 Pittsburgh, PA Club Laga
Jun. 10 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

	Sally Taylor
Jun. 2 McAllister, OK Icehouse
Jun. 9 Aspen, CO Double Diamond
Jun. 13 San Diego, CA Casbah
Jun. 14 San Juan Capistrano, CA Coachouse
Jun. 15 Hollywood, CA Vynyl

	Tonic
Jun. 1 Houston, TX Hard Rock Cafe
Jun. 2 Norfolk, VA Town Point Park
Jun. 3 Wilmington, DE WSTW Show

	Wheat
Jun. 3 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear's Place
Jun. 13 Chicago, IL Scuba's
Jun. 14 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
Jun. 15 Iowa City, IA Gabe's Oasis
---
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