== ISSUE 181 ====  CONSUMABLE ONLINE  ======== [July 2, 1999]

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

 Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription 
information is given at the end of this issue. 
==================================================================
	All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). 
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the 
editor.
==================================================================
                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
INTERVIEW: Eminem - Lang Whitaker
REVIEW: Smash Mouth, _Astro Lounge_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Art of Noise, _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Red Hot Chili Peppers, _Californication_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Those Bastard Souls, _Debt & Departure_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Spin Doctors, _Here Comes The Bride_ - Jason Cahill
REVIEW: Birdy, _Supernominal Paraphernalia_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Jake Andrews, _Time to Burn_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Clinic, _Clinic_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Colleen Coadic, _Scream Of Consciousness_ - Reto Koradi
NEWS: Emusic.com, Foo Fighters, listen.com, Rhino Handmade
TOUR DATES: Anti-Flag, R.L. BURNSIDE, Mary Chapin Carpenter, 
   Ani DiFranco / Maceo Parker, Down By Law, Ben Harper, Kula 
   Shaker / Splender, Alanis Morissette, Mike Ness, Pietasters, 
   Sheila Divine, Sonic Youth, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, 
   Staind, Joe Strummer & Mescaleros, James Taylor, Sally Taylor, 
   Ten Foot Pole
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	INTERVIEW: Eminem
		- Lang Whitaker
	His name is Slim Shady -- that's Eminem if you're nasty -- but 
for Marshall Mathers, a talented rapper out of the slums of Detroit, 
right now his name is platinum. Eminem's major label debut album, _The 
Slim Shady LP_, has been thrashing around the top ten all spring, 
thanks to the memorable lead single "My Name Is..." and a collection 
of violent, humorous songs. With a blunted blessing from Dr. Dre, 
Eminem appears to be ready to atone for the sins of previous white 
rappers like Vanilla Ice.
	CONSUMABLE ONLINE: Whassup, Em? You know, your record really 
reminds me of South Park.
	EMINEM: (laughs) Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remind myself of South 
Park a little bit, just the political incorrectness of it.
	CO: You revel in your political incorrectness; you celebrate that.
	EMINEM: Yeah, I do. That's just my sense of humor, man. That's 
how I am in everyday life. I never knew I was going to make money off 
of this shit.
	CO: I bet you were a handful growing up.
	EMINEM: I was definitely different. I was the distant kid. You 
know, real distant. The friends I did have knew me well, but I didn't 
have a lot of friends. I was kind of the smart ass, too. Teachers always 
gave me shit 'cause I never went to school. Then when I did show up, 
they would fuck with me. They'd be like "Oh, Mr. Mathers decided to 
join us today." That type of shit.
	CO: So you dropped out of high school, and then you had a couple 
of full-time jobs?
	EMINEM: (laughs) I had a LOT of full-time jobs. I had a couple 
of cook jobs, short order cook and shit; factory jobs, sweeping floors 
and cleaning toilets and shit. Just shitty fucking bullshit jobs.
	CO: Why'd you keep doing them? Because you had to make money 
somehow?
	EMINEM: Definitely. I had to. Plus, I had a little girl. She's 
three years old, now.
	CO: You talk about your daughter all the time in your music, 
and you seem like you try very hard to be a good father to her. Why is 
that?
	EMINEM: It's got a little something to do with me not knowing 
my father, so I try to fuckin' make it up a little bit. But I don't 
think that's the only reason. I think parenthood comes naturally to 
me. I mean, I raised my little brother. My little brother was born 
when I was eleven years old, so I pretty much raised him from the 
cradle. So I think when my daughter was born, it really came naturally.
	CO: And from what I've read, you and your Mom don't have much 
of a relationship now.
	EMINEM: Nah, we don't. I talk to her every now and then, but I 
talk to her as little as I can. She's got my little brother, so when 
I do talk to her, it's really to talk to him. I really don't have a 
reason to talk to my mother. My mother's done so much fucking fucked 
up shit to me that's it's kind of like, you know, now that I don't 
have to talk to her, I ain't gonna.
	CO: Would you let your daughter listen to your music?
	EMINEM: My daughter does listen to my music. She ain't really 
old enough to understand it now, but when she does get old enough and 
asks me "What does this and this and this mean?" I'll explain it to her. 
I'll tell her what each thing means.
	CO: Well, you know what's coming next. How do you explain your 
song "97' Bonnie & Clyde," in which you kill your baby's mama and take 
the baby along to throw the body in the ocean?
	EMINEM: Well, when she's old enough I'll explain to her that 
Mommy and Daddy are actually getting along.
	CO: Yeah, but a lot of kids are buying your music, and I'm sure 
you've gotta be catchin' flack from parental groups.
	EMINEM: Fuck 'em, though. It's with any rap record, with any 
fuckin' rap record. People act like Eminem is the first person to say 
the shit that I do. Well, maybe I am the first person to say the shit 
to this extreme, but all I do is say what's on my fuckin' mind, man. 
You know, hip-hop is hip-hop and it's always been like this -- from 
N.W.A. to Ice-T -- and anyone who said it was a bad influence on the 
kids back then...I mean, look at me. I was listening to 2 Live Crew when 
I was eleven years old.
	CO: Exactly! People are going to say, "He listened to 2 Live 
Crew when he was eleven, and now listen to the filth he's making now."
	EMINEM: Yeah, but you know what? People ask me, "What would 
you say to someone that wanted to grow up to be like you?" And I would 
say not to do it. Don't grow up to be me. But, at the same time, is it 
really a bad thing to grow up to be like me, to come from the fucking 
gutter and then to become a fucking rap star? Is that neccessarily a 
bad thing?
	CO: Still, don't you worry about people taking what you say 
the wrong way sometimes? Like people won't see the comedy in your music?
	EMINEM: People who don't know shit about fucking hip-hop will 
take it the wrong fucking way. It's like they refuse to see the fucking 
comedy in it. To me that shows me that I'm hitting some soft spots, for 
them to take my shit that seriously. It's like back then when they was 
younger, they were doing this shit and they don't want to admit it now. 
Everybody wants to fucking preach, man. "Don't do this and don't do 
that!" Then they go home and they do it. They say, "Stop porn, stop 
porn!" Then they go home and they beat off to a fucking porno mag under 
their bed. They want everybody in the public eye to see that they're so 
fucking righteous.
	CO: And you don't give a shit.
	EMINEM: No, I don't give a FUCK about them. I don't give a fuck 
about them.
---
	REVIEW: Smash Mouth, _Astro Lounge_ (Interscope)
		- Jason Cahill
	You've got to give them credit. Smash Mouth could have easily 
modeled themselves after bands like Sugar Ray or the Goo Goo Dolls by 
releasing an album solely created with commercial possibilities in mind. 
Instead, Smash Mouth have followed up their breakout debut, _Fush Yu 
Mang_, with an album as daring and original as it is good. _Astro 
Lounge_ is a brave departure from Smash Mouth's debut, showcasing an 
impressive maturity rare in today's ska/punk world. Credit returning 
producer Eric Valentine, who seems to have challenged the band to 
experiment and grow, both musically and lyrically. From the opening 
notes of "Who's There," it becomes apparent that this is a band intent 
on destroying the notion that they are nothing more than one-hit wonders 
treading dangerously close to the end of their fifteen minutes of fame.
	The musical styles on _Astro Lounge_ range everywhere from '60s 
lounge to '80s Brit-pop, and everything in between. "Radio," the album's 
true standout, is a full-on rocker with a nod to early-'80s Elvis 
Costello. "Diggin' Your Scene" has a kind of beach party feel to it, 
heavy on the keyboards and Beach Boys influences. "Waste" is a lush 
piece of psychedelic splendor, "Fallen Horses" hauntingly beautiful.
	Of course, the album has its share of Smash Mouth's playful 
ska sounds, best represented by the album's first single, "All Star," 
which is quite possibly the band's catchiest tune and one of the year's 
best singles.
	Lyrically, guitarist Greg Camp, who wrote the majority of 
material on _Astro Lounge_ as well as their first album, is in top-notch 
form. Always a bit sardonic and clever (."..you pushed the reset button 
on the counter of my heart"), Camp's lyrics have grown more vivid and 
crystallized. Topics on _Astro Lounge_ range from troubled relationships 
("Waste") to the power of addictions ("Diggin' Your Scene"), both 
cautionary tales told with just a hint of sarcasm.
	_Astro Lounge_ isn't perfect. It stalls at times, only to pick 
up again a few songs later, and it has its share of throwaways ("Home" 
immediately comes to mind). Yet listen closely, and you'll hear a band 
in transition, striving to shed the image of one-hit wonders while 
creating an album as diverse as their influences.
---
	REVIEW: Art of Noise, _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_ 
		(ZTT/Universal)
		- Jon Steltenpohl
	Take a dead composer, a deep voiced narrator, a rapper and a 
few opera singers, and what do you have? Well, if you're Art of Noise, 
you have _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_. Most of you know Art of 
Noise through songs such as "Beat Box" and the Dragnet theme. Yet, 
anyone who's gone beyond the singles and dived into the world of an 
Art of Noise album has found themselves in a completely new world. 
Now, after a 9-year absence, the band has reformed to create a new 
soundscape based around their apparent love of the turn of the century 
composer Claude Debussy.
	These days, anyone with a computer can generate dance tracks 
with the blink of an eye, and on the surface, Art of Noise doesn't 
sound as remarkable today as they once did. But, technology doesn't 
breed musical or artistic talent, and the vision of Art of Noise goes 
beyond the simple satellite blips and deep bass of their peers. Their 
impeccable judgment allows them to transcend the current vapid 
"electronica" sound they helped to create. This is music first and 
foremost. The dance beats and atmosphere are simply tools in Art of 
Noise's arsenal.
	Of course, any description of a band on paper that uses the 
word "transcend" seems a bit elitist and abstract right off the bat. 
Yet, unlike their counterparts in the world of abstract visual arts, 
Art of Noise is high brow music for everyman. Even if you've never 
heard of Debussy, you can appreciate the songs. Anyone who's been 
drawn in by a song like "Moments in Love" realizes that Art of Noise 
can create the beautiful out of the abstract. Consider "Dream in Colour" 
from this album: The track is expansive. It ranges from operatic voices 
to dreamy choruses to lush ambient dance to an engaging jungle beat 
over the course of 8-and-a-half minutes. The deep sullen voice of John 
Hurt narrates you through the songs. "Imagine," the narrator implores 
you, "Debussy dreaming in colours." He pulls you in further into the 
hypnotic mix and instructs as you fall "deeper into the color of a 
dream." As the trance is completed, the narrator snaps his fingers, and 
you begin the experience with the next track, "On Being Blue."
	At the start of the song, the narrator guides you to consider 
how music might be used to suggest colors. The song is a soft ode that 
features a beautiful operatic voice, a quiet Spanish guitar, and 
shimmering, mournful strings that create an incredibly stark, deep, 
and sad atmosphere. It is like diving into a pool of cobalt blue -- 
which is exactly the song's intent.
	Halfway through the album, another voice is added to the chorus, 
the narrator and the opera singers. The voice is none other than the 
rapper, Rakim. At first, this seems like a strange pairing, but given 
Art of Noise's original classic "Beat Box" and the dance remixes included 
with the re-release of Eric B. and Rakim's _Paid in Full_ album, a song 
like "Megaforce" is entirely understandable. Musically, it works 
remarkably well. Not only does Rakim have one of the purest voices in 
rap, but Art of Noise assembles a beat as well as any DJ. It may not 
exactly be the right style for pumping out of a lowrider, but it would 
fit right in with US3 or Digable Planets.
	All told, despite it's odd collaborations and obscure subject 
matter, _The Seduction of Claude Debussy_ is simply a masterwork. Art 
of Noise manages to maintain continuity throughout the entire album. 
The tracks can be scrutinized note by note or played casually in the 
background. It is doubtful if the stodgy world of orchestral music 
could appreciate this album, but fans of the Art of Noise can embrace 
_The Seduction of Claude Debussy_. However, unless you're into ambient 
and electronic music, casual fans who remember the old Art of Noise hits 
are better off picking up their excellent "Best of" collection before 
jumping feet first into this new release.
---
	REVIEW: Red Hot Chili Peppers, _Californication_ (Warner Bros.)
		- Matthew Carlin
	Like it or not, _Blood Sugar Sex Magic_ will go down in rock 
and roll history as one of the most important albums of the '90s. 
Between Rick Rubin's stripped down production, Flea's mind-blowing 
yet tasteful bass playing and Anthony Kiedis's raw tales of drug 
addiction and sexual bacchanalia, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 1991 
opus really helped shape the musical landscape for the rest of the 
decade. No less vital to the formula was John Frusciante, a brilliant, 
eccentric guitar-playing musician. His departure from the band and 
subsequent break-down was the stuff VH1 "Behind the Music" shows are 
made of, and the seemingly-jinxed band's subsequent album, _One Hot 
Minute_, suffered accordingly.
	Now, as the end of the decade rapidly approaches, Frusciante 
has rejoined his once-funky brothers -- a truly joyous event after 
years of frustration for fans, band members and record company 
executives. Which is what makes  _Californication_ all the more 
disappointing. While the new album starts off promising, after three 
or four tunes the band's formula becomes all too clear. Basically, 
the Chili Peppers 1999 have three gears: all-out rock bombast a la 
most of the songs from _One Hot Minute_; mid-tempo, syncopated funk 
fakery; and tuneful pop gems that sound like a cross between previous 
hits "Under the Bridge" and "Soul to Squeeze."
	The real shame of _Californication_ is that the gems really 
are gems. The catchy first single, "Scar Tissue," is simply a great 
radio song. Along with the tuneful chorus from "Around the World," 
the slow, sad, tenderness of "Porcelain," and the inventive, shifting 
groove of "Emit Remmus," the Chili Peppers still have some creative 
juices left when it comes to more  melodic, emotional tunes. But 
testosterone-soaked rackets like the athletic sixteenth-note work-out 
"Parallel Universe" and the mung-headed "Get On Top" ("Get on Top! Get 
on Top!/Hit me come get me I bite but she bit me.") are just a waste 
of everybody's time.
	Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers will never recapture the 
funky brilliance of _Blood Sugar Sex Magic_, they still could put out 
a solid album. "Scar Tissue" may sound a bit too much like the 
aforementioned "Soul to Squeeze," but this is what the Chili Peppers 
are good at now. The facts remain: Frusciante is a fantastically 
natural, musical player; Flea can lay back and groove nicely with 
drummer Chad Smith; Anthony Kiedis sings better with every album. 
Even insipid lyrics like "Road trippin' with my two favorite allies/ 
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies / It's time to leave this town/ 
It's time to steal away" can't ruin the string-laden beauty of album 
closer "Road Tripping." Yet some misguided force -- perhaps it's Rick 
Rubin's past with Slayer or the band member's  lingering desire to 
live out their Iggy Pop fantasies -- compels the Chili Peppers to soil 
their lovely pop album with frat-boy rock garbage they tried to shed 
years ago.
---
	REVIEW: Insane Clown Posse, _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ (Island)
		- Linda Scott
	Insane Clown Posse is one of those bands that critics, MTV and 
big music magazines attack or ignore. ICP gets almost no airplay, but 
their juggalo (fan) army snaps up their albums anyway. Enough albums 
for _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ to debut in the #4 Billboard slot. 
ICP received media attention when the Disney-owned Hollywood label put 
out their previous album, _The Great Milenko_. After six hours on the 
record shelves, the album was pulled for being out of line with the 
Disney image. ICP took their album, their language and attitude to 
Island records. Out of Detroit, ICP is two white gangsta rappers, hip 
hoppers and thrash rappers with some rock thrown in. Last album had 
them emphasizing rock with guests Alice Cooper, Slash and Steve Jones 
(Sex Pistols). They were a raw, heavy act without polish and large 
doses of swearing and obscenities. The Jeckel album is hooked on thrash 
(or trash) rap and hip hop, and guests include Ol' Dirty Bastard, Snoop 
Dogg, Twisted, and the Jerky Boys.
	It's not mainstream, but it works. Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J 
seem to have found their groove. If you don't like these guys, lighten 
up! Shaggy and J are two funny guys with creativity to spare. They act 
like lamebrain 20's Dropouts, but check their website and read the whole 
story of the six cards and the dark clowns. Shaggy and J spin a 
weird story. Then read the Q-and-A section and laugh your head off, or 
the clowns will sever it for you.
	The theatre part of the act, reminiscent of Alice Cooper's 
shocking theatrics, sounds good and so does the music. Some highlights 
are "Terrible," "F*ck the World," "I Want My Sh*t" and "Everybody Rize;" 
hooky rhythms, cool lyrics -- they're great. ICP is raw, but they're 
fresh and new and funny and talented. ICP is scheduled to tour in 
support of _The Amazing Jeckel Brothers_ beginning in July. They'll 
warm up in D.C. where they say they have only about 500 fans but they 
love them. Then they move through the US and Canada. Get your clown 
makeup on or your Ninja suit and head for the dark circus of Insane 
Clown Posse. Get your album and visit their website for juggalos at 
http://www.insaneclownposse.com
---
	REVIEW: Those Bastard Souls, _Debt & Departure_ (V2 Records)
		- Matthew Carlin
	Those Bastard Souls are one of those mid-level all-star bands 
that often crop up in the alterna-rock world. Leader David Shouse's 
main gig is charging The Grifters, violinist Joan Wasser was in the 
Dambuilders, bassist Matt Fields is from Red Red Meat, drummer Kevin 
March was in Shudder to Think and The Rentals, and guitarist Michael 
Tighe played with the late Jeff Buckley. The result is they are all 
extremely capable, professional musicians. The problem is, that's what 
they sound like. By paying too much attention to the high-quality 
production and careful performance, much of the emotion is lost. For 
much of _Debt & Departure_, the down-home feel sounds put on.
	The Bastard's album starts off strong with the nifty, but 
clumsily-titled first track, "The Last Thing I Ever Wanted Was To Show 
Up And Blow Your Mind." A fine, medium-tempo rocker, the only weak point 
is the lyrics -- which are pretty much summed up by the title. "Telegram" 
follows suit with some nice interplay between the piano and Wasser's 
violin and a nice, short guitar solo from Tighe, but ultimately goes 
nowhere. Which is exactly where the remaining songs remain. Although 
the tunes are delivered as if the focus is on the songwriting, the 
songs aren't good enough to keep the listener fully engaged. And while 
the players are indeed skilled, the performances likewise aren't 
inspired enough to warrant a really close listen.
	Perhaps the worst part of _Debt & Departure_ are Shouse's 
lyrics. Muddled with trite metaphors, rock and roll clichés and worse 
yet, images that just make no sense, Shouse's words are insipid at best, 
and more often than not, just plain irritating. Case in point, from 
"Curious State": "It's a curious state I'm in/ a curious state I'm in 
(x3)/ You're the sun/ I'm the breeze/ I get warm beneath your fingers/ 
If I dose off in the trees/ you'll come and set fire to my pillow"
	Shouse even puns on the title for the Fender Rhodes-driven 
"Remembering Sophie Rhodes." After a shticky false start, the funky 
swagger of this number is all but ruined by lyrics like "She burns in 
my furnace/and melts away sadness" and "She works like a chemical/warm 
and plentiful/her madness unraveled me slowly."
	Reading Michael Tighe's name among the members of Those Bastard 
Souls can't help but make one think about the tragic loss of Jeff 
Buckley. And although the comparison is completely unfair, Shouse's 
mediocre songs fail exactly where Buckley's soared. Never mind Buckley's 
angelic voice, his songs were fearless and exciting, but always 
approachable, commercial even-a model for current pop music. Shouse's 
songs are indeed commercial, but in an overt, safe way that is best 
suited as background music, more than likely in a big budget movie. 
Without even turning to Buckley's legacy, there are so many great, 
young songwriters like Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright and Elliott Smith 
that make _Debt & Departure_ even less relevant.
---
	REVIEW: Spin Doctors, _Here Comes The Bride_ (DAS/Universal)
		- Jason Cahill
	_Here Comes The Bride_, the latest release from the Spin Doctors, 
is not the worst album I've ever heard (Scott Weiland's _12 Bar Blues_ 
still has that distinction), but it's pretty damn close.  A disjointed 
assortment of musical styles, the album fails on almost every level, 
signifying the demise of a band long past its prime.  While their debut 
efforts were rooted in classic rock, the band always managed to build 
upon the format and create a sound both contemporary and vibrant.  
_Here Comes The Bride_, however, is proof that the Spin Doctors may 
have gone to the creative well once too often.
	In reality, the version of the band that exists today is quite 
different from the band which crafted _Pocket Full of Kryptonite_, one 
of the more memorable releases of the early 90's and certainly the 
band's finest hour.  Absent today are bassist Mark White and lead 
guitarist Erik Schenkman, both of whom contributed heavily to the sound 
that gave the Spin Doctors huge success, if only for a short while.  
That they left the band soon after the success of _Pocket Full of 
Kryptonite_ and immediately before the band's string of commercial 
failures is a great example of blind luck, considering that once 
upon a time it looked as though by leaving the band they were shooting 
their respective careers in the foot.  Enter guitarist Eran Tabib and 
renowned keyboardist Ivan Neville, both of whom try admirably to plug 
the holes in a sinking ship.
	As an album, _Here Comes The Bride_ is music's version of running 
fingernails down a blackboard.  The title track begins with promise, but 
soon implodes once the lyrics begin.  That the song actually contains 
the lyric "...something borrowed, something blue, something old, 
something new..." exemplifies the paint-by-numbers aspect of the 
album.  What's next, appropriating lyrics from the birthday song?  
"Vampires in the Sun" is the band's failed attempt at incorporating 
Latin grooves with traditional rock rhythms, "Waiting For The Blow" 
starts off nicely, but disintegrates once the almost indecipherable 
chorus kicks in, and "The Man" seems heavily influenced by the funk/rap 
style of classic Red Hot Chili Peppers, but without any of that band's 
self propelled urgency or flavor.  Perhaps the only songs of merit on 
the album are "Siren Dress" and "The Bigger I Laugh, The Harder I Cry", 
both well crafted gems reminiscent of early Grateful Dead with their 
light, breezy arrangements.
	_Here Comes The Bride_ is supposed to be the culmination of a 
two-year musical odyssey taken by lead singer Chris Barron and drummer 
Aaron Comess, during which time they discovered a handful of influences 
including jazz, fusion and world beats.  That the resulting album is as 
disappointing as this says much for the state of the Spin Doctors.  
Granted not all musical odyssey's turn out to be _Graceland_, but given 
the bands' past efforts and diversified line-up, it would surely be 
within reason to expect something better than this.
--- 
	REVIEW: Birdy, _Supernominal Paraphernalia_ (Cropduster)
		- Chris Hill
	With nine songs totaling just under 35 minutes, Birdy's debut 
is lean and lanky, with little superfluous matter to weigh down the 
crunchy guitar pop which emanates from the speakers. Stephanie Seymour, 
past member of both the Aquanettas and Psychic Penguin, steps from 
behind the drumkit and onto center stage with Birdy, assuming lead 
vocal duties for the first time in her musical career.
	That she hasn't before is a surprise -- there's an honest 
confidence in her voice and a power that plays against lyrics portraying 
a sometimes lonely, sometimes vulnerable, sometimes uncertain protagonist, 
at odds with herself and her world. Not to worry, this isn't an 
angst-ridden, woe-is-me, alternative folk-singer record. The guitars 
are plugged in and the drums shake, rattle, and roll.
	Sunny, ebullient melodies and harmonies pervade, much like the 
music of her influences: Crowded House/Split Enz, Elvis Costello, and 
the Pretenders. The Bangles come to mind, as well, but that's an 
automatic touchstone for a band with catchy guitar hooks and a strong 
female vocal presence. (Backing vocals are provided by Seymour and her 
male bandmates, though two songs get an assist from an old friend, 
Aquanettas lead Debby Schwartz ("High as the Sun," "I See Faces").)
	For lyrics, Seymour sprinkles physical imagery liberally: "I 
wear you like my fingerprints," "My brave face is a front line soldier/ 
My brave face is a storm at sea," "Where am I going and what will I 
become/Sometimes I'm looking in the mirror/And I don't see anyone." The 
first-person style of writing gives her songs warmth and personality. 
The most intimate, "Letter Never Sent," comes off as a sweet mash note 
to a love stretched by time and distance. "Smell the paper, that's my 
perfume/I know you like it/You said I smelled like springtime." A nice, 
palpable description that's sure to trigger a listener's own memories 
of a favorite scent.
	The only song not to seem reflective of her own immediate 
experience is "You Used to Shine." With lines like "It's the smile you 
find when you'd rather resign, tell me/How fast does your star fall" 
and "It's a free country, well that's what they tell me/But they took 
back your key today" make it seem pertinent to the current U.S. 
president rather than to a crash and burned friend, though it fits 
either interpretation. 
	Birdy is one of several projects being released by the Cropduster 
label, an independent cooperative effort (see Al Muzer's interview, 
Consumable Online #180, 6/23/99). The slow country waltz number "One 
Pretty Mess" is an oddity among the other uptempo pop numbers, as it 
boxes the ears for attention and benefits from the indie release route. 
With a chain of music execs to add their input, this might have been 
left off a major label release as being disruptive to the flow or band 
image. Another silver lining to find in the current cloudy label turmoil.
	More info on Birdy and the Cropduster roster can be found at 
http://www.cropduster.com
---
	REVIEW: Jake Andrews, _Time to Burn_ (Jericho/Cello/Sire)
		- Jon Steltenpohl
	Young blues prodigys seem to be a dime a dozen these days. 
Everywhere you look, little kids are fronting bands in bars where they 
won't be legal for years. At 18, Jake Andrews is still 3 years away, but 
at least he's the first of his generation to be able to vote. He's also 
one of the first to release an album which catapults him to the forefront 
of the blues world.
	It's not so much that Andrews covers any new ground with _Time to 
Burn_. After all, a guitar player fronting a bass and drum rhythm section 
is hardly anything new. But, 3-piece blues done right is heaven, and if 
the front man is an incredible axe man, it's almost nirvana. And even at 
his young age, Jake Andrews is as close as anyone out there right now.
	_Time to Burn_ starts with the booming chords of the title track, 
the bass filling in the groove, and the drum kicking off the beat. It's 
high octane rock and blues. Strains of Eric Clapton come through on it 
and a few other tracks. "The Hard Way" features Andrews out-Clapton-ing 
Clapton with a lonesome, ringing guitar with a backdrop of real choruses 
and verses.
	When an organ player sits in on "It All Passed Me By," there's 
a little feel of The Black Crowes without the Crowes penchant for 
cheese. Rhythmic tracks like "The Hard Way" remind the listener of the 
"R" in R&B, and Andrews even takes a shot at swing blues with the 
saxophone laden "The Hard Way." And of coarse, there's classic Austin 
guitar blues played the hard way on "call and response" scorchers like 
"Drivin' Wheel," "Cry Baby" and "Too Sorry."
	While Stevie Ray Vaughan's name gets brought up in any discussion 
involving Texas blues guitar, Andrews is more like Stevie's brother, 
Jimmy. His great songwriting stands out in front with the incredible 
licks being just part of his arsenal. _Time to Burn_ exposes a young 
man who fills out the classic 3 piece electric blues band but can also 
add keyboards or horns when the occassion calls for it.
	Part of the choice sound must be credited to veteran producer 
John Porter. While most alternative music fans know Porter as the 
masterful producer of The Smiths, his true legacy has been the blues. His 
work at the boards covers everyone from B.B. King to Taj Mahal, and 
his endorsement of Andrews lets any serious blues fan know instantly the 
kind talent we're dealing with.
	Jake Andrews has blues in his blood. His sense of blues guitar 
comes naturally and effortlessly. The sound is big and bold, yet it 
carefully avoids egotism and allows the songs to find their balance. 
It's an album for dyed in the wool blues fans, and those who've never 
gone beyond a few Clapton and Thoroughgood albums. It's easy to forget 
that this kid is just 18. _Time to Burn_ is simply a great album.
---
	REVIEW: Clinic, _Clinic_ (Domino U.K.)
		- Tim Kennedy
	Clinic are a band from Liverpool and Manchester but they 
sound more like Americans.  Their influences seem to be the garage 
punk explosion of the sixties but with flourishes borrowed from as 
different sources as Phil Spector and Syd Barret era Floyd.  The 
band is eclectic to the bone and attempt everything from rockabilly 
to ambient.
	Live, they sometimes don surgical masks which puts a bizarre 
spin on their otherwise minimal stage presence. The band are fairly 
nondescript in the flesh,   singer Ade Blackburn crouching at a 
tiny seemingly homemade keyboard when not playing guitar.
	The album is a compilation of the band's first few singles. 
"IPC subeditors dictate our youth" sounds like sixties punks ? and 
the Mysterians but with Phil Spector at the controls - the track 
opens with the classic Hal Blaine drumbeat from the Ronettes' "Be 
My Baby".
	"Porno" begins with a sinister bassline akin to the Cure 
in their darkest moments and vicious fuzz guitar.  Spectoresque 
drums give another dimension to this psych number.
	"DP" is vintage 1977 UK punk with lyrics seemingly in French. 
"Monkey on my back" displays a similar aggressive spirit albeit 
with elements of 60s surf punk as played by early Jesus and Mary 
Chain (if they had been able to play).  "DT" is another crossover 
of 60s and 70s punk styles,  with the spirit of Iggy Pop in attendance.
"Evil bill" uses a beatbox in classic JAMC style, the guitar way 
back in the mix, meandering gleefully and menacingly.
	"Cement Mixer" uses a punk guitar assault straight out of 
"Interstellar Overdrive" the classic psych punk track by Syd 
Barrett's Floyd.  The vocals are particularly rough leading the 
listener to wonder at the cheap and nasty production values on this 
music which paradoxically enhances its appeal.
	"Kimberley" owes a lot to reggae genius Augustus Pablo whose 
melodian style is borrowed throughout. The lyrics are again hard to 
decipher but a dark sense of humour is here - "Like sister and 
brother we come for each other" (borrowing from a cheesy 70s pop 
record the author of which I have thankfully forgotten).  The track 
is not strictly reggae - more a hybrid of Velvets and King Tubby.
"Voot" continues the languid pace of its predecessor with an 
instrumental,  decorated by soaring guitar straight out of the Velvets.
	This is music for music's sake,  not for fashion. Clinic are 
rough,  very rough.  This is punk music, but music made up of such 
diverse elements that are combined with such eager and dark invention 
that taken as a whole indicate a considerable talent at work.
---
	REVIEW: Colleen Coadic, _Scream Of Consciousness_ (Independent)
		- Reto Koradi
	An increasing stream of interesting female artists have been one 
of the dominating trends of music history for some years, and with this 
release Colleen Coadic, hailing in from Alaska, makes a valid claim to 
join the big leagues.
	The most striking feature that sets _Scream Of Consciousness_ 
apart from most of the pack is Colleen Coadic's versatility. Her very 
pleasant voice goes from fragile to powerful in a breeze, and the songs 
encompass a remarkable array of music styles. Catchy midtempo numbers 
("Wonder Years," "Mediocrity") are mixed with more laid back songs 
like "My Adoring Glance," which often have a nice funky groove. She 
gets more experimental with "Deep In The Pharmacy," which revokes 
memories of Laurie Anderson.
	While Coadic's voice takes centerstage, and her name is on the 
cover, _Scream Of Consciousness_ is much more a band effort than most 
releases in this genre. The performance of highly skilled musicians make 
the consistently high quality songs even more enjoyable.
	Your Consumable analyst rates _Scream Of Consciousness_ by Colleen 
Coadic as a strong buy.  For more information, check out 
http://www.colleen.org
---
NEWS:
	> Emusic.com has been busy lately, with a new MP3-only release 
from They Might Be Giants, as well as a benefit album for Kosovo which 
includes tracks from Guided By Voices, Superchunk, Creeper Lagoon and more. 
Also, labels including Jetset and Parasol will be working with emusic.com.
Check out http://www.emusic.com for more information.
	> The Foo Fighters have announced the departure of guitarist 
Franz Stahl from the group.  The core members of the Foos - David Grohl, 
Nate Mendel and Taylor Hawkins - are working on the band's third album, 
tentatively scheduled to be released later this year.
	> Fans of downloadable music will want to take a look 
at http://www.listen.com , who have launched the Internet's first 
official site dedicated to a comprehensive directory of downloadable music.
	> Rhino Handmade, a Web-only imprint of Rhino Entertainment, will 
be offering limited-edition releases (some in quantities as small as 1,000 
copies) of previously unheard or forgotten discs.  For more information, 
check out http://www.rhinohandmade.com
---
TOUR DATES:
	Anti-Flag
Jul. 3 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Jul. 6 Portsmouth, NH Elvis Room
Jul. 8 New York, NY Coney Island High
Jul. 9 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church

	R.L. BURNSIDE
Jul. 2 Portland, OR Werfront Blues Festival
Jul. 3 Seattle, WA Road Rash '99 NAF Studios

	Mary Chapin Carpenter
Jul. 2 Savannah, GA Trustee Theatre
Jul. 3 Wilmington, NC Trask Coliseum
Jul. 4 Baltimore, MD Pier 6
Jul. 8 Robinsonville, MS Bluesville
Jul. 9 Springfield, MO Hammons Hall
Jul. 10 St. Louis, MO Fox Theatre
Jul. 11 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre

	Ani DiFranco / Maceo Parker
Jul. 2 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Jul. 3 Minneapolis, MN Midway Stadium
Jul. 5 Morrison, CO Red Rocks
Jul. 7 Park City, UT Deer Valley Amphitheatre
Jul. 9 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
Jul. 10 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheatre
Jul. 11 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Jul. 12 Fresno, CA Warnors Theatre

	Down By Law
Jul. 7 New York, NY Coney Island High 
Jul. 8 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill 
Jul. 9 Bound Brook, NJ New Palace Performing Arts Center
Jul. 10 Baltimore, MD Fletchers

	Ben Harper
Jul. 9 The Hague, Holland North Sea Jazz 
Jul. 10 Milton Keynes, U.K. Big Day Out 

	Kula Shaker / Splender
Jul. 5 Toronto, ON The Opera House
Jul. 6 Pontiac, MI 7th House
Jul. 8 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Jul. 9 Boston, MA The Roxy
Jul. 10 Philadelphia, PA Theater Of The Living Arts
Jul. 12 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

	Alanis Morissette
Jul. 7 Newcastle, UK Telewest Arena
Jul. 8 Manchester, England Manchester News Arena
Jul. 9 Birmingham, England NEC
Jul. 11-12 Dublin, Ireland The Point

	Mike Ness
Jul. 2 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
Jul. 3 Irvine, CA Oak Canyon Ranch
Jul. 4 Del Mar, CA Del Mar Fair

	Pietasters
Jul. 4 Washington, DC Cd 101's Backyard Bbq

	Sheila Divine
Jul. 6 New York, NY Brownie's
Jul. 7 Washington, DC Velvet Lounge
Jul. 8 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grille

	Sonic Youth
Jul. 2 Berkeley, CA The Greek
Jul. 4 Irvine Lakes, CA Irvine Lakes
Jul. 7-8 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Jul. 10 Santa Fe, NM Site Santa Fe

	Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Jul. 3 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Jul. 4 New York, NY Central Park Summer Stage

	Staind
Jul. 2 San Antonio, TX Sunken Garden 
Jul. 3 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Jul. 5 Biloxi, MS MS Coast Coliseum
Jul. 6 Jacksonville, FL Coliseum
Jul. 7 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Jul. 9 Atlanta, GA International Ballroom
Jul. 10 Louisville, KY Louisville Gardens
Jul. 12 Minneapolis, MN Roy Wilkins Auditorium

	Joe Strummer & Mescaleros
Jul. 3 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
Jul. 6 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Jul. 7 Los Angeles, CA The Palace

	James Taylor
Jul. 3-4 Lenox, MA Tanglewood
Jul. 6 Darien Lake, NY Darien Amphitheater
Jul. 7 Hershey, PA Hershey Park
Jul. 9 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Jul. 10 Scranton, PA Montage Mountain

	Sally Taylor 
Jul. 7 Arcata, CA Cafe Tomo

	Ten Foot Pole
Jul. 2 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy 
Jul. 5 Ft. Collins, CO The Starlight 
Jul. 6 Logan, UT Whittier Community Ctr. 
---
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