== ISSUE 204 ====  CONSUMABLE ONLINE  ======== [March 26, 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, 
                      Krisjanis Gale, Jade Hughes, Paul Hanson,  
                      Scott Hudson, Jianda Johnson, Steve Kandell, 
                      Dave Kemper, 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: Smashing Pumpkins, _Machina The Machines of God_ - Steve Kandell
REVIEW: Goldfinger, _Stomping Ground_ - Scott Hudson
REVIEW: Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes, _Live At The Greek_ - Wes Long
INTERVIEW: Angie Aparo - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Melvins, _The Crybaby_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Josh Rouse, _Home_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Yo La Tengo, _And Then Nothing Turned Itself 
   Inside-Out_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: Fishbone, _The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx_ - Paul Andersen
REVIEW: Catatonia, _Equally Cursed and Blessed_ - Niles Baranowski
REVIEW: Bloodhound Gang, _Hooray For Boobies_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Sparklehorse _Good Morning Spider_ / _Disorted Horse_ 
   - Christina Apeles
CONCERT REVIEW: The Mekons - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: Handsome Family, _In the Air_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Don Dixon, _The Invisible Man_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Seely, _Winter Birds_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Rick Derringer, _Live At The Paradise Theater_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Spring Heel Jack, _Treader_ - Andrew Duncan
REVIEW: New Americans, _New Americans_ - Bill Holmes
TOUR DATES: Beck, Charlatans / Stereophonics, Ani DiFranco, Filter / 
   Chevelle, Goldie, Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals, Incubus, 
   Kelis, Korn, Tara MacLean, Ian Moore, Neko Case & Her Boyfriends, 
   No Doubt / Suicide Machines, Oasis, Ginny Owens, Papas Fritas,
   Podunk, Red Hot Chili Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse, Tonic / Third 
   Eye Blind, Union
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	REVIEW: Smashing Pumpkins, _Machina The Machines of God_ (Virgin)
		- Steve Kandell
	If pretentiousness could be measured in pounds, the new Smashing 
Pumpkins album would be too heavy to carry home from the record store, 
much less fit into your hi-fi.  But this is nothing new, as the Pumpkins 
have always seeked to infuse their heavy brand of Sabbath riff rock with 
an air of posed artiness.  Look no further than your song or album titles.  
	"The Crying Tree of Mercury?"  The Smashing Pumpkins are a 
throwback to a time when bands were supposed to put out double albums, so 
you could separate your stems and seeds on the gatefold.  But it goes 
past that, to an unabashed sense of entitlement that Corgan et. al. exude 
with every note.  That alone angers people because rock bands aren't 
supposed to want to be Big and Important anymore, so much of the 
self-aggrandizement just seems silly.  And there's no shortage of 
silliness to be found here.  
	When Bonhamesque drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was booted out of the 
band a couple of years ago for a much-documented opium-related incident, 
the remaining Pumpkins decided not to replace the master skinsmith with 
another, inferior human drummer, but rather with a digital machine.  
Though said machine probably took a far smaller cut of the publishing 
residuals, its presence resulted in _Adore_, an ill-conceived and poorly 
received stab at techno-cherub rock.  Corgan's soundtrack work for _Lost 
Highway_ and _Stigmata_ went even further in this automated direction.  
With the return of the exiled Chamberlin to the fold, much has been made 
of the band's return to the bombast of old, but this may be overselling 
the point.  
	The immersion into all things electronic is still very much in 
evidence on _Machina_, and not just in the album title.  Leadoff 
track and single "The Everlasting Gaze" indeed recalls the sonic hugeness 
of days past, but is so awash in bells and whistles that the song lacks 
shape and doesn't stick in the craw like their best work can.  And this 
is to say nothing of the "fickle fascination of an everlasting god" 
nonsense in the lyrics.  Much of the album follows this overdriven 
trend -- not metal so much as metallic, like _Siamese Dream_ dipped in 
liquid silver.  Or wrapped tin foil.
	Clocking in at ten minutes, "Glass and the Ghost Children" has 
a mid-song interlude in which Corgan ruminates on his place in the 
universe with all the depth and insight of a hungover frosh in a 
Philosophy 101 class.  The tape of his voice speeds up and slows down, 
maybe to mask the identity of the speaker, maybe to couch the sermon in 
an air of artiness.  Though you can't blame a guy for trying, there is 
a direct negative correlation between the level of pretention and the 
quality of the results.  
	The record isn't all embarrassing enormo-rock, however.  "I of 
the Mourning" and "Stand Inside Your Love" are classic Pumpkins, 
blending thunderous acoustics with a pop sensibility in the way that 
they're so good at, when they put their mind to it. 
---
	REVIEW: Goldfinger, _Stomping Ground_ (Mojo/Universal)
		- Scott Hudson
	For most, March Madness means NCAA hoops and lots of it. For 
Goldfinger fans, the term takes on an entirely different meaning, the much 
anticipated release of the band's new record _Stomping Ground_.
	Goldfinger's path to this record is not without precedent. In the 
early '70s, a then-underground band called Kansas toured relentlessly off 
the beaten path, bringing their progressive overtures to seedy juke joints 
and cowboy bars. This hard work paid off in the form of a loyal fanbase 
which supported their first 3 albums until their breakthrough album,
_Leftoverture_, after which Kansas became a household name.
	Similarly, Goldfinger's incessant touring schedule is legendary (385 
shows in 365 days in 1996-97) and as a result, the band has garnered quite 
a loyal underground following of their own. With two studio releases, a 
live album and appearances on numerous soundtracks ("The Waterboy," 
"BASEketball," "Dead Man On Campus," "American Pie," "Kingpin") the band 
has chiseled out a sound that demands to be heard.
	_Stomping Ground_ is Goldfinger's first studio record in three years 
and by far their strongest, most inspired effort to date. However, that may 
be putting mildly. _Stomping Ground_ will be the record that elevates 
Goldfinger from underground stalwart to mainstream heavyweight.
	On _Stomping Ground_, the band clings ever-so-tightly to their punk 
roots churning out high velocity tunes tinged with just enough pop flavor 
to attract a much broader audience. The record captures the energy of the 
band's live performance coupled their penchant for writing catchy, 
hook-laden power-punk.
	"Don't Say Goodbye," "Think It's A Joke" and "San Simeon" are 
full-tilt, pedal-to-the-metal rockers while "I'm Down," "Pick A Fight" 
and "End Of The Day" are fueled by Charlie Paulson's crunchy rhythms and 
John Feldmann's emotionally-charged vocals.
	"Carry On," "Don't Say Goodbye" and the band's first single 
"Counting The Days" are among the finest tunes you'll find in the punk 
idiom.
	To disregard adding _Stomping Ground_ to your collection would be 
a huge mistake. After all, this record is 13 tracks of essential listening 
for those familiar with the genre. Goldfinger fans will soon find this out. 
Then it will be up to everyone else play catch up.
---
	REVIEW: Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes, _Live At The Greek_
		(Musicmaker.com)
		- Wes Long
	One common element in big-time rock bands like the Black Crowes, 
and the millions of bands that weren't able to kick down the garage door 
and make the scene, is that they all probably honed their chops on Led 
Zeppelin tunes. Zeppelin was one of the more influential bands in the 
history of rock, easily mentioned in the same breath as the Beatles and 
the Stones, and a big reason for that is the inventive guitar talent 
known as Jimmy  Page. In June of 1999 Page contacted the Crowes, 
requesting that they back him at a benefit concert in Paris. Four months 
later they played six magical gigs which have somehow already entered 
into the arena of rock legend. The last two dates of that mini-tour were 
at the Los Angeles Greek Theatre, and they were recorded.
	The Black Crowes, more so than any band I can think of, are a 
perfect fit for Page's fingerings. The southern-dipped style oozing 
from their amps embodies all the old-school aesthetics of the ass-kickin' 
rock band. Crowes singer Chris Robinson's whiskey and nicotine drenched 
voice swims effortlessly amidst a sea of deftly executed grooves created 
by his tighter-than-tight backing band. While the majority of the tunes 
captured  here are Zeppelin covers, the Crowes add a great deal of their 
own special spice to the mix. "It's not just a Zeppelin thing," says 
Chris Robinson, we bring the way we play to it also. We stick to the meat 
of the matter, but I just have a different sort of (singing) style. Mine 
is more like if Tina Turner was in Led Zeppelin."
	Page's playing seems fresh and invigorated as the result of time 
spent with his exuberant young band-mates, and rumors abound of a 2000 
tour. Until then you can get your fix with this excellent live recording 
available only, that is ONLY, online. Musicmaker.com, 
http://musicmaker.com/ , offers you the opportunity to download as much 
or as little of the 19 digitally recorded tracks as you like, and in the 
order you like. "Giving the fans the ability to select songs makes them 
part of the creative process, " offers Page. Chris Robinson adds: "It's 
always difficult to sequence the songs on an album. We thought we'd give 
that problem to the fans."
	It's somehow fitting that Page, the man who pushed the hell out 
of the rock-guitar envelope during his reign with Zeppelin, is now a 
part of a movement that threatens to forever change the manner in which 
music is packaged, marketed and sold.
---
	INTERVIEW: Angie Aparo
		- Bob Gajarsky
	Angie Aparo hasn't been declared the future of rock and roll, 
the American savior, or a poet laureate.  But with the poignancy, 
storytelling, and sheer intelligent rock and roll present on his 
major label debut _The American_ (Melisma/Arista), he may soon 
receive some of those accolades.
	Limiting Angie's music and lyrics to one genre is not only 
be impossible, but would misrepresent the artist.  A refreshing 
voice that is a cross between James Taylor and Ireland's Saw 
Doctors, landing somewhere near Jeff Buckley, this part-folkie, 
part-rocker hybrid truly defies simple categorization. 
	"My influences have always been singer / songwriters who 
have been 'plugged in'," Aparo states.  "Bruce Springsteen and 
David Bowie are two of them, and as far as bands, U2 was a big 
influence."
	That influence comes through most clearly on a track such 
as "Green Into Gold", which could have been come out of a _Joshua 
Tree_ era cut.  And while first single "Spaceship" might have 
been culled from a poppier Jeff Buckley cut and other tracks 
including "Hush", "Free Man", and some other dark moody tracks 
bring to mind old Toad the Wet Sprocket, the most redeeming 
quality of _The American_ is its ever-changing musical landscape.
	Part of this was brought to fruition by producer Matt 
Serletic, who has worked with artists such as Matchbox 20, 
Collective Soul, Aerosmith and Santana, yet cut back some of 
his production time to work with newcomer Aparo.
	"A great producer magnifies the artist's vision and I 
think also contributes greatly to the sonic interpretation of 
the lyrics - and Matt is all that," expresses Aparo in obvious 
respect for Serletic's contributions.  "Having the immense 
resources of Matt's ability, money and time {the latter two 
from Arista}, I was able to get to a place that was more than 
a document. I love _Out of the Everywhere_, but I definitely 
didn't have the luxury of any of those resources."
	_Out of the Everywhere_ was Aparo's independent project 
which generated a fan-based buzz.  Although only one track 
("Wonderland") surfaced on _The American_, its indie success 
helped pave the way to this major-label debut.
	Aparo honed his trade around Atlanta and on the road, 
including the various "Writers in the Round" series that have 
started to permeate certain major cities.  
	"I love performing there {in the 'rounds'} because 
they're part living-room, part jam, and part laboratory," Aparo 
enthusiastically explains. 
	He also hosted one of a "pretty successful" round in 
Atlanta a couple of years ago, but since then "I haven't had the 
time while in pursuit of this record and the subsequent band."
	While opening for artists such as Matchbox 20 and Edwin 
McCain, fans continued to wonder when a 'new' release would 
surface.  Songs which appeared here were first premiered at 
some of these concerts, and one thing which has garnered Aparo's 
growing legion of fans in the Southeast is his liberal 
concert taping policy.  And landing on a major hasn't changed 
Aparo's view of the tape trees which helped cultivate the 
popularity of bands from the Grateful Dead, Spin Doctors and the 
Dave Matthews Band.
	"I could still support that {taping of the live 
concerts} - the notion of a live experience belongs to everyone 
{who attends}.  But I can't speak for the label!," laughs Aparo.
	It's OK, Angie.  If the music-buying public has half a brain, 
I have a feeling that the subsequent sales of _The American_ will 
alleviate the fears of any bean counters at your label.
---
	REVIEW: The Melvins, _The Crybaby_ (Ipecac)
		- Matthew Carlin
	There is something distinctly off-putting about the Melvins. 
The slow tempos, the unintelligible lyrics, the 
not-giving-a-shit-what-even-their-fans-think aesthetic. It's like Buzz & 
co. purposely make it hard to like them. Yet there is a solid underground 
of freaks and weirdoes who love the Melvins.
	Regardless, _The Crybaby_ is perhaps the most brilliant concept 
album (the last installment in a trio of concept albums no less) ever. 
With guest vocalists and musicians from a completely haphazard and 
unlikely array of sources, the Melvins prove themselves to be the most 
clever, even if still the most annoying, band in rock.
	The shear audacity of recording "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with 70s 
has-been Leif Garrett on lead vocals is funny enough in theory. His 
earnest, straight rock, multi-tracked treatment of it casts the '90s punk 
anthem in an entirely new light. Of course, it's too bizarre to even try 
to dissect or analyze.
	The logical combination of the Melvins and Jesus Lizard yelper 
David Yow on a couple of tracks and the dirgy 11-minute "The Man With 
the Laughing Hand is Dead," with female singer Bliss Blood, will probably 
sate regular Melvins fans. Then again, the country ditties with Hank 
Williams III on vocals and Helmet's Henry Bogdan on pedal steel make 
just as much sense in some perverse way.
	More interesting is "Divorced," a surprisingly cohesive, though 
sprawling and atmospheric, pairing with Tool. "Spineless" is by far the 
Melvins' catchiest ditty, with N.Y. electro-popsters Skeleton Key -- 
another surprising combination. A brooding mood piece with J.G. (Foetus) 
Thurwell and a semi-disappointing track with Ipecac co-honcho and former 
Faith No More man Mike Patton round out the collection. The audio 
equivalent of a slightly nauseating, but entirely intriguing spectacle, 
the novelty of this album will certainly entertain even folks who can't 
normally stomach the Melvins.
---
	REVIEW: Josh Rouse, _Home_ (Slow River/Rykodisc)
		- Chris Hill
	Rouse's _Dressed Up Like Nebraska_ is a perfect debut album: one 
of those rare creations that lingers in the psyche throughout the day, 
tugging at the mind with an embarrassing wealth of great lyrics and music. 
"I could help you open and unfurl," "miscommunication/turns into a 
fight/and all the years you been frustrated/they finally subside/and 
now you walk away/to face your day alone," "it's the being in the dark 
that makes me so paranoid" -- the album's jammed with words that bubble 
up from the subconscious at the oddest moments.
	Rouse avoided the sophomore jinx by joining Lambchop's 
singer/guitarist Kurt Wagner for 1999's splendid EP, _Chester_, with 
Wagner writing the lyrics, and Rouse, the music. The combo proved 
brilliant: five songs that displayed Wagner's sparkling verbal wit and 
Rouse's knack for producing hooks out of his magician's hat.
	Fans will be pleased to know that _Home_, Rouse's full-length 
follow-up, again showcases the ex-Nebraska (and current Nashville) 
resident to perfection with ten songs, nicely divided between 
energetically upbeat and quietly introspective offerings. Strings, 
guitar, brass and keyboards combine for haunting melodies of friends 
and lovers tested by time and distance, and of a man coalescing from 
indecision into solid determination.
	Rouse's lyrics are impressionistic portraits of people and their 
relationships: country vistas viewed from a speeding car, seen for a 
blurry moment, briefly distinct, then left behind in the distance. "100m 
Backstroke" is a Byronic ode of beauty walking: "Watch the way you 
backstroke across the room/Arms out, floating/It consumes me/You haunt in 
your trail." Rouse then switches from passive, affected observer to 
involved participant with "In Between," describing a self-created limbo 
("When the secrets aren't worth fighting for/people stay in between/and in 
between you'll stay") and a lover that is left sadly behind as her depths 
are plumbed and found shallow. 
	Whether planned with confidence or uncertainty, defining the future 
is another pervasive theme on _Home_. The rousing leadoff "Laughter" ("Now 
I watch what I say/and I watch what I do.../Think I got it all figured 
out/I think my plan is safe/from laughter") and the choppy waters of 
"Afraid to Fail" ("It's time I made myself clear.../Not that I don't want 
to/I'm just afraid to fail") both advance into a brave, new world.
	On "Hey Porcupine," he addresses the distance that separates 
friends over time as priorities shift and goals change. "I don't call you 
anymore/It's a difference in our taste." The song plays as a sequel to 
the rollicking "Directions," where he berates someone for their aimless 
squandering of time. Rouse understands that drifting with life's current 
takes you someplace regardless of if you swim or not.
	For me, the heart of _Home_ is "Parts and Accessories," a blushing, 
adorational track ("As you walked in/ the room became a glow"). This 
person is idolized in his eyes with a memorable chorus: "So don't let 
on/don't let go/You should know/It's just parts of who you are." Ned 
Henry's violin plays at the edges of the song, adding an irresistible 
emotional undercurrent.
	With members of Lambchop guesting, _Home_ has a gentler, more 
soulful presence than his debut. Paul Birch's vibes add a piquant kiss 
to Rouse's heart-tugging vocals on "100m Backstroke" and Dennis Cronin's 
trumpet is the baited hook of "Laughter." After recent viewings of 
Lambchop's tour with Yo La Tengo, perhaps I'm sensitized to their 
contributions, because Rouse allows all his supporting cast moments in 
the spotlight. This unselfishness is just part of his charm.
	The closer "Little Know It All" conveys his willingness to go the 
distance. When he sings "be on the lookout for me," he finds no argument 
here; http://www.joshrouse.com for more information.
---
	REVIEW: Yo La Tengo, _And Then Nothing Turned Itself 
		Inside-Out_ (Matador)
		- Andrew Duncan
	For 13 years, Yo La Tengo has been pop's most aspiring band. Georgia 
Hubley, Ira Kaplan and James McNew has developed a technique that combines 
sweet melody with decadent distortion; a sound only Yo La Tengo can 
intimately pull off in such a peculiar way that combines quirky abstract 
definition and dark angst. After listening to a Yo La Tengo song, there is 
a feeling of discovery.
	Going on their tenth release, their lacking desire to change but 
constant redevelopment as a band allows them to create the best music 
being played today, and their new release demonstrates that their music 
can simply be described as music only Yo La Tengo can make.
	_And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out_ is the calm before the 
storm when a summer breeze dims to a still rage of confusion and beauty.
	The album begins with the experimental and dreary opener, 
"Everyday." As the bass line creeps up and down a scale and a strange 
percussive drum pounds out a minimalist pattern, Kaplan sings a distant 
melody of coffee-shop lyrics, coordinated with the mysterious hum of an 
organ and underpowered by a weeping guitar that rarely makes its play. 
Like many of their songs, "Everyday" forms a complete painting of cloudy 
textures.
	"Our Way To Fall" is the song that bids welcome into the album 
with a Simon and Garfunkel, "Feelin' Groovy" walkabout.
	"Let's Save Tony Orlando's House," one of the band's funnier song 
titles, is Hubley's vocal introduction into the album, as she delicately 
comes across comparing to Karen Carpenter or a sedate Mamas and Papas 
B-side, later disseminating into the soft strums of "The Last Days of 
Disco" and "The Crying Of Lot G."
	The band lights up on the George McRae tune "You Can Have It All," 
turning the disco hit into a hummable pop song.
	The band ends as they began, on a quiet note, with "Night Falls On 
Hoboken," the city where they reside. Even though Hoboken rests 2 miles 
west of bustling New York City, Yo La Tengo musically describes Hoboken 
like a small, humble town in the middle of nowhere that fades into a 
vertigo of sounds swirling into nothing.
	The three-year time lapse between this release and _I Can Hear 
the Heart Beating As One_ was well worth the style and structure of each 
note placed into what could easily be one of the best albums to be 
released this year.
---
	REVIEW: Fishbone, _The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx_ (Hollywood)
		- Paul Andersen
	The frenetic, ever-mutating musical gumbo that is at the core of 
the veteran L.A.-based ska/funk/whathaveyou band known as Fishbone makes 
itself known once again on their Hollywood debut, _The Psychotic Friends 
Nuttwerx_, proving that while some bands lose their sight along the way, 
others only get better as they get grayer. Fishbone not only belong to the 
latter category, they are poster children for the Organization of Musical 
Futurists Now. The grooves contained within this recording will still be 
fresh two millenniums from now. I guarantee it.
	Like any band that has been around for more than 20 years, Fishbone 
has seen a number of changes over time. Down to a core trio of Angelo 
Moore, Norwood Fisher and Dirty Walt' Kibby II from the old days, they 
have reincarnated themselves by grafting fresh players into spots that most 
other bands would have folded over, becoming even stronger in the process. 
Add in a guest list of musicians ranging from George Clinton, Flea, Gwen 
Stefani and Blowfly to Jeff Skunk' Baxter and Donnie Osmond -- yeah, you 
read that right -- and you come up with a potent mix that will blow your 
speakers clean out of the brackets (this is great music to cruise with).
	If Clinton is the master of P-Funk, then Fishbone is a both a 
branch of that family tree and a fresh synthesis of the essence of what 
funk is all about. More than any other band currently playing, they know 
that funk is not just a style of music, but a life force all its own. 
Come get the juices flowing, baby, and immerse yourself in the joy that 
is Fishbone.
---
	REVIEW: Catatonia, _Equally Cursed and Blessed_ (Atlantic)
		- Niles Baranowski
	Catatonia lead singer Cerys Matthews is blessed with the sort of 
versatile, show-stopping voice that the Alanises of the world would kill 
for. She can soothe and seethe with equal facility and her earthy groan 
sounds as confident and forceful as it does sexual. When she hisses "Joan 
of Arc can kiss my arse,"the gravelly sass in her voice is worth the price 
of admission, an attitude that you could fall in love with.
	The curse in Catatonia's third album, then, is the rest of her band, 
who can at best underscore her vocals and at worse can undercut them; they 
don't seem to have enough of their own will to create any counterpoint. On 
their last album, _International Velvet_, that wasn't the problem it is 
here since the songs were, on the whole, straightforward rave-ups that 
went down free of complication. The two top-selling singles from that 
album are represented here: "Road Rage" and "Mulder and Scully," a pair of 
rockers so anthemic that you may find yourself humming the latter as the 
credits to the _X-Files_ roll. They display succinctly the force that is 
missing from _Equally Cursed and Blessed_, modern rock at its cathartic, 
lusty best.
	_Cursed_ is a more subdued affair, its volume middling and its songs 
usually confining themselves to a single dynamic level. There are a few 
sappy tracks where Matthews feels overwhelmed by canned violins. "Bulimic 
Beats" gets gummed up in a wall of strings that makes one long for the 
minimalism of Phil Spector. "Dead From the Waste Down" is a lyrically 
interesting bedroom plea (think Summer of Love meets the old adage "make 
hay while the sun shines") that has no musical force, just a sort of lazy 
prettiness. Even a bouncing tune like "Karaoke Queen" is bland and grating 
when performed by the dull rhythm section of bassist Paul Jones and 
drummer Dafydd Iuean.
	"Karaoke Queen" used to be the sort of sprightly, innocuous single 
candidate that Catatonia excelled at back in the days of _Way Beyond Blue_ 
but Matthews is maturing too much as a singer to be contented with mere 
pop now. Her best tracks take on the strength of performance pieces; 
they're like hysteric monologues set to music. On "Shoot the Messenger," 
she plots drunken revenge and it sounds like seduction. Her coarse coyness 
makes comparisons to Tom Waits hardly unlikely. And when she can unleash 
her force against something specific, the results are dynamite, like the 
snide "Londinium" ("London doesn't sleep, it just sucks"). "Post Script" 
is the most fully-shaped story here, Matthews talking about how she gave 
her girlhood to a slick-talking shyster and there's not a word of regret 
here because "if you live a lie, you die a liar." No prissy little-girl 
romanticism, just a mess of lip-smacking attitude.
	Finally, if you want your daily requirement of Cerys without 
worrying about even the vaguest requirements of song form, you may be 
interested in "Storm the Palace," two minutes of Cerys whipping a crowd 
into a castle-torching frenzy. There's no verse, no break, no chorus, 
just the moment where drunkenness becomes revolutionary fervor -- all 
distilled into distortion. As the middle ground between the gonzo acid 
kool-aid of the Super Furry Animals and the brash, brainy "dad rock" of 
the Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia are far from the most revolutionary 
band on the Welsh music scene. Don't be surprised if you start following 
Cerys Matthews with a near-revolutionary fervor, though.
---
	REVIEW: Bloodhound Gang, _Hooray For Boobies_ (Geffen)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	The Bloodhound Gang can retire now.
	Thanks to the huge international smash of "Bad Touch", 
the Bloodhound Gang must have enough money to move out of the 
beer-chugging, no-chicks environment which they've espoused in 
songs such as "I Wish I was Queer So I Could Get Chicks".
	And while the Pennsylvania-based group that took the 
Beasties' fight for your right to party to new extremes recorded 
their new album _Hooray For Boobies_ , somehow, a totally 
irresistible synthpop beat over a white boy rapping about 
"doing it like they do on the Discovery Channel" achieved #1 
status in five European countries, and top 20 status in another eight.
	"It's shocking to open pop-culture magazines there 
and see poster inserts of Star Wars, Metallica and the Bloodhound 
Gang," says Jimmy Pop Ali. "We just knocked out Oasis out of the 
#1 spot in Spain.  We're as big as the Backstreet Boys, but the 
difference is we like girls - and we don't have their bad shaving 
habits."
	Not bad for a band that wouldn't get booked in nearby 
Philadelphia for fear that no one would show up.  Or, as the 
lyrics to "The Ballad of Chasey Lain" and "Yummy Down On This" 
summarize, unlikely to get laid.
	"We're just happy that girls will talk to us now," bassist 
Evil Jared Hasselhoff states in the off-hand, never totally 
serious fashion that pervades all the Bloodhound Gang's 
conversations and lyrics. "My day-job fixing lawnmores wasn't 
much of an aphrodisiac."
	Fans of the 'old' Bloodhound Gang needn't worry that 
the success of "Bad Touch" will change the sound of _Boobies_.  
"Mope" takes wonderfully warped lyrics and melds them with Frankie's 
"Relax" for a nonsensical song which alternately irritates and 
fascinates, while additional themes on _Boobies_ include 
rhyming words with vagina ("Three Point One Four"), 
sampling Metallica ("Long Way Home"), spliff ("Along Comes Mary"), 
and lap dancers with personal problems ("A Lap Dance Is So 
Much Better When The Stripper Is Crying".
	People looking for 12 copies of "Bad Touch" might want 
to look elsewhere.  So should anyone searching for the answer to 
the mysteries of life.  _Hooray For Boobies_ is obviously infantile, 
but if you were expecting anything else out of the Bloodhound Gang, 
shame on you.
---
	REVIEW: Sparklehorse _Good Morning Spider_ (Capitol) / 
		_Disorted Horse EP_ (Odeon)
		- Christina Apeles
	Less somber than 1995 debut release 
_Vivadixiesmarinetransmissionplot_, lauded by critics and 
peers though largely ignored by consumers, _Good Morning 
Spider_ and _Distorted House_ prove that Mark Linkous is one of 
the most talented songwriters of his generation. Linkous' appeal 
resides in a dimly-lit milieu filled with poetic lyricism, 
pensive tempos fraught with quandary and revelation. What some 
may term as dismal, the tone of these releases vary from 
relentless noise to stripped down ballads, with evocative 
verse ever present.
	On _Good Morning Spider_, "Sick of Goodbyes" may be 
the radio-friendly track any label could hope for with its 
catchy chorus and rock for everyone feel, it is an inspiring, 
folk-influenced track that anyone can enjoy. Then there's the 
epic feel of "Chaos of The Galaxy/Happy Man" with one song 
proceeding into the next, that is lo-fi rock grandeur. Like 
most of the ballads on this release, Hey Joe is sparse in 
instrumentation, with acoustic guitar and piano backing the 
dreary vocals of "Linkous" expressing his brand of optimism: 
There's a happy man, there's a star for you, while "Ghost of 
His Smile" exhibits Linkous' Guided By Voices musical 
sensibility with true pop fervor. There's a raw element to each 
song, whether it be static, reverb, or cracking vocals, adding 
an engaging aspect to the album, sounding more in line with a 
live show than studio-produced release.
	Meanwhile, _Distorted House_ furnishes listeners with 
actual live tracks of the acoustic, wintry "Gasoline Horseys" 
and the energetic mood of  "Happy Pig." An additional treat is 
Daniel Johnston's piano playing sampled for a guitar heavy 
cover of Johnston's "My Yoke is Heavy," recognizing one of 
Linkous' biggest influences. In both releases, vocals and 
instruments tend to move from rants to murmurs falling then 
into silence, shifting back into an earful of sonic distortion 
in signature Sparklehorse fashion, fitting nicely between records 
by Vic Chesnutt and recent Tom Waits; with _Good Morning Spider_ 
also rewarding in your CD-rom drive, offering videos suited to 
the music: drab colors, out of focus shots, rarely static -- 
yet all of it dazzling.
---
	CONCERT REVIEW: The Mekons
		- Wilson Neate
	The Mekons opened their account at the Bowery Ballroom with a 
rousing rendition of "I'm Not Here (1967)," the title of which proved 
oddly prescient as vocalist Sally Timms certainly wasn't quite all there 
last night. After the first song an ailing Timms described, in detail, 
how (and how much) she'd just vomited. She went on to inform the crowd 
that, since there was a real danger of her doing so again in the near 
future, she might have to leave the stage at any moment.
	Jon Langford -- looking like an alternative James Doohan (circa 
1990) with an ill-advised mustache -- wasn't having any of it, 
sympathetically encouraging her to just throw up on the crowd and not 
bother with the bathroom. Not only would the lucky punters at the front 
lap it up (metaphorically speaking), he argued, they'd also eagerly 
preserve Mekons chunder in vials as the perfect souvenir of an evening 
of chunk/punk rock.
	Despite being a little older and -- with the exception of Tommy 
Greenhalgh -- larger in the trouser department, the Mekons proved that 
while it might have been a little unwell last night, punk is certainly not 
dead. With the classic line-up almost completely reassembled -- Langford, 
Timms and Greenhalgh being joined by Steve Goulding on drums and Rico Bell 
on accordion and harmonica -- the Mekons served up their singular brand of 
thinking/drinking person's folk/punk.
	Even between songs, the Mekons are always entertaining. While 
Bell's dashing orange-and-white polka-dot blouse seemed to indicate that 
he was on a bold one-man crusade for the reintroduction of the gypsy or 
perhaps pirate look, Langford informed us that Rico's attire was in fact 
punishment for alcohol-related infractions committed the previous evening 
in Cambridge, Mass. Although Langford was the first to admit that his own 
shirt was equally hideous, and pajama-like to boot, he declined to 
disclose the details of his own peccadilloes.
	A strident version of "Heaven and Back" saw Greenhalgh taking care 
of primary vocal duties and engaging in some of the first Elvis kicks of 
the evening. Then, although "Gin Palace" from _Honky Tonkin'_ took us back 
to the unsavory decade horribilis of Thatcher's casino economy, its waltzy, 
sea-shanty, bar-room flavor soon washed the bitter taste out of our mouths.
	Not surprisingly, a fair bit of last night's material was drawn from 
the new album _Journey to the End of the Night_ (Quarterstick), the title 
of which sends a rather erudite shout out to Cline and his 1932 novel of 
Bardamu's odyssey from WWI European battlefields, to West Africa, on to 
New York and Detroit and finally back to a French lunatic asylum. But 
there's more than a superficial reference at stake here on the new outing.
	The hallmarks of Cline's aesthetic -- lyricism, black humor, 
irreverence and idealism -- are the very tropes that characterize the 
Mekons' approach on _Journey_. Dark and elusive, bleak yet ultimately 
hopeful and shot through with jagged moments of humor, this album leads 
the listener on a subjective, nocturnal journey through the urban ruins 
of capitalism.
	If the title sets a tone of literary tourism, then "Myth" runs with 
the idea. Backed with some fine harmonies and violin, Tommy Greenhalgh 
takes us on a doleful cultural excursion of sorts, appearing to map 
classical mythology and the travails of Heracles onto the contemporary 
cityscape of New York.
	On "Out in the Night," Langford sings a brooding, woeful ballad; 
"The Last Weeks of the War" is a similarly melancholy number on which he 
and Timms square off, albeit in a subdued fashion. Like many of the tracks 
on the album, this distinctly unhappy, downbeat and fragile song is subtly 
held together by Susie Honeyman's beautifully lilting, country-tinged 
violin (unfortunately absent from last night's performance).
	"Tina" is the first of three tracks on this album that are 
characterized by a distinctly '80s white UK/punk/pop reggae 
guitar-signature, and it finds Langford disillusioned, at the end of 
his political and ideological tether and yet still ultimately optimistic. 
In a similar vein musically, "Ordinary Night" has Greenhalgh at the vocal 
helm again. On "Neglect" -- probably the most successful of the trilogy -- 
Bell's accordion adds a welcome layer beyond the vaguely anachronistic 
skank-lite sound. Interestingly, the live performance of the latter two 
really foregrounded the songs' comic side that remains understated on 
record.
	"Powers and Horror," a virtually a cappella number with a 
smattering of piano and accordion, deepens the intertextuality of the 
album by alluding to Julia Kristeva's _Powers of Horror_, itself a dense 
reflection on Cline's work. But lest that sound weighty and pretentious, 
in performance this is another track that the Mekons manage to re-signify 
with a marked degree of humor. On _Journey_, it's lyrically abstruse and 
rather grim but live, the Mekons' barbershop quartet -- hands clasped and 
looking decidedly ironic -- brings a disarming element of levity to the 
track.
	"Cast No Shadows" is a pumping sing-a-long with great guitar and 
filled with yet more dark nocturnal imagery. Lyrically, it charts a 
pessimistic unending trek but vocally, its sound is completely uplifting, 
courtesy largely of Sally Timms.
	Among the new tracks that the Mekons unfortunately glossed over last 
night was "City of London," another dark one made extra-special by Timms' 
breathy intimate vocals that graft various levels of loss, demise and 
death onto the geography of London and, indeed, onto the Empire itself. 
Also conspicuous by its absence was the more familiarly Mekons' number 
"Last Night on Earth" which, against the grain of its miserable lyrics 
that chronicle things falling apart as the witching hour draws close, 
paradoxically manages to pull off a cheery sing along.
	But meanwhile back at the Bowery Ballroom...the Mekons also served 
up fine versions of "Orpheus," "Poxy Lips" and "When Darkness Falls." The 
latter was a particular winner. Langford ironically dedicated it to the 
very same "Big A&M Herb," immortalized by the greatest living Englishman 
Mark E. Smith, and Sally Timms proceeded to sing rather beautifully about 
wishing horrible physical torments on someone.
	Having been the consummate trooper, however, a poorly Timms finally 
gave up the ghost toward the end of the evening and made for the bathroom. 
This was Langford's cue to inform the crowd that the boys (and bassist 
Sarah Corina) would now take advantage of her absence, rub liniment into 
their legs and play some rugby. Luckily, Langford didn't make good on 
that threat but, rather, the Mekons played a ripping version of "Fancy" 
by the Kinks.
	They finished things off with a great set of encores. For a frenetic 
version of "Where Were You," they inevitably enlisted the assistance of 
roadie Mitch (complete with appropriate yellow hair). There was more Elvis 
kicking, writhing on the floor and an enforced stage dive for Mitch, 
courtesy of a shove in the back from Langford. Equally excellent versions 
of "Memphis Egypt," "Prince of Darkness," and "Lost Highway" provided the 
final touches.
	A great time was had by all. Downbeat country-folk balladry, upbeat 
punk rock, driving guitars and classic Mekons wit and charm. How much longer 
can they keep this up?
---
	REVIEW: Handsome Family, _In the Air_ (Carrot Top)
		- Chris Hill
	The Handsome Family, consisting of modern American Gothic couple 
Rennie Sparks, Edgar Allen Poetess of death and madness, and Brett Sparks, 
bi-polar, baritone singer, have returned from the shadowlands with more 
rich, erudite folk songs fit for urban nihilists and backwoods moonshiners 
alike.
	Fans of their last, _Through the Trees_, will be pleased to note 
that Rennie's song writing skills continue to awe. She captures brief 
instants in time and fills them with astonishing detail, endowing 
characters with tragic flaws and scenes with tangible reality, making 
the inevitable tragedies all the more poignant.
	_In the Air_ contains the dire stories fans have come to expect 
and love: an Edward Gorey picture of a woman spurned by her lover, then 
devoured by crows ("Poor, Poor Lenore"); a murder ballad of possessive, 
obsessive love ("My Beautiful Bride"); a watery suicide ("Lie Down"); 
alcoholic, chaotic madness ("So Much Wine"); fratricide ("Up Falling 
Rock Hill"); Sunny beach music, this isn't.
	Several rays of light do manage to pierce the lyrical dark. "Don't 
Be Scared" is an angelic tune of a fearful man finding reassurance in his 
dreams: "Whenever Paul thinks of snow/soft winds blow/round his head/and 
his phone rings just once late at night-/like a bird calling out, 'Wake 
up, Paul./ Don't be scared./Don't believe you're all alone.'" And 
"Grandmother Waits For You," a track carried over from the Handsome 
Family's 1997 vinyl-only EP _Invisible Hands_ paints a serene picture of 
heaven, as infirmities are left behind with the body: "The hills are 
scattered with empty wheelchairs/and hearing aids thrown to the ground/The 
long night is over/The shadow has passed/and farewells forever are done." 
	Brett's solemn, rootsy vocals treat each song seriously -- one 
might say gravely -- rolling under and over the words with obvious relish. 
Brett also pens the music that backs his wife's visual lyrics; tunes that 
include a three-step waltz ("The Sad Milkman"), finger-pickin' hobo 
guitar ("In the Air"), and violin- and guitar-infused melancholy ("Up 
Falling Rock Hill").
	In the same way that grandfather could read about a wicked wolf 
devouring a helpless grandmother, these grim songs are somehow strangely 
comforting. While you're held safe on an ample lap, pipe tobacco, Old 
Spice cologne and warm arms around you, the world's terrors, still only 
imagined, are held easily at bay. Brett's voice conveys that same 
heartening feeling of security -- the dawn's not far away, no matter 
how dark it is now.
	_In The Air_ also includes a video from the band's _Milk and 
Scissors_ cd: the affecting "Amelia Earhart vs. the Dancing Bear," a 
song of the images that flash through the aviatrix's mind as her plane 
crashes and burns.
	For your exploration: http://www.carrottoprecords.com/ and 
http://handsomefamily.home.mindspring.com/ -- label and band site.
---
	REVIEW: Don Dixon, _The Invisible Man_ (Gadfly)
		- Bill Holmes
	"Invisible Man" would be a good nickname for someone whose recording 
career seemed to slam on the brakes in 1995, but Don Dixon's production 
and session work for some of music's brighter lights has kept him very 
busy. And it's not like radio is screaming for a literate, funny writer 
with a knack for hooks and a raspy but soulful voice. _The Invisible Man_ 
certainly won't qualify him for stadium tour status, but it's a solid 
collection of songs presented through the guise of a song cycle, albeit a 
scattered one. Usually thematic pieces are presented in order; but Dixon's 
life observations are ordered more by musical structure. What do you want 
from a producer?
	The first three songs are presented from the viewpoint of a man in 
the prime of his life, and the music is appropriately confident and upbeat. 
"Invisible & Free" (which you will think is called "Kara" until you look 
at the track list) is an upbeat song that plays with the lyrics 
effectively, a typical Dixon maneuver. "Do So Well" is probably the 
closest to his prior solo work -- soulful Southern rock and R&B -- while 
the lively "Tax The Churches" could best be described as Memphis surf 
music, a kissing cousin to "Praying Mantis." But two songs later, the 
stark and frail "All I Wanted" is narrated by an 85 year old man 
recounting a life of wasted opportunity. The vocal is a drop dead Elvis 
Costello intonation as a single, rhythmic acoustic guitar ticks away what 
little time remains.
	"Digging A Grave" and "Then I Woke Up" are sung as the ruminations 
of a man in late middle age, and despite the characters' mortality 
questions, are also strong musically. The oddest piece, "High Night For 
The Tide," juxtaposes island rhythms and a sound not unlike Mike 
Oldfield's Tubular Bells. The somber island percussion reappears on the 
closing song "Why Do Children Have To Die?," whose placement on the record 
is as odd as its title. I know Dixon is not going for a hit record here, 
but I'm not sure that's the taste he wanted to leave in my ear as I 
depart, either.
	Dixon fans may dive into this redemptive opera wholeheartedly, 
or they may opt to dip in only for the songs that tickle their fancy. If 
anyone on Americana or (gasp!) pop radio ever hears these tunes, they'll 
be one at a time, so buying into the concept won't be as critical. And 
that's vintage Dixon -- putting his wares out on that table and letting 
you find the gems for yourself. Welcome back. (http://www.gadflyrecords.com)
---
	REVIEW: Seely, _Winter Birds_ (Koch)
		- Chris Hill
	The oft-mentioned comparisons to ex-Too Pure label mates 
Stereolab are justifiable. Seely's music is fraught with retro synth 
ambience and Euro continental flair. But allow Seely to escape from 
under a namedrop, and they charm all on their own.
	Their latest kicks off with a "lonely road" song, "El Cajon." Steven 
Satterfield's sultry voice, sounding like a drag Garbo of Scandanavian 
poise and smoky impenetrability, breathily complains "It's a long way from 
home/engines drone, we roam/why am I alone." The misery's easily 
counterbalanced by screeching bits of static samples and drums that slip 
and carom around the keyboard runs. The song's a lovely opener for their 
fourth LP (or third, if you consider that their second album _Julie Only_ 
was essentially a reworking of the _Parentha See_ first release). 
	Satterfield and bassist Joy Waters split Seely's vocal duties, 
giving the band a chocolate and vanilla ice cream swirl sweetness. Neither 
impart edge to the sometimes sharply pointed lyrics, except on the catty 
"Sister Total Emptiness," a spearing of a model whose outer beauty 
subverts her inner soul.
	With Waters' dreamy voice trading lead and backing vocals with 
Satterfield's, the venom of "Altamaha," a song inspired by the band's 
dissolved partnership with the Too Pure label, ("you should have just come 
clean at first/time hides and finds your reserve broken/by and by/lies 
will be spoken") is neutralized - a poison pen letter with perfumed 
stationery. Another track prompted by personal loss, "Alias Grace," lays 
bare the hurt of Waters' divorce, brought into focus when she hears her 
ex's song on the radio. The lushness of her voice and the murmuring of the 
keyboards play against the harsh sting of her memories. 
	"Sunsites" heads down the same dark lyrical path, as water, a 
medium traditionally symbolic of life and rebirth, instead evokes 
untimely death: "Take me to the river's end/throw me in the water/let me 
see if he's down below." Again, the synths pasteurize the bacterial 
sadness, and Waters' voice floats above the sorrow, touched, yet not 
consumed. But on the final track, Waters dives deep. "Sandy," a poignant 
"loved and lost" nightclub ballad ("Sandy, can you hear me/you're a wild 
thing/and I miss your softness") was penned for Waters' deceased dog. The 
loss is conveyed with finesse by Waters' heartfelt delivery of lines like 
"You made it hard to let you be/with somebody else but me."
	My favorite track seems the only song unaffected by the labor 
pains of _Winter Birds_. "Planes Circle Do" lists off a series of cities 
in a Gaudi mosaic of stream of consciousness images and impressions. 
Waters' graceful, fizzy vocals guide the tune along dizzily - "Lagos, 
Rio, coming in low/altostratus, nimbostratus/people getting skinny/smokers, 
eaters, tiny/planes must circle/Cape Town, Dakkar, Seattle..." - until it 
dwindles in the distance, a delectable ride of 7:32.
	_Winter Birds_ also includes two instrumental tracks that show 
concert jam potential: the energetic "Sapelo Sound" and the palpitating 
"The Kangaroo Communique."
	Out of context, a lyric seems appropriate here: "when I listened 
to your song on the radio/couldn't help but make me want to go and say 
hey."  http://www.seelymusic.com/ -- go say "hey."
---
	REVIEW: Rick Derringer, _Live At The Paradise Theater_ (Phoenix Gems)
		- Bill Holmes
	He may not be in Cleveland's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but Rick 
Derringer was enshrined in mine years ago. From teen idol to third Winter 
Brother to guitar god to pop guy to blues man, Derringer has strapped on 
that guitar, hit the stage and kicked ass. Unfortunately, previous concert 
documents have not effectively captured what live audiences have enjoyed 
for so long. _Derringer Live_ was good but spotty, and the King Biscuit 
release featured his last, weakest band lineup and too many guest stars. 
Only the radio promo _Live In Cleveland_ (there's irony for you!) came 
close, but if the legitimate release has never made it to CD, don't hold 
your breath for the promotional disc. A travesty.
	Now that's changed, thanks to Phoenix Media Group. With thousands 
of hours of live music tapes and radio broadcasts at their disposal, the 
Phoenix Gems imprint will be used to get some classic (and in some cases, 
unheard) concerts out to the public. The first four releases feature The 
Tubes, Omar And The Howlers, Spirit, and this Derringer concert from late 
1998 in Boston. _Live At The Paradise Theater_ was the same show (and 
perhaps the same master tape) that was supposed to be released in 1998 
under the Archive Alive label, but was shelved when the King Biscuit disc 
hit the market two months before. The sound quality is phenomenal, and if 
all Phoenix Media's shows are this crisp and clear, the market for live 
concerts just changed dramatically.
	The first Derringer band, with axe whiz Danny Johnson, was more 
riff and jam oriented. After Johnson left, Derringer kept bassist Kenny 
Aaronson and brought in drummer Myron Grombacher. Recording as a trio 
(with some help from old pal Dan Hartman), _If I Weren't So Romantic, I'd 
Shoot You_ found Rick steering his band towards shorter, single oriented 
material. Needing a second guitarist for the road, he selected Neil 
Geraldo (who, with Grombacher, would anchor Pat Benatar's band for years 
afterwards). Although the band was only together briefly, Geraldo plays 
some great barrelhouse piano and trades leads on guitar, Grombacher is 
tireless, and Aaronson is an inventive, fluid anchor on bass. Sure, 
there's the requisite speed-noodling on "Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo" and 
"Beyond The Universe," and this talented group kept up with Derringer 
step for step. What makes this disc really special are the moments when 
they absolutely rip through Derringer's best mid-career songs. "Teenage 
Love Affair," "Let Me In" (always Derringer's best vocal) and the 
Chinn-Chapman hit "It Ain't Funny" are on fire, while the finale of 
"Roll With Me," "Back In The U.S.A." and "Long Tall Sally" contain 
Derringer's best work since the _Roadwork_ album with Edgar Winter. The 
band was hot that night
	Rick Derringer shows no signs of slowing down after over 35 years 
of rocking the world. Let this CD hold you over until he rocks your town 
again. (http://www.radiophoenix.com)
---
	REVIEW: Spring Heel Jack, _Treader_ (Thirsty Ear)
		- Andrew Duncan
	Drum and bass, or jungle, whichever you prefer, has come a long 
way, transcending into an art form that goes beyond the powerful drum 
samples that jackhammer beats per minute faster than the brain can 
register. Times have changed and musicians are using drum and bass as a 
tool to create intelligent music. Talvin Singh turned drum and bass into 
an international experience while LTJ Bukem made jungle intergalactic. 
However, it is Spring Heel Jack, comprised of John Coxon and Ashley Wales, 
that use orchestration as a blueprint to transform the dance music into an 
intellectual piece of modern art.
	_Treader_ has a slow beginning, but there is plenty of time for the 
album to unfold with nearly 75 minutes of play time. "Is" begins with 
screeching strings that quickly bounce into a sultry accompaniment that 
would sound perfect in a James Bond film. "Winter" has the same effect, 
incorporating blasts of burlesque horn samples that are dragged out too 
long.
	Coxon and Wales turn up the knobs with "Blackwater." The song makes 
excellent use of computer sound effects embedded in a canopy of beats that 
ping-pong back and forth. The music becomes more intense as the CD 
progresses. "Eyepa," the high point of the album, creates science-fiction 
textures with more paranoid loops that leak hints of industrialism. "More 
Stuff No One Saw" breaks free from the true definitions of drum and bass 
and looks at the music in the same fashion as Miles Davis did to jazz -- 
limitless.
	The band really shines best when they break free of traditional 
drum and bass and explore new terrain like that of Phillip Glass or John 
Zorn. "Toledo" and "1st Piece for La Monte Young" begins as ambient 
texture that eventually fall into a sequence of mathematical beats and 
humming basslines.
	Coxon and Wales end _Treader_ with two bonus songs from _The Sound 
of Music EP_, which covers Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" 
and "Climb Every Mountain." The two are such purists when it comes to the 
remixes that most fans of Rodgers & Hammerstein's work will truly 
appreciate.
	Spring Heel Jack create respectable music that is intelligent and 
diverse. Not every song is easily accepted, but the music proves that drum 
and bass is still ahead of its time.
---
	REVIEW: New Americans, _New Americans_ (Fufkin)
		- Bill Holmes
	The cover photo is a dead ringer for the cover of Simon and 
Garfunkel's _Bookends_ album, which is a pretty ballsy statement for 
any duo to make. Fortunately, the liner notes quickly tell you that Dan 
Touhy and Casey Fundaro are merely guys who were tremendously influenced 
by classic pop songwriters like Simon, Bacharach, Brian Wilson and Gram 
Parsons. They also admire contemporary artists like Jeff Tweedy, Bill 
Lloyd, and Matthew Sweet. While that's admirable, Touhy and Fundaro are 
not playing in that league. However, they do write gentle pop melodies 
that call to mind bands like America, Bread and The Carpenters. Lyrically, 
they're smack dab into that introspective era, with eight songs about 
lost love, found love, and the search for meaning in one's life.
	That's not to say this is a coffeehouse special. Occasionally 
there's a nice burst -- "Lookin' Down" is given life by Neil Young-ish 
guitar and harmonica; "So Alone" has the "Chestnut Mare" chord 
progression as the skeleton of its chorus, and "Comin' To An End" also 
mines Byrds territory. The leadoff track, "Anna," might be just perky 
enough to be a hit in better hands. But despite the light arrangements, 
the lead vocals rarely rise above coffeehouse level, and that's just not 
enough to make anything here truly special. (http://www.fufkin.com)
---
TOUR DATES:
	Beck
Mar. 27 Den Hague, Holland Congresgebouw
Mar. 28 Brussels, Belgium Halles De Schaarbeeck
Mar. 29 Paris, France Le Zenith

	Charlatans / Stereophonics
Mar. 27 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Mar. 28 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Mar. 30 Seattle, WA Showbox
Mar. 31 Vancouver, BC Commodore
Apr. 3 Minneapolis, MN The Quest
Apr. 4 Chicago, IL The Vic
Apr. 5 Toronto, ON The Warehouse

	Ani DiFranco 
Apr. 3 Missoula, MT Adams Center 
Apr. 4 Banff, AB Eric Harvie Theatre 
Apr. 5 Edmonton, AB Jubilee Auditorium 

	Filter / Chevelle
Mar. 27 Houston, TX Aerial Theatre
Mar. 29 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues
Mar. 30 Fort Lauderdale, FL Chili Pepper
Mar. 31 Tampa, FL University of Sou Florida

	Goldie
Apr. 1 Detroit, MI Motor
Apr. 3 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Apr. 4 Denver, CO Trinity La Rumba
Apr. 5 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club
Apr. 6 New York, NY Roxy

	Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals
Mar. 27 Strasbourg, France Hall Rhenus 
Mar. 28 Lyon, France Palais Des Sport 
Mar. 29 Grenoble, France Summum 
Mar. 31 Marseille, France Le Dome 
Apr. 1 Milan, Italy Palalido 
Apr. 3 Modena, Italy Palasport 
Apr. 5-6 Rome, Italy Palacisalfa 

	Incubus
Mar. 27 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
Mar. 30 San Diego, CA Cane's

	Kelis
Mar. 29 Chicago, IL Double Door
Mar. 30 Ann Arbor, MI University of Michigan w/Wyclef Jean 
Apr. 1 Cincinnati, OH Xavier University w/Wyclef Jean 
Apr. 2 Carlisle, PA Dickenson College w/Wyclef Jean 
Apr. 4 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's
Apr. 6 Los Angeles, CA El Rey

	Korn
Mar. 30 Worcester, MA Centrum
Apr. 1 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Arena
Apr. 3 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
Apr. 5 Columbus, OH Shottenstein Center

	Tara MacLean
Mar. 27 Boston, MA TT The Bear
Mar. 30 Chicago, IL Park West
Mar. 31 Cleveland, OH Shooters
Apr. 1 Akron, OH Borders
Apr. 2 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa

	Ian Moore
Mar. 31 Denton, TX Rick's 
Apr. 1 Fayetteville, AR Dave's On Dixon 
Apr. 4 Kansas City, MO Grand Emporium 
Apr. 5 Columbia, MO Mojo's 
Apr. 6 St. Louis, MO Sidedoor 

	Neko Case & Her Boyfriends
Mar. 28 Saskatoon, SK Amigo's
Mar. 29 Edmonton, AB Black Dog
Mar. 30 Calgary, AB Republik
Mar. 31 Vancouver, BC Richard On Richards
Apr. 1 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern

	No Doubt / Suicide Machines
Mar. 27 Toronto, ON Guvernment
Mar. 29 Boston, MA Avalon
Mar. 30 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 1 Atlanta, GA Roxy
Apr. 3 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Apr. 5 Washington, DC 930 Club
Apr. 6 New York, NY Roseland

	Oasis
Apr. 5 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
Apr. 6 Portland, OR Scnitzer Auditorium

	Ginny Owens
Mar. 28 Nashville, TN The People's Church
Mar. 30 Charleston, SC Charleston Southern University
Mar. 31 Atlanta, GA Six Flags Over Georgia 
Apr. 1 Jefferson City, TN Carson Newman College
Apr. 4 Tulsa, OK First Christian Church
Apr. 5 Waco, TX Ferrell Center

	Papas Fritas
Mar. 27 Portland, OR Satyricon
Mar. 28 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe w/ Sunset Valley
Mar. 30 Salt Lake City Kilby Court
Mar. 31 Denver, CO 15 Street Tavern
Apr. 1 Boulder, CO Tulagi's
Apr. 3 Iowa City, IA Gabe's Oasis w/ The Hang Ups
Apr. 4 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue w/ The Hang Ups
Apr. 6 Chicago, IL Schuba's w/ The Hang Ups

	Podunk
Mar. 31 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall

	Red Hot Chili Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse
Mar. 27 Carbondale, IL SIU Arena
Mar. 28 Champaign, IL Assembly Arena
Mar. 30 Dayton, OH Nutter Center
Mar. 31 Columbus, OH Value City Arena
Apr. 2 Amherst, MA Mullins Center
Apr. 3 Albany, NY Pepsi Center
Apr. 5 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Arena
Apr. 6 Roanoke, VA Civic Center

	Tonic
Mar. 28 Harrisonburg, VA PC Ballroom
Mar. 29 Clarion, PA Tippin Gym
Mar. 31 Atlantic City, NJ Trump Marina

	Tonic / Third Eye Blind
Apr. 1 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 2 Poughkeepsie, NY Marist College
Apr. 3 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Apr. 4 Newark, DE Carpenter Center 
Apr. 6 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
 
	Union
Mar. 28 Lincoln, NE Royal Groove 
Mar. 29 Cloud, MN Red Carpet
Mar. 31 Sauget Ill. Pops Annex 
Apr. 2 Omaha, NE Holiday Inn 
Apr. 4 Kansas City, Mo. Hurricane
Apr. 5 Peoria, IL Infirmary
Apr. 6 Decatur, IL Twisters
---
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