== ISSUE 203 ====  CONSUMABLE ONLINE  ======== [March 16, 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, Steve Kandell, Dave Kemper, 
                      Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes Long, I.K. MacLeod,  
                      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  |
                            `------------'
LIVE REVIEW: Noise Pop Festival 2000, San Francisco, Cal. - Kerwin So
REVIEW: Patti Smith, _Gung Ho_ - Don Share
REVIEW: Eels, _Daisies of the Galaxy_ - Wes Long
INTERVIEW: Shannon Curfman - Al Muzer
REVIEW: The The, _Naked Self_ - Michelle Aguilar
REVIEW: Dirty Three, _Whatever You Love, You Are_ - Chris Hill
REVIEW: Steve Stevens, _Flamenco A Go-Go_ - Scott Hudson
INTERVIEW: Podunk - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Acoustic Junction, _Strange Days_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Pornosonic, _Unreleased 70s Porno Music feat. Porn King Ron 
   Jeremy_ - Matthew Carlin
REVIEW: Gladshot, _Gladshot_ / Debbie Andrews, _Suburbs of Eden_ 
   - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Cupcakes, _Cupcakes_ - Jade Hughes
REVIEW: Nickelback, _The State_ - Scott Hudson
TOUR DATES: Beck, Frank Black and the Catholics, Phil Coulter, Cracker, 
   Enon, Filter / Chevelle, Guster, Ben Harper And The Innocent 
   Criminals, Miles Hunt, Incubus, Kelis, Korn, Neko Case & Her 
   Boyfriends, New Wet Kojak, No Doubt / Suicide Machines, Ginny Owens, 
   Papas Fritas, Podunk, Powerman 5000, Prodigals, Red Hot Chili 
   Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse, Slip, Squatweiler, Tonic / Third Eye 
   Blind, Union
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	LIVE REVIEW: Noise Pop Festival 2000, San Francisco, Cal.
		- Kerwin So
	San Francisco's annual Noise Pop festival packs so much darn 
goodness into so many days that it would be near impossible for one man 
to soak it all in and settle down enough to recount it intelligibly. This 
year, the Bay Area was blessed with shows by Bob Mould, the Magnetic 
Fields, a reunited X, and dozens of other artists of national and local 
prominence.  Being but one man, I can only share the events that I did 
experience during this week, and praise it to the high heavens.
	Noise Pop began seven years ago, when founders Jordan Kurland and 
Kevin Arnold wanted to bring attention to a style of music -- you guessed 
it, noisy pop -- at a time when "thrasher-funk- punk ruled the Bay Area 
musical landscape," according to Kurland. The very first show, in 1993, 
included sets by The Meices, Overwhelming Colorfast, and Noise Pop 
perennials the Fastbacks. "Nowadays, noise pop is more a spirit or theme 
than a genre of music," continues Kurland. "Most of the acts that play are 
college-radio friendly, and lots of them have their roots in the 
independent music community."
	Bob Mould, one of the headliners of the six-day festival, certainly 
fits all these criteria -- and then some. "If anyone defines the mentality, 
genre, feel of noise pop, it is Mr. Mould," declares Kurland. "In our 
opinion, he is the godfather of noise pop." To verify this assertion for 
myself, I went to check out a full bill at Bimbo's 365 club, with the 
ex-Husker Du singer headlining.
	Incomprehensibly, local act Nuzzle flaked out of the opening slot 
of a lifetime, leaving another local band, Thingy, to fill that space with 
their, um, interesting brand of spastic indie-prog. The next performer, 
John Vanderslice, has just embarked on his solo project after the 
dissolution of MK Ultra, but you wouldn't know it as he incorporated a 
healthy amount of his previous band's material into his live set. Overall 
it was very straightforward rock, but I'll hold out from further 
disparagements, because not only did Vanderslice pen a song with the line 
"Bill Gates must die!", he also runs his own website with dope MP3s. Check 
it out at: http://www.johnvanderslice.com .
	Chicago's Mountain Goats followed, and let me tell you quite 
honestly, it got to me. Despite the plural name, Mountain Goats is 
essentially one man, John Darnielle, and his acoustic guitar, spewing 
intense tales of broken love and historical ruminations over frenetic 
strumming, infused with a captivating, almost childlike honesty. 
Witnessing his one performance at Noise Pop made a believer out of me.
	By this point the stage was set perfectly for Mould, playing a solo 
acoustic set, to step in. Unfortunately, the ever-reliable United Airlines 
lost his electric guitar en route from Denver, so he was confined to 
playing his trademark 12-string, but believe me, that was more than 
enough. Kicking off as always with "Wishing Well," Mould tore into 
favorites from his solo, Sugar, _and_ Husker Du catalogs, including 
"Hoover Dam," "Brasilia Crossed with Trenton," "Makes No Sense At All" and 
"Celebrated Summer." At the crowd's behest, he even valiantly attempted 
"Panama City Hotel," which he claimed he hadn't even listened to in at 
least four years. It came off quite well, as did one painfully intimate 
new song that reduced the capacity crowd to an awed hush. It was great to 
hear how Mould is taking care of himself these days (e.g. cutting back on 
smoking and dairy products), and the quote which was probably the crowd 
favorite of the night was, "Is Madonna getting better or am I getting more 
gay?" Mould claims he's working on two new albums simultaneously, one 
subdued and one dance(!), but he's slow in releasing either of them. In 
the meantime, he certainly left us satisfied for one night.
	I managed to drag myself out of bed the next afternoon for a 
special early Noise Pop show at Bottom of the Hill, arriving just in 
time to catch the final four notes of East Bay band the Jim Yoshi 
Pile-up. Uh, they were a great four notes. Rumah Sakit tore the roof 
off the joint with their inspired, incredibly tight math-rock. Modesto, 
Cal., rockers Fiver will  not get any good press from me, since their 
drunk hometown friends kept slamming into me. By this time the crowd had 
reached an unprecedented (and uncomfortable) level of physical intimacy, 
and Death Cab for Cutie's set offered no compelling reason to stick 
around. Why is this band so hyped again?
	From there it was a rainy drive across town to catch a 
stripped-down set at Cafe du Nord. A complete change of venue and pace 
from the fire-hazard overflow of Bottom of the Hill's indie-rock elite, 
the Cafe du Nord lineup reminded me again of Noise Pop's indomitable 
spirit and sheer love of music across multiple lines. Jonah Matrangah, 
former singer of Far, performed a set rife with innocence and chaos, 
enlisting friends and recent acquaintances from the audience to perform 
with him on stage, continually pleading with the crowd to "Do what you 
love...please." Very uplifting.
	And who better to bring you back down than Eric Bachmann? The 
ex-Archers of Loaf front man has launched a new solo project, Crooked 
Fingers, which is essentially Bachmann spitting out lost, drunken tales 
with a Tom Waits-ian rasp over a fierce, melodic, de-tuned electric 
guitar. In such a personal, intimate setting, it was impossible not 
get drawn into Bachmann's overpowering songs to the point of crying into 
your beer. I said it once, and I'll say it again -- I'm a believer.
	Noise Pop reminds me of why music festivals exist in the first 
place, or at least why they should: to showcase great music, and to make 
us believe in music again. Noise Pop's unbridled success in this endeavor, 
even after all these years, clearly sets it apart from industry orgies 
like the Gavin Showcase or South by Southwest. "We will never be a 
festival that caters to the industry," proclaims co-founder Kurland. 
"That isn't to say that we  don't welcome people from LA or New York or 
wherever who work in the music business. We actually love it when they 
do want to be here, because that means they appreciate what we are 
trying to do and are fans of the bands that play. [But] at the end of 
the day, we are a music lovers' music festival, and that won't change." 
Thank God.
	Noise Pop is also expanding to Chicago this year, with awesome 
bands like Seam and Sleater-Kinney already confirmed for shows in May, 
as well as a reunited Wire. As hard as it may be to fathom, Noise Pop 
Chicago is shaping up to be even better than San Francisco's this year. 
But all the same, I feel privileged to have experienced all that I did 
during that all-too-short weekend. May the spirit of this festival live 
long and prosper.
---
	REVIEW: Patti Smith, _Gung Ho_ (Arista)
		- Don Share
	More Ho than Gung (literally), Patti Smith's new album is a 
fascinating new step in her quarter-century career. Lovingly, almost 
slickly produced, _Gung Ho_ is her most polished album to date, but she's 
compromised nothing. From an 11-minute epic about Vietnamese hero Ho Chi 
Minh, to a strident song-poem chastising African-Americans whose crack 
use sends their ancestors' dreams up in smoke, _Gung Ho_ shows that 
Smith's ardor and commitment remain undimmed.
	The music is much affected by the presence of boyfriend/guitarist, 
20-something Oliver Ray, whose sound burnishes an already rich band 
consisting of stalwarts Lenny Kaye, Jay Dee Daugherty, and Tony Shanahan. 
But _Gung Ho_ is also given a tremendous boost on its most remarkable 
song, "Persusasion," by astonishing guitar work from Smith's young son, 
Jackson, who has clearly inherited chops from his dad, the late Fred 
"Sonic" Smith. In fact, Jackson's guest appearance is far more notable 
than those by Michael Stipe and Grant Hart, which are rather tossed-in. 
	The single, "Glitter In Their Eyes," successfully updates Smith's 
sound without spoiling her vitriol, which in this case takes aim at the 
WTO and Disney. Easy targets, maybe, but you can't say that about the 
long Ho song, or "New Party," which is about having a political party 
not a millennium party for our new century. The lyrics of these last 
two songs reveal that Smith has been studying American history and its 
founding documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, 
but as a kind of revisionist: she advocates thinking and warm humanism, 
implicitly opposed to, say, George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism."
	It's no surprise that Patti Smith has kept her politics honed 
sharp, but the music here is surprising. From the near-Blue Oyster Cult 
riffs of "Gone Pie" to the beautiful ballad, "China Bird," to the Mother 
Theresa-inspired "One Voice," there's a deely thoughtful dimension to 
her sound which was hinted at in recent albums, but is completely 
realized here. Never has Smith sounded so confidently diverse: "Libbies 
Song" could even pass for a Carter Family front-porch classic. Some 
will find all this disconcerting, but Smith has not abandoned, only 
developed her "Horses"-era work.
	Most moving of all, _Gung Ho_ is also a tribute to her father, 
whose photograph as a young man in military gear - and in a pose like 
that of his daughter on her first album - graces the album cover. This 
music is an embodiment not just of her ideals, and Ho's, but his: it 
celebrates democrats and warriors in heart and soul, and is both 
stirring and slogan-free.
---
	REVIEW: Eels, _Daisies of the Galaxy_ (Dreamworks)
		- Wes Long
	E, the brains and voice box behind the somewhat slippery and 
aptly titled Eels, presented us with _Electro-shock Blues_ in 1998. A 
dark collection of songs penned, cut and pasted together from troubled 
times: the suicide of E's sister and the long illness and subsequent 
death of his mother. _Electro-shock Blues_ concludes with the words 
"maybe it's time to live." E's new release opens with the mournful 
wail of a brass band performing at a New Orleans funeral, ushering 
out the pain and welcoming the celebration of life that is Daisies 
of the Galaxy.
	All attempts at categorizing E's music are futile; it's an 
ultra odd assortment of sounds and starkly contrasting influences. 
One moment he's a softer edged John Prine, "Grace Kelly Blues," while 
"Flyswatter" finds him filling the role of a demented barker at a 
state fair mumbling about field mice, head lice and spiders over a 
wonderfully dislodged and eerie carnival sound befitting a Danny 
Elfman scored Tim Burton flick. He's equally capable of creating 
goofy-ass toe tapping nonsensical ramblings, "I Like Birds," and 
Brian Wilson/Andy Partridge perfect inescapably dreamy pop, "Jeannie's 
Diary." The latter of the two will spin in your head and CD player 
almost incessantly.
	Lyrically, E's an even more difficult animal to tag. A lovely 
song of lost love is made all the more poignant and unusual by the 
words "it's a motherfucker, being here without you," a striking 
exhibition of unlikeness amidst a field of childlike verse. The 
Beck-ian and super radio friendly first single, "Mr. E's Beautiful 
Blues," not only features the chorus "God damn right it's a beautiful 
day," but it's also a hidden track on the CD. Go figure.
	With the aid of REM's Peter Buck (piano, guitar and bass), and 
Grant Lee Buffalo's Grant Lee Phillips (bass), E churns out a set of 
songs that are the polar opposite of stale. Each one somehow simply 
complex and contagious as all get out. Some of the tracks are so oddly 
silly and childlike that you almost feel guilty for listening, let 
alone enjoying them. Guilty or not, _Daisies of the Galaxy_ is a pleasure.
---
	INTERVIEW: Shannon Curfman
		- Al Muzer
	Rather than follow in the footsteps of Blues-belters such as 
Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Merline Johnson and Rosetta Howard, 
14-year-old Shannon Curfman seems determined to walk the paths 
guitar-slingers like Johnny Otis, Elmore James, B.B., Bukka, Buddy, 
Muddy, Memphis Minnie and her personal hero, Stevie Ray Vaughn, have 
traveled.
	Described as a "downright scary" performer with an "almost 
freakish talent" that blends "Bonnie Raitt as a role model and Janis 
Joplin as a guardian angel" -- Curfman is one of a handful of young 
Blues practitioners championing what some consider a dying genre into 
a new century.
	In spite of her young age, the fact that she watches Dawson's 
Creek and Party of Five, can name three of five Backstreet Boys and is 
destined to endure comparisons to guitarist, contemporary, album guest 
and fellow Fargo, North Dakota, native Jonny Lang for at least six more 
years, there's a lot riding on Curfman's young shoulders.
	Determined to be seen as more than an underage novelty act, 
fiery appearances on the Late Show With David Letterman, CNN Showbiz 
Today and Good Morning America, a supporting slot during John 
Mellencamp's last tour and a brief headlining stint have exposed 
Curfman's incredible talent to a much broader audience.
	Strong sales, outstanding live performances, rave reviews, 
positive word of mouth and enthusiastic radio support for her Arista 
Records debut, the 11-song _Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions,_ is beginning 
to turn the little girl with the big guitar into a nationally-recognized 
figure.
	Name-checked as "a hot young guitarist to watch" by none other 
than Mr. Buddy Guy during an interview with the author three years ago, 
it was destiny, a phone call and one good publicist that finally 
connected Al Muzer and Shannon Curfman.

	CO: So, how does a 14-year-old in a sea of Backstreet Boys, 
'N Syncs and Ricky Martins come up with an album this mature, this good 
and this grounded?
	Curfman: Well, a lot of my friends listen to the other stuff 
[manufactured teen fluff] and that's fine. But, a lot of them are 
starting to get into the blues, rock and Jimi Hendrix, too, and I think 
that's really great. I grew up with a real classic rock background thanks 
to the records in my parent's collection. I also went through a country 
thing for a couple of years. But, then I heard Jonny's record [18-year-old 
Lang is featured on three songs including the Lang/Curfman/Bowe-written 
"Love Me Like That"] when I was, like, 10 or so and I really started to 
get into playing the blues, funk and a much bluesier type of rock.
	CO: Okay - but that still doesn't explain how someone so young 
can come up with something as lovely, longing, lonely and 
heartbreakingly sad as "Never Enough." Where did that come from?
	Curfman: You know - I'm not really sure - That song, uhm - I 
don't really know! It has to be coming from somewhere, you know? I'm 
just not sure where, exactly, that somewhere is yet. I write without 
really stopping to think about "where" or "why." I've got time to 
figure all that out later on.
	CO: You mentioned a "country thing." You do realize that "I'm 
Coming Home" would be a massive hit on country radio?
	Curfman: I'm a real Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam fan. Buck 
[Owens], John Prine, BR5-49 - good country music, you know? The stuff I 
play is definitely a mix of what I've been exposed to all my life. 
Country. Blues. Pop. Top 40. Rock. Dance. Oldies. Punk. I think it's a 
shame that music has to be segregated to different playlists, different 
charts and different radio stations based on what "label" it's been 
assigned. The guys in my band [which includes 36-year-old guitarist 
Randy Casey and former Rufus songwriter/keyboardist Kevin Murphy, 55] 
sometimes talk about the great AM radio stations of the '60s and '70s. 
Back in the day when everything got played and anything could become a 
hit. [sighs] 
	CO: How did you decide that you were "ready?" Most folks your 
age don't have a clue -- you have an album.
	Curfman: Well [laughs], there are times when I'm at home hanging 
out with friends I went to school with [Shannon has been home schooled 
for the last few years] and grew up with, you know, hanging out and 
going to Burger King, that I forget about everything that's happening. 
I've got a great family that has supported and believed in me from the 
very beginning [dad even requested a job transfer to Minneapolis so the 
family could relocate Shannon's base of operations to a bigger city]. 
What's most important is that I completely love what I'm doing and I 
think - I hope, that comes across when I'm playing. 
	For updates on Shannon's shows and appearances point your 
browser at: http://www.shannoncurfman.com or 
http://www.arista.com/aristaweb/ShannonCurfman 
---
	REVIEW: The The, _Naked Self_ (Nothing)
		- Michelle Aguilar
	When I played this album in the living room, my roommate 
walked through at one point and said, "Man, Matt Johnson must have 
been really bummed out when Radiohead came out." While this album 
doesn't really sound like _O.K. Computer,_ I knew what he meant.
	Johnson has always been very good at making concept albums in 
disguise, taking one idea and exploring its depths through various 
perspectives and voicings. 1981's _Soul Mining_ is of course the 
masterpiece everyone always brings up, but I see similar modes of 
attack on an album like 1988's _Mind Bomb,_ which feels like the 
ravings of a man contemplating either suicide or a shooting spree or 
both. Even _Hanky Panky_ -- which wasn't Johnson's songs -- managed to 
convey a unified sense of the anger and despair bubbling not far 
underneath Hank Williams' country pop songs.
	_Naked Self_ is yet another cohesive The The album that is 
just perfect for listening to in one shot, on headphones, in the dark. 
This time, Johnson's concept is the harsh, mechanical sounds of a city, 
(New York, London, wherever) with most everything recorded to sound 
like the cold metal sheen at the top of the Chrysler Building.  The 
important exception is Johnson's acoustic guitar, a musical Travis 
Bickle standing at the center of a cold whirlwind, the only example 
of genuine warmth or passion operating in this environment full of 
numbed, damaged individuals. It's an important exception because 
Johnson's guitar and aching voice are what really cut through the 
big, harsh soundscape and draw the listener in to the simple songs 
underneath the eight million naked stories here.
	"Boiling Point" starts us right off on a severe foot, opening 
the album with a single police siren that lasts a full 30 seconds then 
languishes its way into an slow, reverb-laden world of distorted 
electric guitar and metallic drums. It sounds like the "L" train 
emerging, agonizingly slowly, out of the underground and into the 
blinding heat of a summer day. I am reminded of the beautiful and 
sinister opening to _Mind Bomb,_ which sparked to life with the sound 
of wailing Muslim prayers.
	The strongest songs on this album are the snapshots of people 
in quiet crisis. "December Sunlight" is an uplifting guitar anthem for 
a sad-eyed woman, at the very moment she realizes that she's wasted 
half her l ife letting others make her miserable and that she doesn't 
need to waste the rest. Perhaps my surprise favorite was "Phantom 
Walls," a simple acoustic number that relies on the beauty of 
simplicity. Coming into the album ten songs deep, it's a refresher 
after the grimness that surrounds the previous songs.
	"Voidy Numbness" is very catchy, poppy, with a mean rhythm 
section that keeps building up and down and back up again on its guitar 
riff.  "The Whisperers" is quieter and brooding, a bit reminiscent of 
"Kingdom of Rain" from the _Mind Bomb_ album. "Weather Belle," another 
good song, surprises with a repeated banjo riff, although the lyrics 
are familiar territory -- all about the last moment Johnson saw his 
love before it was taken away from him.
	However, having just said that, it should be noted that most 
of the lyrics on this album are a departure from the intensely 
personal-sounding songs Johnson has written in the past. Most of these 
songs sound like they're about someone else, maybe friends, maybe 
strangers. Or maybe they're disguised versions of himself, who knows? 
But the first person perspective was always one of Johnson's strong 
suits and it's the one thing I really find myself missing here.
	Still, the album's mission seems to be to tell stories of 
isolation, alienation, dysfunction and once in a while, hope. It 
succeeds at this quite well, surrounded by some of the warmest production 
Johnson has ever had.
---
	REVIEW: Dirty Three, _Whatever You Love, You Are_ (Touch & Go)
		- Chris Hill
	The Dirty Three, with their sixth album (if you count the recent 
Australian-only _Praise_ soundtrack), continue to release music that 
enchants and beguiles the senses. Violinist Warren Ellis coaxes sad, 
senses-filling visions from his instrument: a storm-tossed ship, a 
sailor's wife gazing out to sea from a beckoning lighthouse, a drunken man 
staring sadly at his empty bottle. Grim? Hardly. There are many moments of 
gentle beauty as well: tender, midnight caresses to go with the thunder 
and squall, all within the encircling arms of a single song.
	Like guitarist Mick Turner's thickly-brushed paintings which have 
graced their recent covers, the band's music is richly imagistic. Listeners, 
aside from a titular nudge, are left to paint their own pictures with the 
songs. "Some Things I Just Don't Want to Know" -- what things? "I Really 
Should've Gone Out Last Night" -- why? Who knows? For them, the journey is 
as important as the destination, and they don't give a paint-by- numbers 
pattern of vocals or lyrics to answer these questions, only instrumental 
suggestions for hue, tone, and color.
	With _Whatever..._, you have six canvasses to fill. In "Some 
Summers They Drop Like Flys," a wind-blown Scheherazade pinwheels from 
the heavens to land on earth, numbed and drunk with wonder. "I Offered 
It Up To The Stars & The Night Sky" begins as a secluded meadow of 
violins awakening gradually, joining one another until the ground is 
awash in notes vying for their place in the moonshine. A prelude, the 
violins then subside into silence, and the piece begins. Jim White's 
drums guide a steady guitar and a questioning, ecstatic violin to a 
glorious crescendo. The interplay between the three musicians here, and 
throughout, is phenomenal. Small wonder that indie luminaries such as 
Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Nick Cave, and Will Oldham have sought out 
their services, and count themselves among their fans.
	After the last track, "Lullabye for Christie," finishes all too 
soon, the listener departs with the knowledge that when night falls, the 
Dirty Three are a boon precursor to sleep, a soft cocoon of beauty and 
understanding to transport one's soul safe through the night.
	Watch for upcoming tour dates at http://www.dirtythree.com/, as 
the Dirty Three continue their practice of tour-only releases with 
_Lowlands_, an eight song CD. Live, the band is a beast of manic energy 
that prances and howls on stage, and not to be missed.
---
	REVIEW: Steve Stevens, _Flamenco A Go-Go_ (Ark 21)
		- Scott Hudson
	Steve Stevens has built himself quite an impressive resume over 
the past two decades. As the resident pyrotechinal guitar wizard for 
Billy Idol in the 80's, Stevens co-wrote some of their biggest hits 
including, "White Wedding", "Rebel Yell" and the haunting "Eyes Without 
A Face".
	In addition to his work with Idol, Stevens has appeared with the 
Thompson Twins at Live Aid, created the controversial "Dirty Diana" with 
Michael Jackson, won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for 
the Top Gun soundtrack and in the mid-'90's, recorded and toured with 
Motley Crue front man Vince Neil, to name a few.
	However, it was a concert by renowned flamenco-guitar virtuoso 
Paco De Lucia that would inspire Stevens to explore new musical terrain.
	_Flamenco A Go-Go_ is an enhanced CD (which features internet 
links and live performance video).The record combines Stevens love of 
traditional flamenco guitar styles and his fascination with 
state-of-the-art electronics. Although recorded exclusively with a 
nylon-stringed classical guitar, Stevens was able to digitally alter 
the sound to make it sound electric on "Letter To A Memory" and 
"Flamenco A Go-Go."
	With its ghostly keyboard intro, "Our Man In Istanbul" quickly 
establishes itself as an exhilarating, full-tilt race across the 
countryside with Stevens' dazzling fretwork setting the pace.
	On the bouncy "Flamenco A Go-Go", Stevens plays all of the 
instruments, as he does on most of the record with the exception of 
the percussive work and the occasional voice.
	The Federico Fellini-inspired "Cinecitta" with its beautifully 
crafted, tasteful guitar lines and atmospheric keyboard is rhythmically 
brilliant and passionately gut-wrenching.
	And then there is "Dementia", Stevens' six and a half minute 
tour-de-force. A technical free-for-all, "Dementia" begins with subdued, 
exquisite melodies that soar into a barrage of dizzying, staccato 
flourishes climaxing into a synthesizer frenzy that would make Keith 
Emerson grin with approval. This tune has enough intensity to power a 
small city.
	Not to be forgotten are outstanding numbers such as, "Twilight 
In Your Hands", "Riviera '68" and the cerebral "Feminova" with its 
opening monologue, "This will twist your head..." It most certainly 
will!
	_Flamenco A Go-Go_ is masterful neo-flamenco record from a 
performer who doesn't classify himself in that genre. With this record 
Steve Stevens reveals himself as an artist who knows no bounds; creating 
a record that is not only technically brilliant, but emotionally intense.
---
	INTERVIEW: Podunk
		- Al Muzer
	Friends since kindergarten and jamming together since they 
were 12-years-old, Port Arthur, Texas, natives Paul Soroski (bass), 
Bryan Jones (guitar) and vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Jason Touchette 
form the front line of one of the crispest, crunchiest, radio-ready 
rock outfits since Lou Gramm and Foreigner lied way back when and 
said it felt "Like The First Time." Together with Austin-born 
co-songwriter and Podunk drummer/vocalist Dwight Baker since 1996, 
this Lone Star State quartet crafts earnestly sung "boy meets girl, 
boy longs for girl, boy gives girl the 'world,' girl is still cold as 
ice, uh, hey! come onnnn, girl!" Ötype, no frills AM radio pop-metal 
with soaring, sing-along hooks, an urgent bass/drums pulse, monster 
choruses, sweeping guitars and the staggering, Gramm-was-Grandpa 
chops of Touchette.
	Not as raw, rough, raucous or ragged as 1996's_Murlin's Doc_, 
the just-released, William Poppy (Smash Mouth) -helmed _Throwin' 
Bones_ (on the group-run Matchbox Records) has already been named one 
of the Top 10 most added "Radio & Records" rock chart discs and 
features The Album Network's No. 11 most added track and the group's 
first single, "Wings."
	A diehard Podunk fan two verses into "Wings" -- Al Muzer 
recently chatted with Baker about touring, roots, fitting in, "King 
Of The Hill" and an album that packs the sort of big league punch that 
could turn a bunch of sun-fried rednecks from Heatstroke, Texas, into 
the hottest thing to hit radio in years.

	CO: The other three members of Podunk have known each other 
since they were kids and have been jamming together for almost 10 years; 
did you find it hard to fit in when you joined? Especially when you 
consider the fact that you're the group's first and only drummer?
	Baker: Jason, Paul and Bryan had a lot of time to get used to 
each other and learn how to, like, "read" each other, so there was a 
period there where I would, uhm, sometimes get lost. [laughs] They're 
good, small town folks, though. Nice, caring fellas, not a bad bone in 
their bodies, so I never felt like there was an agenda or that I 
didn't fit. They never treated me like an outsider. On the other 
hand, those three go back so far that they'll always be inside each 
other's head, they'll always kind'a know what the other guy is 
thinking. Our live shows can get pretty interesting sometimes, 
[laughs] like, "out there," because of the closeness of the band.
	CO: You've toured with Shannon Curfman and Tesla and have 
shared the stage with a wide variety of musicians playing a wide 
variety of styles.
	Baker: That's the truly great thing about this record and 
about this band. We can play comfortably with a wide range of acts. 
We can tour with just about any band out there and hold our own. We 
get blues fans likin' us, metal fans, straight up rock fans - 
it's great to see folks that didn't know who we were when we picked 
up our instruments cheering when we finish our set. Ya' know, 
we used to have a mostly male following but, in the last year or 
so, there's been a huge increase in the number of women, loud 
women [laughs], at our shows. I dunno, maybe the gals are lookin' 
to rock again?
	CO: When you think about it, _Throwin' Bones_ is a daring 
record to release in the era of Christina, Mandy, M2M, Britney and 
Backstreet. It's completely unlike anything else out there right 
now, yet it's so commercially accessible that I can't believe no 
other band has thought to revive the genre.
	Baker: We don't think of it as "reviving" anything, actually. 
We just wanted to make a solid, riff-y rock record loaded with nothing 
but great songs that stayed as true to our roots as possible. That's 
what we've always been about. All four of us grew up listening to Van 
Halen, the Black Crowes, Foreigner, Tesla, ZZ Top, 'Zeppelin, Janis 
Joplin, Willie [Nelson], Stevie Ray [Vaughn], Doug Sahm and Johnny 
and Edgar Winter and, I think, we manage to pull a little bit of all 
that together in our sound. It just wouldn't have been right -- it 
wouldn't have been us -- if we'd tried to sound like, say, Korn, 
Blink 182 or Limp Bizkit. The way we sound is the way we sound.
	What we were ultimately aiming for on _Throwin' Bones_ was to 
create something that would find a place on "Rock" radio. Something 
that stood half a chance on today's charts. We wanted this album and 
these songs to really stand out on the radio -- so we mixed everything 
with how it would sound coming through a set of car speakers in mind. 
We mixed the record loud, phat, full and convertible-ized! We aren't 
out to change the world, you know. Just getting people to sing along 
to one of our songs, I think, would be accomplishment enough.
  
	For Podunk updates including shows, news and special appearances 
point your browser at: http://www.matchboxrecords.com/podunk-news.html .
---
	REVIEW: Acoustic Junction, _Strange Days_ (Omad)
		- Joann D. Ball
	There is only one name for the musical intersection of rock, 
power pop, country and folk, and that is Acoustic Junction. And as 
singer/songwriter Reed Foehl recently learned, Acoustic Junction is the 
only name for his much beloved band.
	Foehl and his band mates return true to form on _Strange Days_, 
and the long awaited release of this fourth studio effort reflects hard 
lessons learned in the past several years of the band's decade long 
career. Signed to Capricorn Records in 1997, the band recorded 
a studio release under the new moniker Fool's Progress, but the major 
changes ultimately alienated the band from its roots. Despite maintaining 
the signature rock, country and more hybrid sound, the ill-fated name 
change left longtime fans wondering what had happened to one of Boulder, 
Colorado's most popular bands.
	But that's all in the past, because the delightfully lengthy 
_Strange Days_, which flows perfectly from start to end, represents a 
wonderful new beginning for Acoustic Junction. The fourteen tracks are 
honest and straightforward, with Foehl's insightful lyrics brought to life 
by a skillful blend of acoustic and electric instruments which is the 
foundation of the band's full melodic sound. With Foehl at the helm, 
Curtis Thompson on bass, Tom Diehl on drums and Tim Roper handling a 
number of instruments including organ, piano and harmonica, Acoustic 
Junction will certainly win back old supporters while expanding its vast 
fan base.
	Opening track "Every Heart" travels along the same gravel road as 
Grammy Award winner Lucinda Williams.  The first radio single "Melt," which 
features former Hall and Oates bassist and former Saturday Night Live band 
member T-Bone Wolk on accordion, bass and reso guitar, unfolds slowly into 
a touching tale of longing and sorrow and then segues into the uplifting, 
big blue sky feel of the title song, "Strange Days."  Drummer Kenny 
Aronoff, from John Mellencamp's band, provides the beat on this track, as 
well as on the slower tempo numbers "Green" and "Long Way 'Toil Tomorrow," 
and also on "Contender," a bittersweet tale of "could have beens" that 
features T-Bone Wolk's pulsing bass and a stinging guitar solo from Adam 
Steinberg. Acoustic Junction also received help from the legendary Graham 
Nash of CSN&Y, who duets with Foehl on the beautifully tender "Dancin' For 
You."
	Given all that Acoustic Junction has survived in the past few 
years, _Strange Days_ is a triumph for a band that toured endlessly to 
make a name for itself. But at least for Acoustic Junction the deal 
signed at the crossroads didn't mean the demise of one of Boulder, 
Colorado's best bands. Acoustic Junction has been reborn with a firm 
sense of purpose and in _Strange Days_, one of the best records of the 
year.
---
	REVIEW: Pornosonic, _Unreleased 70s Porno Music feat. Porn King 
		Ron Jeremy_ (J-Bird)
		- Matthew Carlin
	When you boast porn king Ron Jeremy right on the cover of a CD 
you know what's inside is going to be awful. But in a good way. And 
that's (hopefully) the intent behind Pornosonic.
	With song titles like "Special Delivery" from the film _A Happy 
Ass_ and "Laying Pipe" from _Plumbers Delight_, Pornosonic has all the 
porno music pre-requisites: wah wah guitar, fuzzed out bass, cheesy 
organ sounds. Oddly enough, "The Hedgehog" Jeremy's contributions are 
fairly minor. In fact his between song banter isn't even funny enough 
to quote. Even more odd, though, is that his voice and delivery sounds 
remarkably similar to Captain Beefheart's on _Trout Mask Replica_.
	Stand-outs include the slow, melodically bass-driven "Nice N 
Sleazy Does It," the funky wah wah workout "SpiderPussy," the spirited 
"Prepare for Take Off" (nice trumpet arrangement) and, of course, 
"SpiderPussy (Slight Return)" from _SpiderPussy 2: Caught in the Web_.
	Sophomoric? Yes. But entirely amusing. It's the little touches, 
like the flute on "Her Magic Carpet" from _Donna Does Denise_ and the 
addition of female vocals for "SpiderPussy (Slight Return)" that make 
the yucks work.
---
	REVIEW: Gladshot, _Gladshot_ / Debbie Andrews, 
		_Suburbs of Eden_ (Frankly Mills Music)
		- Jon Steltenpohl
	Mike Blaxill and Debbie Andrews are two independent 
musicians with some potential.  When Blaxill fronts the band, 
they apparently go by "Gladshot", and when Andrews sings, it's 
solo.  But, both albums feature Blaxill and Andrews as the main 
artists and as cowriters on nearly every song. 
	Debbie Andrews' _Suburbs of Eden_ is a sweet little 
album with an easy pace and a nice feel.  It's not definably 
country, folk, pop or mellow.  Some songs feel a bit like Sarah 
McLachlan without the drama, and others feel like Shawn Colvin 
without the twang.  Either way, it's nice, laid back music that's 
often driven by Andrew's guitar.
	Gladshot's self titled debut is a little bit stronger 
at times, but still shares in the "white bread" sound of Andrews. 
You'll find a little bit of R.E.M.'s harmony driven pop along 
with a bit of Hootie and the Blowfish's straightforward sound.  
A few songs pick up a casual blues feel to them, and there is 
enough guitar here and there to pep it up a bit.  At times, the 
sound is even reminiscent of Don Henley or Bruce Hornsby.
	In the end, both albums are good examples of independent 
talent just waiting to be discovered.  Andrews and Glaxill have 
a good feel for melody, and even though their genre isn't played 
on radio much these days, it doesn't change the fact 
that these are pretty good albums.
	For more info, check out http://www.debbieandrews.com 
or http://www.gladshot.com
---
	REVIEW: Cupcakes, _Cupcakes_ (DreamWorks)
		- Jade Hughes
	I first started to appreciate this album on my third listen. 
I had put the music on quite loud so that I could "feel" it and I was 
having a coffee with a friend. We both realised, nine or ten minutes 
into the album, that we were unconsciously moving our heads and 
smiling to the music.
	To be honest, when I first listened to "Cupcakes" I thought 
it was just any other pop/rock band. It needed a few good listenings 
to realise that Cupcakes are not just any pop band, but an 
up-and-coming, modern band with a lot of potential.
	The music sounds firstly like happy pop, the impression given 
by the simple, electronic sounds. This is then counteracted by a good 
dose of rock which spurts out through your stereo speakers and boosts 
the music up. The rock guitar riffs give the song more intensity.
	The lyrics are emotional and straight to tthe point, and Preston 
Graves voice is very poignant, stands out from the music and conveys 
feeling. His voice is not always "easy-listening," especially when it 
reaches higher peaks, dripping with emotion, but it works exceptionally 
well with the music.
	The first song, "Exaggerator," pulls you straight into the 
Cupcakes' world, which seems to be a mix of anything and everything, 
it's up to the listener to pick out what they want to. My definite 
favourite is "Blood Thirsty," as the lyrics are very direct and r
emind me exactly of what I would love to do to someone I hate - I 
think everyone can compare their own experiences to this one! "Space 
Age Boy" is another gem. The music of this song has a slower beat and 
it is so full of emotion that it nearly brought tears to my eyes.
	Those three are my favourites, but the others are pretty 
interesting and well worth listening to. Any fans of Pavement, The 
Presidents of the USA, Blur, Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins should love 
Cupcakes' debut album. An interesting band who are probably going to 
have an interesting future!
---
	REVIEW: Nickelback, _The State_ (Roadrunner)
		- Scott Hudson
	When Nickelback independently released _The State_ in January, 
1999, through their own label, it was well received in their native Canada. 
Their leadoff single, "Leader of Men," went top-twenty on the Canadian 
rock charts and the record companies began hovering like hungry vultures. 
The band eventually inked a deal with Roadrunner Records.
	After listening to the _The State_, one can only wonder if the 
people at Roadrunner had done the same or were they simply blinded by 
the hype surrounding "Leader of Men?"
	Nickelback is nothing more than a Canadian version of Bush, 
although less cryptic lyrically. Chad Kroeger's vocals are an almost 
perfect imitation of the raspy-throated Gavin Rossdale, with a pinch of 
Kurt Cobain thrown in for good measure.
	_The State_ is an energetic record but it isn't energy that 
sustains a record. Sometimes it helps to have good songs, and _The State_ 
boasts only three (and "Leader of Men" isn't one them). "Old Enough," 
"Diggin' This" and "Breathe" are good tunes full of energy and aggression, 
however, the other 75 percent of the record consists of tunes that seem 
aimless and uninspired.
	Although Nickelback has certainly made a splash in Canada, it will 
take more than _The State_ has to offer to make any noise south of the 
border. With a lot of creative tweaking they may have a chance, without 
it they'll continue to be a big fish in a very small pond.
---
TOUR DATES:
	Beck
Mar. 18 Copenhagen, Denmark Kb Hall
Mar. 20 Stockholm, Sweden Cirkus
Mar. 23 London, England Wembley Arena
Mar. 24 Manchester, England Apollo
Mar. 25 Glasgow, Scotland Armadillo - Clyde Auditorium

	Frank Black and the Catholics
Mar. 16 San Diego, CA The Casbah 
Mar. 17 San Juan Capistrano, CA The Coach House 
Mar. 19 Santa Barbara, CA Yucatan 
Mar. 21 Phoenix, AZ The Mason Jar 
Mar. 22 Tucson, AZ The New West Gotham 
Mar. 23 Las Vegas, NV Legend's 

	Phil Coulter
Mar. 16 Albany, NY The Egg
Mar. 17 New York, NY Avery Fisher Hall
Mar. 18 Worcester, MA Mechanics Hall

	Cracker
Mar. 17 Washington, D.C 9:30 Club
Mar. 18 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero

	Enon
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Copper Tank 
Mar. 19 Fayetteville, AR Clunk Music Hall 
Mar. 21 Knoxville, TN Tomato Head
Mar. 22 Richmond, VA University of VA 
Mar. 23 Carrboro, NC Go Lounge 
Mar. 24 New York, NY Mercury Lounge 
Mar. 25 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar 

	Filter / Chevelle
Mar. 16 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club
Mar. 17 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
Mar. 19 St. Louis, MO American Theatre
Mar. 20 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Mar. 22 Chicago, IL Riviera
Mar. 24 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl

	Guster
Mar. 23 E. Lansing, MI Michigan State
Mar. 24 Granville, OH Denison University
Mar. 26 Peoria, IL Bradley University

	Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals
Mar. 16 Madrid, Spain La Riviera 
Mar. 17 Barcelona, Spain Zeleste 
Mar. 19 Toulouse, France Zenith 
Mar. 20 Bordeaux, France La Patinoire 
Mar. 22 Paris, France Bercy 
Mar. 23 Angers, France Amphitea 
Mar. 24 Caen, France Zenith 
Mar. 25 Lille, France Zenith 

	Miles Hunt
Mar. 23 Philadelphia, PA The Northstar
Mar. 24 Passaic, NJ Loop Lounge
Mar. 25 Asbury Park, NJ The Saint

	Incubus
Mar. 16 Scranton, PA Tink's Entertainment
Mar. 17 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
Mar. 19 Portland, ME State Theatre
Mar. 21 Toledo, OH Roxy Theatre
Mar. 22 Chicago, IL House of Blues

	Kelis
Mar. 21 Atlanta, GA Yin Yang
Mar. 22 Savannah, GA Savannah College w/Wyclef Jean 
Mar. 23 Durham, NC Duke University w/Wyclef Jean 
Mar. 25 Charlotte, NC UNC Charlotte w/Wyclef Jean 

	Korn
Mar. 16-17 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
Mar. 19 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
Mar. 20 Fort Wayne, IN Fort Wayne Coliseum
Mar. 22 Dayton, OH Nutter Center
Mar. 24 Buffalo, NY Marine Midland Arena

	Neko Case & Her Boyfriends
Mar. 17 Austin, TX Yard Dog (Day Show)
Mar. 18 Austin, TX Antone's (Billions Showcase)
Mar. 20 Houston, TX Rudyard's
Mar. 21 New Orleans, LA Mermaid Lounge
Mar. 22 Atlanta, GA Echo Lounge
Mar. 23 Nashville, TN The End
Mar. 25 Chicago, IL Double Door

	New Wet Kojak
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Buffalo Billiards 
Mar. 18 Nashville, TN The End 

	No Doubt / Suicide Machines
Mar. 24 Chicago, IL Riviera

	Ginny Owens
Mar. 23 Columbus, OH New Life Comm. Baptist Church
Mar. 24 Terre Haute, IN Indiana Theatre
Mar. 25 Cincinnati, OH Landmark Baptist Church

	Papas Fritas
Mar. 16 Houston, TX Rudyard's Pub w/ Team USA
Mar. 17 Denton, TX Rubbergloves w/ Sealy, Team USA
Mar. 18 Austin, TX Waterloo Brewery (SXSW)
Mar. 21 Tucson, AZ The Solar Cultural Gallery
Mar. 22 San Diego, CA The Casbah
Mar. 24 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland w/ Push Kings
Mar. 25 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill w/ The Orange Peels

	Podunk
Mar. 18 Corpus Christi, TX Centre Theatre w/Pushmonkey & The Hunger
Mar. 22 Amarillo, TX Dodge City w/ Union
Mar. 23 Lubbock, TX Liquid City 2000 w/ Union
Mar. 24 Ft. Worth, TX TCU
Mar. 25 Dallas, TX Canyon Club w/ Union

	Powerman 5000
Mar. 16 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
Mar. 18 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom
Mar. 20 Denver, CO Ogden Theater
Mar. 21 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air

	Prodigals
Mar. 16 Boston, MA House of Blues
Mar. 17 Chicago, IL Navy Pier
Mar. 18 Washington, DC Black Cat

	Red Hot Chili Peppers / Foo Fighters / Muse
Mar. 24 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Mar. 25 Madison, WI Dane County Expo Center

	Slip
Mar. 17 Atlanta, GA Cotton Club
Mar. 18 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club 
Mar. 19 Asheville, NC Stella Blue 
Mar. 21 Greeneville, NC Peasants Cafe 
Mar. 23 Baltimore, MD 8x10 
Mar. 24 Philadelphia, PA Kyber 

	Squatweiler 
Mar. 16 Austin, TX Waterloo Brewpub (SXSW)

	Tonic
Mar. 25 Baton Rouge, LA Bonne Fete 301

	Tonic / Third Eye Blind
Mar. 16 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theater
Mar. 17-18 Chicago, IL Riviera
Mar. 19 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
Mar. 21 Akron, OH Akron Civic Center
Mar. 22 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theater
Mar. 23 Marietta, OH Ben Johnson Fieldhouse
Mar. 24 Detroit, MI State Theater
Apr. 24-25 Boston, MA Orpheum Theater
 
	Union
Mar. 16 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick
Mar. 17 Anaheim, CA The Shack
Mar. 18 San Luis Obispo, CA S.L.O. Brewing 
Mar. 19 Phoenix, AZ Mason Jar
Mar. 20 Kingman, AZ House of Sound 
Mar. 22 Amarillo, TX Dodge City 
Mar. 23 Lubbock, TX Liquid 2000 
Mar. 24 Odessa, TX Dos Amigos
Mar. 25 Corpus Christi, TX Buckets 
---
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