==== ISSUE 140 ====    CONSUMABLE     ======== [April 3, 1998]

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

 Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
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                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
REVIEW: Pulp, _This Is Hardcore_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Morcheeba, _Big Calm_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: Spacehog, _The Chinese Album_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: The Bluetones, _Return To The Last Chance Saloon_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Tommy Keene, _Isolation Party_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: Rebekah, _Remember to Breathe_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Two, _Voyeurs_ - Lee Graham Bridges
REVIEW: David Poe, _David Poe_ - Arabella Clauson
REVIEW: Loudon Wainwright III, _Little Ship_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Bond, _Bang Out Of Order_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Van Dyke Parks, _Moonlighting_ - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random (02) Mixes of Gary Numan_ - Joe Silva
REVIEW: The Hunger, _Cinematic Superthug_ - Linda Scott
CONCERT REVIEW: Cramps - Al Muzer
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Cover You: A Tribute To The Rolling 
   Stones_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: DAS EFX, _Generation EFX_ - Lang Whitaker
NEWS:	Pretenders / B-52's, Sand Rubies, Massive Attack
TOUR DATES: Addict, Agents of Good Roots, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, 
   Cravin' Melon, Curve / Freaky Chakra, Alana Davis, Feeder, John 
   Wesley Harding , High Llamas , Irving Plaza , Liquor Giants, 
   Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers, Mono, Promise Ring, Radiohead, 
   Sherry Rich, Smart Went Crazy, Elliott Smith, Superdrag / Apples 
   In Stereo / Tuscadero, Third Eye Blind / Rebekah
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	REVIEW: Pulp, _This Is Hardcore_ (Island)
		- Simon West
	Once there was bright upbeat pop, kitchen sink dramas 
and sex-soaked vignettes, lingerie and underwear.
	And then it all went dark.
	"This is the sound of someone losing the plot," moans 
Jarvis Cocker on "The Fear", a disturbing, atmospheric account of 
a panic attack. "The sound of loneliness turned up to 10." Compare 
this with the last album's opener "Misshapes", an upbeat rallying 
call to the alienated and uncool of the world, and it becomes 
immediately apparent that we're in vastly different territory here. 
A staccato blast of feedback five minutes later, and the mood 
becomes reflective and vulnerable. "Dishes" sees Jarvis examining 
his life at the age of 33 - "I am not Jesus, though I have the same 
initials/I am the man who stays at home and does the dishes." 
"Party Hard", with its distorted Bowie-esque vocal and rattling 
guitar, is more lively, but not much brighter, looking at the party 
scene and asking "Why do we have to half kill ourselves just to 
prove we're alive?" The first British single "Help The Aged", up 
next, actually sounds upbeat by comparison.
	The title track, just released as a single, is an astonishing
six and a half minute epic. It's life in a porno film, it's brutal, 
dramatic, haunting. Sod "Boogie Nights" - this belongs on a 
soundtrack with Soft Cell's "Baby Doll" - the darker, sadder side of 
sex. It's one of the most unlikely singles ever - the fact that it 
entered the British charts at number 12 is more a testament to Pulp's 
core fan base than anything else. Utterly bleak, but an absolute 
masterpiece. It's followed up with the rather lightweight "TV 
Movie", and then the mood begins to brighten somewhat.
	Much of the second half of the album stands in stark 
contrast to the first half. There's still a vulnerable, more 
personal aspect to the lyrics than before, but it's nowhere near 
as dark. "A Little Soul" is a jangly pop affair with a touch of 
Cure guitar and, indeed, a little soul, plus one of yer Jarvis talky 
bits. "I'm A Man" is as close as we get to _Different Class_, a 
sardonic reflection on what it is to be a man. "Seductive Barry" is 
an atmospheric, almost ambient seduction fantasy, a crooning, 
growling Jarvis complemented by Neneh Cherry on backing vocals. 
"Sylvia" is terrific, a classic Jarvis girl song a la "Pink Glove" 
and "Do You Remember The First Time" with some distinctly un 
Pulp-like guitar action.
	The final two tracks are as good as anything Pulp have 
ever done. "Glory Days" is pure brilliant pop, Jarvis explaining 
that "I could be a genius/If I just put my mind to it", and 
exhorting "Make it up yourself/You don't need anybody else". 
Irresistible chorus, good double-tracked vocal bits, it's a 
classic, begging to be sung along to.  "The Day After The 
Revolution" sounds almost hopeful and optimistic, a sweeping epic 
that looks to the future: "We are the children of the new world," 
and ends with a spoken "Bye bye" that invites speculation about 
Pulp's future, given recent interviews. The U.S. release contains 
a bonus track, "Like A Friend" from the _Great Expectations_ 
soundtrack. A more typical Pulp tune distinguished by a radical 
tempo change mid-song, it's a little out of place at the end of 
_This Is Hardcore_, and would have worked better as a b-side or 
a single in its own right.
	Fans converted by the likes of "Common People" and "Disco 
2000" are unlikely to be delighted by _This Is Hardcore_. It's nowhere 
near as accessible as _Different Class_ or even 1994's _His 'N' Hers_. 
The voyeurism and heavy breathing have been replaced by a 
world-weariness and despair, though this lightens somewhat by the end. 
It's a demanding album, but well worth the effort. _This Is Hardcore_ 
is dark, complicated - and absolutely terrific.
---
	REVIEW: Morcheeba, _Big Calm_ (Sire/China)
		- Joe Silva
	After their debut, the buzz behind Morcheeba was strong 
in enough to lure in old school hipsters like David Byrne for 
servicing. That and fair amount of touring behind them (with the 
likes of Live no less...), the sophomore disc has hit the bins. 
Despite the fact that the chanteuse and her accompanying knob 
twiddlers is no longer a formula that draws much attention, 
Morcheeba remain big time contenders in that arena. Not giving 
themselves over to the sophomore panic that gripped Portishead, 
Morcheeba remain keyed in on the songs and do not become consumed 
with conjuring the big atmospherics that can drown your standard 
electronic pop group when they do not spring naturally.
	The fraternal mindspring of the brothers Godfrey (Paul - 
buttons, Ross - guitar) matched with the silky strains of Skye 
Edward move easily from their native urban boulevards to the 
eastern ghettos and back to their soul digs via the avenues of 
chic pop, mild-mannered dub, and string-laden folk. But for all 
the toe dipping into the various pools of experimentation, _Big 
Calm_ is far from cluttered or herky jerky. Skye's voice sound 
righteous in all of the above formats, and the Godfrey lads 
display a delicate touch throughout while gently prodding you 
the listener from groove to groove.
	From the start ("The Sea"), Ross Godfrey enjoys reeling 
off his slick ethereal funk solos while his brother butts strings 
and scratches up against them. There's straight up sitar to 
follow ("Shoulder Holster") and even a Kansas-style ballad ("Over 
& Over") for afters. And all the while, Edwards comes off 
natural, focused, and hell bent on setting up the trancey vocal 
that's full-on sultry and equal parts plaintive and spooky.
	So while Portishead are forced to retreat from the 
spotlight, and new kids on block Mono sport a single that sounds 
more like a vintage commercial for some second rate perfume, 
_Big Calm_ is not to be overlooked in a year that is still fairly 
thin in quality and a full three months gone.
---
	REVIEW: Spacehog, _The Chinese Album_ (Sire / Warner)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	New York-meets-Leeds (England) in the four member rock 
group Spacehog.  Darlings of the musical press after _Resident 
Alien_, their second release - _The Chinese Album_ - is a 
collection of promises made, but never fulfilled.
	The glam, bam, thank you ma'am sound of leadoff single 
"Mungo City" and "Captain Freeman" are ripped right out of the 
pages of Ziggy-era Bowie, and "Carry On" teases the listener 
with a set of hooks so irresistible that, if recorded twenty 
years earlier, would be a staple today on 'classic rock' stations.  
	Unfortunately, Spacehog has abandoned their familiar 
territory for rougher terrain throughout the remainder of 
_The Chinese Album_ with mixed results.  "Skylark" is the answer 
to Van Halen's cover of "Happy Trails", and much of the 
remainder of the disc falls by the wayside into various 
levels of anonymity.
	Michael Stipe's guest appearance on "Almond Kisses" 
would fit in nicely in R.E.M.'s _Out Of Time_ outtakes - 
but in the context of Spacehog, only highlights the 
inconsistencies with the rest of this disc.
	Ironically enough, the first song of _The Chinese 
Album_ ("One Of These Days") includes a sample of the Talking 
Heads' "Seen and Not Seen".  In this case, Spacehog should 
have sampled a song that would more appropriately fit _The 
Chinese Album_ - say, the Pretenders "Middle of the Road".
---
	REVIEW: The Bluetones, _Return To The Last Chance Saloon_ (A&M U.K.)
		- Simon West
	The Bluetones rode the Britpop wave to the top in their 
native England, releasing a series of bright, poppy singles, notably 
the excellent "Bluetonic" and "Slight Return". The debut album, 
_Expecting To Fly_, was also quite good, rather Stone Roses influenced, 
and occasionally let down by Mark Morriss's rather underpowered singing 
style, but decent second division stuff.
	Many of the Britpop bands of two or three years ago 
have fallen by the wayside now, but The Bluetones return with their 
long-delayed second long-player. Worth the wait? Just about.
	It's pleasant enough stuff, and the style has progressed - a 
lot louder, a little more experimentation. The album kicks off with 
the tribal, vaguely Adam & The Ants style drumbeat of  "Tone Blooze", 
a two minute western instrumental that blends into the equally western 
sounding "Unpainted Arizona". Oasis have already ventured down this 
trail with "Fade In/Out", and unlike Liam Gallagher, Mark Morriss' 
voice really isn't suited to it. "Solomon Bites The Worm", a bluesy 
rocker,  starts off with Mariachi-style cries and yelps and then 
Morriss wanders in, and the vocal still doesn't really match the 
style, but the song's strong enough to pull it off.
	There are some good songs here. "Sleazy Bed Track" starts 
out as a nice little ballad before grinding unexpectedly into a 
brash chorus that has Morriss suggesting "all you've gotta do is 
baby kick off your shoes/And lay down," which would sound a little 
more natural in almost any context other than a Bluetones song, but 
works all the same.  "If" is probably the best track here. An 
infectious bassline thumps up and down a scale accompanied by a 
scratchy guitar riff. "It's all I can do to/Sing these stupid songs 
to you" sings Morriss, bravely, and goes into some classic "na-na-na" 
action. It's great. "The Jub Jub Bird" is another good one - a heavy 
guitar rocker - traces of Zeppelin or Second Coming period Stone 
Roses, plus a thrashing middle bit and a great vocal.
	Much of the rest however, particularly on the latter half of 
the album, is simply unremarkable, inoffensive stuff you'd be hard 
pushed to remember an hour after you'd heard it. The tempo and 
structure don't change around much - it just doesn't really go 
anywhere.
	Still, a decent follow-up, and a reasonable evolution from 
the debut, but as a whole, it's rather unaffecting - it's difficult 
to imagine anyone being overwhelmed by the urge to stick it on the 
stereo. Existing fans should be happy enough, but The Bluetones have 
yet to fulfill the potential they seem to be capable of.
---
	REVIEW: Tommy Keene, _Isolation Party_ (Matador)
		- Joann D. Ball
	Power pop reigns supreme on _Isolation Party_ , the 
latest release from pop guru Tommy Keene.  The follow-up to his 
first album for Matador Records, 1995's _Ten Years After_, Keene's 
second release is a well-crafted pop music delight.  Infused with 
the same heaping portions of melody, textured guitars and upbeat 
tempos found on his other four critically aclaimed albums, 
_Isolation Party_ also contains Keene's simple but honest brand 
of songwriting.  And Keene's heartfelt emotions are present in all 
of the thirteen tracks here, which faithfully echo the spirit of 
such pop royalty as the Who, Cheap Trick and Big Star.
	Keene starts the party with "Long Time Missing" and keeps 
it going with "Getting Out From Under You"  Both are perfect road 
trip songs, irresistible uptempo tunes with straight ahead guitars 
and a solid beat which will get you drumming on the dashboard in 
seconds flat.  "Take Me Back" is a bit slower than the first two, 
but still marked by Keene's distinctive vocals and ringing and 
chiming guitars.  Other notable tracks here include "The World 
Outside," with its classic Keene harmonies and interweaving lead 
guitar, "Battle Lines," and "Waiting Without You."  And for good 
measure, Keene also throws in a cover of Mission of Burma's 
"Einstein's Day," on which his guitar solos take flight over solid 
power chords.
	For those unfamiliar with Keene, his distinctive sound has 
influenced such fans as Teenage Fan Club, Wilco and the Gin 
Blossoms.  In fact, Wilco's Jay Bennet and Jeff Tweedy make an 
appearance here along with former Blossom guitarist Jesse 
Venezuela.  Keene is also connected to two other rock contemporaries, 
writing most of the material on this CD between tours as guitarist 
with former Replacements' leader Paul Westerberg and Velvet Crush.  
Like the woefully ignored popster Adam Schmitt, who has worked with 
Keene on previous efforts and assists with the mastering and editing 
here, Keene has chosen to craft this pop offering largely by 
himself.  Keene recorded most of the instruments and produced the 
sessions on his own, and spent a lot of time in the state of 
Illinois during the process.  In addition to working with the 
Champaign-Urbana, Illinois based Schmitt, Keene recorded _Isolation 
Party_ upstate, in the Zion studio of underground pop heroes the 
Shoes.
	The critically acclaimed Keene should have taken American 
radio by storm in the mid-eighties, but unfortunately Rolling 
Stone Magazine's prediction didn't anticipate the label problems 
at Geffen which stalled Keene's power pop revolution.  But more 
than ten years after, Keene continues to produce pop masterpieces 
and has developed a small but dedicated following Stateside and an 
even bigger fan base in Japan and Europe.  Tommy Keene has more 
than paid his dues, so hopefully _Isolation Party_ will finally do 
the trick and give him the widespread radio airplay and exposure 
that he has so long deserved.
	This is Keene's most commercially accessible record since 
1989's brilliant, but grossly ignored, _Based on Happy Times_.  
Unlike that last Geffen effort, though, _Isolation Party_ is much 
more stripped down, revealing the natural elements of Keene's 
signature power pop.  With few studio touches and excellent 
production, the addictive blend of Keene's melodies, harmonies, 
chiming guitars, steady bass and solid beats make _Isolation Party_ 
one you'll wanna crash again and again.  For more information about 
the host and when the party will be held in your town, check out the 
Matador Records website at http://www.matador.recs.com
---
	REVIEW: Rebekah, _Remember to Breathe_ (Elektra)
		- Jon Steltenpohl
	In their great race to beat a genre into the ground, the music 
industry has been signing up every promising bit of female talent they 
can get their hands on.  Blame it on Sarah McLachlan or Sheryl Crow or 
Melissa Etheridge, but you can't get away from the newest breed of woman 
pop stars with a little folk, a little alternative, and a little rock 
thrown in.  Rebekah represents the latest offering from Elektra, and 
she embodies a disturbing legacy of musical cradle robbing.
	Before reaching her current tender age of 25, Rebekah first 
flirted with engineering school, art school, and acting before find her 
true love of playing pop music.  Her parents were in charge of the church 
choir, but Rebekah's style doesn't have much in common with Christian 
contemporary or Gospel.  Instead, she's a pop/rock musician taking off 
the gloves to give Jewel and Paula Cole little jabs and left hooks.  
Regretfully, you can see where she's aiming, but Rebekah never lands the 
knockout punch.
	"Sin So Well", the first single from _Remember to Breathe_ has 
already garnered airplay on some radio stations.  It captures perfectly 
everything that's masterful and mediocre with this promising debut.  For 
the first 24 seconds, "Sin So Well" is the best pop song you've ever 
heard.  A punky little guitar starts out the beat.  Rebekah puts on a 
little girl voice and sings, "Momma doesn't like when I sin so well / 
heaven's kind of far / but I swear that when I'm coming it's close / 
'cause we sin so well / lead us not into temptation / oh, but what a 
way to go." 
	And then, she launches into this horrible verse of wailing souls 
cast into the depths of hell.  Rebekah's voice strains and power chords 
and cymbals rip the wicked for their sins.  Seconds later, you're back to 
pure pop candy.  There's even a bridge with strings thrown in for good 
measure plus a full minute at the end that repeats the opening.  The end 
result is a jumbled song with just enough catchy points to keep you 
hooked.  It's something that shows potential for more, but seems unpolished.
Unfortunately, most of the songs on the album are like this.  There's
enough there to like, but not enough to commit yourself.
	Two notable exceptions stand out as unique and not produced for 
the radio world.  "Pining" is a song of melancholy desire that features 
only piano and string quartet.  Rebekah's voice is reserved and focused.  
She aches in just the right places, and the accompaniment is sparse and 
sad.  The chords of the strings just sing.  "Cardboard Boxes" takes on a 
completely different genre.  Funky and fun, it's got wakka-wakka guitars 
and raspberry horns.  Rebekah is loose and smooth, and she seems right at 
home with a chorus of "doo, doo-doo, doo, doo"'s.  These two songs along 
with "Keep It A Secret", "Be Your Own", and "Little Black Girl" reveal a 
great talent in the making.
	While _Remember to Breathe_ doesn't consistently satisfy, it's not 
Rebekah's fault.  She's got a lot of talent, but Elektra signed her too 
early.  Bits and pieces of her songs stick in your head all day, and, on 
the whole, _Remember to Breathe_ is pretty good rookie effort.  But, it 
doesn't come together like a more experienced artist's album would.  A few 
more songs in her songbook and a few more years on the road will mature 
Rebekah into the musician she's capable of being.
	(Visit http://www.elektra.com/rock_club/rebekah/rebekah.html for 
a bio and 3 song samples.)
---
	REVIEW: Two, _Voyeurs_ (Nothing/Interscope)
		- Lee Graham Bridges
	At the center of the new band/project Two is ex-Judas Priest 
frontman Rob Halford and the executive producer of _Voyeurs_, Trent 
Reznor.  The band builds its songs from components which beg 
comparison to those of other bands: one might hear the vocal 
textures of Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction) or Richard Patrick 
(Filter); guitar riffs with all the characteristic rhythm of 
Metallica, but the extra punch found in the work of White Zombie.
	_Voyeurs_ was the result of Halford and Lowery's songwriting 
and performance *reinterpreted* by Reznor.  For instance, "If" 
contains some spacy ambient noises, and fast-paced, drum'n'bass-esque 
interludes substitute for the default hardcore guitar riffs.  The 
eccentric intro to "Stutter Kiss" is pure Reznor, and further 
demonstrates how this record became his stomping grounds from a 
production standpoint.
	Unfortunately, the pattern of Two's music is a bit formulaic, 
if not predictable.  If the songs cannot be best described as following 
verse-chorus-verse, they are certainly mostly arranged according to a 
mellow-loud-mellow sonic schematic.  Lyrics could be stronger; 
choruses in particular are sometimes tediously repetitive and long.  
But, despite its difficulties, _Voyeurs_ really does rock, plain and 
simple.  Between the clean guitar skills of John Lowery and the 
elaborate percussion design and ingenious use of sampling evident in 
this and other Reznor productions, it might be the music itself that 
sells Two to the crowds as such a powerful package.
	_Voyeurs_ is a great choice for fans of modern hard rock and 
metal, or for Judas Priest fans interested in seeing Halford's latest 
work.  A delicate balance is set up between art and spontaneity - 
despite all Halford's intimations that he is an "artist" in recent 
interviews, and Reznor's decidedly thematic style and supposed 
disinterest in metal in general, _Voyeurs_ still rolls out of the 
studios as the product of unpretentious motives, while retaining 
artistic integrity.  Fans can only hope that in their future work, 
Two avoid toppling unfavorably toward a ridiculous, contrived 
"artistry," or on the other hand, mediocrity.
---
	REVIEW: David Poe, _David Poe_ (550 Music)
		- Arabella Clauson
	On his self-titled debut, David Poe matriculates himself 
in the school of eclectic folk-rock among classmates Ani Difranco 
and Peter Mulvey. Drifting from Dayton, Ohio to New York City 
and playing in numerous punk, folk, and eclectic ensembles over 
the past 15 years, the singer-songwriter has developed a 
uniquely experimental, acoustic-based sound to call his own. Poe 
refined his West Village sensibilities through stints at New 
York's acclaimed C.B.'s Gallery and performing in a drum-guitar 
duo with Rollins Band member Sim Cain.
	_David Poe_ features a marvelous collection of 
stripped-down tunes defined through sparse instrumentation, 
capturing all the authenticity of live performance within the 
confines of recorded media. The songs themselves seem to 
organically bleed into each other, taking on a life of their own 
and blending across surprisingly smooth edges.  They flow into 
one another with a mature vision of creative expression 
highlighted through the work of producer T-Bone Burnett 
(Wallflowers, Counting Crows).
	Poe marks "Telephone Song" with the steady hum of earthy 
vocals, and follows with the catchy, infectiously melodic overtones 
of  "Blue Glass Fall."  An eery slide guitar introduces 
"California," and the classically trained musician winks at 
Pachelbel's Canon on "Moon" through simple, yet highly sophisticated 
guitar arpeggios.  The bossanova beat of "Apartment" emphasizes 
Poe's raspy, warm vocals inscribed within eclectic, slow-paced 
guitar work.  His sardonic wit emerges on "Bloody" (which he calls 
"the sick joke that everybody gets") as he quips, "If I saw you 
getting beaten in the street/I would stop them hurting you and 
finish the job with my own words."
	At the South by Southwest Music Festival, Poe admitted 
sticking to depressing themes. "A friend told me all my songs 
were depressing to him.  I tried to write a happy song, but I 
failed miserably."  Which is not to say he writes nothing but 
ballads; quite the opposite, as many of his songs have an upbeat 
rhythm underlying the mournful lyrics.
	If he could give voice to a generation, David Poe speaks 
to all the twentysomethings who detest the Generation X label.  
Highly sophisticated instrumentation, lyrical intelligence make 
this a startingly original, organically experimental release.  Now 
well into the school of eclecticism, pray he never graduates to 
something too worthy for fringe culture.
---
	REVIEW: Loudon Wainwright III, _Little Ship_ (Virgin/Charisma)
		- Bill Holmes
	Sometimes I wish every record came with a lyric sheet, because 
many people flat out mumble and it would be nice to know what they are 
really singing.  Then there are times when I'm glad they don't, 
because it makes me listen to the words as they're being sung and 
spoken. I'd never turn to the last page of a novel to see the ending, 
and I like to savor the words of a good song in much the same way. 
Which is just my longwinded way of saying that master songwriter and 
storyteller Loudon Wainwright III makes me laugh, sing along, think 
and get choked up along with him, and it's better when I don't know 
what's coming next. Like the whistling solo on the island flavored 
title track. Oops.....
	As a vocalist, Wainwright has gotten much better over the 
years. His phrasing on delicate songs like "Four Mirrors" and 
"Primrose Hill" is just one example of the difference between a 
good singer and a pedestrian vocalist. Radio will no doubt try to 
feature louder, uptempo songs like "Mr. Ambivalent" or "I Can't 
Stand Myself", and they're very good songs. But where his louder, 
faster songs tend to be nudge and wink stories, it's his softer, 
slower moments that let him weave his magic better. Besides the 
poignant "Primrose Hill", other strong moments include "The 
Birthday Present II" and Shawn Colvin's duet vocal on "Our Own 
War".
	Wainwright is a certified wise ass and one of the best 
live performers you will ever see. At his shows, crowds laugh 
uproariously and sing along in unison, but when he pulls out one 
of his pensive, dysfunctional family themed gems (and he has a 
truckload), the crowd is quiet with equal parts interest and awe. 
It's hard to recapture those two polarities on a studio record, but 
alongside the cock-strut of "Breakfast In Bed" you have a song like 
"OGM" (outgoing message), where Loudon picks a lone guitar as he 
sings. It's a beautiful but sad song, the  low self esteem yin to 
the unbridled frustration yang of The Replacements' "Answering 
Machine".
	Maybe my favorite moment is the hysterical "Being A Dad". 
As usual, the record is littered with great lyrics, but this one 
is wall-to-wall great ("it's as hard as it looks/you gotta read 'em 
dumb books/and you end up despising Walt Disney"). The over-the-top 
performance comes complete with chanting chorus, and then right 
when he has you laughing your ass off, he slips in the somber, 
final couplet  ("Being a Dad can make you feel sad/Like you're the 
insignificant other/Yeah right from the start they break your 
heart/In the end every kid wants his mother...")
	For a funny guy, it's obvious that he has had family issues 
wear some of the tread off his tires over the years, but as usual, 
his catharsis is our gain.  Loudon fans will be thrilled, and those 
willing to sit and give this an hour of their time to _Little Ship_ 
will realize why those in the know stopped talking about "Dead 
Skunk" a long time ago...
---
	REVIEW: Bond, _Bang Out Of Order_ (Work)
		- Simon West
	Catchy three minute songs in a Britpop fashion with a 
cockney lead vocal and lyrics dealing in pop culture and everyday 
life. _Parklife_ era Blur, right? Not this time.
	Bond's debut is a lively affair, dropping beats and keyboards 
on top of guitar driven hooks and singalong choruses. The overall 
effect isn't particularly original, but it's undeniably entertaining.
	Highlights include "Starbucked", a great shoutalong about 
groupies, full of unpleasant sexual puns: "Her gasm is in ore/My balls 
are in her court." "Anne Grenade" sounds a bit like Everclear might if 
Art Alexakis came from Sarf London.  "Retronoyoko" veers just a little 
too close to Blur territory but entertains regardless, with a lyric 
dealing with the retro scene where "Everyone's retro/Sorta mono/Kinda 
Yoko/Ono." "I'm A Bastard" sounds a bit like Squeeze might if Squeeze 
went out for a heavy night on the piss and then wandered past a 
fairground.
	Bond aren't all daft puns and pop culture. First single 
"Nothing Fits", combining backward guitar and a dub-style rhythm with 
one of the catchiest choruses of the year, seems to be about having a 
bloody awful day. "Disposable" is surprisingly slow, with great 
harmonized vocals and lyrics with vaguely religious undertones. It's 
one of the best tracks on the album, and proof that Bond has more to 
offer than simple raucous pop.
	_Bang Out Of Order_'s radio-friendly sound may be partly due 
to producer Matthew Wilder (No Doubt), but various Bond members have 
chart experience, from Shakespeare's Sister to Black Grape - ex-Grape 
Martin Slattery is the keyboardist here, and tracks such as 
"Starbucked" are a little remeniscent of the chaotic anarchy of Ryder 
and company.
	Nothing earth-shattering here then - a bit of Madness, a touch 
of 90's Britpop, fuzzy guitar riffs and a bit of sax here and there, 
but stamped with Bond's own personality. A consistently entertaining 
debut album, well worth checking out.
---
	REVIEW: Van Dyke Parks, _Moonlighting_ (Warner)
		- Tim Kennedy
	This collection of songs,  performed live last year 
in a cozy atmosphere at the Ash Grove is a superb showcase 
of the strange but potent talent who weaved his mercurial 
way through the West Coast scene of the sixties and 
collaborated on the majestic Beach Boys _Smile_ 
album-that-never-was.
	The album is at once soothing and inspiring.  The 
orchestral and piano backing provides a far more satisfying 
backdrop for VDP's theme of yesterday's America than the 
jarring 'modern pop' production on 1997's _Orange Crate 
Art_.  Whilst VDP has a pleasant voice,  it would be nice 
to hear Brian Wilson also singing to this altogether 
preferable backing as he did on the studio _Crate_ album.
	The melodies are lilting yet still challenge, and 
at least to these ears provide a welcome antidote to stale 
familiar guitar patterns.  The songs recall a little of 
Newman, Wilson with a touch of Gershwin.  This ain't rock 
'n' roll, and it is often sedate music but nonetheless it 
is music with a lot of heart,  music that knows no cynicism.
	An echo of the _Smile_ sessions is clearly to be 
heard here, with its harking back to old times.  The rustic 
theme of "C-H-I-C-K-E-N" recalls the still unreleased _Smile_ 
song "Barnyard",  as does the inherent humour of this album.  
	VDP jokes and chats in between songs, on occasions 
reading poetry by the likes of Robert Frost.  He reads from 
the travel writings of Louis Moreaux Gottschalk, leading into 
the Latinesque "Night In The Tropics".
	Fans of Van Dyke's solo work,  his work with the 
Beach Boys, lovers of romantic music from older times,  and 
maybe people who just like unusual stuff will love this CD.  
Suffused with humour and intelligence, this music is timeless.  
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _Random (02) Mixes of Gary 
		Numan_ (Beggars Banquet)
		- Joe Silva
	It's generally agreed that while he lacked the critical 
verite at the time, Gary Numan's kicking at the hands of the 
press, leftover punks, and disco dollys of the day, Gazza can 
be credited with reducing the amount of flak that the bulk of 
synth bands to follow would have surely had to absorb. Even with 
"Cars" already in pocket, not many wanted to hear about his 
wanky, paranoid visions of the future. A generation or two 
removed from all of his benefactors, however, comes the second 
installment of the _Random_ tribute.
	Beggars, initially swamped with material and a healthy 
throng of co-conspirators, decided not to put off the masses that 
might initially snap up the project by working in the techno mixes 
that came with the flood of interest. And true enough, neither 
Damon Albarn's excellent take on "We Have A Technical" or An 
Pierle's (pronounced "Peer-lay") super Tori-esque "Are Friends 
Electric?" from the first double CD (!!) installment would have 
been easily meshed alongside the way-extended club visions 
included on the follow-up.
	But the two editions should not exist separately either. 
Right out of the gate it's obvious that Robert Armani's six minute 
treatment of "Metal" should not have been lost to space reserved 
for a more marketable entry. Distilled down to his essence as it 
is here, Numan's material still maintains its bleak but arresting 
flavor. Of the two distinct approaches to "Cars," the Mike 
Dearborn deconstruction is probably the preferred version. 
Having seemingly little to do with the original, unlike the 
following (and largely faithful) Dave Clarke take, the ceaseless 
thumping is mo' satisfying in it's abstraction. With not much 
more than two notes and a snatch of re-worked vocal from the 
original, the same can be said of Liberator DJ's "Are Friends 
Electric?" And even if his own LP might be a complete snoozer, 
Steve Stoll's work is engaging as he endlessly does a house 
loop around "I Was Vapour." When things aren't quite as bumping, 
as in Peter Lazonby's closer "The Iceman Comes" or the excellent 
"Dans Le Parc" by D.J. Hell,  it's apparent that Numan's essence 
becomes easier to secure.
	For all his naff, second-hand Bowie faculties, _Random_ 
makes clear that Gary's detachment was valid enough to shine 
through to the future he desperately felt more of a kinship to. 
So now the only coal that remains to be stirred is - will the 
pale airborne android touch down amongst us once again now that 
terrain below appears a trifle more welcome? 
---
	REVIEW: The Hunger, _Cinematic Superthug_ (Universal)
		- Linda Scott
	_Cinematic Superthug_ is a crossbreed of industrial and 
hard rock. Imagine Nine Inch Nails' electronics combined with 
Metallica's whipsaw hard rock, and you have a good fix on this 
album.  Bringing it to you is a Houston-based band, The Hunger, 
together since the late 80's. Featuring brothers Jeff and Thomas 
Wilson on vocals/keyboards, their bandmates are Stephen Boyle 
(guitars), Brian Albritton (bass), and Max Schuldberg (drums).   
	When The Hunger started, they played dance music and then 
evolved into a rock band.  They then became an industrial band in a 
big way but are now doing industrial rock with more rock leanings.  
Their debut album for Universal was _Devil Thumbs A Ride_ , which 
produced the top five rock single, "Vanishing Cream". The Hunger 
toured relentlessly in support of their album and opened for such 
bands as Sponge, the Toadies and their heroes, Kiss.
	While the debut album emphasized the industrial sound, 
_Cinematic Superthug_ has a richer, melody-driven sound.  The tracks 
are loud and brash but different from the usual industrial noise 
band.  The rock base and meaningful lyrics should increase The 
Hunger's appeal.  Tracks such as "Ray" and "Closer To Me" are good 
examples of The Hunger's new sound; guitars and effects, thoughtful 
lyrics and vocal hooks which have an industrial sound but are 
heavily underpinned with rock's emotions.
	_Cinematic Superthug_ is a good choice for fans of industrial 
and hard rock that are interested in hearing a new sound.  Check the 
band's web site at http://www.thehungeronline.com for tour 
information as well as band photos and discography.
---
	CONCERT REVIEW: Cramps, Asbury Park NJ 
		- Al Muzer
	The first-ever Jersey Shore (Asbury Park) appearance of 
The Cramps was one of those mind-warpin' time-travel highlights 
you're still talking about if you were lucky enough to witness - 
and're still kicking yourself over if you missed.
	Proving once and for all that a life-long avoidance of 
the sun can keep you young and pale forever, coolly-detached, 
leather-clad, one-time dominatrix Poison Ivy Rorschach spewed 
up a continuous barrage of echo-laden surf-twang and super-fuzzed 
power chords while the frothing, fish-in-the-sand stage antics 
and dysfunctionally-erotic lyrics of Lux Interior had the crowd 
bouncing along furiously to the band's kitschy, junk-laden, 
slightly askew world view before you could say "It Thing Hard-On."
	Kicking their enthusiastically performed set off with 
"Cramp Stomp" from their latest CD, _Big Beat From Badsville_ 
(Epitaph), Lux, Ivy, drummer Harry Drumdini and bassist Slim 
(ex-Mad Daddys) Chance [the latter two are spittin' images of 
long-ago predecessors Nick Knox and Bryan Gregory] covered all 
stages of the band's 20-plus-year, trash-lovin' career with no 
special emphasis placed on the last two albums ( _...Badsville_ 
and 1994s _Flamejob_) and their full attention focused on making 
as much racket as possible.
	Doing noisy justice to staples such as "Love Me," "Garbage 
Man," "I Was A Teenage Werewolf," "Sunglasses After Dark," 
"Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon," "God Monster," "Goo 
Goo Muck," " Naked Girl Falling Down The Stairs," "The Hot Pearl 
Snatch," "What's Inside A Girl?," "Ultra Twist," "TV Set," "Can 
Your Pussy Do The Dog?" and "Human Fly"; the band barreled 
through a loud, over-the-top, tunefully-obnoxious 19-song assault 
on all that is decent, rock-a-billy and right with the power, 
energy, vitality, noise and freakish sexuality of the Gravest 
Hits-era four-piece in full, pale-skinned bloom.
--- 
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _Cover You: A Tribute To The Rolling 
		Stones_ (Hip-O)
		- Bill Holmes
	Hip-O's tribute collections gather previously recorded 
versions of an artist's work rather than commission current bands to 
take a whack at the catalogue. So where the latter project might 
have the benefit of one-upmanship as bands try to come out on top 
of the pile, the older versions were done individually as true tips 
of the cap, especially when you consider the caliber of the artists 
involved. Like _Meet The Covers_ and _Chuck B,. Covered_, this 
gathering is as eclectic as Hip-O's Beatles and Chuck Berry discs.
	While many have heard Linda Ronstadt's tepid version of 
"Tumbling Dice", few will have heard Sugar Blue's jazzy harp-laden 
"Miss You" (he played harmonica on the original cut). Ditto a nice 
collaboration between two of the better guitarists on Earth, Charlie 
Sexton and Ron Wood. And while I miss Devo's unique attack of 
"Satisfaction", soul legend Otis Redding sounds a lot more like a 
man in need than Jagger did. White soul shouter Mitch Ryder issued 
one of the most intense rock albums of the era with _Detroit_; the 
inclusion of his growling "Gimme Shelter" is the best thing on the 
record. Dueling soul Queens Aretha and Tina Turner are here also, 
with Ike and Tina ironically offering "Under My Thumb"!
	Country blues is the bastard father of rock and roll, and 
while Jason & The Scorchers rip it up with "19th nervous Breakdown", 
Johnny Cash's 1978 version of "No Expectations" sounds like "Folsom 
Prison Blues" with different words.  Steve Earle and Johnny Winter 
(with Rick Derringer blazing alongside him every step of the way) 
close out the disc with live versions of "Dead Flowers" and 
"Jumpin' Jack Flash", respectively.
	There are fourteen songs, and besides the Ronstadt cut, the 
only mistake that Hip-O made was in the liner notes which begin: 
"Mick Jagger and Keith Richards may not be thought of as one of the 
great songwriting teams of the modern era..." Maybe not on your 
planet! As a die hard, long time, watched-them-on-Sullivan-as-a-kid 
fan, I've known better all my life. Even during that period of the 
1960's when the unwritten rule said you had to choose between the 
Beatles and The Stones (couldn't - gasp - like both!), I knew which 
side my rock was buttered on. So does Hip-O.
---
	REVIEW: DAS EFX, _Generation EFX_ (Elektra)
		- Lang Whitaker
	By its very nature, rap music is supposed to chafe you a 
little bit. As Chuck D once noted, "Rap music is CNN for black 
people", and as a result, rap music, once a happy-go-lucky boasting 
contest, has evolved into a hardcore reporting industry.
	But if rap music is indeed "CNN", then DAS EFX would be 
"Style with Elsa Klench". As they have established on their three 
previous albums, EFX has an unmistakable vocal style that they 
mine for all it's worth. In the middle of about every fourth word, 
Skoob and Drayz insert a vocal tick that sounds like "iggity". 
For instance, "This is CNN", in DAS-speak, would be "This is 
C-iggitty-NN".
	The vocal tick is at first grating, but it soon becomes 
second nature. Skoob and Drayz work extremely well together, with 
a flow that rivals the camaraderie between Run DMC. DAS EFX's 
voices sound smooth together, as the both have an intensity and 
concentration that shows.
	The album appears to be sequenced with a purpose. The 
tracks rotate back and forth between hard-core and party jams, 
but for their part, DAS are rock steady. The songs on _Generation 
EFX_ are never earth-shattering, production-wise, but appear to 
have been written with the radio in mind; each song has spoken 
verses with sing along choruses. The sugar coating of _Generation 
EFX_ is a welcome change to the raw and rough recent past of rap.
	The best song on the record is "Generation EFX", a song 
where Drayz and Skoob stake their claim as the voices of their 
generation. Adding vocals and production on the song is the 
legendary EPMD, and Erick and Parrish sound as tight as ever.  
The first single, "Rap Scholar" features Redman, another member 
of EPMD's extended stable of talent, and is built around a sample 
of The Brick's "Dazz".
	Maybe _Generation Effects_ isn't the most groundbreaking 
record, but it doesn't have to be. No one likes to have news 
shoved down their throats, and as Mary Poppins and DAS EFX have 
found, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
---
NEWS:	> The Pretenders will be hitting the road this summer with the 
B-52's, and tour dates will be announced in mid-April.  Meanwhile, the 
Pretenders continue to put the finishing touches on their upcoming 
studio record, selections from which will be undoubtedly previewed 
at the outdoor gigs this summer.
	> The Sand Rubies (formerly known as the Sidewinders) 
will be issuing a greatest hits album in late May.  Titled 
_Sand Rubies: The Sidewinders Sessions_, the disc is a 
precursor to the band's newest album, due to be issued later in 
the year.  For more information, check out http://www.contingency.com
 	> Massive Attack's newest album, _Mezzanine_ - slated for a 
May 12 in-store release date - will be available in its entirety 
before that on the Internet.  The album will appear in stages over 
the course of two weeks via a special page on Virgin Records
America's web site ( http://www.virginrecords.com/massive_attack ).
	The entire album, along with the first video ("Teardrop"), 
was put on the Virgin site on March 30.
---
TOUR DATES:
	Addict
Apr. 3 Chicago, IL Double Door
Apr. 4 Detroit, MI Shelter
Apr. 5 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
Apr. 7 Toronto, ON Horseshoe
Apr. 9 Boston, MA Middle East
Apr. 10 Washington, DC 930 Club
Apr. 11 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grille

	Agents of Good Roots
Apr. 9 New York, NY Wetlands
Apr. 12 Killington, VT Pickle Barn

	Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Apr. 3 Washington, DC 930 Club
Apr. 4 Philadelphia, PA TLA
Apr. 5 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Apr. 8 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Apr. 9 Chicago, IL Riviera
Apr. 10 Detroit, MI St. Andrews 
Apr. 11 Cleveland, OH Agora

	Cravin' Melon
Apr. 10 Winston Salem, NC Ziggy's	
Apr. 11 Asheville, NC Be Here Now

	Curve / Freaky Chakra
Apr. 6 Chicago, IL Double Door
Apr. 8 San Francisco, CA Slims

	Alana Davis
Apr. 6 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's
Apr. 7 Portland, OR La Luna
Apr. 8 Seattle, WA Showbox
Apr. 11 Minneapolis, MN Ground Zero
Apr. 12 Chicago, IL Park West

	Feeder
Apr. 7 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Apr. 8 Montreal, QC Cabaret
Apr. 9 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Apr. 10 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr. 11 Philadelphia, PA Pontiac Grill

	John Wesley Harding (All at Borders Books)
Apr. 3 New York, NY 
Apr. 4 Bryn Mawr, PA 
Apr. 6 Seattle, WA 
Apr. 7 Redmond, WA 
Apr. 8 Portland, OR 
Apr. 10 San Francisco, CA 
Apr. 11 Santa Monica, CA 
Apr. 12 Torrence, CA 

	High Llamas
Apr. 6 Philadelphia, PA T.L.A.
Apr. 7 Providence, RI The Call
Apr. 8 Boston, MA Middle East
Apr. 9 New York, NY Tramps

	Irving Plaza (NYC concert hall - www.irvingplaza.com)
Apr. 3 Charlie Hunter / Galactic
Apr. 4 Skatalites
Apr. 7 Creed / Samiam / Cool For August
Apr. 9 God Lives Underwater / Semisonic / Fuel
Apr. 10 Leftover Salmon
Apr. 11 Robert Hunter

	Liquor Giants
Apr. 10 Seattle, WA Crocodile
Apr. 11 Portland, OR Satyricon 
Apr. 13 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour 

	Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers
Apr. 6 Palo Alto, CA The Edge
Apr. 7-8 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Apr. 10 Maui, HI Maui Arts and Cultural Center
Apr. 11 Oahu, HI Turtle Bay Hilton

	Mono
Apr. 8 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
Apr. 10 Atlanta, GA Cotton Club 
Apr. 11 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

	Promise Ring
Apr. 6 Boston, MA Middle East (Downstairs)
Apr. 7 Montreal, QC Petit Campus
Apr. 8 Ottowa, ON Liquid Monkey
Apr. 9 Toronto, ON Club Shanghai
Apr. 10 London, ON Call The Office
Apr. 11 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Apr. 12 Cleveland, OH Speak In Tongues

	Radiohead
Apr. 6 Vancouver, BC Pne Forum
Apr. 8 Calgary, AB Max Bell Center
Apr. 12 Toronto, ON Maple Leaf Gardens

	Sherry Rich
Apr. 8 Nashville, TN Exit / In	

	Smart Went Crazy
Apr. 7 Tuscon, AZ Scrappy's
Apr. 9 Los Angeles, CA NO Life
Apr. 10 Berkeley, CAGilman
Apr. 11 Santa Cruz, CA UC Santa Cruz
Apr. 12 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Apr. 13 Chico, CA Blue Room

	Elliott Smith
Apr. 4 Orlando, FL Sapphire Supper Club
Apr. 5 Atlanta, GA Point

	Superdrag / Apples In Stereo / Tuscadero
Apr. 10 Asheville, NC Be Here Now
Apr. 11 Spartanburg, SC Magnolia St. Pub

	Third Eye Blind / Rebekah
Apr. 7 Panama City, FL Spinnakers
Apr. 8 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Apr. 9 Houston, TX Bayou Place Theatre
Apr. 10 Corpus Christi, TX Texas Sky Park Amphitheater
Apr. 11 Austin, TX Music Hall
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
	> I love your publication and although I am a new 
subscriber, I can see that this is already well worth my while.  
In an Internet world full of mass mailings, it's nice to find a 
newsletter with some significant content.
	I had to respond to this latest newsletter containing the 
review of new artist Natalie Imgruglia and her single "Torn".  I 
feel that to be fair I needed to share this information with you.  
"Torn" is actually an Ednaswap song!
	It was their second promotional single release from their 
self-titled 1995 debut album, following "Glow".  The band has 
recorded and re-recorded "Torn" numerous times from 1995-1997 
for varying EPs and releases.
	This information comes directly from the Ednaswap website 
located at http://spaa.simplenet.com/ednaswap/torn.html
Thank you for your time - Therese M., New York
---
Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest 
music reviews publication on the Internet.
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