Indie-List_V2_N22
THE INDIE-LIST DIGEST! Volume 2 Number 22
************************************************************
* ** ********************* ****
* ** *********************** **
* *************************** **
* ** *********************** **
* ** ********************* ****
************************************************************
"Digitally Rechanneled For Superior Stereo Sound!"
"Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose
their common sense." - Gertrude Stein
In this issue:
GROK
SUPERCHUNK SINGLE: Ribbon/Who Needs Light; The Christmas
Mazzy Star record review + Flop Record Release Show Review
Pere Ubu Concern
I-L: Half Japanese Alumni Weekend
The Flaming Lips/The Grifters/Starpimp
Smog/Tsunami/Velocity Girl show-Chicago-10/10
Wiija/Too Pure/Clawfist records night out
Hurl Lois Crush Codeine Dead
hia;jgdksf
New Ambient Releases
and more
<------------------------------------------------------------>
EDITOR'S NOTE (D-sharp, although sometimes in the early morning it can be
as low as D-flat or even C.)
by Mark Cornick
cornick@delphi.com
Merely one day after announcing that I hadn't the resources to do Fshee!,
a major bought it. Fshee! will now be published by Sassy's new zine
subsidiary, Xerrrrrrrox Girl. :-)
Well, actually, the project has been sub-contracted to moderator-emeritus
Joshua Houk, probably with the assistance of Lena. Josh has some different
needs for the articles/etc. than I did, which I hope he will expound upon
soon. Anyway, it's still kicking.
Also, you'll notice some format changes this time around. I'm trying to make
it look a little less like a spool-file and more like something somebody put
some effort into; e.g. changing the "From:/Subject:" headers to something more
interesting, returning the Table of Contents, etc. If you really don't like
it, and I have a feeling Sean won't, let me know.
<------------------------------------------------------------>
GROK (aka "Oh Please Oh Please Let This Be A Joke")
by Mark
GROK is a new semi-regular feature (i.e. when I feel like it) based on the
now-extinct "black-Indie-List" zine, "Stuff." Basically, Stuff was a
collection of stupid shit Josh Houk or I found on the net. Never really had
the inspiration to do another one until I found this gem on Delphi's gopher
system. (Send your GROK contributions to the regular address.)
> ----====----====----====----====----====----====----====----
>
> Welcome to MTV.COM!!!
>
> Well, it's been an interesting startup, I've been learning alot about UNIX
> and the Net as I go along, and so far it's been fun.
>
> Here's a brief rundown on this site:
>
> First and foremost I have to make it very clear that mtv.com is NOT
> sponsored by MTV Networks. Although they are aware of my cyberspace
> dwellings they aren't yet ready to commit to a project like this, but I
> have their bessing in spreading the gospel ofcourse ;-)
>
> So this ofcourse means that I am paying for my T1 connection myself, which
> is maintained by the fine folks at Digital Express.
>
> Although the startup has been rather slow, look for this site to be really
> hoppin' within the next couple of weeks. My personal assistant Ken Clar
> (ken@mtv.com) will be posting a weekly newsletter, we'll be putting
> bloopers and outtakes up in quicktime format, look for digital presskits
> to appear, and yes, even mailboxes for Beavis and Bitthead, huh, huh,
> heh.heh.
>
> I intend to post programming grids for MTV along with important
> development in the music bizz.
>
> Please also not the "Cyber-Sleaze" wich is available through gopher, ftp
> or the extended versions which are on the listprocessor, the mailing list
> is cyber-sleaze@mtv.com and you should place the following in the message :
>
> subscribe CYBER-SLEAZE your name
>
> This extended reports are shareware, and donations are appreciated.
>
> This is just the start of mtv.com and I hope that you will enjoy your stay
> here. Suggestions and comments are always welcome!
>
> All for now.
>
> Adam Curry
> ----====----====----====----====----====----====----====----
(try it for yourself! gopher to mtv.com and see what you get.)
<------------------------------------------------------------>
MESSAGE FROM THE MODERATOR
by K. Lena Bennett
keb@u.washington.edu>
Please note that we have a new topic this week: Ambient/Industrial! Not our
usual kind of traffic here, but someone submitted it, so what the hell....
Anyway, on to the reviews!
[ hey, it works for me! just because we always seem to write about rock
doesn't mean it's all we should do... - Mark ]
<------------------------------------------------------------>
SUPERCHUNK SINGLE: Ribbon/Who Needs Light; The Christmas
by K. Lena
SUPERCHUNK: Ribbon/Who Needs Light 7" on Merge. As someone said on Indie
List recently, Superchunk springs eternal. Read the following review with
my bias in mind, that being that, to me, Superchunk can do no wrong. I
love 'em. Anyway, "Ribbon"/"Who Needs Light" seems to follow in the
tradition of _On The Mouth_, putting out truly solid rockers while
alternately exploring a slower, more contemplative aspect of the 'Chunk.
I've been compelled to play this quite a number of times since getting it
on Thursday. "Ribbon" is the rocker. If "Precision Auto" and "New Low"
are 10's on an arbitrary scale of rockhardness, "Ribbon" is about an 8.5.
It's catchy with at least two or three different hooks, makes you jump up
and down, and has lyrics with that characteristic mix of inscrutability
while inexplicably making some kind of sense. "Who Needs Light" is the
slow song, and it's catchy too, although it doesn't make you jump up and
down. It kind of reminds me of "Binding" emotionally. I'm a little
disappointed in it, though, because it seems somewhat insubstantial. But
it is pretty and charming, a very good B-side.
Other things I picked up on Thursday include the new Lois Maffeo single,
"The Trouble with Me/Page Two," which I haven't listened to enough to
review yet, and Vortex by the Christmas. The latter is something I had
no idea what it sounded like, but intended to get sometime because of the
cover art by Jim Woodring (legendary cartoonist who lives here in
Seattle). I found it used at Fallout, still in the wrap, for $5.99. Jim
was standing on the other side of the room, in fact, altho I didn't show
it to him. Anyway, I've listened to it a number of times too and it will
probably go on my list of "perfect pop albums of all time." It's that
combination of carefully produced guitar pop with intelligent lyrics and
quirky yet perfect melodies, which is the same qualities I've adored in
Game Theory/The Loud Family for all these years. With intertwining
female/male vocals that sometimes remind me of what the Reivers could have
been if they'd been really, really good. If anyone out there knows more
about The Christmas, like what other recordings they've put out (I know
they were dormant for quite some time prior to Vortex), please write and
let me know).
Lena keb@u.washington.edu
Grungepuppies Are My Weakness....
<------------------------------------------------------------>
Mazzy Star record review + Flop Record Release Show Review
by Christine aka "all that lusters isn't glitter or gold"
doomgirl@u.washington.edu
Mazzy Star's new record, "And So That I Might See" is, well, almost
exactly like their first album. This is good, as the first album is like
a sugar whisper, like laying in hay near a strawberry field, like the good
smell of someone's hair, you know, Mazzy Star is just sweet and dreamy but
in a very visceral way....and this album is no exception. I'm just
wondering why it took them so many years to release a second album when
it's so musically similar to their first, and it wasn't that they were
slaving over the lyrics, because the lyrics are nearly irrelevant here - -
you just kind of sweep over them and close your eyes - - I dunno. But if
you like the first Mazzy Star, buy this, you won't be sad.
I saw Pitchblende, the Fallouts, Flop and Ed Fotheringham last Friday at
the Crocodiel - it was Flop's record release party. What a fun time! It
was sort of a rock star fest since Flop as people are just so darned
likable that of course they're friends with everyone, and that in mind,
there were so many of flops friends there that there was no room left for
frat boys! Yay!
Pitchblende were ok, and I'm sorry to say that I wasn't totally thrilled,
they were just ok. We decided we'd rather talk and drink than watch them
so we went out of the stage area. Went back in for the Fallouts, and it's
true, Steve Turner is no longer in the band! I was with my friend Rick who
looks like Steve Turner, and when they played and he didn't get on stage,
people kept staring at him like, Well, Aren't You Going To Fuckin Get On
Stage And Play? The Fallouts still rocked the wave, though.
Then Flop played. Ok, I admit it, I'm biased, but have you ever heard
such perfect pop songs? I admit I'll hum along to the Monkees or the
Beatles and sigh over John Lennon, but Flop is writing really incredible
pop tunes and they're varied enough on the record that you don't get sick
of it, even through 17 numbers. The show was great, and the best part was
for the encore when ex-thrown-uper Ed Fotheringham (my hero) took the
stage with Flop and did a few numbers. As Ed's backup, flop rocked hard.
You didn't think they could, did you, but they can, did, and will on an
umcoming Subpop single backing Ed. I got some truly incredible pictures
of beer cups bouncing off of Ed's head.
Bye!
xo
christine from seattle
<------------------------------------------------------------>
Pere Ubu Concern
by Eric Sinclair
esinclai@ucs.indiana.edu
Am I just old, or does a statement like:
> Ubu did some older stuff from Cloudland and a lot of stuff from their
> new album incuding the great "Wasted."
seem a bit myopic. Pere Ubu have been around for just shy of two decades
now... And while Cloudland is a fine album, to my ear the older stuff,
captured on Terminal Towers and earlier, is seminal to understanding
independant music in the US of the late 70's and early 80's.
This dweeb's opinion.
Eric
esinclai@indiana.edu
[ I dunno. My opinion is that Pere Ubu today and the Pere Ubu that did _Dub
Housing_ (and stuff of that vintage) may as well be two completely different
bands. I don't really think it's narrow-minded or ignorant to speak of Ubu
today solely in terms of _The Tenement Year_ on. I really like some of the
old Ubu stuff, but I can't stand most of the new Ubu, and I'd be sorta
hesitant to compare one to the other. - Mark ]
<------------------------------------------------------------>
Half Japanese Alumni Weekend
by Douglas Wolk
dbcloud@panix.com
Yes, that's what it appears to be. Before I get into that, though, let me
answer a couple of questions from previous Indie-Lists...
The Lid that I saw is a third or fourth Lid. This one's from New York and
has a couple of singles out on Quixotic. They presently include Jim
Quinlan (ex-Airlines), John Nielsen (Airlines/ex-Ex-Lion Tamers), Deanne
whose last name I forget, and Dave Roby (Airlines/Giant Mums). And they
don't sound anything like Airlines, either.
Chemical Imbalance is awaiting another issue. The last time I spoke to
Mike McGonigal, a couple of weeks ago, he said that a couple of issues
were basically in the can, and he was nearly done compiling the CD that
would be with the new one. However, I called him last week at work and was
told that a week or so before, he had disappeared from work; hadn't picked
up his paycheck; hadn't picked up any messages from his answering service;
and his family didn't know where he was.
IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHERE HE IS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. HIS FRIENDS AND I ARE
GETTING WORRIED.
Okay. So, as mentioned, this weekend was Half Japanese Alumni Weekend at
the Knitting Factory; I got to see at least part of both nights. The basic
idea was that nearly everybody who'd ever been in the band would play with
them. Moe Tucker and Howard Wuelfing weren't there, but nearly everybody
else was. Last night, Sleepyhead opened. Oh man. I usually hate
rock'n'roll, but they remind me of why people like it. They're a
completely convincing rock trio 'cause they have SO MUCH FUN up on stage--
imagine if Nirvana were happy. They can get away with playing a cover of
"Salad Days" that doesn't change a note of the original because they're
not doing it to impress anybody but themselves. Also: Rachael is the
greatest drummer in New York City; and they're now getting through "Punk
Rock City U.S.A." in a minute and 31 seconds. I timed it. They claim they
want to get it down to a minute...
God Is My Co-Pilot opened tonight, and while I'm sure that Ben is going to
have snide things to say about them elsewhere in this issue, I thought
they were terrific. Of course, I am completely obsessive about them.
This show had a weird lineup: Craig and Sharon with no bass player, Fred
Lonberg-Holm playing cello, and Michael ("Artless Boy") Evans and Laura
Cromwell playing drums. GodCo's sound has taken some very strange turns in
the past few months. It used to be that they figured as long as somebody
was keeping the beat, nobody else needed to keep it; nowadays, they seem
to think that as long as everybody knows where the beat is, nobody needs
to keep it. Add that to Laura's penchant for playing arrhythmic
"firecrackers," Michael's habit of never playing when you'd expect him to,
and Craig's constant running interference on his guitar, and you've got a
band that seems to be just making random noise a lot of the time but
somehow manages to start and stop perfectly on cue. I can see, though,
that what I recognize as "Turk Blurt" or "Sound Of Wings" probably sounds
like directionless free improvisation to a lot of non-obsessives...
Also notable in GodCo's set: a cover of "Secrets," by my new heroines
Skinned Teen. Bought their single a couple of days ago, and was impressed
enough that I bought a compilation double 7" with a side by them on it
yesterday. They're a very young British Riot Grrrlish band. They
out-Bratmobile Bratmobile; they out-Shaggs the Shaggs. Skinned Teen
_genuinely cannot play any instruments at all to save their lives_. On the
single (I haven't heard the comp yet), one of them plays extremely
rudimentary one-string, one-finger guitar, another plays recorder (!), and
other than that it's all chanting and clapping. If, as it often seems,
spirit and chops are inversely proportional, they're the most spirited
band around right now... Anyhow, GodCo had gotten a Skinned Teen demo
about six months ago, and liked "Secrets" enough that they're covering it
on their forthcoming album for Catcall.
As for Half Japanese, well, I only caught about half of their set each
night, and I haven't heard enough of their albums to be able to really
judge, but Jad's consistently entertaining, David's a cool stage dancer,
and "I'll Change My Style" is a fuckin' showstopper.
If you've got a copy of Marva Whitney's _I Sing Soul With James Brown_
that you feel like unloading, send me email...
[ What next???? Perry Como's rare grunge album Seattle? That's at Plan 9
here in Richmond if anyone cares... :-) - Mark ]
Douglas D. Wolk dbcloud@panix.com
"I'll let you play with Midnight and Fluffy."
<------------------------------------------------------------>
The Flaming Lips/The Grifters/Starpimp
by GREGS@SLCW27.SLAC.Stanford.EDU
The Flaming Lips/The Grifters/Starpimp -- 10/8 @ the Kennel Club, SF
I last tried to see The Flaming Lips on their _In A Priest Driven
Ambulance_ tour three years ago, but the band took off with their $5000
advance from their record company before I could catch them. With the
Grifters opening this time it was a no-brainer to make a point of seeing
them. However, what I came across was one of those little unexpected
surprises you get now and then that really make coming early to a show
very worthwhile. Though never seeing nor hearing of them previously,
Starpimp took the stage and put on a show that rivaled -- if not exceeded
-- that of The Flaming Lips. A band that I could best describe as the
casting finalists for "Scooby Doo, The Next Dysfunctional Generation",
Starpimp began by slowly attracting my curiosity and closed by winning me
over and putting a rather amused and entertained smile upon my face.
Their lead vocalist took on a persona of the terminally-congested, misfit
pre-teen girl down the block -- complete with horned-rimmed glasses.
However, her singing was anything but congested. She squeaked, yodelled,
stammered and playfully wailed. Meanwhile the guitarist played as if he
had just discovered the odd, dissonant, and somewhat innovative musical
sounds he was making with his instrument for the very first time --
finding the right combination and building a steady rhythm from them. The
end result was pretty contagious, even including their cover of Wings'
"Jet" that seemed plain compared to the rest of their material. They are
supposed to come out with a release by year's end. One of the best
discoveries I made this year.
The Grifters' _One Sock Missing_ is quite possibly my favorite release
this year, however let me just come out and say that this is NOT a live
band. Individually, each of the band's members demonstrated very skilled
musicianship, but they honestly lack any real stage presence or coherency
when live. The best moments were when the clumsy vocals were set aside
and the band would simply plunder forth a fevered wall of noise, but even
that wasn't enough to save this performance from being a disappointment.
I'd hate to say it, but I would have been more entertained if the club's
DJ put on _One Sock_ while they continued to show "Godzilla vs. Ghedra,
the Three-Headed Monster" that preceeded the Grifter's performance on the
big screen behind the stage.
The stage itself was decorated with balloons -- something I think the
Flaming Lips had some say in. The Lips came onstage with a fanfare of
sound effects, a fog machine, a set of lasers, and some strobes directed
at the audience, but somehow the Lips manage to pull that stuff off
without you thinking you are experiencing your worst nightmare: waking up
in a Bon Jovi video. Unfortunately -- like those who come to UC Berkeley
political demonstrations only in hopes of a riot (if they're not trying to
instigate one themselves) since the only thing on TV that night are reruns
of Matlock -- the Lips seemed to bring out quite a few of the
conceptually-challenged set who would slam dance to anything this side of
James Taylor. However, the Lips put on a very entertaining and enjoyable
show ... three years was way too long to go without seeing them again.
<------------------------------------------------------------>
Smog/Tsunami/Velocity Girl show-Chicago-10/10
by Martin Coleman, aka Moo-Town Snacker
mc21@midway.uchicago.edu
Hi, this is a reveiw of a show. I saw the show and then I reveiwed it and
then I wrote the reveiw. Should I write anything else here? Like my name?
Ok, my name is Martin Coleman. My address is mc21@midway.uchicago.edu in
case anyone wants to ask me for a copy of my new tape pears, but I don't
know why anyone would do that since no one even knows I have a tape. Bye.
CHICAGO--What kind of an indie enthusiast am I? Saturday night's show at
the Lounge Ax was the first time I had ever heard VELOCITY GIRL. That
doesn't make me look too knowledgable nor experienced, but shouldn't my
immense enjoyment of their set redeem me at least a bit?
SMOG (Drag City) opened the evening to a good-natured audience.
The seemingly improvised mood music and ragged compositions of the band
were sometimes indistinguishable from their frequent tuning, but they also
sometimes ended up in catchy little rough-edged numbers. The vague song
structures seemed to explain their choice of name. The trio consisted of a
guitarist/vocalist, an rhythmically-inventive drummer, and an electric
fiddle player who sometimes traded his instrument for what appeared to be
an electric mandolin and at other times stood in the back leaving the
music to the drums and guitar.
My reason for going out that night came on next. TSUNAMI (Simple
Machines) was back in Chicago after playing here six weeks ago with
NOTHING PAINTED BLUE and the popcorn-passing COCTAILS. This was the last
of two weeks of shows in which TSUMANI and VG shared the bill. After
thanking the audience for patiently listening to new material, Jenny led
the band into "In a Name" from their current CD, _Deep End_. Other titles
in the set included "Kidding on the Square", "Loud is as Loud Does", and
"Bride d'Elegance" (credited to Kristin's grandmother). TSUNAMI seemed a
bit more subdued than when they headlined here last time. But then the
August show was done on borrowed equipment and a significant lack of sleep
(after transportations problems) which may have accounted for their
puchiness. This time they had their own equipment and the sound was much
improved. In both shows they proved they surpass their recorded efforts
with their live performances. Andrew, the bass player, has, I think, the
jaw of Morrisey.
At the end of the TSUNAMI set I was thinking mainly of the big
burrito I planned to wolf down after the show. The discomfort of my hunger
was quickly forgotten after VELOCITY GIRL (Sub Pop) took the stage. The
fuzzy-shiny guitar sound, the melodies, and that voice all made me
regret the day I put that VG CD back in the bin as I was pinching my
pennies. Kelly explained to anyone not familiar with the names of the band
memebers that he was in fact not the "hot girl" in the band as assumed by
some previous letter writers. VG introduced a fine cover of New Order's
"Your Silent Face" by saying "This is our only Ministry song." The show
closed in a democratic manner with a poll of the audience to decide
between playing "a new song with about 14 parts that sounds like Rush or
an old, punk-rock-sounding song." The latter won out but led to some
confusion as VG had to find one they could all remember how to play.
<------------------------------------------------------------>
Wiija/Too Pure/Clawfist records night out
by James Nash
CCX020@raven.coventry.ac.uk
Hi. First posting. Feedback welcome (in all my records).
6th October 1993 - Seefeel / Jacobs Mouse / Breed / The Scandanavian Book
Exchange (Too Pure/Wiija/Clawfist night) @ BROWNS, Coventry
Browns re-opened its irregular live music slot with one of the most
promising line-ups to hit Coventry in a long while. About 150 people
turned up, somewhere over half capacity, which was disappointing but as
the word gets around town that decent live music is available, attendances
should rise. Next week sees a line-up of local bands which I shall miss to
watch England play Holland (if England win, all our lovely football
hooligans will come to America next year for the World Cup and you can
shoot them or keep them - up to you). 7 days later, Hair & Skin Trading
Co.. headline and (the brilliant) PRAM support. The following Wednesday,
Mambo Taxi are playing and then, after a few weeks break to extend the
venue size, there will be a re- opening gig with a "very big name" indie
band. The club's promoter's sister is the lead singer of this band but
more I cannot tell you and more you don't want to know anyway.
Hey, guess what? The venue opened late, the beer was weak, expensive tosh
and none of my friends turned up 'til later; I was not a happy sausage. In
the fullness of time, The Scandanavian Book Exchange started their 5-song
set. TSCBE are a local band and I recognised a few record shop assistants
in their numbers. They delivered some average lo-fi punky tunes to begin
with but I warmed to their last 2 numbers, especially the one with the
vocals read from a Mr. Men book. Plenty of good ideas, nice drum breaks,
etch-a-sketch lead guitar, etc. but they need a lot more cohesion and
style AND PRACTICE!
The other bands on the bill come from the three new(ish) UK indie labels
Wiija, Too Pure and Clawfist. These three have been producing some of the
best and most exciting music to come from Britain in the last year. Wiija
have Huggy Bear, Jacobs Mouse; Clawfist have Mambo Taxi, Cornershop; and
Too Pure have Moonshake, Pram, Sterelob (used to anyway), Th'Faith
Healers, Seefeel. This list is not exhaustive! The labels have clubbed
together to form an indie-axis seperate from the established "major" indie
record labels and supportive of mainly the younger and more unusual bands.
Their weaponry includes gigs like this one, at which they can sell
records, fanzines, t- shirts, and compilation tapes at ridiculous prices -
like the one wot I got for one quid tonight (see the update to the Too
Pure discography on a.m.a. soon).
Enough waffling. The 2nd band up tonight was Breed from Clawfist. I had no
idea what to expect from this three-piece but another mono-verb moniker
(Eat, Ride, et bloody cetera) had put me off already. Couldn't drum up
much enthusiasm for their bluesy-grungey guitarwork but I could appreciate
the singer's souful, uh, singing. The best number was where he went "Woah
Woah Woah" a lot - unfortunate! It's the one occasion when their disparate
parts unite to produce a real humalong of a song. One to watch, albeit not
TOO closely. I have to admit that my first impression was of an indie
version of Squeeze but hey! I like Squeeze.
Highlight of the evening was Jacobs Mouse. A Norwich trio who released one
of last year's more interesting albums _No Fish Shop Parking_ and a new (I
haven't heard it) LP this year _I'm Scared_, both on Wiija. The band is
very difficult to describe. The basics are easy - grunge-metal guitars
and lots of long hair which, to be honest, does not sound at all
promising. It's what JM do with this that amazes; you name a style and
they probably played it at some point tonight. There were a few
industro-thrash numbers, a rockabilly one, some Jimi Hendrix guitar,
Credit to the Nation drumbeats and even a rap song. This last one sounded
like Green Jelly but it was good. Honest. Watch out folks, you might get
caught into the Jacobs Mouse-trap.
I cannot believe I just wrote that.
[ da-dum! Always helps to have a drummer right there with the rim shot!
- Mark ]
Last "band" of the night was Seefeel, on Too Pure. The place virtually
emptied when the indie-scum present sussed out they were going to
experience some ambient/techno remixing malarkey. Perhaps it was past
their bed-time. Only two of Seefeel were present on stage, the others
somewhere hidden in the (re-)mix. I was just beginning to get the groove
when they stopped. Bah!
Overall a superb night out, all for two pound fifty. Looking forward to
the new Th'Faith Healers album (10 days to go), and the Don Caballero and
Karl Hendricks Trio LPs if I can get my hands on them. I will attempt a
review of the new Pram and Nightblooms LPs in the near future but you
should buy the Pram one NOW. Trust me, I know what I'm typing.
Clawfist: 231 Portobello Rd, London W11 1LT, UK
Wiija: 130 Talbot Rd, London W11 1JA, UK
Too Pure: Unit 21, Omnibus Workspace, 39 North Rd, London N7
9DP, UK
--James Nash <ccx020@raven.cov.ac.uk>
and a slice of cake... over there!
<------------------------------------------------------------>
Hurl Lois Crush Codeine Dead
by Sean Murphy
skmurphy@phoenix.Princeton.EDU
(Descriptive enough for you? :) [Yes, but it sure sounds painful -- Lena]
Obligatory gripe from me (to match everyone else from last week) - the NYC
music scene is getting way stale. I'm incredibly sick and tired of going
to shows and seeing the same 30 or so people who are just cooler than thou
and own the scene and need to be seen to maintain their position. And
it's not just Gerard (although he's a prime offender). It's really
everyone I see at these shows. And if I were a more regular show attendee
at CBs/ Knitting Factory/Wetlands/Under Acme/Maxwell's, I could probably
be accused of being part of this. But I'm not, because I'm conscious of
this effect and trying my best to not become part of it (having access to
Philly doesn't hurt - the people there are very different). I was
discussing this with a friend of mine at the Verlaines/Zuzu's
Petals/Spinanes show a week ago sunday, and we both pretty much agreed
that if we never had to go to another show in the greater NYC area, we
wouldn't. What does this mean? Am I becoming a jaded, mean, asshole?
Have I given up on indie-music (whatever that is...I'm starting to
question it a bit more even as I go back and listen to 2 year old mix
tapes of Beat Happening and Tsunami and Superchunk and Codeine and Down
and Courtney Love) ? And, does this change me as a person?
(Sorry for the severe introspection there...senior year has not been good
to me lately...and it's got nothing to do with classes.)
[ well, it's good to hear someone's going through something similar, music-
wise... - Mark ]
Anyway, in an attempt to ignore all the shit I just spouted about, here's
a couple show/LP reviews for everyone's perusal.
Lois/Hurl/Codeine, at Terrace Club - Friday 10/8
A good show overall, but there were a few low points. Lois has a new
drummer - her name is Amy, and she's a very nice, very cool person. BUT,
she's not quite the drummer I expected. She's a very proficient drummer,
much more so than Pat Maley was. This, however, leads to a problem -
imagine an indie-equivalent of Neil Peart drumming with Lois. The drums
are great, but they overpower the songs. And trying to play old songs
(like "Hey Antoinette"), the two styles really don't work at all. But,
Lois fought through this inconsistency and still played some great songs,
mostly from the new LP, Strumpet.
Hurl are the shit. Incredibly nice guys, and they rock. One friend of
mine suggested that they were too derivative for her, but I totally
disagree - there are similarities to Seam/Bitch Magnet/Slint/Codeine/
Engine Kid, but there's also important differences. Like sheer volume.
"Radishes" is a song which everyone needs to hear and learn and live.
"Effie" is another one (and it'll apear on the WPRB compilation CD - more
details in the future). Go see these guys if they're in your town, please.
Codeine - better than when I saw them this summer, because they seemed
really into the show. A mix of old (Pickup Song, D) and newer stuff, and
even if you wandered out of the room, it was really enjoyable.
Lois/Hurl/Totfinder, at Swarthmore College, Saturday 10/9
Problems with Lois' drummer were much less noticable tonight - it's a
combination of familiarity with the new sound and a less oppressive sound
system. Same great Lois (and a swank dress, too!)
Hurl again blew the place out. Slow-rock action at its best.
And Totfinder opened - they're two sophmores here at Princeton, doing a
lo-fi acoustic-y thing. The drum kit is 2 inverted plastic trash cans, a
plastic lunch box full of pennies, and a broken tambourine. Josh has
great songs, and funny lyrics, and they'll have a single out sometime soon
on the My Pal God label. Very enjoyable.
Records -
CRUSH (senior) - The Crush Sessions (Rockville, distributed by Dutch East)
This was a Boston "super-group" of sorts - Ron Ward from Blood Oranges,
Bob Weston from Volcano Suns (and now in Shellac!), Gary Waleik from Big
Dipper, and Bob Fay (sometime drummer for Sebadoh, also in Deluxx). These
were all recorded in 1989 and 1990, and some of the songs were released on
singles on John Henderson's labels (Time To Develop and Feel Good All
Over). It's country-ish vocals, raw guitars, driving rhythms, a really fun
sound overall. **
(The "senior" part is a joke, sorta - there is another band named Crush
somewhere, but these guys are claiming they had the name first, thus the
"senior" appelation. It's also a nice dig at some other band from western
MA which used to be good but has recently lost its mind...)
[ yeah, I've heard Crush Jr. or Crush III or whoever they are; they're
reeeeeeeeeeeally annoying goth-dance stuff... - Mark ]
Dead Can Dance - Into The Labyrinth (4AD, distributed by Reprise in the US)
Album #6 for Brendan and Lisa, and it's very cool. Strong world-music
influences (especially India) fused with "rock" to make a very mature,
compelling sound. Brendan's voice reminds me a bit of Tim Buckley, while
Lisa does lots of singing without words (a la Liz Fraser). Even though
one song blatantly rips off "White Rabbit" (which blatantly ripped off
Ravel's Bolero), the LP is very solid and interesting. * 3/4 (but it
might just grow on me)
In Camera - 13 (Lucky For Some) (TeenBeat, which has a new address that I
can't remember right now)
A reissue of this British band from 1980/81 on 4AD, this CD contains the
complete discography. And it's really good - along the lines of Joy
Division and early P.i.L. and Savage Republic (yes, Mark E. uses almost
the same description - but it's very true!) but sparser. Not a record to
be taken lightly. **
That's all for this time...
Sean
skmurphy@phoenix.princeton.edu
<------------------------------------------------------------>
hia;jgdksf
by Steven Silverstein
cs141091@cs.brown.edu
Since I find it really hard to list every band I mention in a one-line
subject heading, I'll stick with these. People know it's me, know if they
care to read it, blah blah blah.
Anyhow, first, Sony bought spinART. Thanks to Jackie at WRIU for the
info.
[ Ah, that explains the Boo Radleys 45 perfectly... fuck. - Mark ]
Next, shows. Mark Eitzel, Met Cafe, Providence, 10/06.
This place is a dump. It really sucks. People stand at the bar and tlak
during the show. Eitzel hated it, comparing it to a hotel lounge. It's
not a terrible physical plant so much as all of the people making noise
and ignoring the show. Also, there are windows behind the stage facing
the p pinball machines. He played for an hour, doing mostly new stuff
first (he opened with "Challenger" and did other things from the last
album), then falling into the old (except one brand new tune called "The
President's Test"). Other stuff included "Western Skies", "The Dead Part
of You" (cut off early), "Sad Tourist", "Chanel No. 5", etc. He closed
with "Gary's Song", which he didn't sing into the mic and did mostly a
cappella. It was also in mono and the sound guy kept running onto the
stage adjusting the speaker. Nonetheless, Eitzel was great. He was as
potent and emotional as ever and just played a really strong show.
Mole People, Megalo. AS220, Providence, 10/06. Eitzel was an early show,
and ended by 9. So. Mole People are the guys from Flower Gang (Matt and
Jack--the rhythm section) with Chris on guitar. They have a demo tape
which I haven't gotten yet. They were really strong. Just energetic and
fun and kind of silly, esp. Matt's shouts from behind the drums. Megalo
were noisy and complex and good. They're from Montreal and just played a
solid set. I forgot to mention that Mole people did 19 songs in like 35
mins.
El Von Ryan Express, Lazy Eye, Sidemouse, Hemp. AS220, Providence, 10/09.
(the last 2 dates should have been 10/08--it was Friday) Hemp were first.
Ian Lacombe and Bill Reed, 2 local vets, in their latest project. Pretty
complex and experimental stuff, and solid. Sidemouse are mostly at Brown.
The best I've seen them. Their new drummer is just amazing and they're
starting to toy with vocal harmonies. Lazy Eye are loud and powerful.
They have the ex-drummer from 6 Finger pounding away. Finally, Von Ryan
are just insane. It's the first time I'd seen them, and they were just
really nuts, as I'd been told. Just very experimental and crazy and lots
going on at once, sort of as a blur. Not experimental in the sense of
nerdily or academically pressing boundaries. Just making noise and having
fun and stuff. Really cool. They have a 7" due on Load Records that I'm
looking forward to hearing. I got a peek at the A-side, which sounded
good.
Scarce, The Halo Bit, Creamy, 59 Teeth, Honeybone. Lupo's, Providence.
10/10. Honeybone were competent musicians, but... The drummer had the
world's most expensive drum kit (no joke) and they just got very
irritating quickly. 59 Teeth weren't irritating, but they had no stage
presence and the set kind of dragged about 2 songs in. Not bad but...
Creamy weren't bad. Nothing about them much stood out except that they
used harmonica in one song. Halo Bit are kind of a good joke, Sony or not.
Their hair flaps in their faces (all of them), and they often use 2 basses
(though Alex sticks to guitar). The songs are OK--very big-sounding,
impersonal, rock star-ish stuff. Silly. Their friend Lisa sang some stuff
too. Scarce sounded good, as usual. They're just very solid. A bit
60s-ish perhaps but just a tight rock band. And Joyce's brother is in
Edsel, on the gossip front.
-Steve
<------------------------------------------------------------>
New Ambient Releases
by Paul Rafanello
808STATE@delphi.com
Here are some reviews of recent ambient techno releases that I've picked
up lately.
SPACE - Space (Space CD 1).
Space is actually Jim Cauty of KLF. The cd looks and smells like it's a
bootleg, but the sound quality is fine. The music is very spacy, with few
drums. 38 minutes of dreamy space music that Tangerine Dream used to
make.
SVEN VATH - Accident In Paradise (Eye Q 4509-91193-2)
Sven Vath (rhymes with "fate") is a German D.J. who is a master of
ambient techno. Of the nine tracks here, 6 are ambient masterpieces which
float aimlessly. The song "Drifting Like Whales In The Darkness" is an
example of the ambience. The only exception is the title track which is a
wicked techno track. The beat is reminiscient of Aphex Twin's harder
works, and the track bubbles along until a sound that sounds like a sword
being taken out of a cover slices the track. Recommended.
DREAMFISH - Dreamfish (Rising High CD9).
Dreamfish is Pete Namlook (of Sequential, and a bunch of other
pseudonyms), and MixMaster Morris (he d.j.'s at Shamen shows). The 4
tracks here range from 9 to 28 minutes long, and are very Orb-like. One
of the best ambient releases of 1993.
SUSPENDED MEMORIES - Forgotten Gods (Hearts Of Space HS11034-2)
Suspended Memories is Steve Roach, Jorge Reyes, and Suso Saiz. This disc
is once of the first successful marraiges of new age and world music that
I've heard in a long time. Roach lays the electronic backdrop for Reyes
percussion (clay water pots, stones, turtle shells, rainstick) and Siaz's
short wave radio, and guitars. This is beautiful music to listen to late
at night.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - Apollo Compilation (AMB 926 CD)
Apollo is a new subsidiary of the Belgian R & S Records. Apollo features
very spacy artists, which are even better than Warp Records "Artificial
Intelligence" series. Included here are Juan Atkins (as Model 500)
performing "The Passage", Biosphere doing the lilting "Cloudwalker", The
Orb remix of Electrotete's "I Love You", and Aphex Twin's "X-Tal". A
great introduction into the Apollo sound.
8080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808
0 Paul Rafanello 0 "We are the music makers, 0
8 8 and we are dreamers of 8
0 Internet:808STATE@DELPHI.COM 0 the dream" 0
8 Delphi: 808STATE 8 "Come on squeal, SQUEAL!" 8
0 AOL: limespider 0 Apollo, Warp, After Beyond0
8080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808
<------------------------------------------------------------>
The Indie-List Digest is published every Tuesday and Friday by the
Indie-List Infotainment Junta, Unltd.
What Who Where
Editor Mark Cornick cornick@delphi.com
Moderator K. Lena Bennett keb@carson.u.washington.edu
Mailings Liz Clayton lclayton@uhuru.uchicago.edu
Archives Sean Murphy skmurphy@phoenix.princeton.edu
FTP/Gopher /pub/music/lists/indie @ ftp.uwp.edu
Fshee! Joshua Houk houk@mind.org
Indie-List is not copyrighted. It may be freely reproduced for any purpose.
Please cite Indie-List as your source.
REVIEW MATERIAL: Yes, we'll review your 45/tape/CD/LP/8-track/Edison wax
cylinder/zine/whatever! Send it to Mark at 324 S Cherry St, Richmond VA 23220
USA. We get to everything eventually, so please be patient.
<----------------------------------------------------->
please send your articles for the next issue to LENA!
<----------------------------------------------------->
STUPID THING TO DO THIS WEEK
by Mark
Write Details Magazine <detailsmag@aol.com> and ask them when the Unrest
fashion layout is due.
[Submitted by: Sean Keric Murphy (skmurphy@phoenix.princeton.edu)
Tue, 19 Oct 1993 17:32:00 -0400]