The Tommies 2002
by Thomas Schulte
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<
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TOMMIES</a>
Here is the Top 10 Recordings for 2002 from Outsight, listed alphabetically:
Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. / In C / Squealer Music</a>
/ Blow / Thirsty Ear</a>
Peter / Up / Geffen</a>
Lutz / The 5th Elephant / ReR Megacorp</a>
Heel Jack / Amassed / Thirsty Ear</a>
Chip & Rodriguez, Carrie / Let’s Leave this Town / Lone Star Records</a>
Residents / Demons Dance Alone / East Side Digital </a>
Artists / Tipsy Remix Party! / Asphodel</a>
on the Verge / Live in Philadelphia / Slow River</a>
Doc with Frosty Morn / ‘Round the Table Again / Sugar Hill</a>
For archived reviews of the Top 10, visit the Outsight
Home Page</a>. While you there, join your music-related Web site to the Outsight
Web Ring, “Music’s Haven on the ‘Net”</a>.
</p>
GET A LOAD OF THIS
Load Records (POB 35,
Providence, RI 02901) is a purveyor of strange but beautiful noise. The Load Records
roster tends toward artists unfettered by the verse-chorus-verse convention… The
group Forcefield is unfettered even with vocals on Roggabogga. This album
is an audio document of the 2002 Whitney Biennial in NYC when the performance
collective swelled to almost 60 performers in knit suits to quasi-ethnic soundtrack
bleeps, beeps and all that is electronic… On its debut full-length CD bareskinrug,
Pleasurehorse goes in for the sputtering, forward-moving series of beats and tweets
that share the same horizontal, motive energy of breakbeats. Indeed, breakbeats
figure in as one of the substrates to the music of this one-man show, again without
vocals…
EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITIES
Robert Poss was one third of the three-guitar wall of sound in Band of Susans.
Since that experimental rock group disbanded in 1995, he continued to work wonders
with the guitar as a sonic alchemist. Poss now has two new solo recordings out
on Trace Elements Records (172 E. 4th St., No. 11D, NYC, NY 10009). Distortion
of Truth</i> is a compendium of studio and live works. As such, the sound varies from
floating, eerie soundscapes like “Radio Free Albemuth Revisited” to beat-heavy
NYC art-rock that recalls Band of Susans (“You Were Relentless”). Crossing
Casco Bay</i> relies more heavily and consistently on Poss’ theorem that feedback,
distortion and overtones are “the cake, not the frosting” for the post-rock guitarist.
Deceptively simple, these drifting, floating layers of guitar drone give rise
to architecture of subtle beauty when appreciated with distinct stereo separation.
WALDRON RIDING A ZEPYR (UPWARD)
Pianist Mal Waldron has died. He featured as the sole musical accompaniment to
jazz vocalist Judi Silvano
on the recent Soul Note
album Riding a Zephyr. Waldron was in Billie Holiday’s band for her final
two years. Waldron wrote or co-wrote most of the music on this album which features
beautifully simple, understated piano, giving room to Silvano’s delightful phrasing
and playful scatting. The disc contains a synopsis of Waldron’s creative life
in the tenth, closing track, “Mal Waldron”.
DEAD KENNEDYS DIGITALLY REMASTERED
The Dead Kennedys’ digitally remastered back catalog passed the 100,000 mark for
total annual sales in 2002. Laying aside the controversy discussed in the underground
press regarding the band wresting the back catalog from Jello Biafra, it certainly
seems to be a successful venture that has found many buyers. The band sells
the product through Manifesto Records and Plastic Head Distribution. Showing
that even hardcore collectors are jumping at the chance to replace their worn
copies, the band marked their 33% jump in sales with a decision to reissue all
the titles on vinyl for these buyers, starting with Fresh
</a>Fruit
for Rotting Vegetables</a></i> and Give
Me Convenience or Give Me Death</a></i> in September 2002.
</p>
BOOK REVIEW
Allan Metz, Editor
from Punk to the Present</a></i>
Musical Legacy Publications
This book is a tour-de-force exegesis of the entire Blondie career and the effect
lead singer Deborah Harry has on the role of the blonde female vocalist in pop
and rock. Nearly the first third of the book is given over to the punk milieu
from which Blondie sprang and Blondie’s role in that scene. This makes the book
a fascinating overview of the nascent New York City punk scene. Like the rest
of the book, several authors contribute pieces of no more than a few pages. This
makes for much redundancy as the same topics are covered, but treat this book
as casual reading and reference and the many points of view coalesce into detailed
complete if kaleidoscopic view of the territory. In here are some real nuggets,
like the uncensored interview of Harry for High Times and cross interview
with Nina Persson of The Cardigans. There are plenty of photos from all parts
of the Blondie/Deborah Harry history and some interviews with the photographers.
“Part IV: In Retrospect” contains discographies from the U.S. and U.K. perspectives
along with many pages of appreciations from various authors. Metz gives a short
synopsis of each article explaining how it fits in. The book is a must for the
Blondie fan and adds much to those that are interested in the NYC punk landscape
she grew out of. (4)
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More on the book from Amazon.com</a></p>
DVD Reviews
Lee “Scratch” Perry
Unlimited Destruction</a></i>
Jet Star/MVD
This 45-minute DVD documentary is a colorful and personal portrait of The Upsetter,
dub architect Lee “Scratch” Perry. Much of the interviewing occurs in Perry’s
home where we see he is, apparently, never out of costume and never out of character.
His home is just as eclectically decorated as is Perry’s apparel. Subtitles would
have been helpful for Perry’s thick accent, but it is worth straining to hear
him expound his Sun Ra-like philosophies and comments on working with Bob Marley.
Some concert clips are here also. (3.5)
The Vandals
to the Oldies: The Vandals Live</a></i>
This fully packed double-DVD collection is built around a release of the group’s
hour-long VHS documentary. The first disc of the VHS’s material now has an additional
audio track of the band’s own commentary on each part of the documentary and concert
video. Not only do we see live footage of the group performing such songs as “Urban
Struggle (I Want to be a Cowboy)” and “Anarchy Burger,” but we find the real story
behind “Pat Brown.” Or do we? The interview with the singer of the South Bay Surfers
on the second disc seems to cast doubt on all that, or is it all in good fun?
Good (but not necessarily) clean fun is had by all The Vandals on this DVD set.
Also on the second disc is a hilarious analysis by the band of their own audience
getting into the show and the totality of Joe Escalante’s interview of Bjork and
Siggi of The Sugarcubes. (4.5)
Bruce Lee
Legend Lives On…</a></i>
Waterfall Home End./MVD
This DVD documentary explores the impact of Bruce Lee on the role of kung fu in
the movies through interviews with several people. Many of these people were students
at Bruce Lee’s school. They augment the personal exposition that is anything but
glorification but rather an intimate portrayal of a man who had advanced to phenomenal
athletic abilities and loved to express that, as well as fight. In many ways,
Bruce Lee comes across much like Harry Houdini, a superhuman of sorts whose greatest
feats are still legendary and unable to be reproduced. Lee’s brother and son also
give interviews as well as the late actor James Coburn (a student) and Jackie
Chan, perhaps Lee’s closest modern day equivalent. The DVD indulges the viewer
with a few of Lee’s longer fight scenes in their entirety. (4)
Ozzy Osbourne
Prince of Darkness</a></i>
This is an unauthorized biography of Ozzy’s career, so it contains no music. However,
it does contain much that is revealing about this powerful persona in heavy metal.
Mostly through the interviews of a journalist and two authors of Ozzy books, we
learn about Ozzy’s crimes and misdemeanors, his highs and lows and his rather
unexpected current acceptability. For instance we find out things popularly known
about Ozzy, say urinating on the Alamo, biting the head off a bat or wearing a
dress to a photo shoot, but also the events of that time or that day that led
up to those events. (3)
CD REVIEWS
Steve Roach / Jeffrey Fayman
Spirits</a></i>
Tranceportation/Projekt
On Trance Spirits, Roach rejoins Jeffrey Fayman and Momodou Kah, the percussionists
on the 2001 CD The Serpents Lair, for a new album of ambient soundscapes
with exotic, ethnic, acoustic percussion. The authentic African percussion forms
a dense substrate to the electronic soundscapes produced on guitar and synthesizer
by Steve Roach. Robert Fripp is on hand to lend his talents to this live (not
overdubbed) recording on three tracks. (4)
Dating Super Studs</a></i>
The Vandal return with tongue-in-cheek humor and another great post-punk album
that recalls the best of power pop. Their scathing wit is here turned to Internet
dating. Like neo-punk method actors, The Vandals got so immersed in the idea for
this concept album that includes date-a-band-member over the Web for pre-release
promotion. The fast, up-tempo songs make good on all the fun and jokes possible
about relationships in and out of the chat rooms in fast, guitar-focused rock
that is the clarion call of talent and quality in the largely mediocre modern
punk rock movement. (4)
you fed the Fish? </a></i>
XL Recordings/ARTISTdirect Recordings
Although boasting the appearance of a hand-waving indie rocker, Badly Drawn Boy
is a sophisticated pop rocker. Employing a touch of lo-fi and sense of humor,
Badly Drawn Boy is a pop artist with street style. Now reaching a new tier of
popularity, Badly Drawn Boy offers Have You Fed the Fish? as commentary
of moving in the world of celebrity. Rather than being a salacious and psychological
The Wall, it is a string of orch-pop about remembering the little things
and the reflection that comes with fame. Featuring more guitars than previous
albums, this is still a hip album with plenty of piano and under-produced songs
that will go over well with fans of Ben Folds Five and Of Montreal. (4)
Simon H. Fell
Composition No. 30
This is experimental, new music from Britain. The third release in a series, Fell
is documenting on the double-disc release a middle ground between pure improvisation
and notation using good-sized ensembles. In development for 8 years, this opus
features the Big Band of The Royal Northern College of Music with featured improvisers
from jazz and creative music circles. The result has a jazz-like quality that
will appeal to free jazz fans. (4)
Laird Jackson
Consolidated Artists Productions
Laird Jackson is a gifted young vocalist who already boasts the effortlessly
delivered patient and measured phrasing that marks the best mature vocalists.
This 11-track album mixes originals from Jackson with songs by Stevie Wonder (“Visions”),
Joni Mitchell (“Tin Angel”), Donovan (“Catch the Wind”) and more. Having already
released an album of pre-1950 standards, her 1994 debut Quiet Flame, Jackson
now takes a more contemporary approach. Toward this end, there is a Brazilian
feel on “Visions” as well as her own “Towards the Sun” due to the percussion.
This song, like much of the album, features quick but bright episodes of instrument
improvisation from her New York band of Bruce Barth (piano), Joe Ford (alto sax),
John Benitez (bass), Cecil Bridgewater (trumpet) and Clarence Penn (drums). (3.5)
Mat Maneri featuring Joe McPhee
Mat Maneri performs on a bevy of violin forms on this delicate and focused album.
These violin derivatives include five-string viola, electric six-string violin
and baritone violin. The drone-like tone coloring of the slow bowing matched to
the low-frequency plucking from über-bassist William Parker gives an Oriental
feel to “Alone (Origin)”. Subdued, introspective keyboards from Craig Taborn lend
a chill, ambient feel to the music. Similarly disembodied and reflective is the
soprano saxophone of Joe McPhee. The entire measured and meditative approach makes
for a romantic free jazz, an experimental ensemble with poignant self-awareness.
(4.5)
Lemon Jelly
Horizon</a></i>
Impotent Fury/XL Recordings
Having taken different paths through the London electro-pop worlds, the duo behind
Lemon Jelly, Nick Franglen and Fred Deakin, became re-acquainted to make this
album. Their floating, ebullient tracks percolate with a natural enthusiasm for
the electronic genre and its easy-beat, smile-inducing possibilities. This is
electronica specifically made for listening, not dancing. Stripped of the need
to be utilitarian and predictable, the songs on this album offer more texture
and freedom of expression that translates into muted joy, that is artful electro-pop
that you can hum. (4.5)
March on Electric Children
Three.One.G, POB 178262, SD, CA 92177
The brand of high-energy aggro from The Blood Brothers is a spastic, sputtering
high-tension variety that recalls Japanese noise punk from Guitar Wolf to The
Boredoms. More than a catharsis, the group includes a lot of complexity in their
music through the unpredictable tempo changes of the guitars, which can launch
into angular, math patterns. The full impact of the surrealistic lyrics and horror-movie
imagery is best appreciated perusing the full-color booklet of over two-dozen
pages while listening on headphones. (4)
like Nature</a></i>
Full of sexual energy courtesy of siren Ann Shenton, this British band delivers
potent heavy electronic pop that lacks the muscular ostentation of industrial
music. Instead, the music of Add N to (X) boasts slinky, post-New Wave rhythms
with a classic vintage feel arising from the Moogs ands more. Too hip to be merely
retro, Loud Like Nature is hard club music with style. Adding variety is
contributions from guitarist Richard Hawley (Pulp) on “Sheez Mine” and drummer
Rowan Oliver (Goldfrapp). Legendary producer Kim Fowley (The Runaways) is on hand
to make a creepy spoken word contribution on “Invasion of the Polaroid People”.
(4)
Race for Titles has a classic, post-punk pop sound that is still mature and sophisticated
recalling The Church and song-oriented English indie pop. The album offers a lot
in texture for the listener, varying from ethereal guitar to an impressive wall-of-sound
approach. An important debut, watch for more from this Omaha, Nebraska band. (3)
Tone Sharks
Intention
This is the fourth recording from a quartet that excels in understated, restrained
live group composition. Their extemporaneous experiments succeed on the right
notes, not cosmic blasts of the sonic spectrum. Formerly, the group was a quintet,
but now has new member Tom McNalley on guitar replacing Steve Willis. Trombonist
Brent Heyne is not on the album. McNalley works well with the group’s other Tom
(Bergeron) on alto sax. The two lead the ensemble in a conversation of exchanged
phrases ably backed by busy but not distracting drumming from Dave Storrs. (4)
Thomas Dimuzio
Mono.Poly
Gench/Asphodel
Dimuzio excels at minimalistic electronic compositions of a coarse texture. These
are warm, floating pieces that allow much freedom for the imagination. They also
allow much to be built on them. In this 2-CD set, we have one disc of Dimuzio
live material (Mono) and then a disc (Poly) of collaborations with
Illusion of Safety, Fred Frith, Chris Cutler and more. All together, the anthology
spans the years 1997-2002. These collaborations are also recorded live and dates
and cities for each track are provided. The collaborative pieces tend to include
samples not found on Mono, giving the Poly disc a feel like the academic
electro-acoustic output of the Montreal musique actuelle scene. (4.5)
Alice Stuart
Find no Heaven</a></i>
This is a comeback album for a woman that had a career in the 60’s that include
working with Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention and opening for Van Morrison
on a European tour. (Actually, her recording comeback began with 1966’s Really
Good</i>. This is the third recording of her second career.) She let that go in
order to raise a family, but not before leaving enough of a mark to inspire Bonnie
Raitt, among others. Indeed, fans of Raitt will find this album to be much like
an aged and mellowed version of Raitt. Stuart is a singer-guitarist who is also
a capable songwriter as can be told on the poignant bitterness of “Blues in the
Bottle”. She has one other original here and then interprets such blues songs
as “Big Boss Man” and “Hard Time Killin’ Floor.” (3.5)
) </a></i>
MCA
This barely-named album of lo-fi vocals and delicate piano and string melodies
is an enchanting collection from this Icelandic band. Very evenly featured, the band
seems to want no distracting peaks and valleys on this gentle ride. Even the album’s
credits are only available on the site as the six-page booklet, of gray tracing
paper, is nearly featureless. The spare but not melancholy album features vocalized
sounds that fit the music appropriately, but not as words. Through the site, listeners
can post their interpretations that will “become” the lyrics through software.
Singer Jonsi Thor Birgisson calls the singing style “Hopelandish” vocals. The
album is classy chill-out music and somewhat otherworldly. (4)
The Ken Woodman Sound
Talk! </a></i>
Volume Six of RPM’s Mood Mosaic series documents the bold-stroked ’60s orchestral
pop of UK producer Ken Woodman. Contemporary “orch pop” exhibits a schmaltzy neo-romanticism
that has more to do with America Middle Of The Road styles of the period. Woodman,
however was a horn player by profession in the 50’s and interjects his arrangements,
whether originals like “Town Talk” or renditions of Top 40 material like “Mighty
Quinn,” with jump-up-and-dance jazz band rhythms. So, this is not the soundtrack
to Love Story, but more like classic Henry James or Count Basie incarnated
into the pop recording studio. Woodman was instrumental as producer or music director
in recordings by Tom Jones, Lulu, Mia Farrow, Roy Orbison and more. Listening
to this compilation culled from 1966 and 1969 recordings (That’s Nice and Vibration), as well as taking in the detailed booklet shows how essential
his work, also heard on many radio and TV shows, was for 60’s and 70’s pop. (4.5)
The Church
Universe</a></i>
The title to this exquisite double-CD set reflects the fact that the recordings
were made concurrently, or in parallel, with the opus After Everything Now
This</i>. As such, the set includes not only remixes of tracks on that album,
but new material as well. This explosion of creativity comes from the reunion
of the founding 1980 lineup. (Incidentally, drummer Tim Powles longevity in the
group made him the longest serving drummer in band history.) The group maintained
this lineup even though separated by continents, meaning this material was three
years in the making. Perhaps the high quality of the end result has something
to do not only with the great experience of these music architects, but forced
time to think and ponder over such a drawn-out project. The crisp, focused,
post-psychedelic pop created by The Church continues to refine a winning and somewhat
dark fusion of ambiguous, thought-provoking lyrics with vivid metaphor with intelligent,
sophisticated guitar-pop that survives as some of the best music out of the AOR
movement for its inherent quality. (4.5)
The Warlocks
Album</a></i>
Songs such as “The Dope Feels Good” and “Shake the Dope Out” epitomize the drug-embracing
psychedelic jams of the trippy band The Warlocks. Its music is a sonic buzz of
drifting walls of sound that advance and recede like a body-affecting chemical
tide. Like Velvet Underground’s “Heroin” these narcotic anthems glorify abandonment
to substance-induced sensations with such effective use of well-wrought music
that The Warlocks may be able to sue West Coast drug dealers for royalties. Regardless,
even if you “just say no” to anything, cop a dose of Phoenix Album and
party all night with naught for nasty side effects. (4)
Blues on the Slide
Blues Religion Music
Deltahead McDonald is a human jukebox of the original Delta blues style. He performs
acoustic blues songs of the folk blues masters: Robert Johnson (“Walkin’ Blues,”
“Come on in my Kitchen”), Charlie Patton (“Tom Rushen Blues”), Son House (“Empire
State Express,” “Grinnin’ in Your Face”), Blind Willie McTell (“World’s Made a
Change”) and more. Like the early recordings of John Lee Hooker, this is simply
a solo performance of a man singing, playing guitar and stomping his foot for
occasional percussion. The style is nothing like Australia and everything like
the rural American south that it honors. The part that is Australia is the Australian-made
Beeton Brass Body Resonator Guitar (National Biscuit Cone) that McDonald plays
bottleneck slide on. The baker’s dozen of songs here are delivered in a patient
and melodic style, brightly played by this lowlands master from down under. McDonald
is justifiably proud that this is recorded in a live fashion; that is, with no
overdubs. The lead track is “Evil on my Mind,” which Johnny Winter did overdub.
(4.5)
Mike Marshall & Darol Anger
Duo Live: At Home and On the Range</a></i>
When Marshall and Anger speak of “on the range,” they refer to that open road
that they are three-quarters of the way to having traveled a million miles over.
They began their musical sojourn performing together in the David Grisman Quartet
in 1978 and continue to put on a live show of some of the best in Americana acoustica.
This album is a testament to the quality of their live performance in delivering
the goods in folk and bluegrass with a touch of jazz. The “at home” part of the
title refers to the extra tracks recorded just after their U.S. eastern seaboard
tour along which they gathered these gems. The scintillating music here summoned
from wood and wire warmly by the sonic alchemists includes fun Mike Marshall originals
(“Frogs on Ice,” “Big Man from Syracuse” etc.), traditionally yet artfully arranged
for subtle showcasing of technique but never showboating (“In the Pines,” “Down
in the Willow Garden”) and a healthy dose of Bill Monroe (“Jerusalem Ridge,” “Big
Mon” and “Old Dangerfield”) and more. (4.5)
C’est Mortel
Mortel</a></i>
This self-titled debut album arising from the fertile Athens, Georgia scene begins
with an angular, mathy track and then follows with a triumphant bit of progressive
rock. Mostly instrumental, this album is a diptych, divided into three tracks
called “Your Misfortune is our Mirth” and “Magnum Opus.” Each half is over thirty
minutes long and conceived as a single live set, which is how the band performs
their music. The reach is for the majestic and this gives the pieces epic proportions
and a vast, cinematic sweep. The sophisticated post-rock band will
go over well with fans of Tortoise and Mogwai. Drummer Tom Naumann and guitarist/vocalist
Devin Brown are also in Jet By Day. (4)
Nirvana
Geffen
The previously unreleased treat for fans on this Nirvana retrospective is the
lead track, “You Know You’re Right.” The track came out of Kurt Cobain’s final
recording session. It is a particularly angry cut, almost abrasive and has an
air of finality about it. The rest has a greatest hits feel, taking well-known
tracks of Sub Pop releases, Lithium, In Utero and the band’s MTV Unplugged
performance. These include “Sliver,” “Smells like Teen Spirit,” “Rape Me” and
“All Apologies.” Because this collection hits the high points, it works as the
one Nirvana recording to get, if you feel you only need one. (4)
The Blam
The Blam
