Outsight
Outsight: Turbonegro Goes America
NEWS AND VIEWS **************************************
TURBONEGRO SIGNS WITH BURNING HEART/EPITAPH RECORDS
I still turn heads with my arresting Turbonegro shirt brought back from Europe. Now more will have this opportunity to be aware of this group as Burning Heart/Epitaph Records announces their signing. Working their rock-n-roll magic in Norway for a decade, the group catastrophically "[dissolved] in the waiting room of a psychiatric emergency ward in Milan, Italy 1998." Prior to the band's demise were the albums Apocalypse Dudes, Never Is Forever and Ass Cobra and more. The band reformed this past summer for European gigs. Now there is a new album due out on Burning Heart/Epitaph Records in the spring of 2003. "There's always been an uncontrollable dark force driving the band forward, I guess recording a new album was inevitable", says Rune Rebellion, guitarist.
JOEL DORN RETURNS WITH NEW LABEL HYENA
Old school jazz icons Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Cannonball Adderley have their discographies extended September 17, 2002. This happens with the debut of Hyena, the latest label venture from record producer Joel Dorn. Reissues of Les McCann and Eddie Harris will follow on October 1. Hyena will be an imprint of The Music Force, the California-based company home to Sin-Drome Records. Returning with Hyena, Joel Dorn begins the fourth in a series of record labels (Night Records, 32 Records & Label M) that find him mining gems from the vaults (Atlantic Records, Muse Records & The Left Bank Jazz Society). Dorn comes full circle with Hyena by reissuing the four long out of print albums that started it all on Night Records: The Man Who Cried Fire by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Radio Nights by Cannonball Adderley, Les Is More by Les McCann and A Tale of Two Cities by Eddie Harris. Nearly impossible to find, the four Night Records titles are commonly considered minor classics. "The beauty here is that none of the artists knew they were recording records during the taping of these shows. This is how the music actually went down," says Dorn.
PRONG SIGNS WITH LOCOMOTIVE
After a successful 42-show American tour, reunited industrial rock pioneers Prong signed a worldwide recording deal with Locomotive Music. The label will release the band's first live album on October 15, to be followed by a new studio record in April. After a five-year hiatus, Prong returned this spring for a six-week American tour, during which the group's as-yet-unnamed live CD was recorded. Mixed by Pat Regan (Kiss, Ritchie Blackmore, Diesel Machine), the album includes one new song, "Initiation," co-written by long time friend and guitarist Pat Lachman (Halford / Diesel Machine).
STEREORRIFIC RECORDINGS
This label has a vintage aesthetic and releases great indie pop records. One such fine example is the self-titled CD from Orange Nichole (Penguin). Such charming gems are here as "Coupon of Love," which marries a martial snare beat to reverb-drenched guitar and a saccharine teenbeat love song. Also on the label is Hey Blue! from Miss Mary of The Oscillators. Her dulcet vocals and unassuming girlish charm that made that group the darling of college radio programmers carries over to this album. This is especially true on the title track, the mock-shyness espoused in "The Date" and the singsong "My Baby Cried All Night Long." What ties these artists together is a certain economy and efficient brevity to their songs as Jeff Mellin (label head with his brother Joel) says, "a sense of humor." Easily, this combination could lead to trite, trivial material, but Orange Nichole and Miss Mary transcend that to produce shimmering examples of indie pop. Through their Web site you can try out these and other titles at the cannot-go-wrong price of $5. Check out Stereorrific Recordings on the Web at www.Stereorrific.com.
Listen to or Buy Orange Nichole at Amazon.com
Listen to or Buy Miss Mary at Amazon.com
A "SKOL!" to SKOLNICK
The field of heavy metal is not known as a breeding ground for musicians of varied and advanced talents. However, alongside and after his 1987-1992 career as lead guitarist for Testament, Alex Skolnick recreated himself as a jazz, progressive rock and jazz fusion musician. Two recent albums show Skolnick's more advanced talents as he continues to recreate himself as a jazz musician. Skolnick has easily created a much more interesting body of work with Attention Deficit and Trans-Siberian Orchestra then all that he did with Testament. The creative decline in that band after his absence proves he was the group's skill center. The Alex Skolnick Trio is a nearly acoustic jazz combo to showcase Skolnick's more traditional jazz styles. Beside two originals, Goodbye to Romance: Standards for a New Generation (Skol Productions) includes a bevy of hard rock covers given jazz treatment. This includes "War Pigs" (Black Sabbath), "No One Like You" (Scorpions) and "Pinball Wizard" (The Who). Skolnick also appears on the Joe Deninzon album The Adventures of Stratospheerius (D Zone Ent., 30-43 32d St., Apt. 4, Astoria, NY 11102). This is more a fusion of jazz and hard rock and Skolnick is on hand providing stunt guitar to Deninzon's violin theatrics. Deninzon wildly improvises on electric and acoustic violins. The New York musician has worked with Sheryl Crow, Everclear, Smokey Robinson, Project Object and more. In Skolnick, Deninzon has the perfect guitarist to match his pyrotechnics. However, Deninzon tries to do everything on this album: funk and fusion and rap and R&B-like ballads. This makes for an uneven recording with the best portions being the fiery instrumentals. Check out Alex on the Web: http://www.alexskolnick.com and Deninzon at www.joedenizon.com.
Listen to or Buy Adventures of Stratospheerius at Amazon.com
SUNDANCE CHANNEL'S SONIC CINEMA OCTOBER SERIES
Look for music journalist Dimitri Ehrlich to host a month-long series showcasing music videos, short films, other works by independent artists on Sundance Channel as four half-hour programs in October 2002. Exploring the symbiotic relationship between music and film, Sonic Cinema will air 11:00 pm ET/PT Friday nights in October. Ehrlich is also a singer-songwriter. His most recent album is As Nervous As You Are (Tainted Records, 2000). His journalism has appeared in Rolling Stone, New York Times, Vibe, Details, New York, Mademoiselle, Spin, and many other publications, including Interview Magazine, where he was music editor for five years and is currently music editor-at-large. Each episode will begin with a look at two or more music videos linked together by a common denominator followed by a segment in which a filmmaker introduces a rarely seen piece that has inspired, influenced or otherwise affected him or her. Another segment in this magazine-like format is "Meet." "Meet" profiles various artists who bridge the worlds of music and film. Finally, in a segment entitled "I Made It Myself," musicians discuss what happens when they their own short films, videos and other works. Subjects and guests include REM, independent film music supervisors Randall Poster (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Velvet Goldmine), Björk, The White Stripes and video maker Tamra Davis (Tone-Loc "Wild Thing," Sonic Youth "Kool Thing", Hanson "MmmBop") Sundance Channel's Website address is www.sundancechannel.com.
SHORTLIST RELEASES "LONG LIST" OF NOMINEES
The Shortlist Organization announced August 22 the complete "Long List" of seventy-five initial nominations for the Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music. The albums were selected by a panel of "Listmakers" including Iggy Pop, Beck, Alanis Morissette, Larry Mullen, Jr. (U2), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Damon Albarn (Blur), Albert Hammond, Jr. and Nick Valensi (The Strokes), and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth).
Nomination to the Long List is the first of three steps towards winning the second annual Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music. The award, to be presented on October 29th at the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, was created by founders Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig to expose and illuminate the most creative recent works by emerging artists.
To be eligible for nomination, a record must have been released between July 1, 2001 and August 19, 2002, and must not have been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 copies at the time of its nomination. Beginning this week, each Listmaker will vote for his or her ten favorite albums from the Long List. The top ten vote-getters will be become the Shortlist Finalists, who will be announced the week of September 16th. The complete Long List can be found on the Shortlist Website: www.shortlistofmusic.com
Last year's Long List nominees included The White Stripes, (nominated before their album was picked up for major label distribution), At The Drive In, Basement Jaxx, and many others.
Yours truly is not nearly famous enough to contribute, but I can provide you with my own select short list from the complete 2002 long list:
Laurie Anderson / Life On A String
Aphex Twin / Drukps
Bjork / Vespertine
The Eels / Souljacker
Julia Fordham / Concrete Love
Kronos Quartet / Nuevo
Moldy Peaches / Moldy Peaches
Sonic Youth / Murray Street
Tomahawk / Tomahawk
Tom Waits / Blood Money
DVD REVIEWS *******************************************
Various Artists
Back to Stax: Memphis Soul
Music Video Distributors
http://www.musicvideodistributors.com
Marking its theme as a celebration of the Stax soul sound by the performers that made it legendary, this 154-minute 1990 concert starts with the core duo of Steve Cropper (guitar) and Booker T. Jones (keyboards) taking the stage. Donald "Duck" Dunn joined the pair in time for the second Booker T. & The MG's album, Soul Dressing (Atlantic, 1965) and is present here. Unfortunately, original drummer Alan Jackson, Jr. is deceased, but this stellar house band has the able drumming of Danny Gottlieb (Elements, Pat Metheny and the later Mahavishnu Orchestra). This group, along with The Memphis Horns, backs a scintillating constellation of soul vocalists. Sam Moore (Sam & Dave) performs the lion's share of the songs including "Soul Man" and "Hold On I'm Coming." Carla Thomas, Queen of Memphis Soul, is on hand to sing one half-dozen songs including "Tramp," which she famously recorded as a duet with Otis Redding. Eddie Floyd was core to the Stax machine, both as a songwriter and performer. Reunited here with the same Booker T. & The MG's that backed him then, he transports us to 1966 with "Raise your Hand," "Knock on Wood" and four other songs. R&B guitarist Phil Upchurch is one hand to perform "Love and Peace." (3.5)
More on this video title from CDNow
READABLES **********************************************
The Zine Yearbook, Vol. 6
Become the Media, POB 1225, Bowling Green, OH 43402
The Zine Yearbook, Vol. 6 samples from zines published in 2001 that had a circulation of less than 5,000 copies. Arranged alphabetically, the article and comic excerpts preserve the original layout. As such, each sample is a microcosm of the originating zine. The varied compendium starts suitably with an analysis of the current state of zines from Ache (more metacommentary in graphic form from Cat and Girl) and thus begins a swatch the runs the gamut from personal rants (America? and Etidorhpa) to the activist agenda (Media Reader and Resist). While, statistically, most 2001 zines of small distribution were probably poetry and music publications, The Zine Yearbook continues the worthy task of presenting a spectrum of guerilla social criticism and the wit that arises from punk ideology. (4)
Brendan Mullen with Don Bolles and Adam Parfrey
Lexicon Devil: The Fast Time and Short Life of Darby Crash and The Germs
Feral House
Adam Parfrey's Feral House gave us another fascinating biography with the same unique format: Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (Rudolph Grey, 1992). These books present a chronologically arrayed series of short of paragraph-length quotes from those that knew or experienced the subject. No attempt is made to rectify contradictions. (Looking back, how often can the truth of biographical minutiae really be determined?) The result makes for easy reading and provides a kaleidoscopic view of the subject. In both these cases, that is a complex and controversial artist. Author/editor/publisher Adam Parfrey (Apocalypse Culture, Extreme Islam) stakes a claim in the rich quarry of the violent and dark subcultures and countercultures. Through this lens, Germs vocalist and songwriter Darby Crash appears as both a taunting jester of the burgeoning West Coast punk scene as well as mischievous if not malevolent pied piper leading impressionable thrill seekers into would-be decadence of the type predicted by Oswald Spengler in The Decline Of The West. Through the remembrance quips, Crash also reveals a side as an extremely image-conscious and thus insecure youth struggling more to obscure his homosexuality rather than create a cohesive and worthy artistic legacy. Taken this way, it seems that songs that still reverberate in the global punk community, are only accidental revelations of writing genius whose suicide cut short a career that could have been even more defining on this music genre. Full of black and white pictures, this volume includes lyrics of songs by The Germs and discography as well as a timeline of gigs and key events. (4.5)
More on the book from Amazon.com
The Jewws
L'Explosion du son de Maintenant (The Now Sound Explosion)
Demolition Derby
http://www.demderby.com
The title may not be in English, but the rock-n-roll is garage punk with a Texas twang. Listen to tracks like "Girl Gets Around," featuring Hammond organ by Andy Gish, and also "My Baby Don't Rock & Roll" and you hear the harsh, Appalachian hardcore guitar of Link Wray combined with the distilled, high-octane psych-garage sound of The Gories. Tracks like the instrumental "Moon Equipped" show The Jewws as a capable surf band. (4)
The Chronics
It's Too Late
Demolition Derby
www.demderby.com
Taking cues from Boston's The Real Kids, The Chronics slow down much of their punk rock, for a heavy but melodic power pop feel as on "No Point of View." Following on the heels of their single on Rip Off Records, this is the group's debut LP and also features heavier, speed-punk material as on the snotty and swift "I Live Alone." The Italian group offers ten, all-new songs on this album including the memorable "Chronic Disease" which is a post-folk punker that recalls Arthur Lee & The Love. (4)
Swamp Rats
"Psycho" b/w "Louie Louie"
Get Hip Recordings
www.gethip.com/
Part of the Get Hip Archive Series, this is a reissue of an artifact from the real 1960s Pittsburgh proto-punk garage rock scene. The track-by-track decay of the fiery take on the Sonics' "Psycho" and the vehement delivery of "Louie Louie" show that you did not have to wait for green hair dye and Christmas tree spikes to play punk music. (4.5)
The Cynics
"Turn Me Loose" b/w "Never Had It Better"
Get Hip Recordings
www.gethip.com/
These legendary Pittsburgh garage rockers prove on this excellent new single that they have stopped looking back. These tunes are a preview of the new album recently completed at The Sweat Box Studio in Austin, TX, Tim Kerr producing and Mike Vasquez engineering. The 14 tracks were laid down in just three days and that frenetic energy comes across here, especially on the primitively psychedelic cover of the Electric Prunes tune on the B-side. The album, tentatively titled Living Is The Best Revenge, should be out in September 2002. (4)
The Cynics
"Doin' Me In" b/w "Last Day"
Get Hip Recordings
www.gethip.com/
Here The Cynics sublimate much of their famous vigor to deliver a heartfelt rendition of the psych-ballad "Doin' Me In" from 60's rockers Gonn. On the B-side the twelve-string guitar comes out for the new, original tune of shimmering introduction and Roky Erickson-like delivery. These are preview tracks for their new album, tentatively titled Living Is The Best Revenge and due out in September 2002. (3.5)
Mondo Topless
"No More" b/w "Panty Sniffer"
Get Hip Recordings
www.gethip.com/
Out of Philadelphia, this garage rock group dabs extra Farfisa on both sides of this single. The A-Side is almost menacing in its darkly punk rejection. Nearly threatening in its stalker portrayal, "Panty Sniffer" is fuel for a drunken frat raid escapade. (4)
Gore Gore Girls
"Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" b/w "I'm Gonna Get You Yet"
Get Hip Recordings
www.gethip.com/ www.goregoregirls.com
On this limited edition, red vinyl 45, the Gore Gore Girls present their ultimate tribute to girl groups. Made a Number One hit by Little Eva in 1962, "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" comes off the Gore Gore Girls release Strange Girls. These Detroit ladies learned "I'm Gonna Get You Yet" from the Dixie Cups and it is a preview of Up All Night. (4.5)
ANTiSEEN
Blood of Freaks
TKO Records
Limited to an edition of 1000, the four songs on this 33 RPM 7" are pure redneck punk from these raw and at time offensive South Carolina originals. It's been out of print since 1989 and is now reincarnated on pale red vinyl. Completely re-mastered to be extra mean, just do not tell these angry men that their record looks pink. (3.5)
Blake Baxter
One More Time
Tresor
Bring up Detroit techno and it seems to be all about Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. However, before those guys started getting known worldwide, there was a post-soul, pre-techno wave in Detroit during the late '80's and right there with it was Blake Baxter. Akin to early Prince, these four tracks exhibit the truly chilly beats that made Baxter a household name with Teutonic club goers during his '90's residency in Berlin. (3)
CD REVIEWS *****************
David Jacobs-Strain
Stuck on the way Back
NorthernBlues Music
www.northernblues.com
www.DavidJacobs-Strain.com
Stuck on the way Back is the fourth release from an extremely talented and sophisticated blues performer, 19-year-old Eugene, Oregon resident David Jacobs-Strain. Jacobs-Strain began learning to sing the blues at the age of 9 and proved precocious at the craft from the onset. It's one thing to say this young man is impressive for his age, but this convincing and compelling acoustic blues, born of an admiration for Taj Mahal and Lightning Hopkins would be good for a bluesman of any age. His stunning Delta blues techniques on acoustic guitars are simply and effectively supported with various percussion and occasional Hammond B-3 organ. Already a fixture on the Northwest blues scene, Jacobs-Strain showcases his mature slide guitar style he first began using in 1996. The material is originals and covers from R. L. Burnside, Otis Taylor and more. Taylor mentors Jacobs-Strain and "Black and Blue" on this disc was co-written by Otis Taylor. (4.5)
Ozma
Doubble Donkey Disc
Kung Fu Records
www.kungfurecords.com
www.ozmaonline.com
This disc is two collections of related songs identified as different "EPs." The first set, The Russian Coldfusion EP" mixes their takes on traditional Russian melodies that work really well mixed with their power chords. Also in here are indie pop gems that prove memorable largely due to the witty and effective lyrics. From "You Know the Story", "She's got looks I've only seen in story books…Asked her out and got looks I've only seen on venal crooks." The rest is The Bootytraps EP where the members incarnate goofy visions for themselves spun off vocalist and guitarist Ryen Slegr's DJ name The Bootymaster. As elsewhere on this disc, such as the indie-folk fusions, the sheer infectious energy of this group having such fun and portraying it so effectively with warm, punchy indie rock and slick lyrics makes solid material out of novelty ideas. (4)
Industrial Jazz Group
City of Angles
Innova
www.Innova.mu
Industrial Jazz Group combines all the hip acoustic jazz movements of the 50s, 60s and 70s. This includes bebop, cool jazz, free jazz and more. All this makes it easy for any fan of jazz of the period to be initiated into this album. However, Industrial Jazz Group artfully and effectively incorporates such avant-garde elements as strange synchronizations (xenochrony), prepared tape, musique concrete techniques and more. Such an episode of these weird visitations occurs as "Tribute to Chrome" making it a palette-cleansing sorbet between the vibraphone ending to "Void When Detached" and the interweaving saxophones of "Pince Nez." Since Industrial Jazz Group (perhaps the only jazz group with a theremin player) adds such unusual sound textures with proper measure, their music does not tread far from being accessible and rooted jazz. (4)
The Capricorns
In the Zone
Paroxysm, POB 58133, Washington D.C., 20037-8133
www.paroxysmrecords.com
info@paroxysmrecords.com
Much of the charm of The Capricorns is that this female duo approaches music as if the last twenty years has not happened. Both ladies sing and play keyboard in the group so that the only rhythm section is synth beats. This gives an early '80s synth-pop, proto-New Wave feel to the music. Much of the music is intended as and succeeds well as quirky dance music. One standout track from the band is "Teenage Boyfriend" that explores the fun and frolicsome side of an adult woman having an adolescent partner. Using just their Casio keyboards, these ladies create some very witty and whimsical music. The album closes with "In The Zone" as The Capricorns invite the listener to join them in their lo-fi retro zone. (3.5)
Elaine Summers
Sparkler
ESP Records
www.elainesummers.com
Elaine Summers appeared in the film Almost Famous singing with her partner, bandmate and producer Pete Droge. Droge produced this album that also features him on various guitars and background vocals. As such, this album seems a natural extension of his American release Find a Door. This is the second record for Summers who has contributed songs to such films as Homegrown, Coming Soon, Stone Cold, Love & Sex, Hometown Legend as well as the TV series Felicity. The music here is upbeat and largely uplifting songs rooted in 60s country soul, hence the presence of Gram Parsons cover "Just Can't Take it Anymore." Fans of Sheryl Crow will find it easy to appreciate this album. (Incidentally, lead guitarist Pete Stroud tours in Sheryl Crow's band.) (3.5)
Jucifer
I Name you Destroyer
Velocette Records
Jucifer is the eclectic and stunning duo of guitarist/vocalist Amber Valentine and drummer Ed Livengood. These two have no trouble delivering a whole band, indeed the sounds of several bands. On one track "Little Fever" they can be charming alt-pop, on another "Amplifier" they're harsh experimental indie rock and later in the album Amber launches into full-on death metal screams. Holding the whole thing together is a cohesive primacy of melody and hook. (4)
Dave's True Story
Dave's True Story
Bepop Records
www.davestruestory.com
Dave's True Story is hip, vocal jazz born of the crisp eloquence of vocalist Kelly Flint and guitarist Dave Cantor. This album was originally only available at the group's shows and the original 10,000 copies are long since sold. Now, the original mixes by Scott Hull (Steely Dan) have been remastered for this re-release. Four bonus tracks are included: "Joey," versions of "Fever" and "Blue Moon" as well as a remix of "Crazy Eyes." "Fever" was originally recorded for German figure skating star Katrina Witt for her to skate to on The Today Show. "Crazy Eyes," along with the finger snapping, toe tapping opening "Sequined Mermaid Dress" appeared in the movie "Kissing Jessica Stein." The excellent combination of Cantor's witty wordplay and cultural allusions with Flint's slick and elegant phrasing make this excellent music for well-read jazz fans. (4.5)
Tender Trap
Film Molecules
K Records
www.krecs.com
In 2001 the English duo of Rob Pursey and vocalist Amelia Fletcher began quietly making beautiful pop gems with an 8-track machine. Both previously played in Marine Research and Heavenly. Their plan was to record these songs, but never play them
Outsight is non-mainstream music news and views. The content is wholly based on new releases and a focus on the the eclectic and overlooked.
