Reviews from issue 25

Reviews from Urban Rag #25

Aviso ‘Hara “Me -n- Danai b/w Pretty Low Guy” - Alien P.O. B. 154 New Brunswick, NJ 08903. Syrupy sweet or gruffly loud? The vocals on this 7” run the punk rock range. The b-side’s jerking guitars and rhythm and machine gunning drums reaffirm what I am sure is a secure spot in the NJ punk rock scene. Cool Japanese cartoon cover, too.

The Ballistics “Mad Cow 7” - Face Down Records. It’s like some sort of 1970s live action comic book character television themesong soundtrack tribute single Oops, make that the adventures of “Toilet Hog” Wild. The other side is run backwards, might be the same song in reverse, I’m not sure. Hey did you hear this one? One mad cow was standing beside another and said “I’m not worried about this ‘mad cow’ thing” His mate asked “Why?” and the first cow replied “‘Cause I’m a squirrel.” Pretty colored vinyl too! (for you collectors out there.)

The Billy Syndrome “All You Gotta Do is Lie 7” - Slutfish Records 327 Bedford Ave #A2, Brooklyn, NY 11211. This one’s so punk, you can see the shadows on the cut and paste copy job. It’s the sort of drunk and disorderly punk a lot of New Yorkers cut their teeth on. Casey Scott, who I saw live in NY a few months back sings on “2000 Pound Gorilla,” a fast and furious romp. Side two’s “Crimson and Clover” is sweeter than you might expect, but rapidly degenerates into Evil Jim’s sarcasm dripping acid-flashback. Groovy. Time to drag out their Stratego LP from the year before.

Buddha Stick "Soundtrack for the Movie in Your Head" - EME 11328 Magnolia Blvd., Suite 3 North Hollywood, CA 91601. The psychedelic movement is alive and well. This evidence comes in the form of 13 get down funky tripping tunes which very well might be the soundtrack for the movie in your head. But it's not the movie in my head. Mine doesn't run like that live action Wonder Woman show. It's interesting, and different and self-indulgent. Silly synths, lots of six-string solos, samples galore, plenty of silliness, etc. The label is contributing some of the proceeds to "NORML" a non-profit organization in the US working for the reform of marijuana laws, including the many medical uses. For more on that contact NORML at 1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 1010, Washington D.C. 20836, or visit them on the web surfer dudes http://www.norml.org.

Camber “Hollowed Out b/w Question Marks” - Deep Elm P.O. Box 1965, New York, NY 10156. So this is “Emo-Rock”? I’ve been wondering. I guess it’s that nagging sort of whiny stuff that’s been around for years under some other name, or another... Complicated songs by guys who can obviously play. But I can’t say I care. I don’t hate it, but doubt I could listen to more than just a few songs worth.

CMJ Music Marathon/MusicFest/FilmFest '97 September 3,4,5,6.
I've got to begin that two days before the festival I came down with the worst ear infection of my life, it was a holiday so medical attention was delayed. By the time I hit Lincoln Center both ears were completely blocked, my guts were inside out on antibiotics and I was rip-roarin'-ready for this years convention.

The expo hall is shrinking. Well -- it may be no smaller than last year, but doesn't compare to the massive amounts of exhibitors that used to turn out five years ago or more. There were more CD duplicators, and several internet-related marketers, like Supersonic Boom, a company that records custom CD compilations like the old cassette machines at Tower Records. CD Now, a massive on-line CDs store was there showing how easy (or difficult) it can be to find the music your looking for. Not too many record labels represented; Moon Ska had a happening booth next to pressing giants Discmakers, and on the other end of the promenade was Aztlan Records from San Francisco. They seem to be releasing punk and ska with a Latin flavor, some will be reviewed next issue.

Panels as you would have guessed, continue to move in the direction of virtual reality, with a few on on-line marketing; "The Future Sound of Music Distribution: On-line Distribution," "The Future of The Medium: What it Takes to Survive As A Music Web site" The other trend, maybe not entirely new, is for gripe panels. "The Retail World: Shape Up Or Ship Out," "The Downward Spiral: The Record Sale Slump" Of course there was no shortage of the usual DIY, Touring, Publishing and Copyright, indie-promotion and college radio programming panels. These tend to serve as a sort of music business 1.01 if you've never been before, or are basically new to the whole game. Always a good place to meet some of the figures who are actually "doing" it, what ever "it" happens to be for you.

Films this year seemed like maybe slightly bigger budget than last years "Curdled," or "Swingers." Feeling ill, as I did for most of the convention, I spent some time in the dark taking in a few of these features. "Gravesend," by 22-year-old producer Salvatore Stabile, presented by Oliver Stone, is the story of a horrible Saturday night in a fringe neighborhood in Brooklyn. I sorta lived there for a year, so it was interesting on many levels. Basically a group of loser buddys are hanging out in a basement, when the owner of the house (one of the guys' brother) decides to throw him out. He is "accidentally" shot and killed. Over the course of the night the body count rises like the first five minutes of a Van Damm flick. It ends on a depressing note - surprise! "Anarchy TV," produced and directed by Barclay Powers and Jonathan Blank (the team behind "Sex Lies and Democracy, I believe" is about a group of "anarchists" running a Public Access station. The local maniacal televangelist, played quite perfectly by Alan Thicke, is the semi-estranged father of one of the broadcasters, and seemingly to punish her for her evil ways buys the station and converts it into a round the clock television ministry. There's conspiracy, sub-plot, lots of nudity, good guys, bad guys, and one well meaning prostitute. It was entertaining from start to finish. In the post film discussion; Blank and Powers fielded questions and comments on the film's portrayal of African Americans, which some saw to be degrading. "The End of Violence," a Wim Wenders film, was a think piece. High in the Hollywood hills, a government project in the spirit of Big Brother is the responsibility of one disgruntled man. Cameras placed around the city aid law enforcement, the disappearance of a cold-blooded producer is caught on tape, A gangster-rapper evaluates his life, and Andie MacDowell disrobes. It's a good but truly disturbing film. "Boogie Nights" is the one I should have skipped. It stars Burt Reynolds among others and details the lives of some players in the pornographic film industry from the late 70s to the early 80s. Featured is the discovery of a "large" new talent, his fall into drug addiction, the misery of many peripheral characters, disturbed by the swinging life style popular at the time and the challenge of maintaining some creative integrity as the industry changed over from film, to videotape. In some ways this film glorifies the sex industry the way Pulp Fiction glorified heroin addiction. I should have joined friends at "The Flaming Lips Experimental Panel" where boom boxes were being given to everyone in attendance for some sort of audio collage project. Every little decision we make affects our lives ya know?

Music: This is of course, how it all began. Although I had little interest in the Keynote Speaker, Marilyn Manson, I did catch a few songs by "Rasputina" at Avery Fisher Hall. with a lot of strings, they have a nice throbbing sort of sound, right at home in that size hall. Of course they were playing in an atmosphere if anticipation, as conventioneers jockeyed for position for Manson's arrival. The highlight of the festival for me was a return performance by Universal Record's Holly McNarland back at the Lion's Den on Wednesday the 3rd. Her throat was a little raspy, and she said she was exhausted from her first trip to Atlantic City the night before where she learned to play Blackjack. Although she was $300 ahead at one point, she left a C note in the hole. She speculated that they drug you in the casinos, so she couldn't sleep. None of this hurt the show. Raspy as it was, her voice was perhaps more enthralling, weaving its way though her melodic and soulful songs. She speculated that a lot of record people were in attendance, she had that "loving feeling" What could easily be mistaken for a musical requiem was dedicated to a friend who is "very much alive" Another song, with versus sung acapella, reminded me how rude industry audiences can be, half of the crowed club never shut up, even when it was only McNarland's voice they were competing with. "Shut up and drink your beer," I say! The enthusiastic part of the crowd cheered and applauded for an encore, and eventually the band obliged. McNarland and band drifted into a sultry version of the Phil Collins/Miami Vice standard, called I think "Edge of Night." I hope she gets a larger room next year, although the intimacy is nice. In the what are they doing on the bill department, On Thursday the 4th, Buster Poindexter and his Banshees of Blue played what was probably their usual night at The Bottom Line. In 1985 or 86, I went down to this 4th street venue to see Uncle Floyd, to young to get in, it has forever bothered me, so I went down to check it out. Talk about loud! A stage full of musicians pounded through a score of salsa flavored tunes, like "Skin and Bones" In between, Poindexter pattered out jokes; "A skeleton walked into a bar, he said 'give me a beer and a mop'" You get the idea. Had I not felt like passing out, I might have stayed through two sets, in stead of half. It's on my "to do" list. Same night, at Irving Plaza, an old friend of mine and his band Ladybug Transistor were playing on their label's bill. I don't know much about Merge Records, but I wonder if most of their bands are as mellow as this one. The line up; drums, guitars, keys, flute, and approach; musicians changing positions on the stage, after each or every few songs, was kind of '80s. The crowd - nice size for such an early set - enjoyed themselves, so maybe this is the direction music will take. Sideways? Backwards? Musically Ladybug Transistor reminded me of the first Bowie Album, or Eurythmics "In The Garden" (Their first as well, I think). If the medication had taken effect sooner, I might have taken a lot more music, but it wasn't meant to be. C'est La Vie.

The Derita Sisters and Junior “Too Lazy to Steal” Real George P.O.B. 40510 Santa Barbara, CA 93140. Sometimes hilarious punk rock, which thank you very much, does not take itself too seriously. The group has been around a good long time and this is their third full length CD. There are 32 + tracks and this thing is full of fast and short stuff. The lyrics are usually clever, and funny - mostly. “Stop Me Before I Fuck Again” is my pick. Where else could you hear the line “I’ve got a hankering to put it in.”? I mean c’mon. The Derita Sisters and Junior poke fun at freaks, folks and best of all themselves. Maybe too much of that California sun is the reason?

The Discontent “Societydidit” - Sha-La 137 Legion Place Hillsdale, NJ 07642. Na-na-na-na-na, uh, huh, uh, huh, uh huh. Do do do do do, budda, budda, budda, bang. It’s just rock and roll, not particularly interesting. I can’t think of too much to say about it. Another reviewer compared them to The Hooters “at their most infectious.” Funny yet reasonable if not for the sound, but the era. I think these boys grew up the same time I did - sounds like the 80s - John Candy’s death marks an interesting track “No Laughing Matter,” I think, and some other references suggest that the band is closer to me generation-ally than musically.

Dissolve A Work in Progress Compilation - Fused Coil. Here are 15 curious noise tracks from a host of musicians I’ve never heard of (excepting Sonic Youth’s Lee Renaldo). Naturally, I like some more than others. “Hymn L’Amour” by Beequeen had some nice chymes. Another Headache’s “Russolo” pulsed like a space ship about to suffocate it’s occupants. Aforementioned Renaldo’s track was wide open and airy, also reminiscent of outer space. “I Fuck Therefore I Am,” by Earth Mother Fucker had a nice distorted sort of Rockabilly guitar sound and groove. You get the idea. Kind of cool, actually. This is surely a “must have” for fans of this kind of soup.


				Reviews from Urban Rag #25
		Aviso ‘Hara “Me -n- Danai b/w Pretty Low Guy” - Alien P.O. B. 154 New Brunswick, NJ 08903. Syrupy sweet or gruffly loud? The vocals on this 7” run the punk rock range. The b-side’s jerking guitars and rhythm and machine gunning drums reaffirm what I am sure is a secure spot in the NJ punk rock scene. Cool Japanese cartoon cover, too. The Ballistics “Mad Cow 7” - Face Down Records. It’s like some sort of 1970s live action comic book character television themesong soundtrack tribute single Oops, make that the adventures of “Toilet Hog” Wild. The other side is run backwards, might be the same song in reverse, I’m not sure. Hey did you hear this one? One mad cow was standing beside another and said “I’m not worried about this ‘mad cow’ thing” His mate asked “Why?” and the first cow replied “‘Cause I’m a squirrel.” Pretty colored vinyl too! (for you collectors out there.)
		The Billy Syndrome “All You Gotta Do is Lie 7” - Slutfish Records 327 Bedford Ave #A2, Brooklyn, NY 11211. This one’s so punk, you can see the shadows on the cut and paste copy job. It’s the sort of drunk and disorderly punk a lot of New Yorkers cut their teeth on. Casey Scott, who I saw live in NY a few months back sings on “2000 Pound Gorilla,” a fast and furious romp. Side two’s “Crimson and Clover” is sweeter than you might expect, but rapidly degenerates into Evil Jim’s sarcasm dripping acid-flashback. Groovy. Time to drag out their Stratego LP from the year before. Buddha Stick "Soundtrack for the Movie in Your Head" - EME 11328 Magnolia Blvd., Suite 3 North Hollywood, CA 91601. The psychedelic movement is alive and well. This evidence comes in the form of 13 get down funky tripping tunes which very well might be the soundtrack for the movie in your head. But it's not the movie in my head. Mine doesn't run like that live action Wonder Woman show. It's interesting, and different and self-indulgent. Silly synths, lots of six-string solos, samples galore, plenty of silliness, etc. The label is contributing some of the proceeds to "NORML" a non-profit organization in the US working for the reform of marijuana laws, including the many medical uses. For more on that contact NORML at 1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 1010, Washington D.C. 20836, or visit them on the web surfer dudes http://www.norml.org.
		Camber “Hollowed Out b/w Question Marks” - Deep Elm P.O. Box 1965, New York, NY 10156. So this is “Emo-Rock”? I’ve been wondering. I guess it’s that nagging sort of whiny stuff that’s been around for years under some other name, or another... Complicated songs by guys who can obviously play. But I can’t say I care. I don’t hate it, but doubt I could listen to more than just a few songs worth. CMJ Music Marathon/MusicFest/FilmFest '97 September 3,4,5,6. I've got to begin that two days before the festival I came down with the worst ear infection of my life, it was a holiday so medical attention was delayed. By the time I hit Lincoln Center both ears were completely blocked, my guts were inside out on antibiotics and I was rip-roarin'-ready for this years convention.
		The expo hall is shrinking. Well -- it may be no smaller than last year, but doesn't compare to the massive amounts of exhibitors that used to turn out five years ago or more. There were more CD duplicators, and several internet-related marketers, like Supersonic Boom, a company that records custom CD compilations like the old cassette machines at Tower Records. CD Now, a massive on-line CDs store was there showing how easy (or difficult) it can be to find the music your looking for. Not too many record labels represented; Moon Ska had a happening booth next to pressing giants Discmakers, and on the other end of the promenade was Aztlan Records from San Francisco. They seem to be releasing punk and ska with a Latin flavor, some will be reviewed next issue. Panels as you would have guessed, continue to move in the direction of virtual reality, with a few on on-line marketing; "The Future Sound of Music Distribution: On-line Distribution," "The Future of The Medium: What it Takes to Survive As A Music Web site" The other trend, maybe not entirely new, is for gripe panels. "The Retail World: Shape Up Or Ship Out," "The Downward Spiral: The Record Sale Slump" Of course there was no shortage of the usual DIY, Touring, Publishing and Copyright, indie-promotion and college radio programming panels. These tend to serve as a sort of music business 1.01 if you've never been before, or are basically new to the whole game. Always a good place to meet some of the figures who are actually "doing" it, what ever "it" happens to be for you.
		Films this year seemed like maybe slightly bigger budget than last years "Curdled," or "Swingers." Feeling ill, as I did for most of the convention, I spent some time in the dark taking in a few of these features. "Gravesend," by 22-year-old producer Salvatore Stabile, presented by Oliver Stone, is the story of a horrible Saturday night in a fringe neighborhood in Brooklyn. I sorta lived there for a year, so it was interesting on many levels. Basically a group of loser buddys are hanging out in a basement, when the owner of the house (one of the guys' brother) decides to throw him out. He is "accidentally" shot and killed. Over the course of the night the body count rises like the first five minutes of a Van Damm flick. It ends on a depressing note - surprise! "Anarchy TV," produced and directed by Barclay Powers and Jonathan Blank (the team behind "Sex Lies and Democracy, I believe" is about a group of "anarchists" running a Public Access station. The local maniacal televangelist, played quite perfectly by Alan Thicke, is the semi-estranged father of one of the broadcasters, and seemingly to punish her for her evil ways buys the station and converts it into a round the clock television ministry. There's conspiracy, sub-plot, lots of nudity, good guys, bad guys, and one well meaning prostitute. It was entertaining from start to finish. In the post film discussion; Blank and Powers fielded questions and comments on the film's portrayal of African Americans, which some saw to be degrading. "The End of Violence," a Wim Wenders film, was a think piece. High in the Hollywood hills, a government project in the spirit of Big Brother is the responsibility of one disgruntled man. Cameras placed around the city aid law enforcement, the disappearance of a cold-blooded producer is caught on tape, A gangster-rapper evaluates his life, and Andie MacDowell disrobes. It's a good but truly disturbing film. "Boogie Nights" is the one I should have skipped. It stars Burt Reynolds among others and details the lives of some players in the pornographic film industry from the late 70s to the early 80s. Featured is the discovery of a "large" new talent, his fall into drug addiction, the misery of many peripheral characters, disturbed by the swinging life style popular at the time and the challenge of maintaining some creative integrity as the industry changed over from film, to videotape. In some ways this film glorifies the sex industry the way Pulp Fiction glorified heroin addiction. I should have joined friends at "The Flaming Lips Experimental Panel" where boom boxes were being given to everyone in attendance for some sort of audio collage project. Every little decision we make affects our lives ya know?
		Music: This is of course, how it all began. Although I had little interest in the Keynote Speaker, Marilyn Manson, I did catch a few songs by "Rasputina" at Avery Fisher Hall. with a lot of strings, they have a nice throbbing sort of sound, right at home in that size hall. Of course they were playing in an atmosphere if anticipation, as conventioneers jockeyed for position for Manson's arrival. The highlight of the festival for me was a return performance by Universal Record's Holly McNarland back at the Lion's Den on Wednesday the 3rd. Her throat was a little raspy, and she said she was exhausted from her first trip to Atlantic City the night before where she learned to play Blackjack. Although she was $300 ahead at one point, she left a C note in the hole. She speculated that they drug you in the casinos, so she couldn't sleep. None of this hurt the show. Raspy as it was, her voice was perhaps more enthralling, weaving its way though her melodic and soulful songs. She speculated that a lot of record people were in attendance, she had that "loving feeling" What could easily be mistaken for a musical requiem was dedicated to a friend who is "very much alive" Another song, with versus sung acapella, reminded me how rude industry audiences can be, half of the crowed club never shut up, even when it was only McNarland's voice they were competing with. "Shut up and drink your beer," I say! The enthusiastic part of the crowd cheered and applauded for an encore, and eventually the band obliged. McNarland and band drifted into a sultry version of the Phil Collins/Miami Vice standard, called I think "Edge of Night." I hope she gets a larger room next year, although the intimacy is nice. In the what are they doing on the bill department, On Thursday the 4th, Buster Poindexter and his Banshees of Blue played what was probably their usual night at The Bottom Line. In 1985 or 86, I went down to this 4th street venue to see Uncle Floyd, to young to get in, it has forever bothered me, so I went down to check it out. Talk about loud! A stage full of musicians pounded through a score of salsa flavored tunes, like "Skin and Bones" In between, Poindexter pattered out jokes; "A skeleton walked into a bar, he said 'give me a beer and a mop'" You get the idea. Had I not felt like passing out, I might have stayed through two sets, in stead of half. It's on my "to do" list. Same night, at Irving Plaza, an old friend of mine and his band Ladybug Transistor were playing on their label's bill. I don't know much about Merge Records, but I wonder if most of their bands are as mellow as this one. The line up; drums, guitars, keys, flute, and approach; musicians changing positions on the stage, after each or every few songs, was kind of '80s. The crowd - nice size for such an early set - enjoyed themselves, so maybe this is the direction music will take. Sideways? Backwards? Musically Ladybug Transistor reminded me of the first Bowie Album, or Eurythmics "In The Garden" (Their first as well, I think). If the medication had taken effect sooner, I might have taken a lot more music, but it wasn't meant to be. C'est La Vie.

		The Derita Sisters and Junior “Too Lazy to Steal” Real George P.O.B. 40510 Santa Barbara, CA 93140. Sometimes hilarious punk rock, which thank you very much, does not take itself too seriously. The group has been around a good long time and this is their third full length CD. There are 32 + tracks and this thing is full of fast and short stuff. The lyrics are usually clever, and funny - mostly. “Stop Me Before I Fuck Again” is my pick. Where else could you hear the line “I’ve got a hankering to put it in.”? I mean c’mon. The Derita Sisters and Junior poke fun at freaks, folks and best of all themselves. Maybe too much of that California sun is the reason? The Discontent “Societydidit” - Sha-La 137 Legion Place Hillsdale, NJ 07642. Na-na-na-na-na, uh, huh, uh, huh, uh huh. Do do do do do, budda, budda, budda, bang. It’s just rock and roll, not particularly interesting. I can’t think of too much to say about it. Another reviewer compared them to The Hooters “at their most infectious.” Funny yet reasonable if not for the sound, but the era. I think these boys grew up the same time I did - sounds like the 80s - John Candy’s death marks an interesting track “No Laughing Matter,” I think, and some other references suggest that the band is closer to me generation-ally than musically. Dissolve A Work in Progress Compilation - Fused Coil. Here are 15 curious noise tracks from a host of musicians I’ve never heard of (excepting Sonic Youth’s Lee Renaldo). Naturally, I like some more than others. “Hymn L’Amour” by Beequeen had some nice chymes. Another Headache’s “Russolo” pulsed like a space ship about to suffocate it’s occupants. Aforementioned Renaldo’s track was wide open and airy, also reminiscent of outer space. “I Fuck Therefore I Am,” by Earth Mother Fucker had a nice distorted sort of Rockabilly guitar sound and groove. You get the idea. Kind of cool, actually. This is surely a “must have” for fans of this kind of soup.