auto3 reviews fall 1996
cassettes unless otherwise noted

ALCHEMY OF THE 20TH CENTURY "FLOATING STEEL"
GRUNT "NIGHT HAVOC"
two releases by Mikko Aspa that illustrate his various compositional moods. "Floating Steel" (released by Bawler Tape Productions out of Germany) is ambient: loops and drones with nothing too harsh going on. Light rhythmic loops waver in the background on side one, but side two is more drone-oriented, with random percussiveness coming from live and processed sounds. What sounds like car keys in a glass jar being shaken around occasionally. "Night Havoc," on the other appendage, dispenses entirely with ambience and just suffocates with guitar samples and loops, chugging along uncontrollably. Feedback, digital distortion-type shit and pure noise come together to give your playback system a real workout (not to mention your nervous system.). Straight to the base of your spine. (Imatrankoskentie 23, 56610 Imatra Finland) ian c stewart

JACOPO ANDREINI "UNTITLED"
Jacopo Andreini is a young Italian improviser/composer who has emerged, in the course of the last year or so, as one of the bright new champions of European experimental music and free improvisation. He's also heavily into trading tapes with kindred souls, which marks him as a hepcat in my book. This new C60 of his, simply called "Untitled," displays Jacopo's skills at addressing several different playing styles: jazz, flamenco, techno/dub, metal, tango and miniamalism. Using a multitrack recorder, Jacopo's main axes are saxophone, guitars (electric and acoustic), and bass with a touch of keyboards and rhythm programs to keep your toes tappin'. In addition to sixteen tracks of his own composition, there are four covers here of wildly divergent works by familiar artists: "Entr' Acte" by Erik Satie, "Master Of Puppets" by Metallica, the tango "Vuelvo al Sur" by Astore Piazzolla, and "Summertime" by George Gershwin. Don't let the variety scare you 'cause they all sound great! Of his own pieces, I especially enjoyed Jacopo's flamenco guitar study "Raga Balachaturdasi," the "Peter Gunn"-like chug of "Croist ent," and the manic multitracked sax work on "Six Sax" and "Kaiki Suspence." Absolutely whacked out or sublimely beautiful by turns, this cassette should help win Jacopo Andreini many new friends and fans. Write to him pronto. (Frigorifero Productions via Panciatichi 10, 51100 Pistoia Italy) thomas sutter

STEVE ANDREWS "DIVE IN DEEP"
homespun hippie folk. With a jewsharp. The recording quality is ace, especially "Jungle Love," which is a funny hippie rock number with lots of wah guitar quacking and silly Steve's silly hippie lyrics. Sounds at times like a Welsh version of Blues Traveller. Mr Andrews should open the HORDE tour. This tape sounds very nostalgic and is a very full hour of listening. If you're wearing any buckskin right now, this is for you. Or if your beard can touch your chest. Man. (Lonely Whistle PO Box 23952 San Jose CA 95153 usa) ian c stewart

A PILE OF EGGS "REFUSED AND DENIED"
Starts out with boys laffing slowed down to moo-speed. Sounds like my 7-year-old fooling around with my equipment. The whole song is slowed way down but no matter. Prepubescent at any speed. This whole tape is just slowed-down beating and hollering. Where's our million dollars? Woops, here's a voice at normal speed. Never mind, it's all just kid-cussin'. Bub and Pud and Gunther and Mouth sniggering on their uncertain way to bored adulthood. Thanks, boys. Don't commit suicide just yet. Living in Anywhere, USA is not a good enough reason. (Steveggs 3329 Torrington Ave, Parma OH 44134 usa) tom dark

LUANN ARENA "ONE TO ANOTHER" CD
the Fleetwood Mac revival has begun! While the soft-rock production job on this disc is certainly very Mom-friendly, the dull songwriting will prevent it from becoming the Muzak fodder it so desperately wishes to be. Arena is certainly a capable musician and her backing band sound like well-trained session hacks. But without better songs--bigger, more memorable choruses for one thing--this will remain an obscure item. A vanity project. An uninspiring mix of cliched lyric writing ("ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies;" saying "baby", etc), songs which are locked into one key, overly earnest and mannered singing (Melissa Etheridge anyone?).....blah. Bland bland bland and not very funny. The song "Strange Desire" is an acoustic guitar/voice/sax ditty that is offensive beyond words. Yikes. (Funky Kitty Records PO Box 25304 Rochester NY 14625 usa) ian c stewart

BRUCE ATCHISON "AN AMPLE SAMPLE OF BRUCE ATCHISON"
What planet is this guy from? I haven't heard anything like this in twenty years. Being a Canadian myself I can relate. Those winters do get awfully long sometimes. Hard on the old grey matter. The pieces are compiled from 1987-1991 but sound like video games from the 1960s. Much of this reminds me of mid-period Tangerine Dream (soundtrack era), Yellow Magic Orchestra and early Kraftwerk in its simplicity. I want to describe this as music for a bad Japanese Godzilla movie or Muzak for robots, but I don't want to insult Bruce. Side one opens with "Contacting U @ M I R," a simple melody over percolating sequences with sample NASA(?) transmissions giving this a nice documentary feel. "The Long Ride Home" is a spacey piece incorporating well-done drum machine programming giving the piece a nice rhythmic underpinning. Some of the pieces go on a bit too long, but that's a hazard I can identify with; those sequences can hypnotize. I noticed a bit too much dependence on the presets on some of those pieces. Perhaps a programmable synth would give the pieces a more personal touch. Side two has more variety in sound and better songs. A darker feel. Bruce has a penchant for detuned synth voices that gives the pieces an edgy sound. The last two pieces on side two are more adventurous. This guy is definitely living in a world of his own, but I appreciate the consistency of his aesthetic. Good recording quality throughout. (8805-93 St, Edmonton, Alberta, T6C 3T2 Canada) john gore

ATTACKED BY WOLVES "UP A BIT FROM DOWN"
no-tech noodle. Treble-free soundgruel. Someone practicing wooply guitar bits. Dead boring horribly recorded crap. And it's not very interesting either.
(DAM 29 Hillhead Street, Hillhead, Glasgow G12 8PX Scotland) ian c stewart

BACUUM CAR "SWEET LITTLE YOU"
Drum and drone instrumentals. With 8 songs on this cassette using the same philosophy and technique, it's a little repetetive. I was most interested when splashes of sounds from a sampler or keyboard was added to the drum/drone attack. (C.A.K. 4-5 Kikukama 2 Chome, Sumida-ku, Tokyo-ku 130 Japan) joshua peck

BASEL AND MOON "SAVE SOME FOR TIGER"
The fact that this mostly-acoustic tape sounds like it cost $1.47 to record only adds to its charm. "Next Big Step I'm There" inspired me to start my own tape of condenser-mic acoustic songs with fucked up singing. No shit, and when it comes out you can blame Basel And Moon. There are some woobly synth tones as well, but they're more for effect (ie-Fuxa they are not). There are several near-approximations of indie rock that are just guitars and basses strumming without drums which are pretty cool. This tape is quite fucking neato. (Shelter Records 1562 Pandosy, Kelowna BC V1Y 1P4 Canada) ian c stewart

JOHN M BENNETT and FICUS STRANGULENSIS "CORSUCATION DRAIN"
Poetry is nearly meaningless to me, so it's no surprise that, when listening to a tape of spoken word backed by music and sounds such as this, I don't catch most of the words. The voice, smeared into flowing audio mud, renders its information into meaningless mumble. Considering the fact that much of the poetry here are seemingly no more than cut-ups, otherwise unconnected words strung together, this inability of mine to concentrate on the speaking is reinforced, and the voice, supposedly intended to be at the forefront, becomes a background to the very nicely recorded musical sounds. Flutes, grunts, harmonica, musicboxes, rattles, burbles and other sources flit around like insects. As a sound work this is a success; clear, simple and intriguing, but as a presentation of poetry, it fails to keep my attention. Strangely enough, I also find Bennett's "visual poetry," which I've seen many times in the mail art network, much more interesting to look at than to read.
(Luna Bisonte 137 Leland Ave, Columbus OH 43214 usa) c reider

JOHN M BENNETT and DICK METCALF "SLEEPING THE LOAF"
Uh-oh. Warble warble tinkle tinkle me and my pubes. You can tell Queer avante-garde a mile away. Their noise-music is more ornate than even Italian noise-music. More tension to it, too, in general. Male gays, that is. My lesbian friends prefer it simpler. Neither have much use for drum beats. Except Frankie Goes To Hollywood, but so long ago spent. Anyway, "Sleeping The Loaf" is all water-tinkle space-buttons with simply synth bass melodies doodled patiently on some Workstation. Castro Street was making stuff better and worse than this in the late seventies. It has hit Columbus late. Nostalgia? Or is Columbus really nowhere like we all fatalistically imagine? If Poetaster John M Bennett were my friend or relative, I'd perhaps be too polite to point out that, despite a PBS quality to his spoken delivery, he explores hair and mouths and bodystuffs and Freudishsymbolstuffs to the point of a little wormy. ATTENTION! YOU WILL NOT GET LAID THIS WAY! YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT GETTING LAID ENOUGH NOW! NO CHARGE FOR THE THERAPUTIC OBSERVATION!!! And quit that cheap echo effect. Don't get stoned to listen to this tape. Do some small physical chore. Bennett and Metcalf could draw your full attention, but when they do it's a little too "Ew," maybe unintentionally. Your psyche won't wiggle around so uncomfortably while doing dishes or something. Gay or straight. --tom dark

JOHN M BENNETT and MIKE HOVANCSEK "AUTOPHAGIA"
Here we find two venerable (and veteran) titans of the cassette network joining forces, with fantastic results abounding. John Bennett is best known as a surrealist poet, calligrapher and spoken-word artist who frequently teams up with other sound-artists like Dick Metcalf (Rotcod Zzaj), Malok, etc; Mike H is one of the most creative and underappreciated improvisers (and instrument-builders) at work today. For this C90, Mr Bennett summons forth 21 abstract poems/stories, while Mr Hovancsek provides sonic accompaniements with percussion, synth, prepared piano, tape manipulation, zheng, "jabberbox," and "circuitar." The vocals are wrapped in seductively shimmering reverberation, and the music is by turns dreamlike, convulsive, and/or orchestral in its depth of emotionality. The fellows are joined by their pals Halim El Dabh, John Herron, Barry Chabala, Michael Fowler and Paul Guerguerian on four tracks, lending additional Asian and Celtic overtones to this mindbending suite. Everything you hear on this tape is geared to transport the listener "out there," far beyond the petty confines of human knowledge and experience, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Get this tape now! --thomas sutter

BZG CZTY ZRCHZSTRZ "BAOBAB"
See if you can guess what this band is fixated on just by looking at songtitles: "Bobstay," "Bobtail," "Bobby," "Bobsquirt." Guessed it yet? Don't as me what these meditative soundscapes have to do with the Bob cult. Perhaps cult members zone out to this music while sipping Everclear. Who knows? I don't. So here are a few choice words: flowing, funny, Nazi-reminiscent, Art Of Noise?, Beavis, water, screams in the night, television, bombs, deafening nightsounds, makes my shoulders tense after 5 minutes. Get it. (Biotape Art 62 Milton Rd, London SE24 0NP UK) windi

BILGE PUMP "FISHOS THE UNDENIABLE"
whoa. At turns a 4 track Godflesh with a Casio drummer and a screaming, rifferiffic freakout mess. While it sounds like they spent about three bucks recording this, the riffs are mean and the vocals (when there are any) are spastic and entertaining. I like this a lot. Just musical enought to stay afloat but noisy enough to be sexy. The bass on "Lumber" sounds like a big toilet, just like it oughta. TAD with a drum machine. Bilge Pump can party with me any day of the month. (Box 000, Cardigan Centre, 145-149 Cardigan Road, Leeds, LS6 1LJ uk) ian c stewart

BLOODLETTER "FILL YOUR HAND"
The 15-year-old in me LOOOVES this tape. The music rocks and is well-produced. The singer chick has Chris Cornell's range but also goes through a wide emotional range (like Mike Patton) as well. The vocals are layered righteously--there's plenty of screaming (yes!), harmonizing (oooh!), laid back girl-rap type shit (aw yeah)--and the music is tight and freaky. As unpredictable as Soundgarden used to be (ca. Ultramega OK). This is very metal without being retro or silly. It serves to remind us why we became headbangers in the first place. And if you never became a headbanger, here's your chance. My apologies to BLOODLETTER for reducing this rad tape to mere headbanging music--it really is so much more. Word. (Reproductive Records PO Box 398073 Cambridge MA 02139 usa) ian c stewart

BOURGEOISIE PAPER JAM "CECELIA'S SOUL FOOD" CD
16 tracks of one-man Prince/Lenny jams. The slapped bass sound is aggressively tasty but the drum programs are a little tired. There is much acoustic guitar slashing. The songwriting is pleasant and has mad hooks. "Don't Ask Me Why" is a nice pop song. The lyrics to the title track won't get BPJ played on the radio anytime soon, unless Luke Campbell happens to be in the DJ booth. "Basses In Motion" is a nice bass-centric instrumental with minimal bongo programming. The last half of the disc adds electric guitars and an overused wah pedal. The bass playing is excellent throughout. The requisite funk tracks are good as well. Lots of groove ground covered here fo dat ass. (PMG Records, Box 2849, Trolley Station, Detroit MI 48231 usa) ian c stewart

DON CAMPAU "PEN PALS 2"
18 songs in various styles: 60s rock and roll, electo-industrial, folk, goofy Talking Heads-style rock, all with vocals added by Don Campau (with one instrumental where Don adds guitar). The various artists sent their submissions to Don and he added his part (hence the title). Although some of these didn't quite gel--a problem with doing this type of thing through the mail--the attempt is impressive. One of my main complaints is that Don's vocal techniques don't change much from piece to piece. The lyrics seem to be observational with "Time Is Running Out" as a standout for its production. (Lonely Whistle PO Box 23952 San Jose CA 95153 usa) john gore

C.A.K.
No zip codes in Japan? Send for a cassette anyhow. I hadn't looked at the cover yet. Was about to let my ears be annoyed by the delicately mosquitoing synth notes when I realized this must be Jap home studio. I unfolded the paper stuffed in the case, revealing a charming drawing of a kid falling off a cliff in the distance and in the foreground a boy fighting what looks like an evil sumo wrestler size cigarette pack with arms and legs and a roof for a hat... Then saw this needle-point pen writing and these ideograms, and so, "I-i-i-i-it's a small world after all, la la la," I felt all international. Takayoshi sounds really cute and smart. And his/her/its noise is better than those noisy Italians, Jealousy Club, reviewed elsewhere. The song titles sound like Nip corporations. "Suzuki yo-yo"? Cyuuuuute! That's my favorite: an adorable-sounding female voice halting her way through some old American singsong melody. You know how cute we round-eyes think you slant-eyes look. Until it becomes necessary to experiment with atomic weaponry, of course. Be patriots and send for a copy. It's technopop, more or less. Plus noise.
(Takayoshi Kitajima 2-4-5 Kikukawa, Sumida, Tokyo Japan) tom dark

CAPT 3 LEG
live recording of a hysterical grindcore band with a pirate fixation. Lots of screaming and yelling and laughing--and not just from me, the band seems to be having a pretty good time as well. The songs are short (and I mean sub-SOD short), tight, painfully diahrretic blasts of joy. The singer sounds like he has a lung caught in his throat. Probably not a big hit with the ladies, but nothing of genuine value ever is. I think Capt 3 Leg is PROPER sex music. Brief, spastic moments of violent and sexual shuttering punctuated by nervous laughter and tense explanations. Oh yeahhhhhh...
(A Koettel 713 Grace St, Ottumwa IA 52501 usa) ian c stewart

CHANGELINGS
I don't know anything about this band except that I love them. This is beautiful music; lovely Lisa Gerrard-esque vocals, a nice array of instruments (cello, organ, violin, flute, etc), good mystical under- and overtones. I used this during meditation once and it was exceptional. Just the kind of music you'd expect changelings to make. There are only four songs. They leave me wishing for more. "Awakening" is very DCD influenced. More gothic than the others. "Earthquake At Versailles" even sounds French. "Season Of Mist" and "A'har Noghenim" are the best on the tape: beautiful, floaty filled with tension and release. Music to listen to while driving at night.
(PO Box 5583 Atlanta GA 31107 usa) windi

COMMODORE GUITAR CLUB "SHIFTING" 7"
monoaural single with lots of rocking guitar strumming. Live drums and twoodly keys add to this anti-fi jangle. "November 1974" is quite atmospheric, sounds like MAIN (de)tuning up. "Listen" is one electric guitar with vocal accompaniement. Crap out of tune folk. But the crackle of the vinyl and the $.39 production job make this record sound like a relic from lost times. I like it. Won't play it much but I like it.
(Walk It, 1/13 Riccarton Rd, Christchurch New Zealand) ian c stewart

CORPSEVOMIT "BASTARDS OF FOREVERFILTH"
yes, that's "foreverfilth," one word. And I AM IN LOVE!!! This band has everything I love. Satanism, bestiality and murder in the lyrics, a great drummer who has an unnatural fixation on his low China cymbal (and who also has ants in his pants, judging by this untouchable double bass work), absurdly heavy and fucked up riffs, and the classiest name I've heard since Cosmonauts Hail Satan. Since all of the songs have about a billion parts to them, they all sounds kinda the same, which makes this sound like one long song with five or six breathers inbetween. This is one long heads-down, devil signs-up party. "Seas Of Excrement" is quite good. I like the bit where the dude yells "hail to you, father excrement." Any of you crybabies out there who need a lesson on the merits of death metal, contact Corpsevomit before Brian Slagel signs them.
(B Dalzell 3115 W 83rd St, Chicago IL 60652 usa) ian c stewart

COSMONAUTS HAIL SATAN "BIZARRE AND TORTUROUS RITUALS OF THE PRIMITIVE WORLD" 7"
"Deep River Misery" comes on with an empty drum pattern and then grooves along like an intro until the end of the song. Weird, I kept waiting for the song to begin and then it was over. "Stacy Keach" is the funky track. Synths, distorted drums and vocal samples. The mix rules, the production is excellent in a homey kind of way. Spacey groovy spooky freaky fun. And a great band name to boot. Buy!
(CHS Box 333, 145-149 Cardigan Road, Leeds LS6 1LJ uk) ian c stewart

COSMOS
2-tape epic guitar noise onslaught. Spread across the four sides are total overdrive pieces, a few nice guitar + bass moments and several gnarly loops. Sounds like Final in places. For the fans of the hard shit. Very nice packaging.
(Fever Pitch 1109 E Capitol Dr, Appleton WI 54911 usa) ian c stewart

CULVER "THROAT"
This is somewhat like an ultraminimal version of Klimperei. Several brief pieces on this single-length cass with acoustic guitar and concertina, and then some spooky surrealist noise. Quite nice.
(Lee Stokoe 12 Coanwood Way, Sunniside, Tyne & Wear, NE16 5XR uk) c reider

CYBERNATION GENERATION CD
This well produced demo will most definitely make you want to dance naked in a room of intense strobe lights. The music is excellent. It will make you forget about how rough, yet not un-listenable the vocals are. Like I said, very dance oriented, but industrially tainted. On a scale of 1-18, I would cash my vote in around 16 1/2.
(Diversified Productions, 1060 W Hollywood, Chicago IL 60660 usa) kim rizzo

DAUB "AFTER ETERNITY"
I love bulldogs. I had a bulldog named Ranger that was a beloved member of my family for nine years. This tape has a picture of a little monkey riding the back of a white bulldog on its cover.
I liked Daub before I heard them, and then I listened to the tape. 8 songs, all recorded nicely. The guitar work starts to blend together from song to song and I seemed to enjoy the softer moments of songs (usually the beginnings) before the inevitable switch to harder chords and shouting from impassioned Mike Brown on vocals. If you like serious, heavy-handed attempts to simplify the frustrations of the world, then you might like this tape. I don't so I didn't. But boy did I enjoy seeing that monkey on that bulldog's back on the cover!
(Drab Art 2662 Robinhood Rd, Winston-Salem NC 27106 usa) joshua peck

DEFECATION "AKOUSTIC SHIT"
no, this is not the Mick Harris/Mitch Harris side project from 1992, this here is another slice of Defecation altogether. This is white boy acoustic guitar rock with porno-obsessed song titles. Big Dick (the singer) sounds like a latter day Mike Muir, his voice is smoother than Sade's forehead. And the guitar tones of The Psychopath Rapist are clear and chiming. The songwriting sounds bogus (intentionally, I hope), but still--- "Mama's Rotten Pussy" is one rhythm section away from being a Chili Peppers ballad. Fun. Lame on purpose. Still, their singer songwriter BS is more convincing than a lot of you 4 track fuckers out there, and these guys are just playing around. My copy had some poorly dubbed old Ratt after the end of the program, which made this my favorite tape of the day.
(3614 Falling Springs Ave, Cahokia IL 62206 usa) ian c stewart

DELTA OF VENUS "NEUTRAL A" CD
this hour long disc opens with "Don't Know"--washes of annihilated guitar ripple under sexy female vocals. Atmosphericker than two motherfuckers. "Doubt" is the sound of disaffection. The singing and the unichord guitar action: this song just couldn't give a fuck. Overall, DOV have a sound very much like Cranes. Occasionally tough guitar riffs over mechanized drum sounds with heavy synth action and yummy waifchick vocals. "Unspoken" is an expansive Swans buzzwall with spacey keyboard shears. "Fade," oddly enough, sounds like the band Fade: remotely Cure-like dirgey atmospheric pop. I only hope DOV get themselves a decent drummer soon. Or at least a new bank of drum samples. The songwriting and performances are in place. This is a mopey, sexy, aggressively gentle CD. That'll do me for now.
(PO Box 369 Syracuse NY 13201 usa) ian c stewart

DER KLEINE HIRNFICK "OFFENTL. ARGERNIS" CD
screaming and yelling over a drum machine and one metal guitar. The enclosed lyric book includes translations, but it's more fun to yell along with the disc: "er war mein bester Freund und er fickt sie vor meinen Augen!!!" Musically this sounds like a Godflesh outtake. The guitar sound is really good but it might've been nice to have a few songs to go along with the yelling instead of this ranting mess. Still, there's something endearing about the texture and apparent conviction behind this CD.
(SSI, PO Box 3252 CH-8031 Zurich) ian c stewart

DI "MELTRON"
"Hover." A helicopter solos over an upturned lawnmower for awhile until a Casio drummer arrives on the scene to offer his percussive interpretation of daily life. "Surprise" opens with a vaguely tidal-sounding loop which is eventually joined by rhythm sounds. The surprise, apparently, in "Surprise," is that there is no surprise. Surprise! "Irritab" features an almost-melodic loop rhythm thing. Quite fucking minimal really.
(Surveillance 7 Fairwater Close, Kingsteighton, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 3DB uk) ian c stewart

DIRGE CAROLERS
I know they're a goth band, but who can forgive them the unfortunate (and uninspired) goth cliches of "Cover Your Neck"? Lyrics about vampires, blood and keeping ones neck covered. Most unfortunate. "Sirens" might appeal to fans of Shadow Project, if there are any left. Dirge Carolers fully cop the Shadow Project groove right down to the silly/spooky mosh parts. "Falling Backward" features a Curerific bass duel and some Bauhaus drumming. (That's Bauhaus the BAND, not the funcion over form guys.) The singer has a good voice but the lyrics are strictly high school english class extra credit wank. If Dirge Carolers make it through this awkward patch long enough to write some better songs, they'll be on their way to something better. This tape is way too close to the source. Goths may appreciate its preciousness but mortals will cringe.
(279 Laurel St, Bridgewater MA 02324 usa) ian c stewart

THE DISTILLERY "BOTTLED IN BOND"
This tape presents us with nine songs of above average musicianship and good variety between songs. The first two tracks, "Disillusion (Part 1): Black Skies" and "Disillusion (Part 2): Searching To Recover" are top notch. The rest of the tape is just as enjoyable, but I'm afraid the singer has to go. A note to brother Bill: do what you do best and keep playing that guitar. Get another singer and you guys could be great.
(Robert Littleford 618 Ogden Ct #175, Oxford OH 45056 usa) john gore

JOSEPH KENNAMER "DMIGOD"
This single-length tape is the stuff they call industrial dance. With sampled guitars and other tasty goodies we've all heard before. The flavor is like early Young Gods, but with more of a focus on collaging sounds. KENNAMER is particularly skilled at layering sampled sounds in a way that is engaging and exciting. What he is not good at is songcraft. The instrumental pieces on this single seem simply to be background for the samples. While I can appreciate the complex rhythms, they just don't hit like they should (perhaps from a noticeable lack of bass), and no melody ever makes any sort of appearance. Not that it should, per se, but I really get the feeling that something is missing. Put this person in with a band and you may have something. -c reider

Potential techno B-movie music musings of a guy who may not be aware of how odd street name "Greenhouse Patio Drive" sounds. Perception thus sharpened, he might title his next work "Coffee Table Light Bulb Plaza." Accordingly, he'd put more scope into these 4 very orderly Workstation and sampled quote-byte compositions. Really pretty good, but makes us impatient to hear what else he might do. -tom dark

this is a good techno mix filled with interesting mood shifts and sampled sounds. At times it is reminiscent of Skinny Puppy, as on "Beat," which has the same horror techno feel as some SP stuff. "Do It" is high energy house-cleaning music. I spiffed up my living room in no time to this track. Someone said to me the tother day that techno was the tribal music of the future and I understood completely after hearing "FTR," with its litany of "the future" and its space age feel. There are only four tracks here, which, in my mind, isn't enough. Get it, though. You'll be asking for more too. -windi
(1723 Greenhouse Patio Dr, Kennesaw GA 30144 usa)

DAVID EMMETS "I MISS YOU KATE"
Four song demo of basic guitar/bass/drums angst-ridden pop with female backing vocals credited to Ines. "Misunderstood" is slowish in tempo with female backup and affected vocals by David. "1984" picks up the pace a bit. The accompanying vocals could have been more harmonically interesting. "The Doctor" and "The Wall Is Down" were short and sounded incomplete, both breaking off suddenly as if they'd run out of ideas. I get the impression they're trying hard to be hip. Maybe too hard. On the recording side of things I'd say use more reverb, the songs need more air. Also, get a real drummer (or a better one). Sorry guys, but keep trying. -john gore

Apprentice songwriting for eternal B-side singles. What are these affected-sounding accents? This singing isn't very convincing to start with. Affectations add something when you've established some sort of mood. You have to BE in some sort of mood first. Emmet produced 4 songs with Ines (who'd sound gamer on livelier material), adding bureaucratically monotonous guitar/bass/drum machine at 3pm at the DMV, forever. God DAMMIT, explodes the reviewer, why the FUCK do all the songs have the same monotonous kick-snare-and-nothing-else drum machine beat? Is that a Korg? And why no chord changes, ever? Oh. The lead-guitar breaks explain that. Hasn't learned how yet. I am a flat ignoramus about "minimalist" drone fantasies. I'm under the delusion they're supposed to keep one's attention or else they're not succeeding. Lyrics audible, but it's so fucking hard to want to listen. Recording quality okay. I am hard resisting using the word "wank," Onan. But you know, Emmetts, if you quit certain practices and sincerely worked this stuff over and over again, the ephemeral span in which properly created songs like this remain popular would be over. But your chances would have been better. But, for some reason, keep going. -tom dark
(PO Box 178 Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 usa)

EROTOMECHANICS "CUTTING INSIDE" CD
dark, vaguely industrial rock. The singer is landlocked between two notes. "Cutting Inside" (the song) is alsmost like a country ramblin' tune with that Willie Nelson drum pattern. The production is very unamazing, especially the drums, which sound very thin. The playing is decent and the songwriting is servicable, but overall I get the feeling I've heard all of this before. And it didn't rock me then either.
(Syncartz PO Box 789 Fairview NJ 07022 usa) ian c stewart

EVOLUTION CONTROL COMMITTEE "DOUBLE THE PHAT AND STILL TASTELESS" CD
"Can anything good come out of Columbus," asked Peter of Jesus. The Evolution Control Committee is like answering a question with another question. They're clever, from the cute graphics about their indispensible place in the scheme of all life down to band member "John Philip Suicide." Clever, too, to have a web site. ECC sounds like Dr Demento went and joined Devo. Is that good? I mean the vocal sounds like the 53-year-old Barry Hansen himself, chortling at the idea he is singing a funny song. It has been only 3 hours since I listened to it and can not remember a lick of the music. Oh yes, I remember now-- samples. Big bands of electronic fart-buzzes and such. I'm sorry, I can't remember what a single song was about, or a single word, after three hours. I am quite sober. I'll have to go and listen again. "Sperms Have Germs," and other such truck as made my darling immaculate wife wrinkle her pristine brow with not a little opprobrium as I played it in the living room. (I don't live with my mom or dad, kids.) Perhaps kids are to whom ECC will ultimately have most appeal. If so, boys, a tad less wank grease, eh? You know "Red Meat" from The Secret Files Of Max Cannon? More like him; then you'll be big. "John Phillip Suicide"= John Phillips Sousa. Get it? Get it?
(PO Box 10391 Columbus OH 43201 usa) tom dark

FAULT
Holy macaroni, Ray Riga (ie-Fault) is PISSED. Five energetic tracks of distortion, teen angst, yelling and the best punk-sounding drum machine ever. On top of everything else, homey can write a damn fine melody, which makes the tape worthy of repeated spins. "Sandman" opens the set and basically punches your face in with its insistent beat and mood. Like, in a good way I mean. "Minus One" slams on the brakes and goes all instrumental. "The Light Of A Violent Nothing" is a throwaway piano improv (whoa! that's not very punk at all! Fuck yeah, that's a truly punk move!). "Turned Away" rounds out the set and would make an excellent B-side on a 7" with "Sandman" on the A. The willingness to experiment will probably keep this tape from going over with the stodgy punk revivalists, and that's also its most redeeming quality. It's Ray Riga's world, y'all.
(Vernacular Records PO B 3013 Wayne NJ 07474 usa) ian c stewart

FINLAND SUBTERRAUND+ONCO / CULVER split tape
FS+O are an experimental improv group that mix playing styles and sometimes strange instrumentation (sitandro anyone?) to a screechy, way-out-there effect. Jacopo Andreini tears shit up with his alto while Lorenzo Didd actually plays broken guitar. Yes! Destruction! On the flip, Culver opens "June In Clay" with some acoustic guitar action, which gives way to concrete walls of shrill feedback loops. Noise. There's a bit of hiss, a bit of rumble (something for everybody!), bisected and intersected with a few distorted source recordings. (Culver 12 Coanwood Way, Sunniside, Tyne&Wear NE16 5XR uk) ian c stewart

FLACKZZ STRADION "ALICE BLUE IN WONDERLAND"
one man metal band. The riffs are good and there's a detectable Celtic Frost influence on the lobotomized guitar playing. The recording quality is very unfortunate, with the vocals off to one side, done very weakly. My man should've either gone whole hog and growled his ass off or just given the mic to someone else. Like Bad News minus the irony.
(3614 Falling Springs Ave, Cahokia IL 62206 usa) ian c stewart

FRAGMENTED "KNOWLEDGE OF WAR" CD
I felt as though I was underwater listening to this CD. The music is good for the most part. The vocals, when there are any, are very muted. The songs really have no rhyme or reason to them at all. One minute it sounds like whales singing, and the next it sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard. If you're up to sorting things out, and making sense of them, get this CD.
(1512 Canyon Run Rd, Naperville IL 60565 usa) kim rizzo

FRANKLIN
here's something you don't see much any more: heavy metal. Not speed metal or black metal or anything like that. Classic, unadorned metal like Maiden or Priest or any of a million other bands in 1984. Since this stuff is so uncommon lately, it sounds like a fucking revelation. The playing is precise and wonderful and the songwriting is also very good, which is very charming in this green-haired, everything-pierced age we call "right now." "Detonate A New Troy" is the 80s all over again, in a good way. The smell of leather, the tickle of my ponytail on my neck, the illfitting denim... now I'm getting all misty-eyed. Peter Easthope's vocals are a less gruff Paul Dianno. The metal revival begins here.
(81 Wolseley Road, Hilltop, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 0LR uk) ian c stewart

FURNACE "VOICE OF THE MOTHER"/
NURSE "DIVINE MOTHER CHAOS MANIFEST" split tape
Furnace is a typical industrial band with banging drums and distorted, growling voices, samples, etc. There are five songs evoking spiritual (or anti-spiritual, I can't tell), mechanical, medical and psychological themes. It sounds like these guys have been listening to too much Skinny Puppy, in fact I hear a SP sample in the repeated phrase "electric chair" in one of the tunes. Imitation may be the highest form of flattery but not when you're trying to make yourself heard above the din of the hundreds of NIN clones out there. This has been done before. A good place to start but get your own voice, guys. Nurse, on the other hand, gives us a lot more variety. Their side includes 5 pieces of interesting experimentation. The primary instrumentation in all the pieces is guitar played by Chad Davis with samples and effects by Brian Artwick. "Communion" consists of an electronic sonic wash with guitar, accompanied by what sounds like the dialogue soundtrack to that alien autopsy video that seems to be everywhere these days. "Journey To Ixtlan" comes off like an "UmmaGumma"/ "Meddle" era Pink Floyd with drums and a melodic guitar line on top of a spacey electronic background (still could've used more reverb, though). "Flashbacks" gives us sounds of the sea and singing dolphins or whales accompanied by guitar and bass sounds. A nice atmosphere is produced with a slowly evolving delay guitar line. "Talking To God" is much darker with basically the same setup as "Flashbacks" but with singing birds instead of sea and whales. I liked this a lot and want to hear more.
(Ishnigarrab 1705 Jupiter Rd #223, Plano TX 75074 usa) john gore

FURNACE
distant talk show recorded on the worst equipment possible, masked by motor hum on one side of the tape. The other side is what sounds like a CD skipping on one note, strobing for the duration of the side. Quite a statement, though I'm not exactly sure what it's stating.
(Ishnigarrab 1705 Jupiter Rd #223, Plano TX 75074 usa) ian c stewart

GRAINFIELD "ACRES OF RUST"
I dunno I dunno I dunno I dunno whut duh hell to say/I say a thousand sentences, and say yer beautiful name/ and all you do is turn away/ ...(like this, to conclude:) faster rocket engines, full of coal/ faster rocket engines, full of coalHardly musical experts, but Grainfield is disturbing. Plaintive like Woody Guthrie. A mood like "Christina's World." The harmonica isn't even in the same key as the song. Listen to this one, Onan. Real. Artless emotion. You can never be sure he's not going to blow up and kill somebody. He wouldn't, would he? Better listen to the whole album again to make sure. And again. Here's the first tape I've heard to make the gimmick of tossing in odd monologues work. The attitude of this band member's great-grampaw, a miner, counts no difference between hating niggers or being one. "I feel like I'm givin' you sonofabitches this money for killin' my boy." Nothin' personal. And purty original poetry from great-grammaw. Grainfield, which ain't not the life-long nickname of some cuffed-jeans guitar strummer, understands the songs he is writing. Which of you is singing? Joshua Peck? She broke my heart! She broke my heart in two! This is genuine American primitivism. Get this cassette and listen, you guys.
(Inklab 8010 11th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98115 usa) tom dark

GREASY "DOPPIATA ALDILADI"
live group improvs. The drummer gets the gold star for being consistently rad throughout. Coming in second is the silly vocalist. The rest can fuck off. Way way way too noodly and selfindulgent. And consistently underwhelming, until "Situated Relatively Far From The Equator," when the band finally decides to play together. That bit was good. The rest... Feh.
(Umm... PO Box 95595 Seattle WA 98145 usa) ian c stewart

THE GREAT BRAIN "RAY"/ "HALF-DECAYED" 7"
College boy doodah.
(Faye Records PO Box 7332 Columbia MO 65205 usa) tom dark

HARLAN "PROPEL"
Harlan Lyman is back with another psychotic instrumental recording for those of us who prefer our guitars tuned down to H and who also like a bit of live drumming and sampling. The feel of the tracks is very loose, almost like a band jamming after they've had a few hours to warm up. It's like if Entombed did a bunch of Dead-style jams with Mike D on the drums and that guy (yeah, I know his name, so what) from Jesus Jones on the sampler. Not exactly brutal but the guitars still crunch. And like I said before, Harlan The Man can rock a funky ass beat like nobody's bidness. Sounds like it was fun to record too. Y'all oughta drop my man a line and one of your own tapes and get with some of this. Serious.
(125 W Westover Ave, Colonial Hts VA 23834 usa) ian c stewart

RICK HARPER "BOAT DRILL"
Well produced cassette album of 15 self-penned songs (except for a curious instrumental cover of the James Bond theme, "Goldfinger") by prolific and gifted Kentucky singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Rick Harper. Rick used to play bass for artistes like Charro and The Captain & Tenille aboard a motorship cruising the ocean but in his spare time (and to keep from going insane) recorded some real classic pop songs on a 4-track machine producing superb results. Snatches of Neil Young harmonica, Tom Petty and a strong Beatles feel to much of this, and quality lyrics too. Spiced up with humor on some songs, like "Almost 40," "Norwegian Pigdog Blues," and "Can't Sleep." Brit pop from across the briny ocean, a hint of country and a guitarist playing the blues. Someone give this guy a record deal.
(HiVariety Recordings 6330 Buck Creek Rd, Finchville KY 40022 usa) steve andrews

HARVEY MILK "COURTESY AND GOODWILL TOWARD MEN"
This tasty tape opens with "Pinnochio's Example," a lumbering guitar/drum bombast of effective fuzz overdrive guitar and drum bashing alternating one note droning with power chord flailing. From then on it's a showcase of contrast, alternating quiet, personal expression of anguish with electric/folk guitar noise. The two short cuts opening side two, "The Lord's Prayer" and "Sunshine (NO Sun) Into The Sun" are a raw-nerved and at times uncomfortable experience, as if we're eavesdropping on someone's private suffering. Call me a sadist but I liked this cassette quite a bit. Also available on double 12" vinyl. (Reproductive Records PO Box 398073 Cambridge MA 02139 usa) john gore

HONEY DIED "I SURRENDER" 7"
"Among The Stars" leads in with wibbly synths and clean, thin guitar. Not unlike Fuxa, etc. Then Mr Ogle (aka Honey Died) comes on singing in his low baritone. ..the song actually builds into a satisfying crescendo, unlike Fuxa, etc who are often content to hover. "I Surrender" adds a drum machine and gets very moody. The guy's voice kicks ass, it's very distinct. This is a hummable, atmospheric, pleasant song. The production is excellent as well. On the flip there's "Beautiful Girl" which is a trifle precious, but good nonetheless. The song begins with nice strummed bass and feedback. The guitar bits in the middle sound like the Sundays (now there's a comparison you don't hear everyday, not from me anyway). All in all this is a fucking excellent record. I gotta hook up with this guy. We're gonna mope the world down! Mope and roll all night!!! Look for us and the Prozac army touring the states on the Mopealooza 1999 tour. Seriously, y'all need to send me more of this stuff. NOW. On yummy honey-flavored vinyl, excellent with a bagel and a cup of tea. (5am Records PO Box 509 Fayetteville AR 72702 usa) ian c stewart

JARBABY "PLAY"
acoustic teenpop. No, that's not the name of a new band on Mark Robinson's TeenBeat label, it's what Mark Nichols delivers on this tape. And my young little friend is definitely on his way in the songwriting department. Is that a real speech impediment on "I Love A Pawade" or is homey just trying to be clever? Production-wise, it sounds like Mark should consider upgrading to an answering machine or one of those 2-speed microcassette handheld jobbies for his next offering. The tape is quite entertaining. Trade with him and make a new friend. Mark Nichols, you spunky little ruffian.
(710 W Orlando #3A, Normal IL 61761 usa) ian c stewart

JEALOUSY PARTY "NOW"
A gaggle of pizza-slingers with a pitch-transposer box, or a loneroni who's had enough sax lessons to make aimless doodles and squeals sound like shreds of an Italianate Cap'n Beefheart got together with part of a live drummer. Either this recording was made furtively by an anthropologist studying bored teenagers diddling with instruments at the bus station at 2am, or some young musical craftsman whose parenti don't want him to have a career did it. There is some theft from Zappa's "Nullis Pretii"...Zappa, however, stole from his bandmates and Edgar Varese. Not a pretty thought. This means Zappa stole their royalties for himself and his wife and children. When THIS dago--or THESE guineas--this JEALOUSY PARTY--listen back to the noise to snigger at they notice some thought in it. You will too. Get in touch with these jerkii. Could be fun.
(Frigorifero, Andergroond Enterprise, via Guelfa 5, 50129 Firenze Italy) tom dark

SCOT JENERIK "3000 WORDS" CD
ambitiously packaged and arranged art noise. Several tracks lay the noise on rather judiciously while multilayered drumming carries on unflapped. Art art art art art art art. By turns distracting and soothing.
This is a challenging piece of art, not to be approached lightheartedly or halfassed. Definitely not for easy listening or for playing while you eat breakfast. Pass the syrup.
(PO Box 460951 SF CA 94146 usa) ian c stewart

JOE & JO & FRIENDS "MOUNTAIN VIEW SESSIONS VOL 1"
Not unpleasant jam sessions of possibly pro musicians who don't reach further than they can musically grasp. Bass, keys, drums, horns, guitar stand out from each other but occsionally. I do think I hear dubbing. Although the liner notes say they won't label what style these improvisational sessions are, I'm going to. It's Bay Area NPR music. Jazz/fusion/rock/R&B, etc. You'd have to be naive not to notice. The jams have been given arbitrary titles which have little relationship to these edited lengths of jazzing. ...still, "Jah's Bop" may indicate to hipsters how these groovy cuts were inspired. If they're this decent live, pay $5 at the door. Get them off their butts to write some music before you buy their recordings. Impromptu Bay Area Verble Babble is unremarkable-to-irritating. And for god's sake, get rid of that Rockman. ---tom dark

JOE & JO & FRIENDS "MOUNTAIN VIEW SESSIONS VOL 2"
Mostly freeform instrumentals (with a dash of spoken word and vocal noises) that border on jazz and avantgarde improvisational territory. I liked the jazz free and simpler short rumination "Future Universe" and the intertwining melodies of "Mars Blueblood." A few of the tracks are too esoteric and formless ("Tamboo" and "Cats Are On The Table") to maintain interest over multiple listens and that problem creeps up far too often. One highly annoying song is "Sing War Tones," with the silly spoken word babble and awful piano non-playing. I like the trumpets on this more than any of the other instruments used. If you're into freeform jazzlike jams with hints of avantgarde stylings, this could be the thing for you. ---joshua peck

JOE & JO & FRIENDS "MOUNTAIN VIEW SESSIONS VOL 3"
utterly pleasant, well-produced friendly improvs for guitars, keys, horns, voice. The playing is lively and there's enough variation between tracks to merit repeat playings. This sounds good enough to play in the car. Obviously the Jo/es know what they're doing. "Melody For Love In Brazil" sounds like Burt Bacharach. Severe "Love Boat" dinner scene music without a hint of irony. Excellent. Who the hell are these people? --ian c stewart
(736 Mountain View Ave #3, Mountain View CA 94041 usa)

BRENDA KAHN "HEY ROMEO" 7"
a few years ago Brenda Kahn was ubiquitous in the music press, as is usually the case when Sony is paying your PR bill. I never heard her until this self-released single came out. Apart from a really crap title, "Hey Romeo" is a decent, inoffensive altrock song that would fit in well on AAA radio playlists alongside Aimee Mann. "...and Door Locks" is a slow ballady type thing over on the flip. Neither track sucks nor are they horribly remarkable. She's obviously a capable songwriter, but maybe if she joined a band and gave the singer-songwriter solo bit a rest she'd be more of an asset. Hmmmm. By the way, if she's really holding her right breast on the record's cover, disregard everything I just said.
(TBC PO Box 1460 NY NY 10009 usa) ian c stewart

JEFF KREBS "CRASH BALLADS"
acoustic modern folk stuff. Krebs is a decent songwriter and a good performer. "Them Beautiful Strangers" is the strongest cut here, despite the grammatically appalling title. The rest is inoffensive but also unmemorable.
(Head PO Box 2251 SF CA 94126 usa) ian c stewart

LHASA CEMENT PLANT "SGT PEPPER'S FLEA AND TICK COLLAR"
"Why" opens with insane screaming, which is always a good thing. There's a practically inaudible band grooving behind Philip Smith's vocal appendectomy. Cool as two fucks and the best Yoko Ono cover I've heard all day. "Exploits And Opinions" is an improvised bulldozer strum for guitars and drums. It's about twenty minutes of one chord while various solos are taken, noises are added and subtracted and jammed back in sideways. High energy book-reading music. "For Harry Smith 2" is the same but slower. Good nontraditional rock experimentation type shit.
(Apraxia LCP box 3491 Newport RI 02840 usa) ian c stewart

LIFE TRIP "ADOBE RIDE"
every rock cliche imaginable bundled conveniently. I have a headache from rolling my eyes for the duration of the tape. Very earnestly played but illconceived songs. The lyrics are hopelessly cheesy and the songs feel stiffer than one of those really thick purple Dunlop picks. Perhaps Chip Symonds would do better to involve more musicians in the delivery of his material. 'Cause this shit is just dull. And embarassing. (Soundport PO Box 4233 Greensboro NC 27404 usa) ian c stewart

LIZARD WATER 7"
wankophonic Beefheart approach. Minus the genius and the occasionally-memorable songs. Hack away the good bits from the esteemed Captain and you're left with Lizard Water...and a really ugly stumpy thing. Unlistenable the first time. Freaky and stupid the second. Sinister and chaotic the third. Ground up and snorted the forth. Decidedly nontraditional weird shiite. Lizard Water are freaks with dough.
(David PO Box 181, 2440 16th St, SF CA 94103 usa) ian c stewart

LUSTER "ne quid nimis"
the best words to describe this tape by C Reider are AMBIENT ELECTRONIC MUSIC. And like all other ambient music that I listen to, the best quality it can have for me is that it can either be participatory or slip off into the background. Some of the time notice is paid to what is going on while most of the time you just keep on writing a letter or reading a book or cleaning your room. You don't have to be active unless you choose to be. Luster is like that. There were sections of this tape that caught my attention like light to a moth. And then there would be minutes of daydreaming about the sound of a neighbor mowing in the distance and how nice the breeze feels coming into my window against my face. And for this kind of music, that is the perfect quality to have. This tape is great at night, when the world is still, the room lacks light, your mind is busy with thoughts of what came in the day, focus comes into your eyes and then focus leaves.
(PO Box 1204 Lyons CO 80540 usa) joshua peck

C MCALISTER "LETTING GO THE HATCHET"
VERY VERY VERY LO-FI stuff here, with a guy strumming his acoustic guitar and banjo and singing--with some overdubs. The songs stomp along with a pretty decent groove and the lyrics are smart and funny: "Every time I bite my popsicle I think of you," yeah, I can dig it. "Liquor store, liquor store, open your door, I'm a rattlesnake who needs his poison." You go, slav! Despite the drawbacks of the sound quality, C Mcalister's imagination shines through. Someone sign this guy! Lots of potential here.
(Catsup Plate Records PO Box 375 Swarthmore PA 19081 usa) c reider

MEAN SPIRIT'D ROBOTS "HIS ARMIES IS HUMMING"
Here's a true diamond in the rough, a C60 of home-recorded songs by Mean Spirit'd Robots. It sounds like basically one man and his guitar, probably recorded live onto a boom-box. Just who this worthy man is, I don't know, since the cassette liner notes don't give a clue as to who's actually performing. On a few tracks, a female vocalist takes the lead role, and an electronic keyboard or a second guitar adds effective accompaniement. The songs hover around a rock/folk vein, with nearly all of 'em characterized by very catchy melodies. Between the pop hooks, and the frequent use of soundtrack samples cribbed from the TV show "Battle Of The Planets," it's hard not to like this tape. The lyrics are sometimes wistful, often pretty funny, with robots being one of the recurrent themes. My only wish is that the production quality could've been a little clearer throughout, with the vocals and the guitar better balanced in the mix... but, y'know, that's a small thing to endure for songs ten times more heartfelt than anything Hootie And The Blowjobs will ever record. I gladly surrender my soul to the Mean Spirit'd Robots!
(Catsup Plate Records PO Box 375 Swarthmore PA 19081 usa) thomas sutter

MEDICINE BALL "SLEEPING IN THE BUSHES"
Offspring offspring. Good production, decent playing, etc etc. These boys can definitely cop an Epitaph groove, which means nothing at all in my house. While they can play their instruments pretty well (so what), their songs sound like the Offspring, which is about as far removed from the source as a band can be. Even the gratuitous swearing on "Sillyputty" can't save this tape.
(R Van Pelt 1309 NW 123 Ave, Pembroke Pines FL 33026 usa) ian c stewart

METH O.D.
A Scottish rock band with a future! Yay! Brilliant. So what in fuck's name are they doing in this stuffy little zine?!? A wee little jobbie perhaps? "dBug Now" opens this magnetic little cassingle rather rockingly and with weird chordal modulations, no less. Syncopation is present and good. The production and Meth OD (despite the crap name) ain't bullshittin'. Good musicianship, blah blah. "Bastard Tarantino" is a rather heated indictment of St Quentin and everything else about life in the 90s that has pissed these lads off. "First Zen Temple Of New York" is on the B-side where it belongs. Classic B-side material. Meth OD doesn't need me, they don't need you. They just need to be set free. Or some shit.
(PO Box 16153 Glasgow G13 3EF Scotland) ian c stewart

METRO ROUGE "THIS IS BUBBLEGRUNGE"
Green Day is bubblegrunge, not this stuff... "Standing In The Ashes" kicks off the album as a portent of all the songs to come. Too much empty space. They'd do much better with less guitar jamming, too. Do you guys really get bookings? You sound like a high school kid band. Are you at least cute and kinda snotty? If that's what you are, there's reason for hope. Hire a song-shortening editor.
(Porkopolis PO Box 3529 Cincinnati OH 45201 usa) tom dark

MILK-O-MATIC
Melodic, uptempo punk pop. This is purely indistinct from all of the other punk releases currently clogging the planet's psyche. On the upside, the drummer puts his double-kick chops to good use here. The production is excellent--all of the instruments are clear and present. The following example sums up the tape though: the indie-rock song "Indie," with the pitifully unironic chorus "don't wanna be indie no more." A dull, uninspired, uninventive blend of the worst aspects of today's modern rock scene. Back to the drawing boards, lads.
(410 Camden Ave, Salisbury MD 21801 usa) ian c stewart

MJB "SLOPPY QUIRKY WUSSY POP"
Michael Bowman really writes his own review with that title. The music is spot-on most of the time. The rickety-rackety live drumming is excellent and the acoustic guitars sound nice as well. The songwriting is coming along nicely. This pared-down collection of tunes is very easy on the ears. I have a mild quibble with the whiny singing style my man uses throughout, and the vocal lines seem to wander a bit. This teeny-weeny little microquaffle aside, this is very good stuff. Especially liked "Run, Don't Walk" and the sneaky "Rain On Your Parade." Noisiness abounds on "Sunset #9." Overall I have to say it's a tambourific tape.
(11 Orchard St, Cold Spring NY 10510 usa) ian c stewart

M NOMIZED& MR MOTO "AT DUSK"
international noise collaboration. An hour of very challenging sound sculpture. Loops rage uncontrolled under layers of overdriven noise. Painfully visceral stuff. Noise fans: attack!(Bawler Tapes, Marienhof 18, 24939 Flensburg Germany) ian c stewart

neXt rAdio "APOGEE MADRIGALS"
This is strange. For the first few listens I wasn't sure if I liked it. But then one night I was laying down in front of the speakers, letting the music have full access to my ears, and, well..."Apogee Madrigals" just kinda grew on me. Hidden violins; strange, bird-like sounds and a multitude of bells and bowel-esque noises abound on "The Sun Sets, The Ship Blasts," this is music for magicians of chaos. "Astras Astringent" is groove of a different sort, with much thumping of bass and 1980s synth. As on most of the other songs, seemingly unrelated sounds and styles drift through with unpredictable regularity and Tory Z Starbuck's vocals wail like Peter Murphy's never did. "Studying A New Planet" begins with beautiful piano and hastens into a lovely sort of lamentation. Quite sadly beautiful, but with strands of hope here and there. Good jazzy percussion in the background too. Overall I'd have to say this is good and quite interesting and worth a listen. --windi

neXt rAdio "IN THE MANSIONS OF THE MOON"
Energetic, tweaked rock improv by this seven-piece group. The music is busy and frantic, sounds like it must have been fun as heck to make (gosh dang it). The changes are rapid-they jump into a groove and quickly out again. At times exhausting, but usually looney in the right ways. (Regicide Bureau 8701 Crocus Ln, St Louis MO 63114 usa) c reider

NEXT LEVEL X "DISSONANCE AMID THE RECONSTRUCTION"
very nice industrial goth stuff. Infrequent moody nods are given to NIN via the distorted screaming vocals and the synthetic drum sounds. The sequencing is very strong without sounding stiff or inhuman. I like "Turn" and "Dissonance" but NLX has strong material and an enjoyable delivery across the board. Good stuff. If you're wearing any black clothing now you need to get with this.
(New Strain 17 South St, Butler PA 16001 usa) ian c stewart

NO EXIT/PHONORAKES split 7"
1996 is the year of punk rock, apparently. No Exit opens with "Dissatisfied," which has a brilliant intro. Quite slow, heavy and atonal. But then they ruin it by going all uptempo and shit just like every other punk rock A-hole with a new record out this week. "Angry Dog" features more of the uptempo crap. Based on the first 20 seconds of the record, No Exit can definitely rock the house. They're just too occupied with doing the most obvious things at this point. Let's hope they get over it. Phonrakes offer two aggressive uptempo punk rock songs. "Scat" is the better of the two. It features scree guitar and a minimum of pandering. The lyrics (thoughtfully reprinted here, yawn) are bizarre translations from the bands' native Italian into English. The ensuing odd syntax only helps their cause.
(Rumble Fish c/o A L'Abbate, via g. Giusti, 93-72015 fasano (br) Italy) ian c stewart
NOVA GALAXIE ROBOTNIK
techno drum loops with layers of distorted guitars and burbling synth action. Sounds like the singer from Venus Fly Trap. A confused but pleasing blend of light dance rhythms and bellowing pub rock singer/guitar interplay. Jesus Jones reborn with the guitarist from Pearl Jam or something. The techno bits are lovely, the rest I can live without. Still this is very interesting stuff, and I'd like to hear more, if there is any.
(VFT PO Box 210 Northampton NN2 6AU uk) ian c stewart

OVID CORPSE
improvised noise for multiple players. A mechanical hum backed by occasional snare and bass drum taps. Feedback, electronics, slabs of harsh sound are treated and coupled with other slabs of harsh sound. There's a bit of screaming sax. Someone hates you. The din doubles and triples and mutates for half an hour, then stops abruptly. For the noise-minded trouble seekers. (SCUM, Phil Smith 13 Chewells Close, Haddenham, Ely, Cambs CB6 3XE uk) ian c stewart

PARHELION "INDEXES"
Roughage. Bramble. Dense guitar sludge. Some noodling with toy piano and harmonium. Lots of delay. Some quality, well done noise taking place here, especially "Cursed," but frequently the noodling goes on for far too long. Generally good noise, worth a try. (Apraxion PO Box 85155 Seattle WA 98145 usa) c reider

FRANK PECK
quite enjoyable 4-track acoustic guitar and male voice songs. The songwriting is definitely there and I've listened to this tape several times. Despite the format, the delivery is never overly precious or stupid, which in this realm is at least half of the battle. ...this guy is no Martin Newell, but I've already listened to this tape more than the used copy of "Spike" I just found for a buck, which proves that he at least kills Elvis Costello in his tracks. "Towns Instead Of Cities," "Wherever You Go, There You Are," "Take Some Time"... all classic pop chunes. Wait a minute, maybe he IS Martin Newell.
(KAW Tapes 2 Carmuir, Forth, Lanarkshire ML11 8AR uk) ian c stewart

phASER "BINAURA"
dark loops, samples and textures create a sprawling rhythmic chatter. Akin perhaps to MAIN. Soundtrack for a postapocalyptic nightmare you've had a few times before. And damned if "Zygit/Zyzov" doesn't sound just like waking up in a hospital. Weird blips and hums and backward scuffling sounds--it's like being hooked up to 5 different life support machines at once while the TV is on and the muzak is a little too loud. The epic "Nocturne Triad" even features a drum machine, no big deal in the real world but in the context of this delay-laden sample freakout it's a welcome, familiar voice. The woobly wonking piano bits work well too. Haunted, dark electronics.
(920 N 34th St #49, Seattle WA 98103 usa) ian c stewart

PLASTIC MIKEY "CRANBERRY"
OHMYGOD. I just can't believe someone could dream up something this terrible. You couldn't do much worse. This is so yuppie and white...imagine an ensemble comprised of a slice of Wonder bread on guitar, a twinkie playing piano with a mayonnaisey singing voice and you'd have Plastic Mikey. This sickly sweet duo sings with "soul" on such neo-christian angsty topics as "trying to make sense of this life, hoping that we'll see the light"!!! Pretty deep, huh? Well, they do this with such fake conviction that you truly believe that they never could have felt a jot of real pain in their lives. there's also an ode or two to one of these platinum-blonde-augmented-breast-skincancer-tanned-crystal-wearing-hotdog-eating-gasbag-hags that these type of guys really seem to fall for. If you like Amy Grant, but feel she puts too much emotion and intellect into her music, then try Plastic Mikey.
(Brian Hutzell 2512 W Leland #1 Chicago Il 60625 usa) c reider

POST PRANDIALS "FLIGHT" CD
Post Prandials is a large-scale improv ensemble (seven participants on this CD) from the New York area, unique among other similarly-sized improv bands for both the things they bring to the table, and the things they leave out (like a drum kit). First off, one notices from the back cover that five of the members (Bob Aaron, Michael Curran, Ted Goldberg, Ed Rollin, and John Burgos) play synthesizers, and indeed in some passages on the album it sounds like all five are cookin' on the synths simultaneously. I should note that four of these five players also double up on various woodwinds, accordion, kitchenware percussion and guitar. Meanwhile, Keith Nicolay plucks and thwacks his electric guitar with disciplined freedom, and vocalist Wendy Leeds lends some lovely touches with her lyrical operatic flourishes. The title track, which leads off the CD, is a long one, clocking in at 29 minutes (the remaining tracks clock in at an average of 5-6 minutes apiece), but was actually my favorite piece. The band literally stretches out, letting graceful moments of ambient tranquility slowly shape-shift into flurries of hell-for-leather tumult and dissonance, but always finding their way home together again. The squibbles, whooshes and squawks generated by the analogue synth players are well-timed and interesting, but whoever is playing those Yamaha/Casio preset voices (pretty insipid tones to these jaded ears) should perhaps have eased up in favor of the acoustic instruments (especially on some of the shorter tracks) from time to time, but then, it's easy to carp with hindsight. Hey, it takes daring and spirit to even GET seven people to freely improvise with each other, so let me give Post Prandials credit for being "on the mark" a great majority of the time. Kudos also to Ed Rollin for some sweet oboe and soprano sax touches throughout-- Ed, you've gotta deploy those horns more often! This is one of the more worthwhile and FUN outfits playing today, so do check 'em out-- there's also a second CD availiable: the wonderfully-titled "Switched-On Irresponsibility." (1953 65th #2E, Brooklyn NY 11204 usa) thomas sutter

DANIEL PRENDIVILLE "BREATHING SPACE" "GOOD RIDDANCE"
this is what it's all about: homemade synthpop with all the trimmings. Mostly keyboards and drum box sounds with an overall feel that is gloriously 1985. In all the right ways. "Breathing Space" is a collection of instrumentals, all quite pleasant. None would be out of place on OMD's b-sides. "Good Riddance" adds Mr Daniel's vocals to the mix. "Heaven Scent" and "3X Love Groove" wander into New Order terrain while "Now That I've Found You" sounds like Depeche Mode. And though I'm not crazy about "Basketball," the good far outweighs the naff here, and I wholly recommend this stuff to all fans of a good chune.
(6 New Estate, Gortlandroe, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Ireland) ian c stewart

PRICK DECAY "SOUP AND FRUIT"
Prick Decay consists of the brother-and-sister team of Dylan and Lisa Nyoukis, who run the noise/improv label Chocolate Monk. This release showcases two side-long solo efforts by the Nyoukises. Side one, "Variations On 'Porn Theatre Quasi-thot, Afghanistan 1953," was performed in November 1994 by Dylan, and is a nonstop lo-fi noise orgy. Several layers of fuzzy, overdriven loops, field recordings, and tape manipulations are built up over and around each other. The wall of sound gives way to a short, quiet guitar improv, and then a raging geyser of sheer distortion skuzz erupts into your ears. The spectrum of noises keeps changing enough to hold one's attention throughout. Side two, "Status Epilepticus," was done in January 1995 by Lisa, and sounds like a continuous performance on some acoustic plucked-string instrument like a hurdy-gurdy, with a touch of delay to cast a shadow image in the background. The piece is a simple melodic phrase repeated hudreds of times, with subtle nuances in playing-speed changes producing the only ripples in this placid pond. I admire the simplicity and gentlesess of this side-- the ultimate in minimalism, and quite nice for what it is. (49 Rowan Drive, Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland EH47 7NP UK) thomas sutter

THE REVELERS "BETTER GET HIT IN YOUR SOUL" CD
What can you say about a band that quotes a Dizzy Gillespie songs title (did they know it?)? Recorded between 2/26/96 and 2/28/96 the Revelers span the gamut of British Invasion, Beatlesque, power pop and 70s rock and roll. 12 songs with a good variety of tempos and feels, opening with the retro-rocker "Shim Sham Shimmy" and bouncing around the FM dial. There are touches of early Joe Jackson/Elvis Costello intensity, especially on "Why Oh Why." The harmonies between Revelers Andrej Cuturic (is this his real name?) and Joel Kaufmann are reminiscent of the Beatles. Nice Who imitation on "Instant Party." This is a well played, produced and recorded disc considering it only took three days to record. You can be sure there's been a lot of work done before they went into the studio.
(Inbred Recording Co PO Box 14157 Cleveland OH 44114 usa) john gore

RITUAL MUSIC FOR THE INITIATES OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY AFTERBIRTH
birds are chirping outside and a door squeaks open. And then the door squeaks shut. And then a toddler pulls itself up from the floor with one hand on each of the door's knobs. In doing so the child realizes it can manipulate the squeak sound coming from the door's hinges. Squeak squeak. Squeaky squeaky squeaky squeak. The birds chirp indifferently. Squeak squeak squeaky squeakysqueakysqueaky squeak. Somebody hates you. Breathe squeaky squeak. Squeak. Brian Eno and Clive Barker would kick this guy's ass for this.
(SCUM Phil Smith 13 Chewells Close, Haddenham, Ely, Cambs CB6 3XE uk) ian c stewart

SATAN'S GOD "THE FUTURE HELL DESTROYED"
opens with a nice bass guitar bit, then degenerates to harsh noise mush. One solitary chugging guitar holds talons with vomited vocals that peak whenever the guy growls. Relentless and piercing and not very nice first thing in the morning. For all you west coast noisers who are looking for something a little different. A little Satanic. Got da jism jamz fo dat ass right here.
(3614 Falling Springs Ave, Cahokia IL 62206 usa) ian c stewart

KD SCHMITZ "WORDS IN MY MOUTH"
23 folky tunes competently played and sung. This is a project where, as the title says, KD Schmitz took the lyrics of 23 other people and added his acoustic guitar and voice. Many of these songs cry out for full arrangements and to that end the composer has invited other musicians to cover the pieces under the title "Words In Our Mouths." The deadline is 31Dec96, contact him for more information.
(PO Box 1806 Poughkeepsie NY 12601 usa) john gore

KD SCHMITZ "NO PROGRESS"
"Regardless": half an hour of raga-like vocal samples and loops, repeated and layered with occasional live vocal embellishments. All vocal. "Irregardless": the same thing on the other side, with a different title. A few different patterns emerge and shift. I remember when I got my Casio sampler, I did stuff like this all the time. But back then it wasn't worth listening to for a whole hour. You be the judge. (PO Box 1806 Poughkeepsie NY 12601 usa) ian c stewart

SCRAMBLEHEAD "VALLEY OF THE BUGS" CD
I really tried to like these songs. Really I did. And on one I suceeded. "Revelation 9" is a spoken word piece of Biblical nature--Bible readings (Revelation, of course) backed by someone who disdains the Bible, and a litany of chants. It's cool, cool, cool. But, unfortunately, it doesn't redeem this CD. there's no variety here. the same guitar effect, the same vocal effect, over and over. And those angelic female vocals don't complement the White Zombie male wailing over them. Okay...I'll be nice. If you like screechy guitars being banged over and over again in metal ecstasy and voices from the teletphone and your sister singing along with it, then Scramblehead is for you. But it just ain't my cup'a tea, and that's it.
(Box 481823 Denver CO 80248 usa) windi

SHOCK TREATMENT "I'M BURNING" CD
grungy punk rock. The vocalist is wordy and atonal. The bassist plays chords, which is a good thing. The guitarist is Brian James reborn again (what? He's not dead?). "Hate Song" is uptempo and angry. "Prisoner" comes on like Ned's Atomic Dustbin with the strummed bass intro and drumming that doesn't settle for merely hitting on the 2 and 4. The singer sounds pissed off, it's great. "Song #1" has a great drum intro. The lyrics are silly, but it's okay. Despite a rough, unremarkable start ("Confusion") and the questionable Neil Young cover ("The Needle And The Damage Done"), there are several excellent moments to be heard. (Rumble Fish Corp, Anotonello L'Abbate, Via Giusti, 93, 72015 Fasano (br) Italy) ian c stewart

SHY RIGHTS MOVEMENT s/t
classic rock band featuring Mark Ritchie, AKA Frank Peck. The band is solid but poor Mark's vocals wander a bit too much. His delivery on the Peck tape was much stronger and more confident. "Lighthouse" is a moody rock song with an organ solo and an anthemic chorus. "Sound Moves Upwards" has the catchiest verse of this lot. Unfortunately all of these songs are in the same key and roughly the same tempo. They rely too frequently on 2-note repetitions, especially the vocals. SRM can write and play in tune just fine, now they need to tighten up and perhaps try some syncopation or some screaming or something. Mark: More Frank Peck! (KAW Tapes 2 Carmuir, Forth, Lanarkshire ML11 8AR uk) ian c stewart

SLIM CESSNA'S AUTO CLUB CD
weird nerdy country shit. The first song sounds like Slim and the boys are taking the piss: yodelling, lyrics referring to "the lord," etc. Like they're being clever. But then the next song, "Kristin & Billy," comes swinging along in all its silly tears-in-beers idiocy like a really big fat drunk guy wearing a cowboy hat (for how it looks, not for a laugh). "Limon" is a frigging polka, fer crap's sake WITHOUT A TRACE OF IRONY. Accordions and all. The rest of the disc is awfully (awfully) bluegrassy. It's all very polite and golly-gosh-well I do reckon= what I imagine Lyle Lovett sounds like. Good production. The performances are good and the playing is efficient. The songwriting is well crafted. And taken together it raises my blood pressure in a most unhealthy manner, so that oughta count for something.
(4425 S Fox St, Englewood CO 80110 usa) ian c stewart

SO NAKATOMO "DISSOCIATION"
A new cassette of incredibly dense electronic music from this Japanese artist. With only four extended tracks listed on the J-card, all with titles like "Gravity Wave" and "Radium," you might fear that you've stumbled on an early Tangerine Dream release. But, thankfully there are no percolating sequencers here, just stream after stream of molasses-like synthetic frequencies slowly eddying through your ear canals, subtly compressing your brain into a single subatomic point. Clean production values permit the audionaut to languish blissfully in this purifying ultrasonic bath, heedless of the landscape going up in flames around him or her. A crunchy sample loop in the first track carries us into the cyclotron's heart, but that's the only overt rhythm that manifests itself within this work; otherwise, we are left with abstract architechture to command our attention and appreciation. Fans of Hafler Trio and like-minded texturalists would be well-advised to check out.
(3-26-2-109, Nerima, Nerima-Ku, Tokyo 196, Japan) thomas sutter

SQUIM "EXPRESS"
rhythmic noise plus din. Lots of growling, repetetive, rolling layers of low end backed with live percussion and bells. A hint of synth play tucked away in the soundquag shows that the ears behind Squim aren't totally averse to melody. Powerful running water samples run behind backward noise loops and samples of a baby crying. Some of the backward stuff is quite dreamlike, which as Den Dennis said "yeah, that's the bits I like." A very demanding listen.
(PO Box 521952 Salt Lake City UT 84152 usa) ian c stewart

SQUIRM s/t + "INACCESSIBLE" 7"
powerful, freaky, technical, screeful anthemic playing from this tight, large, menacingly good band. The songwriting is good as well. The entire group gets loads of sexy fills in. I'll say it again: syncopation rules. The vocals on "Aim" remind this here fool of Ozzy. Fuck yeah. Word up to the double kick drum action. This is postpunk Boycore music. Somehow I doubt the chickies will be seen bopping to this. The vocal harmonies are ON. I hope these guys are headed for a real label. I might even pay to hear them live in real life. Fucking good. Way better than the entire crop of revivalist punk wank. More like...uh...Jawbox or Helmet. I think. Go for it.
(M Demonte 1908 Yorktown S, Jeffersonville PA 19403 usa) ian c stewart

STELLALUNA
Competent, well-recorded, enjoyable, guitar-based country-tinged folk-rock (is that enough hyphens?). These songs would fit in anywhere on the FM dial. The lead singer reminds me of the lead of the Waterboys in delivery (is that a compliment?). The only criticism I have is that too many of the songs are written in the same key and start to sound the same after a while.
(Rob Robison 4400A Ambassador Caffery, Box 161, Lafayette LA 70508) john gore

ST JAMES "HEAD TRIP" CD
It's a head trip all right. Yet again, just like a Reese's, decent industrial dance music is smooshed together with scratchy vocals and a hell of a lot of repetition. I have yet to understand why the three have to go together constantly. It doesn't ALWAYS have to be that way. Take your own head trip.
(Creative Renewal PO Box 6963 Gulfport MS 39506 usa) kim rizzo

SUKORA/---& THE LONELY GIRL split tape
All right! My first Japanoise tape! It's about time! The A side of this C10 is by Sukora and features nothing but a scratching noise against a condenser mic. Like if you spilled hot candlewax on your $30 handheld mono recorder and then hit record while you picked the cool wax off. Wow. A bit like watching paint dry. The boldest cassette statement yet. ---& The Lonely Girl do the same thing on side B, but louder and with some other noises in the background. The effect is like hearing someone in the other room digging through a large plastic bucket full of Legos, looking for a lost spaceman. For five minutes. An interesting cassette statement, though not as bold as Sukora. And by that I mean I'm never playing this tape again for any reason.
(CAK/Takayoshi Kitajima 2-4-5 Kikukawa, Sumida, Tokyo Japan) ian c stewart

SULKUS "PROMO 96"
the 15-year-old in me definitely approves. 50-part epic riffomatic metal with a growly singer. The songs are very well written with nice contrast between the riffs. Brilliant syncopation and painfully tight playing. "Embraced" has a bit of speed, a powerful groove or two, flashy double kick drum work and a very high air guitar quotient. Even for first-timers. Were I 15 again I'd definitely write "Sulkus" on my denim jacket with a blue sharpie.
(PO Box 346 Jannali 2226, NSW Australia) ian c stewart

DAN SUSNARA "WOULD"
this mostly acoustic guitar/vocal tape rambles on incessantly, with always one more chorus, one more verse, one more vocal harmony, one more fiddly guitar bit that it doesn't need. The vocals are all done with a childish midwestern approximation of a British accent. Cut each of these 15 songs in half and then put them back in the oven for a long long time and maybe you'll have something approaching listenable. The songs always start promisingly but they wear out their welcome by droning on and on and ON. EDIT, man. Play some of this shit live, get a band together or something. Highly offensive. WOULD NOT.
(7806 S Kilpatrick, Chicago IL 60652 usa) ian c stewart

THORAX "TAPE 001" "TAPE 2"
energetic, melodic modern punk band. The playing is ferocious and the sound quality is consistently high. On Tape 001 my favorite is "Suizid," which is a heartbeat-paced emphatic strumalong with very large-sounding guitar chords. Those fucking 5-fret-stretch carpal tunnel jobbies. I like. On Tape 2 you can't beat "Onkel Frank" but the drummer might do well to learn another fill. I think Frankie Banali owns the rights to this one. Flam-kick Flam-kick! If they played an all-ager in my hometown, I'd probably give 'em a hand loading their gear back into the U-Haul after their set. I like them that much.
(L Schwichtenberg, Setastr. 36, 22083 Hamburg Germany) ian c stewart

TINTY MUSIC "STONE TEMPLE PLOTS"
Tinty Music is the recording project of prolific soundsmith Kevin J O'Connor. This particular cassette is sub-titled "A Tinty Music Noise Unit Project," which surprised me, because as I listened to the first side of the tape unfold, I was impressed by the dark, rippling waveforms which rose up from the ether to greet me-- chilling and beautiful electronic music, yes, but not what I'd refer to as a "noise" piece. Not, at least, until reaching the two short soundscapes called "Executable #2" and "Executable #3" at the end of side one, both of which seem to be composed of slices of filtered white noise, chopped up and reassembled to produce two rapid-fire collages. Side b opens up with a five-minute piece called "Against The Flow," another sparkling stream of synthetic textures. Things get noisy again in the next piece, an extended study (twenty three minutes in duration) of dense, rumbling collisions in mid-air of amorphous bodies-- like being on board a dying satellite as it tumbles, ablaze with atmospheric friction, through the worst thunderstorm imaginable. This is one of the most impressive electronic works I've heard in several months.
(PO Box 85363 Seattle WA 98145 usa) thomas sutter

TJ "MONOLITH"
Guitarrorist TJ checks in with a thundering construction for solo guitar in three movements, on this one-sided cassette. On the cover, TJ describes "Monolith" as "(an) attempt to give sonic form to the concept of 'heavy'," and by God, that's just what he does! The sole electronic effect that he judiciously employs is a delay box-- aside from this, the only other listed instruments are "guitar, amplifier, pick, hands, brain," and it's nice to see a person using such basic implements to fashion such a fearsome vortex of devaststion. If you need points of reference, compare this release with the works of Haino Keiji or Caspar Brotzmann; definitely of kindred souls, I'd say. Crashing power chords slam down like sabotaged 747s blown out of the sky, while feedback tones provide an anchor of basso profundo droning. The Second Movement is highlighted by some very rapid and intricate playing, which provides a nice counterpoint to the slash-and-burn tactics which predominate here. All in all, this is a vigorous addidtion to the canon of solo guitar improv-work and comes highly recommended.
(1909 Appleton St, Appleton WI 54911 usa) thomas sutter

TRANQUIL "LEARNING WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW"
improvisatory scree wonking. Directionless sound stuff. "Get On With It" indeed! "Russ Meyer Action Hero" is track two, which is where this tape ceases to be an audio medium and transforms into a fetid projectile hurled forcefully toward the kitchen. Absolutely without merit or purpose. Well, except for the sexy pop art color cover. That'll do, but the rest can fuck off.
(PO Box 250 New Freedom PA 17349 usa) ian c stewart

TROU DE LOUP "CEREBRAL CORSET"
An abrasive and grating free improv thing with members of Oral Gestation and Regicide Bureau, employing (for the most part) guitars, synths, violin and turntable. There are some bits here and there that are somewhat interesting, but only because you've already listened to half an hour of annoying din before you come to it. Not every experiment needs to be listened to.
(Regicide Bureau 8701 Crocus Ln, St Louis MO 63114 usa) c reider

TV SET "WALLS OF FEAR" 7"
My record player was still on 45rpm for this 33 1/3 EP and that was an improvement. You'd be an idiot to buy it, but if you do order, turn all the way up.
TV SET probably sound better live. But I see only two stylishly depressive individuals on the arty out-of-focus Suicide Black record jacket. Let us know if you ever put a band together. Or move to Orlando.
(555 Cornelia #801, Chicago IL 60657 usa) tom dark

TV SET "BRIAN DAMAGE"
White guy drum machine guitar rock. One singer sounds like a campy John Linnell (redundant?) while the other one should just stick to whatever instrument he plays in his other band. "Basket Of Eels" has a nice atmosphere but the lobotomized vocal delivery kills the mood. Same goes for "Brian Damage." The music is decent Concrete Blonde-like dark rock. But the singer situation must be rectified if these guys expect to make it into my tapedeck again.
(555 Cornelia #801, Chicago IL 60657 usa) ian c stewart

VENUS FLY TRAP "LUNA TIDE"
very strong, driving mood rock with organic overtones. This shit is loud at any level. Despite "Crocodile"'s similarities to "Welcome To The Jungle," it rocks like a fucker. The singer sounds like he's about 50 years old. The songs aren't totally memorable but the band has a good sound and feel so it's not an unpleasant way to spend 45 minutes. Loses focus toward the end as the jams get extended and the singer gets all off-the-top-of-his-head. Not bad at all. (PO Box 210 Northampton NN2 6AU uk) ian c stewart

VOTE ROBOT
More Canuck craziness. Electro-punk-folk experimentalism. A very personal vision. Hints of Sonic Youth guitar-noise experimentalisms here and there. The guitar pieces are juxtaposed with quiet electronoise ambience with vocal samples grabbing our attention now and then. Side two opens with a very fragile, crystalline sound and melody that builds to satisfying intensity, a highlight. This tape has a way of growing on you. I liked it even more the second time around. It has the innocent appeal of that first tape recorder--where you aren't influenced by anyone and just do it to entertain yourself--but with much greater maturity of method. This is where the truly great start and I hope Vote Robot continues on this road. I want to hear more.
(Shelter Records 1562 Pandosy St, Kelowna BC V1Y 1P4 Canada) john gore

You'll be getting a bill from my therapist soon.
VRAXOIN "TENSILE"
noise isn't the right word for what this is. Digital rumblings and squeals and sonic scuds would be more apt. A hellish reinvention of fingernails on a chalkboard, a dentist's drill and an alarm clock melded to form a nightmarish concoction that really really really really really really (really) drives me up the fucking wall. I listened to the whole tape and needed to be alone for a long time afterwards. Achtung Vraxoin: you'll be getting a bill from my therapist soon. (72 Roseneath Cr, Kitchener Ont N2E 1V9 Canada) ian c stewart

YA-NE-ZNIYOO "THE DOG SAID" / "TIME NIGHTMARE"
moody moody moody modern guitar rock. Nice bass strumming all over this thing. The singer is good too. The dynamics are good, the quiet parts are very understated and the rocking bits feature lots of bellowing and distorted guitars. "The Dog Said" is an unlikely marriage of The Cure and like Pearl Jam or some crap like that. Plenty of atmosphere but quite rocking as well. Good produciont. I say "good" three times.
(Syncartz 179 Donaldson #2 Rutherford NJ 07070 usa) ian c stewart

YOUR GOD RULES CD
YGR gives us a very modern, aggressive sound falling somewhere between metal and what goes for industrial these days. YGR makes good use of effects to spice up the sound. Robert McGuigan's vocals come very close to R. Plant at times. Lyrics are the goth, angst vein, psychy and introspective. The CD has ten songs and the lyric booklet says that the album was recorded "in my apartment." I wonder if he still lives there.
(Amaranth 627 N Rossmore Ave #412, LA CA 90004 usa) john gore

BOB ZARK "LUMPS PUMPED FROM THE SUMP"
yuck. Stolen samples of other people's music overlaid with Mr Zark's vocal stylings. The music consists solely of one-measure loops, and the vocal delivery is urgent throughout, with no dynamics. It all sounds like too much errant raving. I won't review the entire hundred-page perfectbound book that accompanies this tape, but I will say this: poetic masterwork my ass. This is a very very very thin little tiny premise to hang so much bad art on. Too much crap that goes on for too long saying too little. The tape should've been strong enough to stand on its own merits without requiring this hundred-page glossy flyswatter to keep it upright. Ambitious but not ambitious enough.
(PO Box 1905 Stuyvesant Station, NY NY 10009 usa) ian c stewart

COMPILATION CITY BURNS TO THE GROUND WHILE ITS INHABITANTS FORNICATE AND DINE ON EACH OTHER'S INNARDS IN THE STREETS AND THE FOLLOWING SOUNDS WERE HEARD BLARING FROM POLICE CAR STEREO SYSTEMS.

"BUBBAHEY MUD TRUCK" CD
12 song rootsy release that has some nice moments on it. A lot of instruments played on this CD, and if you are into music with a hint of country and Americana (as I am), this is something to check into. Since I'm from Oklahoma, "Tulsa Country" by Backsliders sounded nice to these homesick ears of mine. Mr Peters Boom & Chime do a version of "Loving Her Was Easier" that was recorded live in Belize and features the wonderful jawbone by Egbert Beltran, everything could always use a nice jawbone thrown in there! Serious twang & steel guitars on the S&M country anthem "Baby Let's Play Rough" by Unknown Hinson. Eugene Chadbourne does a satirical attack on Newt Gingrich and that is always a positive thing to listen to. This is an enjoyable album.
(FireAnt 2009 Ashland Ave, Charlotte NC 28205 usa) joshua peck

CHAOSTAGE "CHAOS DAYS: GREETINGS FROM HANNOVER" CD
gajillion-band comp from Germany that puts the pop back into punkpop. Gigantor sing "What's The Buzz" in English and they deliver a good song. Die Drolls offer "Chaostage," which is pronounced 'cow stog'--very endearing and quite good fun to sing along to. The brilliant Crassfish confirm that "Life Is Brutal" everywhere. 'fish guitarist/CD coordinator Martin Fuchs seems to have learned how to play in all-downstrokes like the guy from the Ramones. Muy exelente. Gay City Rollers have a rad name and on "Fed Up" they sound like an early NWOBHM band: gritty song, big chorus, guitar solos, etc. Bizar's "Chaostage" comes on like Slayer and then the singer sounds like a young Gene Simmons. Except for the inaudible snare drum, this song is quite good. Genial Rusty City gets down to business quickly and their singer sounds American. Skobber borrow Soul Coughing's blueprint for the jazzrockrap "Deutschmark Bop." Most of the bands on this comp seem influenced by Bad Religion, The Ramones, Green Day and the Dead Kennedys to varying degrees. Despite/because of that this is more enjoyable than most of the other punk comps I've heard today.
(M Fuchs, Stuvestr. 9, D-30173 Hannover, Germany) ian c stewart

DESTROY ALL MUSIC
or destroy my stereo, whichever comes first. Holland/Skin/Tunnel begin the insanity with a wholly overdriven piece called "Black Slot Stare." There's a drum and bass behind those curtains of distorted droning sounds (what the hell is that?) which make this track all right with me. For the first couple of minutes anyway. Bilge Pump get all freaky and textural with a tape of drum fills that's processed to hell while the drone machine cranks out gloobs and globs of warble. Less irritating than the middle of "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" but not much. Dirty Braille offer a synthetic drum loop overlaid with obscure textural samples on "The Dog Was Chasing Its Own Gramophone." Nice. Looks like the winner here is Tesendalo, with their repetetive loops of harmonic drones. Melodic and spooky. To Live And Shave In LA sound like an idling motorcycle heard through broken eardrums...with a too-loud car alarm going off in the background. Freaked out live shit. Interesting comp from a promising label. (12 Skaterigg Drive, Jordanhill, Glasgow G13 1SR uk) ian c stewart

DISOBEY
Lock up your lozenges, the grinding death metal machines are here with their esophagus-obliterating singers. 16 bands from around the globe scream and grind and freak out for your entertainment. I love this shit, particularly the band names. Vomit Yourself from France open the show with their peculiarly deathless stylings. Traumatism turn in the wonderfully titled "Eat Christ" and "Your Head Is Full Of Shit," which are more extreme than even their titles imply. Regurgitate wear their Carcass influence proudly with "Frenzy Fecal Munching" and "A Putrid Reek Of The Decomposed Embryos." Unfortunately I think there's a tie for the best band name honor: Morbid Vomit and Excreted Alive. Fans of extreme and brutal metal stuff should investigate.
(Unity Records 1720 Talleyrand, Brossard QC J4W 2J2 Canada) ian c stewart

"DROWNED IN A TORRENT OF GOLDEN GRAIN"
blah blah. Doormouse turns in the acoustic "Tarpools," which is pretty fucking dour, especially the chorus. And in this house, dourness always gets the gold star. Meringue go "Swimming" in an energetic rock band tributary. Cool song. Yak Brigade do an awesome cover of Human League's "Sound Of The Crowd." Really awesome. Will Simmons' acoustic piece is slightly less dour than Doormouse, but it's hardly rainbows and bunnies. Eric & The Barbarian Northmen croon "Goodbye Illinois" with a sad XTC "Mummer" shuffle. Wilson Hall is probably a coffeehouse hit with his swear-laden folkie bit, which is admittedly amusing on his track "Sycophant." Charlie McAlister breaks out the banjo and the drum machine for "Pastry Eating Drag Queen Of Death." BLAH!
(Catsup Plate PO Box 375 Swarthmore PA 19081 usa) ian c stewart

"FUCK THAT WEAK SHIT VOL 4" 7"
Voodoo Muzak needs some Ritalin! Quick! Their track opens this single and they just freak out big time. It's cool. Mechanized drum sounds, squeedly guitar and a bellowy/yiyiyiyeeeeeyiyi vocalist. Cool. Anyone besides me who remembers the band Stickdog will be having flashbacks. Good ones. Cosmonauts Hail Satan put an index finger into each of your nostrils and then try to get the best spread possible to stick as much of "Warren Pinkerville 11.11.34" up your nose without slipping out. Apart from a truly great band name, CHS has a great way of fucking your whole head with sounds. A tension-building drumroll loops while spoken samples rattle and someone dismantles a cello. Highbrow freakout time. Mousetrap "Flame On" with some very arty art rock. Art rock, yeah. Let's bring it back. "Flame On" is more art punk, but I don't love it. Drag King sound intent on being as difficult as possible as they herald the "Return Of Aristide." Guitar loops, bass, various horns... the drums sound like $1.43 but the syncopation saves the day. Yuck, chaps--lose the speaking samples. Without them we'd have a very fringe-minded jazz track. This is cool, it's out there enough to be interesting but still maintaining enough familiarity to keep you from getting all pickley. Give it up. Especially for the no-nonsense title of the record. (Pit'sbull Records c/o Kris Verreth, Tervuursesteenweg 1H-1820 Perk Belgium) ian c stewart

INFINITE, INC. "AS THE WISENESS COMES TO SHARE"
Yariv Malka is the Martin Atkins to Infinite, Inc's Invisible Records. He put together this comp and plays on most tracks. The songs are mostly slowly-developing instrumentals or sample-based rhythm/tone collages. Similar in approach to some of SWANS' recent soundscapes or Bill Laswell's less focused moments, as most of the tracks are over 8 minutes long. I must admit that the last track--a strumming guitar piece--would be unremarkable by normal standards, but when prefaced by over an hour of 'sonic manipulations' it sounds like a revelation. Does that make me a wuss? I have to declare Scroll Of Infinite Luster's track the best song title of the season, though: "The Absolute-Casualty Assail Vacancy Eerie." Yes! Drop Mr Malka a line and a tape sometime. (Infinite Document PO Box 732 Raanana 43106 Israel) ian c stewart

"ISITHRUS"
90 minutes of badly recorded improvs! Too distracting to read a book to but too boring to focus on. Some of the artists include Onco, Jacopo Andreini, Antenna 59 and Lung Glove. For fans of messy improvisation and bad recordings only.
(Chupa Verga c/o O. Galuppini, via le s. Bartolomeo, 367, 19126 la spezzia Italy) ian c stewart

"MY BEERDRUNK SOUL IS SADDER THAN ALL THE DEAD CHRISTMAS TREES IN THE WORLD"
Joe Shmoe does a George Thorogood-on-crystal meth 12 bar rock thing called "Fuck Me Fuck You," which is rather silly. Probably a hit in bars though. The ubiquitous Steve Andrews does a "Drunken Late Night Epic Rambling Song," which is rather pointless. M. Nomized offers a few "Beerkowski Loops," which are rather irritating. Smell A Quim have a wonderful name and they offer the way-beyond-annoying "Are You Henry Chinaski?" which is rather noisy. Sisiliskot growl and beatbox their way through "Jar," which is rather juvenile. TUOB implore you to "Dance + Be Happy," which is rather whispery and drunken. Skippy Angst show off the new Casio toy they got for their birthday this year on "My Dearest Pet," which is rather unlistenable. (M Kuorinki, Karhuntie 16 A 3, 96500 Rovaniemi Finland) ian c stewart

PRIME CUT CD
indie rock. emily offer several songs of 4-track dismay and shambolic ennui. Not bad but not my favorite. The Sidedoor Johnnies pick up where emily left off. Yawn... not offensive but hardly rousing. Wookiee at least use decent effects...their "Stay Gold" is very nice. The lyrics blow monkeys but you can't have everything, white boy. Tokyo Sexwhale are the stars of this platter, even with this $.17 production job they sound dope enough to make a fool like me listen twice. The doubletracked vox sound like Evan Dando. Personally, I'd hate to be saddled with a burden like that. If I ever sounded like Evan Dando I hope somebody would have the decency to fuck me up big time. But these guys pull it off, no prob. Stick with "Track 14" and you'll be cool. This is a decent comp and I especially like the "fuck it, let's go for it" DIY production aspect. (Smoking Peach PO Box 5613 Burlington VT 05402 usa) ian c stewart

REPRODUCTIVE RECORDS SAMPLER
HARVEY MILK "Brown Water": rrrrrrrrrrealquiet'n'slow'n'mumblythenfinallyguitarCRASH!!!!
guitarBAMM!!!BLANGGUITAR!!!BOYSINGERSCREAAAAMM!!!SQUEEE!!! SLASHGUITAR!!! at about 62 BPM. For too long. BLOODLETTER"Smoke": See above only with a screechin' girl screecher who starts in screeching relatively a lot sooner. Better than the singer in Camel Lips in John Waters' "Serial Mom." LUCA BRASI "Pill Popper": See above, only faster, and replace quiet beginning part with recording of some old fart narrating something instead. Boy screecher back in. Girl screecher watches from bench. LA GRIFONA "Tiny Backpacks": See above, if arrange by Don Van Vliet and sped up yet faster. Talent Detector light just went on, too. (these are the ones to watch here. "Vitamin" even better.) THROTTLE "Born To Lose": Luca Brasi with a better drummer. Lightly sprinkle on La Grifona comment too, plus wah-wah guitar break. AMBULANCE DRIVER "Midwestern Angler": Metal requiem for a 60s teen prom car accident. "Blood Nog" would be either a better title or a better band name. In the little stop parts you can hear the band in the next rehearsal room. What do rehearsal rooms cost, $8 an hour? BUNNY HOLD "Someday": Shut off fuzz tone and drums. Some guy who doesn't want to work has got as clever as he can with what he has and made a song about not wanting to work. But one gets from noting the work put into this song that he's lazy and that's why he doesn't want to work. If he keeps not working at it, he could be the next Tim Elder. This zine might invent some kind of negative award for it. DOLLY "Universal Mother": See my last 3 or 4 blurbs; speculate girl singer sounds cute. She has an accent suggesting prep school or inherited money. Sign her up, eh? Daddy's trust fund could pay for a 24-track rendition of "Blood Nog" by Blood Nog. Could even hire Tom Scholz to produce. Onan? Do I have to review ALL these acts? I was going to start tinkering around with slow-mumble-tinkle-to-big screech songs myself...but now it doesn't sound very fun anymore. Some time ago I attended a metal party over Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco. Record companies paid for it. A dozen cookie-cutter bands of fat drummers, unhealthy skinny guitarists and singers with fists-in-air did a loud cattle call. Four got signed with a major label that night and were never heard from again. This sampler doesn't have admirably cold professionalism. That party did. Ooops! Phone's ringing! Gotta take a crap! Someone's at the door! Mail's here! Favorite TV show on! Hey, will finish listening to this later! Really! Be right back! (Reproductive Records PO Box 398073 Cambridge MA 02139 usa) tom dark

"whAT you missed"
Carl Howard liner note: "beautiful but woefully neglected musics from over ten years of the audiofile Tapes catalogue."
SIDE B
Jack Hurwitz "Scissor Test":zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-zwith some hand-doodled synth sounds.
101 Crustaceans "Inadequate Piping": Hey! Almost good!
Naw, those "blangs" go on too long and the lyrics blather. Interesting voice, though. No point in rehashing the old Zoot Horn Rollo guitar parts either. After 24 bars your psyche says what the fuck is this shit, change the channel.
Krel "3:56am": Uh huh. What's up next?
You six readers think I'm not listening to the entirety of each song? Honest Tom, that's me. Think I'm a masochist too?
Screaming Popeyes "Find Me, Meet Me, Kill Me, Eat Me": Jesus CHRIST, Carl, I'd just as soon scrape gum off the sidewalk for a living as try to promote monotony like this... and I live six miles from where grows some of the finest marijuana in the world.
The Oroonies "A Melon For Ecstasy": Erroneous tribal fantasy. I don't know... I guess hashish. Mercifully short, though.
Arnold Mathes "Agharta": WhoooooOOOOOSHHHHH! Goes the synth when you diddle keys and knobs. So Arn has discovered. Patience and courage pays off! Next, a beat! DUNDUNDUNDA-DUNDUN-DUNDUNDUNDA-DUNDUN. I can see Carl bobbing his head fervently now. "Carl? Did you look for work today?" "Oh! Ma! No, I was gunna, but," Carl was wankin' out to boss synth sounds.

LG Mair Jr "The Stone Of Beuno": "Beuno"? Can these guys spell, Onan? Sounds like an old Yamaha DX7. Speaking of "pundits who call it potential movie music," I'd say: okay with me to have this on the soundtrack at the 25-cent video peepshow. I mean it!
Couple years ago a shriveled-looking elementary schoolteacher asked me if I'd put some music to an "erotic" movie. Turned out to be a pro penis-sucking and doggy-style. I used synth oboes entwined for a 69 scene. Too ornate, Wendy said.
She looked to me like she hadn't been laid in years. She still teaches in Concord, CA unless the newspapers got the video and phone number I sent them. "We would be VERY interested in a school teacher who produces pornography," the editor told me.
Jeff Carney "Toys": If this collection's 10 years old we expect he's found a job by now.
Barney Jones "Artifact": Not very musically knowledgable artifact. But I do get an image of GOD'S REFRIGERATOR DOOR LEFT OPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF ETERNITY...
...the little light stays on.
Klimperei "La Salle des pas Perdus": J'temps oule a efficicir qua c'est bon du jour de faux pas touwier Eiffel. Sound French? Sounds like guitar lessons not completed before bumbling around with composition.
Oh, it's not so bad. ALL this stuff has a a little bit of charm, if only for an ambitious music store sales manager.
END SIDE B
SIDE A NOW
Swinebolt 45 "Cradle Rankin'": Hey, I like this right away... too bad no singing... then again: all right, all right, thank you boys. No, really. We'll call. Thank you. Miss Hurst, please show these gentlemen to the door... I'm sorry boys, but please don't force me to call security. Yes. I suppose it does sound like it may have commercial potential. Hello, Security?
(Sunnovabitch when I get my major label contract I'm gonna fucking smear Tom Dark fucking AK47 fuckingcallmeshitIjerkjerkjerkjerkspurtspurt)
Steve Buchanan "Dirty Spark Plugs": Leaky musical conception, too. Eric Hausman "Burning Alive": Imagine your mother hammering your bedroom door down with your father's head. To the sound of an old Roland TR-505--isn't it? I still have one of those. Man, some people just don't get bored soon enough.
The drowningbreathing "Lovely": Ahhh, shut up. You know, I live right around the corner from where Leonard Lake and Charles Ng once lured people up to their cabin "for dinner," then tied them up and set to work on their guests with their penises and a chainsaw. The sheriff said that a chainsaw found in the back yard was so clogged with human flesh the starter cord wouldn't pull. Lake had thrown it out and bought a new one. What else do you know about life, "drowningbreathing"?
Dieter Zobel "Slight Return": A neat little composition for a change. Interesting riff, interesting repeating guitar-chew. That's all right. But don't be dissing Jimi Hendrix's song titles.
Doug Michael "Curfew": also good to put to a porn flick. Go work out live on that guitar, though. Jam a lot without recording. You need to strengthen those fingers.
Land Of Guilt And Blarney "Worker Ants": Guilty of musical blarney. Student-quality bass noodling. Go jam with Doug.
ATTENTION HOME-INSTRUMENTALISTS OF ALL PRETENSIONS: YOUR DRUG TRANCE DOES NOT, REPEAT NOT, ALLEVIATE THE ANNOYANCE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS NOT STONED AND IS NOT YOUR BOYHOOD PAL WHO MUST REVIEW ENDLESS GOD-DAMNED SYNTHESIZERS DRONING AIMLESSLY BEHIND LAZILY EXECUTED GUITAR JAMMING.
Henry Hektic "Halwasa": "Worker Ants" is so pleasing when no longer playing, it gives Henry's piece a little boost... the advantage of which is quickly booted away by the inertia of THIS underachieving bassist with pet synths. Why, I'll bet your name isn't Henry Hektic at all, is it?
Stillborn "Theme For Romania": You don't care about Romania or its music at all, do you, Stillborn? This is more the sound of someone who is rather shy and lonely and lives in a bedroom studio... a sociological artifact of the latter part of this century.

Thru Black Holes Band "My Son The Courteous Master": It's reassuring that even furriners can sound as geeky and nurdy as Americans even when you can't understand what they're saying. Or wait a minute--hey, this guy's no furriner! That's an American accent! He's mumbling through an old MXR Chorus/Flanger that makes your voice wobble. Guess the USA still holds the title of Geek Capital of Solar System.
Don Campau "Sandwich Generation": So THAT'S what you sound like, Don. Well... it's kind of interesting... for about 30 seconds. Yeah? Well I don't CARE if you won't play my stuff on your show anymore, so there! This is AMERICA. God-dammit. But send your stuff to Don at PO Box 23952, San Jose, CA 95153.
Summation: Buy this album? Are you nuts? Not even from a Girl Scout at the door with a chainsaw. Sorry, Carl.
(audiofile Tapes, 209-15 18Ave, Bayside NY 11360 usa) tom dark

"YOU'DSELLARAT'SASSHOLETOABLINDMANASAWEDDINGRING" CD
This compilation of sound-artists from the Houston area wins first prize, right off the bat, for "Best Album Title Of The Year." From there on, things go a bit downhill. I recognized four of the nineteen artists featured (Jesus Penis, Ure Thrall, Ustad and Magnetic Church) as being affiliated with LD Gregory, veteran networker responsible for the Jittery Sphincters Laboratory label. These four tracks are reflective of his preferred styled of recording, as I recall it: lush synthesizer lines that hover in reverberant space awhile, with the occasional sequence or squiggly noise-bath underneath. Kind of pretty for the moment they exist in, but not much substance there, and I'm afraid that's the overall impression this comp gave me: lots of the same thing, in terms of approaches and textures, with little individualistic mindfuckery shining through. There are a few bright exceptions, however: Cyclops Joints turns in a track of brilliant screechings; Walking Timebombs offers a beautiful piece for violin, Frippish guitar and electronics; Sacred Cows showcases a jazzy study for doubled basses and horns, recalling Tuxedomoon in a dreamy way; Asianova couples underwater drums and soaring synths with haunted vocals; and noise-king Richard Ramirez turns in a subdued, yet thoroughly gripping example of his power-electronics at work. The afformentioned tracks all deserve repeated plays, and ultimately make this compliation of more than passing interest to fans of new music.
(The Bureaucracy of Hope PO Box 541241 Houston TX 77254 usa) thomas sutter

1996 SCORE WITH ME
those of you who are into this sort of thing need only your own electronic gizmoes, an empty lawnmower gas can, and a little brother or sister to turn it all on while inattentively practicing simple drum beats to reproduce Score With Me yourselves. If you don't play guitar or bass much, come back in later and start jamming. Don't forget a sex partner to kinda sing in the background too. You'll get laid more often if you let her. Then you can listen back and snigger at the parts that sorta sounded like something. I guess being stoned in front of music toys is healthier than stoned in front of the TV. (Shelter Records 1562 Pandosy St, Kelowna BC V1Y 1P4 Canada) tom dark