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Joel's comments: GCDII felt "qualified only to give"a few short jazz best of's and this. Now maybe this is a joke. I mean, I assume he means Ekoostik Hookah. And, the last I heard, they do little to NO Dead covers ...
Bigfoot
Most likely to write and play yet another great song.
Best songwriters.
The last time I reviewed Bigfoot, I had only seen them once. The regular
drummer couldn't make the show so one of the regular guitarists (Jeff, not Dave
- both formerly of Ugly Stick) sat in on drums. I've seen 'em many times since
in this trio form, in full four person band get-up and sometimes with a few
guests. Haunting, soulful, beautiful, bluesy, melancholy, poppy, R & B and
alternative all come to mind. I'm tempted to say imagine the Stones meeting an
alternative pop group such as the Breeders. Others have brought up Sonic Youth
(Gilmore? John?). Then there's the country-ish twang and the slightly twisted
Dr. John. Oh, I can't forget the Beatles (John Lennon) cover of "I'm Only
Sleeping." They often make me wonder why I even try to play or write music
myself. In short, I can't name a band more deserving of being checked out aside
from maybe Hairy Patt. - Joel
Paul Brown
Best Guitarist - GDCII
Paul Brown's Science Gravy Orchestra
Best Electric Jazz Band. - GDCII
Jerry DeCicca
He'd take it as a compliment if I compared him to Bob Dylan just after he
switched to electric - same goes for Woody Guthrie comparisons. Oh, and I can't
forget Springsteen. Vocally, Dylan and especially Woody make a lot of sense.
Musically, Jerry usually plays electric guitar with a bit of harmonica. The
basic strumming and similarity of chords he uses can make his sets go slow -
but then you gotta refocus on the lyrics. And he's not afraid to admit he does
love songs. - Joel
Devil's Meatball
If they stick it out (I kinda expect the band might go through another member
or two by design, necessity and/or just for the heck of it), they could be the
next psychotic trip punk thing. Their most recent show gave me the same
voyeuristic-performance-art-punk-on-the-edge-of-who-knows-what-but-you'll-wanna-come-back-next-time-to-make-sure-ya-don't-miss-something-utterly-and-devilishly-mind-altering
feeling as my first Pica Huss show. (For those of ya not experienced, PH was
considered by many to be the local band that coulda and shoulda been - and
probably
my favorite local band ever.) Did I mention DM is actually the guys from Hairy
Patt with bassist(s) and vocalist(s) added? - Joel
Sam Esh and the Hard Black Thing: Montezuma Baby Duck
(Siltbreeze)
Live, The Hard Black Thing is always a surprise. The line up is usually
different, and the music mutates into something else with each show. Sometimes
coming off like bad heavy metal, sometimes transcending into beautiful
jazz-noir, they're at least good for a laugh if not always good. Indeed, the
concept of this particular recording sounds fun in theory:it seems HBT leader
Stu Sinn invited Sam Esh - a street person of questionable sanity - to front
his group of musicians who sound like they're making up the songs as they go. I
suppose that makes Hard Black Thing more punk rock in spirit than something as
constipated as, say, Helmet. What's more, the first track, with its pseudo
Middle Eastern motifs, reminds me - rather anachronistically - of the Beatles
doing Joy Division doing the Velvet's "Sister Ray." Sam Esh even
sings a little like a Dadaist's Ian Curtis.
Too bad the rest of the record's noises never transcend. These are dirges without the kind of movement or build up (tension and release) that's necessary for this kind of stuff to work best. This is improvisation but not exactly what Ornette Coleman meant by free jazz. Without the aid of mind altering substances, I doubt you'll be able to tell if they're just trying to be as funny as - no kidding - Ween or as scary as Live Skull or as funny AND scary as Pussy Galore. For such a wigged-out sounding crew, they don't even muster enough incoherent weirdness to sound as spacey as Miles Davis's "Bitches Brew."
The best thing this record has going for it is Sam Esh's vocals which consistently fail to become recognizable as any language spoken on this planet. Honestly, he's far weirder SOUNDING than anyone from the stable of more celebrated crazy rock'n'roll troubadours (Syd Barrett, David Koresh, etc.) And since Sam has probably left Columbus for good, I guess this record is the only document you're likely to come across of this local cult celebrity. Call it an underground classic, I guess.
By the way, Mike "Rep" Hummel and Jerry Wyck (sic) recorded this LP so it has the official lo-fi "cringe" sound which you should be as sick of hearing about as the phrase "engineered by Steve Albini." - Nathan Weaver via CRINGE
Bobby Floyd
Best Acoustic Jazz. - GDCII
Fungobat: Chartbusters on Venus 18-Song, 60 min.
Cassette (Lower)
Cincinnati solo man. Spiritual forerunner to Frank Bruno, Lou Barlow, etc.
Classic "wimp rock" for all you sensitive types. "Lo-fi"
way before it was cool, as some of this stuff goes back to late '70s/early
'80s. - Paul
Nini/Lower
Fungobat: The Great Indoors 18-Song, 60 min.
Cassette (Lower)
More of that kinda low-fi, sweet stuff from our pal Mike and his 4-track. If
you liked Chartbusters on Venus (see above), you're gonna
love this. - Paul
Nini/Lower
Gaunt: Yeah, Me Too (Amphetamine
Reptile)
First of all, ten songs in 21 minutes - we can start the analysis of this disc
just by stating that fact.
The album is a definite step in the right direction for this band. The new rhythm section is excellent. The title track starts the album with a slow moving event of noise and then rockets into a near perfect pop-punk rock song. Each song after that continues to rock and build up to the final track, which I think is the best on the album (EP?).
Wick writes good solid songs; there is not a bad one in the bunch. This disc is capable of moving Gaunt to another platform. I saw them live at Bernie's (recently). They did six songs from another upcoming release on Thrill Jockey due out in April. Every song was righteous. This is rock-n-roll. - Tony Painter
Goatfudge
I'm surprised you (Cringe) didn't have anything listed from GOATFUDGE. They're
not really from Columbus, but used to play there a lot - and will be again.
Keep an eye out in the future for them... If you haven't
had a chance to check out their fast-as-hell HARDCORE PUNK sounds, then check
them out. They also have a seven inch out on UNION 12 records which will soon
be putting out some other kick ass HARDCORE. -
[email protected]
Great Plains: '85 Live at the Electric Banana
21-Song, 90 min. CS
Famous '80s Columbus band with many releases on the once-legendary Homestead
label. Hey, the Thomas Jefferson Slave Apts didn't just come out of nowhere.
Dig this stunning live show from Pittsburgh, 1985. - Paul Nini/Lower
Heifer
Most likely to "ska" Lou Reed and Steely Dan
nearly beyond recognition.
OK, they're not really a ska band ... or are they? They got a couple guitars,
bass, drums, a horn or two and violin. Many of the tunes have a ska feeling,
but then they throw a few curves via Dr. John or twisted pop. Not polished, but
if it were, it would probably just annoy me. In the end, quite an interesting
and ambitious band. Place 'em somewhere between Enivob Nez of old, Rymocerous
of new and Honk, Wail and Moan of Ra. - Joel
Househearts: Frijoles Refritos 24-Song, 90 min.
Cassette (Lower)
Columbus, Ohio dark garage pop from the mid '80s featuring guitar god Bob
Robinson and yours truly. The great lost album. Early studio stuff. Live stuff.
Covers. You need it. - Paul
Nini/Lower
Househearts: Counting Fifty Problems (out of print)
7-Song, 12"Vinyl EP (Lower)
Ultra-rare debut from 1985. Very few left. Make me an offer collector-scum. -
Paul Nini/Lower
In-sect
Much like ADR, Geraldine and a number of other Southern Ohio bands, In-sect has
that tight sixties-punk/psycho-southern/50's roots/rockabilly thing goin'. Hey,
they even work in some harmonica - and ya really need that when ya cover
"Psychotic Reaction." - Joel
Jenny Mae: There's a Bar Around the Corner... Assholes
(Anyway)
Why do I even bother ... Jenny Mae's ex-beau, longtime friend, and musical
collaborator Bela K. of Anyway Records fame persuaded me to give this CD a
listen. It seems somewhere along the line he got the impression I didn't like
him, his taste (well, he does like beer an awful lot...) or his label. It seems
Bela has forgotten my strong support for the New Bomb Turks and Gaunt in the
early days. Even then Anyway never sent many freebies my way for promo purposes
:-( And I'm such a poor student now that I can't even afford to be a student.
Truth be known, I don't listen to those black vinyl things much anymore -
especially the small 7" ones. All that, and my general dislike of the
sloppy, uneventful lo-fi commonly found on Anyway, means I
simply don't own or listen to much Anyway stuff, uh, anyway. As for Jenny Mae,
though we don't see each other as much as we used to in the Vibralux days, we
do get along perty well in my opinion. At the same
time, she'd probably go into shock if I gave her a good review.
Oh, as fer the music... I still commonly find the vocals flat, monotonous, husky and effects dependent, if not effects camouflagued. The cheesy 70's-80's keyboards still annoy me. The songs take much from unmemorable 60's-80's pop fads. Yet Jenny Mae is some kinda pop star diva?
The true stars of the CD are actually the backing musicians, which read like an Anyway Cannonball Run . While much of the rhythm guitar work sounds like it's done simply for the sake of having guitars, Jerry Wick adds an energy to "Junk" and "Cameltoe" not found anywhere else on the CD. "Surfer Boy" has a nice little guitar melody with a twist which I presume is the work of Steve Evans. The bass is there, but nothing special usually. The drumming is pretty solid if not sometimes the best part. Mark Deane is a great drummer - pop, rock, punk or noise.
The last tune with credits (there are two extra uncredited cuts after this one, for a total of 18 tunes.) is a Billy Holiday torch song (Oooo, Jenny's gettin' brave.) There's some perty professional piano here. In fact, for a few seconds I had to question my evaluation of Jenny Mae's musical ability. Then a quick browse revealed it was Keith Kreiger, not Jenny, at the ivories.
The production on most of the album ranges from living room 4-track studios with a bunch of effects but not much crispness to a walkman recorder in the bedroom with drunk musicians. The last two extra tunes have slightly higher fidelity/modern sound. In fact, the last tune is a "remix" of "Runaway." It comes off like techno on mid-eighties equipment. The best thing about it is that there is no singing. (I know what yer thinking, but even I can't be that mean.)
I got one thing to say before Jenny accuses me of overkill... Bela made me do it. - Joel
Steve Lindstrom/Paul Nini: Reader's Digestion Split
Single 2-Song, 7" Vinyl Single (Lower/Anyway)
One side from Steve from Peck of Snide/Shades of Al Davis and one from Mr. me,
myself, and I. Two electro-acoustic tunes for the discerning indie-rocker type.
- Paul Nini/Lower
Log
Poparage. Post-Velvets strum on the Anyway label. - Paul Nini
Log: Idiot Proof + 3 4-Song, 7" Vinyl Single
(Anyway)
My latest band. Comparisons to early Bats, Feelies, Velvets, Dream Syndicate,
etc. swirl around us. Who are we to protest? It's that brand of mid-fi pop that
the kids love! Get 'em while they last! - Paul Nini/Lower
Log: Light Fuse and Get Away 10-Song, 30 min. CD
(Anyway)
More of that sort of New Zealandesque rock/pop you know you gotta have. Only a
few of these left, mateys. - Paul Nini/Lower
Lucky's Last Party
In the flux of the genre that swept the modern music scene, Lucky's Last Party
proves they're not just another pretty face. Their music is ruled by substance
and unparalleled musicianship that thrived in the adolescence of
rock-n-roll.
Nineties music seems to be flushing down the path of least resistance with a new crop of bands that are here today and gone tomorrow. Lucky's Last Party may be the first band in a long while to resurrect and lead a promising young music scene back on the track that made it great. Their statuesque presence is a sign that the prerequisite for expertise is not the city you're from but talent and innovation.
Lucky's Last Party is not about taking modern music one step further into an alteration of the genre, but creating a brighter and stronger sibling that is the envy of its predecessor. They will prove that they're not a second generation rock band, but the flagship of the evolution of modern rock.
Their music is sure to be the exercise lessons of a generation seeking to copy the intense emotion and exorbitant musical craftsmanship. - M.E. Cannell
Monster Truck Five: "Vandal-X" b/w "Privaledge-D"
7" and Columbus, Ohio CD (Sympathy For the Record
Industry)
For years, everything I heard about MT5's junkie aesthetic sounded so
repugnant, so utterly vile, I ultimately felt attracted to the idea of
witnessing their alleged musical atrocities for myself. I didn't finally get
the chance, however, until the "S.F. Sister"/"B"
single was released. Sure enough, it was loud, feedback-laden "pig
fucker" derived music (see Pussy Galore, Swans, Live Skull). But mostly
what I noticed is that they had swing and groove as if the Unsane had traded
their typically leaden rhythm section with the original Stooges lineup.
As far as I can tell, their detractors' utter hate for the band is based on the suspicion that their penchant for screechy noises, volume, and almost bafflingly sub-fidelity recording are crutches meant to obscure tuneless, poor songwriting craft (or is it that their detractors feel these devices EMPHASIZE their tuneless, poor songwriting craft?)
Undoubtedly, MT5's Gimme Five 10" satisfied the complaints of many of these critics by offering reasonably clean production and temporally dynamic songs with riffs clearly belonging to the rhythm and blues family. There were even the occasionally decipherable lyrics along with the expected elements:rhythmic rumble; loud, overdriven guitar; and screaming vocals. Gimme Five probably also bothered many original fans by sacrificing some of the atonal hubris.
Whatever your position on the MT5 has been up to now, their new release, Columbus, Ohio , is bound to dissatisfy. Their cleanest recording ever, the production emphasizes clarity at the expense of the bottom heavy, rhythmic thunder. Compared to Gimme Five the riffs sound perfunctory and stiff. Indeed, the most concise review of the record is printed on the disk itself: "Sound and fury signifying nothing." There aren't even any interesting noises this time, and the only good riff is recycled for no less than three songs (and has a pedigree that goes back to older songs like "Paraquat" and "30 Shotwell St."). These guys must think they're the Troggs (who at least had the chutzpah to create their ENTIRE body of work out of "Wild Thing" rewrites). This music isn't bad so much as it is just dull and forgettable. "Long In The Tooth" sounds like a very bored Laughing Hyenas. "F250" sounds like Royal Trux without the pharmaceutical-sick edges. It's almost as if MT5 were so afraid of falling flat on their faces that they were never able to write anything more than merely competent. Next time they should follow the examples of their garage rock idols - the Stones, Stooges, Pussy Galore - and go for broke. A few lousy songs per record never hurt their reputations.
Those looking for a taste of the MT5's uncelebrated glory days would do well to get their "Vandal-X" 7". Coming from the vaults of ex-guitar player, Jack Taylor, it presents an "unauthorized" portrait of the band from 1990 when MT5 was a mere three piece. Although hardly an audiophile's dream, you might be surprised by the clarity of the recording. The guitars aren't competing with the tape hiss, and the drumming doesn't descend into a mere dull thud. As always, Wilson's vocals are desperately trying to surface above the din which only reinforces the emotional intensity of his screams. What's really different about this MT5 is that the guitar riffs sound more heavy metal than R&B, and the songs are built around repetition rather than the arty breaks and tempo changes the band now favors. Yet these tracks would still sound much better next to anything on Gimme Five than just about anything on the turgid Columbus, Ohio CD. - Nathan Weaver via CRINGE
My White Bread Mom: "Feeding Frenzy" & "Big
Jobs"/"L.A. is Toastchee"
7" (Anyway)
"Aye arr arr er arr arr/Aye arr arr arrrrr" The lyrics are printed on
the inside, but darned if I can fit half the printed version to the recorded
version. Ya got fairly proficient speedy guitar changes
- especially for the land of lo-fi punk. The bass and drums do mighty fine too.
It's just the vocals that sound like they're being screamed from faraway
through an old sweat-yellowed bed pillow. Oh, just so ya know, they're still
doing the anti-mainstream/nearly Dr. Demento lyrics: Frat boys growing up just
like their frat dads, corporate/commercial America trying to sell everything to
the mindless masses and Elvis defecating in a "Toastchee-d" L.A. Huh?
- Joel
Paul Nini: Toward a More Picturesque Speech 18-Song,
46 min. CS (Lower)
My solo opus of 4-track recordings. Snakey, shakey and downright purty. Look
out world, nothing's gonna stop me now! - Paul Nini/Lower
Nothing Painted Blue
If I were more familiar and impressed with Yo La Tengo, I would be tempted to
make that comparison, but that may not be accurate with my limited exposure to
either band. Besides, I liked NPB a lot more than YLT live. Basically, NPB is
an American pop rock band with a strong sense of melody, songwriting structure
and harmony. Powerful thoughtful vocals, a subtle variety of rhythms, tempos
and time signatures that don't jump out and kick you in the shin and a good
sense of when a little says a lot. This ain't punk or grunge. Maybe Elvis
Costello works? - Joel
Out of Cowtown, Vol. IV 7" e.p. (Anyway)
Although Anyway Records has long held an infamous reputation for championing
loud, lo-fi, instrumentally-challenged garage and punk rock bands, anybody who
has been actually listening may have noticed that the label has been courting a
far more musically diverse roster than its reputation would imply. For proof,
one simply needs to turn to the latest installment of the "Out of
Cowtown" series. Although each band comes out of the garage tradition,
there are more differences than similarities between them.
The first track, by Monster Truck Five, is a cover of a Mike Rep song called "Rocket Music Now," and it is by far the most stereotypically "Anyway" sounding. It is also the weakest song on the record and possibly the worst thing the band has ever done. Recorded in the near zero-fidelity the band is equally loved and reviled for, it sounds like a thin, anemic version of MT5's the Unsane-moves-to-Detroit noise rock. Somehow, the thick, bottom heavy turbulence that makes their best records swing is lost in the mix. Without that, this recording might as well be their Metal Machine Music without the avant-garde pretensions. Oh well, they still sound like they could kick my ass.
The Moviola song that follows ("Floorboards") is a surprise in that I'd seen the band live enough times to find all the often-stated Pavement comparisons utterly baffling until now. Yet this particular song could almost fit comfortably on the latter band's "Watery, Domestic." What distinguishes the Moviola song is a wide-eyed sincerity in singer Jake Housh's vocals and lyrics that might make the otherwise ironically disaffected Pavement boys blush. Though this might initially sound like a regressive aesthetic, it really isn't since irony has become the cheap emotional cop-out of the Nineties.
In contrast, the Gun Shy Ministers sound possibly too sincere for their own good. Taking its sound from the Replacement's hymnal, their song "Matchbox" is as enjoyable as it is derivative. Focusing on the poppier side of the Replacement's more bumpily eclectic musical territory, they sound just as naively sincere as their idols, only they still manage to avoid the kind embarrassing punk rocker faux pas that somehow poignantly both mar AND elevate the Replacements' oeuvre. Maybe they need to throw in a Loverboy tribute in their shows, or make a record of beautiful (but terribly over-produced) pop. Oh well, they're still far better than Watershed.
"Foolish," the final track by the Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments confirms my suspicion - based on their Bait and Switch album - that the band's intention has actually been to pay tribute to the last thirty or forty years of garage/punk rock history. This time they're paying homage to the Velvet Underground's slow-building, jammy side a la "The Gift." As usual, there are the clever, funny lyrical conceits:apparently Mr. House wants us to believe - God help us all - that someone's spiked his beer with truth serum and he is finally TELLING US WHAT HE REALLY FEELS. Only instead of confessing deeper vulnerabilities than his hipster fears of ending up on some band's negative guest list, he rambles more of his usual bullshit like the liar he's claimed to have been since the day he was born (or am I just too young to remember Mr. House's tenure in Congress?) - Nathan Weaver via CRINGE
Peck of Snide: Moot 14-Song, 46 min. Cassette
(Lower)
Late '80s Chicago country-tinged rock 'n pop. Features Steve Lindstrom and
myself. Many, many catchy tunes to enjoy. Of course, you need this too. - Paul Nini/Lower
Peck of Snide: Trip to Dustville 2-Song, 7"
Vinyl Single (Picture Book Records)
On loan from Chicagoland's Picture Book Records. Harmonious? Yep. - Paul Nini/Lower
Pop Rocks
I was kinda expectin'/hopin' for Elvis Costello. Instead I got Nick Lowe and
basic Cheap Trick type pop rock. (What's in a name?) I enjoy Pat Dull's solo
acoustic sets, but this electrified thing was a little less
novel, entertaining, powerful, interesting, different, um ... I'll think of the
right word eventually ... - Joel
Mike Rep & the Quotas: A Tree Stump Named Desire
(Anyway)
Throbbing Gristle meets Merle Haggard on this loose collection of Mike Rep
songs spanning two decades. Ambient classics like "Nautilus" and
"One Thirty Five" could easily be on the soundtrack of an Ed
Wood-type surreal horror. The smooth-talking
sex appeal of "Steppin Fetch it," makes it the pop sensation of the
album, but my fave is the banjo plucking biography of Sgt. O'Grady:
"America's Newest Hero." - Creeper via CRINGE
Rescue Mission: Or Else What? 15-Song, 60 min.
Cassette (Lower)
What happens when you give a bunch of 13 year olds (including my brother - hey,
he's older now) guitars and other noise-makers? This, my friends. Enjoy. - Paul Nini/Lower
The Revelers
I've seen 'em a few times live now; and I just got their recent CD. I'm
convinced, especially after multiple CD listenings, that their major influence
can be limited to one thing:Not a band. Not women. Not alcohol. Not drugs. Not
even themselves. They're biggest influence
seems to be a year - specifically 1965. They've got the early poppy Who sound
down, some jangly Byrds, post-teenybopper yet pre-psychedelic Beatles, some
Stonesy ballads, a lil' bit-o-Motown, a hint of latino and a number of
extraneous UK and US mid-sixties pop bands. Live this all comes off as high
spirited fun and respectful homages. Recorded it doesn't so much sound flat as
just whimped out. It still has all those influences mentioned earlier but with
the urgency and energy of, say, The Association, Bread or the local police
department band, Hot Pursuit. - Joel
Scrawl
The new stuff I just heard is in that slower melancholy, haunting,
self-reflective vein of some of their other recent tunes. Good tunes, and I'd
probably like them even more if I were in a self-pity, depression, or sleepy
mode. I just have to ask, where's the upbeat
stuff? Dana can be a really powerful drummer (I recall his Girly Machine days.)
but he seems repressed or restrained without some rockers. Use him. Please!
Pretty please? - Joel
Shades of Al Davis: 10-Song, 46 min. Cassette (Shades 001)
Steve Lindstrom (from Peck of Snide and solo fame - see elsewhere) and friends.
A nice collection of melodic, semi-laid back, countryish guitar rock. - Paul Nini/Lower
Swivel Arm Battle Grip
Most likely to charm and relive the 80's happily.
Yep, they're perty good at schmoozing (don't take that too seriously or
negatively - they're friendly people). That first and only show with a male
vocalist had more of grunge/garage sound. Then Val came on board. The
experimental guitar sounds and spoken vocals lead me to jump the Sonic Youth
comparison bandwagon. Now they're sound is more refined, the vocals more
melodic, the bass more effected, the band more cohesive and the style more
evident. My first new revelation was thinking A Flock of Spandau Ballet - then
'Til Tuesday (but not that annoying, whiny Voices Carry overkill), Missing
Persons, Blondie and a number of primarily female vocal lead new wavish 80's
pop. I suppose, if I stretch my longest extremity, I could say my previous
description
"art punk" may still work. I mean new wave could be considered the
response to and/or progression of art rock and punk - disco without the silly
frivolity and cheese, but still with the fun intact. - Joel
V3: "American Face"/"Son of Sam Donaldson" (remix)
7" (Anyway)
Who did that song "Journey to the Center of Your Mind?" Mix in a
little early Ted Nugent and ya kinda got it. The "Wipe that stupid ego
smile off your stupid American face" line is perty memorable. Ironically,
it is done with a kinda early Moody Blues/Pink
Floyd/Arthur Brown British acid psychedelia undertone.
Side B kinda drags with more pretense than side A. It pushes that spoken word over repetitious music envelope. (Author Brown again? I've listened to the Crazy World of Arthur Brown album a few times recently. Ya remember that song Fire: "I am the God of Hellfire and I bring you - FIRE!") There's even some violin to add to the experimental pretense.
Sound and band-wise, "American Face" is perty cool actually - tight band, full sound, okay mix, though the vocals could be brought up a bit. "Son of Sam Donaldson" is an older (more infamous) lineup that just comes off less accomplished and poorly mixed - the vocals could actually stand a little attenuation. - Joel
Various Artists: Lower Than Puh: a Sampler/Compilation
20-Song, 60 min. Cassette (Lower)
Featuring songs from Lower and other artists, plus coming attractions, plus
mystery bonus songs. A great way to check out what's available here! -
Paul Nini/Lower
Various Artists: Our Salvation Is In Hand (Out of
Stock) 26-Song, 73 min. CD (Theme Park)
Import (UK) acoustic-based compilation proudly featuring Steve Lindstrom,
Fungobat and myself from the Lower stable of artists. Also includes Simon
Joyner, Mountain Goats, Paste, Franklin Bruno, John Davis, Party of One, and
lots more cool US, UK and European "lo-fi" types. Very limited #
available (as in none - Pop Narcotic bought what was left. Contact them at:
[email protected]
, or check out their home page at
http://www.webcom.com/~popnarc/
- or order directly from Russell Hill,
Theme Park, PO Box 1073, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 5EX, UK. In either case, tell
'em Paul Nini sent you.) - Paul
Nini/Lower
Wrinkle Bomb
The first time I saw WB, it took me a song or three to recall what they
reminded me of ... Then it came to me. Deep Purple! Not the Deep Purple we all
know and love or hate (though what guitar or bass tinkerer hasn't fumbled
around with "Smoke on the Water" at some point.) It's more like
later, mid 1980's DP. Ya know, that come back LP, Perfect Strangers
- the thinnest vinyl and LP jacket I own. A kinda
heavy/hard/metal 70's band with a few art rock leanings. Their use of two
guitarist, one electric and one acoustic, is largely
responsible for the arty sound. They're just missing the organ/keyboards to
complete the influence. - Joel