earpollution album reviews [page 1] - issue 1.11, november 1999

Archer Prewitt - White Sky
Bad Afro Records - Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man
Botanica - Malediction
The Flaming Sideburns - It's Time to Testify...Brothers and Sisters
Gardenian - Soulburner
Kumquat - Kumquat
Lab Animals - Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars
Limp Bizkit - Significant Other
Love As Laughter - Destination 2000

Meg Lee Chin - Piece and Love
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Roadsaw - Nationwide
Satyricon - Rebel Extravaganza
Solvent - Solvently One Listens
Speech - Hoopla
Strain - No Butts or Luggs
Various - After Hours: Miles Away
Vox Barbara - The Five Senses
White Skull - Tales from the North
Zen Guerrilla - Trance State in Tongues

Archer Prewitt White Sky Carrot Top		This is the second full-length release from former Coctails and current The Sea and Cake member, Archer Prewitt. With impeccable pop sensibilities he has crafted a record that slips from the hushed whisper of his guitar and forlorn voice to the full emancipation of brass and string arrangements without coming across as contrived or overstepping the sentiment of the song at hand. Much of the album seems steeped in the influence of '70s musical icons. "Raise on High" and "Shake" pay homage to the musical craftsmanship of Steely Dan, "Walking on the Farm" plays like After the Gold Rush-era Neil Young, and the quiet hush of his duets with Edith Frost on "Last Summer Days" and "I'll Be Waiting" recall the melancholic melodies of Cat Stevens and Nick Drake. Throughout White Sky Prewitt's strength is his ability to create compositions and song structures that don't rely on conventional pop formulations but still retain the warm glow of a simple, hauntingly memorable melody at its center. It's this juxtaposition that makes White Sky a strikingly refreshing listen every time. *-Craig Young* [ top of page ]
Bad Afro Records Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man Bad Afro Records		Bad Afro is doing just that--Pushing Scandinavian Rock to the Man! That's what it is: ROCK, rock as fuck in all of its insidious puss-forming Hell. This compilation features eleven of the 19 or so releases they have. The guys at Bad Afro are always keeping their ears to the ground pulling out the better bands from that part of the rock world--giving us hit single after hit single from bands before they the get swallowed up by the big ass corporate Fuckers. This disc starts out with The Flaming Sideburns ("Smokin'") (see review of their full-length CD in this issue). Next up The Hellacopters (two songs) kick out liquid nitro-induced rock hell! The Royal Beat Conspiracy, Late '70s fucked-up R & B--you know the coked out times they were. Then The Burnouts (two songs) come on screaming fuzzed out R'N'R with the standard riot girl bassist. Next up Turbonegro (R.I.P., two songs)--what could be said about these guys? Well they gave in too soon. They were the best fucking band from that part of the world! Shake Appeal follows with '90s hyper driven rock with the hooks to rip your balls off. Then Union 69, Scandinavian rock done the right way, just roll up Turbonegro and The Hellacopters, chew loudly and spit it out. The Tremolo Beer Gut has Dick Dale-inspired tweaked nightmare surf. The Grinners are stomach acid hot speed induced wah wah rock (whew). Then The Nomads...the template of early '80s garage revivalist! These guys are grand daddies of modern garage! I'm glad they just like to make music. Next on, The Duplo, late '70s Punk Rock in its simplistic beauty. If you're looking for that good rock 'n' roll time, go check out the Bad Afro website and spend your money! *-Steve Weatherholt* [ top of page ]
Botanica Malediction Checkered Past Records		Malediction is a record for the hours after midnight. It makes a moody, dark transition into morning. This is an album to drive to, to drink coffee to, and to be awake during the hours when most are tucked tightly away. There is a sense of danger to Malediction. Sort of like the feeling you get when watching the movie Angel Heart. The brainchild behind this trio is Paul Wallfisch, originally from alt supergroup Firewater. Paul makes quick work of the classic Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboard, Vocals combo and turns up 14 swirling songs of somber dementia that at times recalls R.E.M. Goth godfather and guitar maniac Daniel Ash helps out with instrumentation and mixing, supplying a particularly feisty remix of the title track that has Love and Rockets written all over it. This is just the sort of thing you need if you are completely sick of the better part of the stuff the proverbial "they" is calling music these days. If you need something introspective and thoughtful without the tiresome machismo, check Botanica out. It is sure to have you inspired to stay up all night. *-Jeff Ashley* [ top of page ]
The Flaming Sideburns It's Time to Testify...Brothers and Sisters Bad Afro Records Links: The Flaming Sideburns		The Flaming Sideburns from the cold Scandinavian Country of Finland, has members from Jack Meatbeat and the Underground Society, Isebel's Pain and Teenage Kicks--a Finnish all-star band not to be fucked with! They come at ya with the wildest live performance this side of anywhere. I would say that they show the almighty Hellacopters a thing or two when it comes to live shows! It's Time... is the Sideburns' first full-length, which is a compilation of songs from earlier releases from Bad Afro Records, Metamorphos Records, Estrus Records, a few new ones and a couple of covers. If you're unfamiliar with the Sideburns, they mix in the better parts of updated garage rock with the teeth of the Sonics, the motor city madness of Detroit and downright rock 'n' rolling good times. The twin guitar act of Sky Williams and Jeffery Lee Burns gives them a lot of flexibility and that well-deserved sharp kick in the mouth! The rest of the band stands up for themselves and makes the overall package something to appreciate and enjoy. The Flaming Sideburns have this catchiness that just gets your hips and feet moving to their beat. Have a few beers and put your blue suede shoes on and go rip the town up. Just never never, unless you're in really good shape, go out drinking with these guys! You should also check out their better halves The Ultra Bimbos. If you like The Brood, you'll love the Flaming Sideburns! *-Steve Weatherholt* [ top of page ]
Gardenian Soulburner Nuclear Blast		Those of you who wish there was something in between Guidance of Sin and Sevendust have found it. Dual clean and growling vocals on catchy, melodic death metal straight from Sweden. Gardenian compares to Guidance of Sin or Six Feet Under on Soulburner's more deathy songs ("As a True King," "Powertool," "Deserted" and "Soulburner"). The clean vocals sound like a gruffer Bowie backed by a more deathy Machine Head ("If Tomorrow's Gone," "Small Electric Space" and "Tell the World I'm Sorry"). Ex-Artch vocalist Erik Hawk guests for the melodic clean vocals. Hawk has a unique style that seems a little too "good" to me. He actually sings. It's not like Pavarotti, but it's more like a combination of Broadway, Robert Smith (The Cure) and Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth). I've learned to enjoy the clean vocals after about 100 listens, but the gruff vocals are a lot more immediate to me. The flashy but steady guitarwork is all due to the talented fingers of Nicklas Engelin (also of In Flames). You know it's him because In Flames always kicks off each disc with the "cool lead" and Gardenian has a similar lead in "As a True King." It's a nice touch that always screams Engelin. Certainly the lighter moments may not appeal to all death fanatics, but it is more likely to appeal to a wider range of listeners. Their light moments are still much heavier than anything played on our Oleander-and-Bizkit-encrusted radio stations. Their heavier moments will burn your butt with heaviness and speed. Soulburner will cause more than a little heartburn for competing bands. *-Sabrina Wade-Haines* [ top of page ]
Kumquat Kumquat Links: Kumquat		A sampledia transmission from the Big Kumquat himself, this self-titled, self-produced, self-released disc is a dizzying journey into the mind of a man with a mission. A mission to rescue all those crappy albums and weird-ass videotapes, movies, and TV shows of the last thirty years from total obscurity. By slicing, dicing, snipping, and tripping, Fred Church has turned out nine tracks that boggle the mind. I've had this disc for a couple of months now and still haven't quite got my head wrapped around it. I still haven't decided, well, I haven't decided anything about this disc really, but I do know this: Fred is out to warp my brain. He's trying to make me a little Kumquat. One of his Kumquat Soldiers. He's trying to re-program me with his loops and endlessly repeating lost sound bites. "Circle, star, circle, star." See? It's starting to get noticeable. I'm starting to get a bit soft around the edges. I'm starting to flinch when Ronald McDonald appears on my TV screen. I'm starting one sentence and ending with another. Although, it can be argued that I had that problem before I started listening to this disc. The first foray into the realm of the Kumquat is a blitzkrieg of looped samples, IDM-styled beats, and madcap shenanigans of a man with a hyper-developed attentiveness to minutiae. I say that as a good thing. To consider otherwise is a frightening prospect. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to the "Kumquat Manifesto" again. It's been too long since my last injection... *-Mark Teppo* [ top of page ]
Lab Animals Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars Digital Dimension Links: Lab Animals		This is gonna leave industrial fans drooling with joy. You can use Numb as a reference point, but Lab Animals add even more melody and toss in a rocking good vibe to boot. This is gonna make you bob and weave down the techno highway. These animals aren't afraid of either technology or guitars--they know how to set it loose. The heavily processed vocals are perfectly framed by the pounding industrial. The Lab Animals are Zeke William McNeil, Greg Peterson and Richard Newman--remember them. Highlights are the zippy "Worlds in Collision," wild "24 Hours in Hell," devastating "Warhead" (not the UK Subs Song), popping "Black Eye," demonic "Death by Pain" (great guitar sound that Mr. Zombie would like to steal), flying "Some Other Destination" (this is the best song) and the thoroughly mind-bending "Mind Blender" with its dance floor feel. These boys are poised to stomp Nine Inch Nerds and Ministry. One final note, I love the little lab animal on the cover. Watch out for that scalpel Eugene. *-Sabrina Wade-Haines* [ top of page ]
Limp Bizkit Significant Other Interscope Links: Limp Bizkit		What the fuck is all the hype surrounding this band? Significant Other is a shallow, thin excuse for music. Fred Durst couldn't sing his way out of a paper bag. And as far as I'm concerned about their mysterious popularity, it is a State of the Union message. A message about the tastes of our youth and how low the common denominator can sink. They should change their name to Limp Biscuit. Or Flaccid Muffin. Or Flimsy Cake. Or Soft Cookie. Or perhaps just Wet Noodle. *-Jeff Ashley* [ top of page ]
Love As Laughter Destination 2000 Sub Pop Links: Love As Laughter		What started off as lo-fi bedroom experimentation by former Lync guitarist/singer Sam Jayne in 1994 has become one of the more notable impressions in the Seattle music scene recently. The blues-soaked, lo-fi of 1998's #1 USA brought the Jayne to widespread attention; now having settled down into the groove of their latest lineup (but still intact as the creative brainchild of Jayne), Love As Laughter's latest, Destination 2000, is a millennial sendoff in both attitude and approach. The album travels across numerous influences, eventually settling in a groove that crosses the homely pop sensibilities of Sebadoh with the honky-tonk of The Rolling Stones circa Exile on Main Street. While at times the band (especially the keyboards) sound a bit off-tempo and out of key, the album turns and switches stylistic gears often enough that these minor blemishes are easily dusted aside. Labeled as the "soundtrack to ring in the new century," Destination 2000 is more a reflection of three decades of stylistically diverse music; a melting pot of smart sounds overdrived through lo-fi sensibility. It's worth a listen. *-Craig Young* [ top of page ]
Meg Lee Chin Piece and Love Invisible Records		"It was a really boring night in Manchester" is the first thing you hear Meg Lee Chin say on her new album, Piece and Love, before she launches into the most rocking thing I've heard all year. From the get-go, Meg puts a stake in the ground and proceeds to kick 49 minutes of serious ass. Meg has rockstar written all over her and her style, and Piece and Love packs enough attitude and musical prowess from Meg alone (she writes and plays most of the music) to have the likes of Courtney Love running for the fire extinguisher. Meg, along with consummate Invisible Records collaborator and owner Martin Atkins, creates an album that bursts with life and shakes the very foundations of electronic music. The music fuses elements of industrial, hip-hop, metal, and pop, puts them in a big blender and then it gets decorated with Meg's unbelievably robust voice for a truly rare experience. From the relentless attack of "Thing" to the more funky introspective terms of "Nutopia" and "Swallowing You," Meg Lee Chin stays her course and forces you to come along. And it's a true joy ride. So put your chic rock preconceptions away right now, the Lilith Fair folly is over! Meg Lee Chin rules. *-Jeff Ashley* [ top of page ]

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