Budd
Ovit CD
Fellaheen.
by Nat.
November 23, 1996.
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Take away the flex from Ovit and what you have is Budd's latest EP. A
powerful three piece now residing in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
(formerly from Brisbane, Queensland). Budd are fast becoming the messieurs
of that fresh chunky sound. Differing greatly from their last offering
Naf, Ovit is somewhat quieter containing a melodic underlay which captures
a smidgen of the intensity and atmosphere that they create at their live
gigs.
Beefed by Jeremy's "electric harmonix hyperdrive systems" (vocals/guitar), Jon's "percussive direction" (drums) and Ngakau's "altitude enhancement" (bass), Ovit is a four track fuck, a continual blissbomb of raw fuzz. Cutting straight to the core the first track "Kairos" opens with pure guitar force. "Handle it" (which my ears could) was a tune of dissonant distortion with the odd guitar pick quiet moment, undoubtedly the stand out track!
"Synchro" and "Kneecap" stitched up the rest of Ovit with a lot of energy. Certainly one of Melbourne's must see bands (I've seen them four times, and although the only chick to be somewhere up the front - its worth it), Budd just kick!
Great Moments
Great Moments Cassette
Pop Gun. gun-009.
by Scott Zimmerman.
November 23, 1996.
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Here is the rare true-single: a release with just one song. It's a
great one! Beth of Aberdeen joins Raoul and Mike (who each perform on
a whole lot of these Pop Gun offerings) in creating the musical,
atmospheric equivalent of 1950's low budget sci-fi films and their
representations of the life in the future that we are living in now.
It's certainly a must for any Aberdeen fan, and perhaps even more so
for anyone who loved the early Magnetic Fields sound. "Great Moments"
has that same kind of inspiring, electronic magic which so adeptly
ties together the promise of the future with the memories of the past.
Lois
Infinity Plus CD
K. KLP-058.
by Jonathan Fink.
November 23, 1996.
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Lois has been busy. Along with the brand new album Infinity Plus, she's
released a companion EP, Snapshot Radio, a few weeks ago and is featured
on the new Dub Narcotic Sound System EP Ship to Shore. Not to mention
Butter Yellow, a compilation of songs from her first three albums released
this summer in Japan.
Lois Maffeo, so the story goes, helped to kick-start the Oly music scene in the mid-eighties with her all girl radio show on KAOS, but didn't start to sing and play music of her own until just a few years ago. The name Lois, by the way, refers not just to our sweet-voiced protagonist but to her band as well, which features a revolving line-up currently including Heather Dunn and Brendan Canty.
With just acoustic guitar and drums (well ok, plus occasional electric guitar, bass or organ parts) Infinity Plus and Snapshot Radio give us one more collection of simple, sweet songs about love, both lost and found. She sings about that desperate and sinking feeling that comes when you realize that special person just doesn't do it for you any more: "you don't make me feel funny anymore." But she also knows what it's like "falling in love on a single kiss." She alternates from fast songs to slow, up-tempo to -down, never missing a single (heart)beat.
My one little gripe about releasing the album and EP almost concurrently is that they really could have been put together as one LP; the songs certainly fit together. As it is, Infinity Plus has just ten songs, and, like her first three albums, clocks in at just around 30 minutes. For some reason though, Lois and/or the powers that be at K decided it was worth it to make us pay an extra six or seven bucks for the five songs on the EP (in fact, one song, "Not Funny, Ha Ha," is on both), just as they did with the EP Shy Town which was a companion piece for last year's Bet the Sky.
The first thing that caught my attention about the DNSS/Lois EP Ship to Shore was the bright red plastic of the cd case. (Infinity Plus is in blue plastic -- cool!) That, and the fact that Lois seems to be wearing an exquisite string of pearls on the cover photo. Or maybe they're some other type of jewel, the picture's a little blurry. Anyway....
I suppose I should explain exactly what the Ship to Shore EP is. Earlier in the year, Dub Narcotic released the album Boot Party. One of the stand-out songs was "Ship to Shore" which featured vocals by Lois. Now, a few months later, this EP features four different mixes of the song (including the original) and a different, bluesier version of song "Rougher" from Infinity Plus.
The remixes of "Ship to Shore" are certainly fun even though they did take me a few listens to get used to. I suppose I was expecting a few simple reworkings of the song, maybe with different vocal arrangements or instrumental tracks, like DNSS has done before with the songs on its first two EPs, Industrial Breakdown and Ridin Shotgun.
But what I got instead are truly remixes of the song -- with three different DJs adding all sorts of cool electronic effects and stretching the song up to seven minutes.
I have to recommend this EP if you know and love "Ship to Shore" from Boot Party -- any one of these versions is a must-have for the next mix tape you make for cruising in the car.
Cha Cha Cha
"Riot 119" Cassette
Pop Gun. gun-007.
by Scott Zimmerman.
November 23, 1996.
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Out of Stock.
Because it's fun to use strange descriptions, I'll classify this one
as twee hip-hop. There's a tad of that Southern California Beck
sensibility here, but with female vocals. You've got three snappy
songs on this cassette, each with a cool lo-fi pop groove that's
defined by a dancy bass/guitar/keyboard/samples/drum machine
combination. Definitely one to put on your Christmas list!
Ricaine
Regret Is An Evitable Consequence Of Life CD
Rubber.
by Nat.
November 23, 1996.
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Out of Stock.
"This is the Ricaine album," states the sticker upon the CD sleeve;
well, it was also the new Ricaine album that had to spin a few times
before I could jote an opinion. Unlike their EP Instore: the Cold Grey
Rain, Ricaine's first full length (which I'll nickname Regret)
doesn't
pick straight to the punch. In fact the first track "Out of the Empty
Quarter" created the illusion that I was in for a mellow time of
guitar feedback with the occasionally scream - WRONG.
Jolted back to reality with "June 23rd," Regret is an album of packed noise. Comprised of Neil, Brett and Cameron, Ricaine are a band of fine tuned musicians who twist their instruments and voice to create an anguish, a frustration, a sound that is uniquely original, uniquely sonic and uniquely Melbourne.
There is no standout track on Regret, for the matter being they all are. The distorted kick on "Judy's Fence," the chronic howls in "308" and the use of vinyl crackle in "Three From Three" ... they are all winners.
Once again another must see band, Regret just captures their live sound and packages it so you can pump it loud in the comfort of your own home.
Poundsign
"The Almondy Many" 7" vinyl
Fantastic. Fan-003.
by Scott Zimmerman.
November 23, 1996.
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Out of Stock.
Poundsign's quite likely the coolest thing going on in the Bay Area
popscene right now, and hopefully this 3-song 7" will give them a lot
more exposure. It's really great. It begins with "The Almondy Many,"
which at over 5 minutes, is almost an epic by pop standards. While
relying on only a couple of simple guitar lines, the song could get
tedious, but as the song persists you mainly get the impression that,
wow, something really classic is happening here! Stephen's on vocals,
while Alicia lets her voice flow along nicely in the background. It's
all encased in a raw, sharp, noisy atmosphere.
On the flip-side, "Button" brings Alicia to the lead. It's a whispy, kind of bouncy number. It's fresh and cool as an autumn breeze. A real nice one to whistle along too.
The last song "Our New Ways" shares a lot with "The Almondy Many." Stephen's back on vocals, the noise returns, and Poundsign proves that it's more than just some wimpy jangly band. Though, at the end of the song, they do end up going kind of jangly... which leaves you wanting more, more, more! No fair.