Wednesday, October 23, 1996
SOUNDBITES
Catherine Wheel "Like Cats & Dogs" (Mercury) This is an
album that every fan must have because of all the beautifully
written nostalgic mood songs on it. In this, the band’s fourth
album, the band shows off its penchant for great musical diversity
between rocking out and letting you relax. Where "Happy Days," last
year’s astronomically good album, assaulted the listener with
guitars that shriek with violent velocity, "Like Cats & Dogs"
instead brings the listener to another level of spiritually
fulfilling musical landscapes.
This is an album of non-album tracks that were recorded like a
normal album of new material. "Girl Stand Still" is most definitely
the gem here as well as the quietly charming country-side jaunt
"Car." Catherine Wheel would, on previous albums, focus on creating
heavy metallic-sounding guitar songs that would rock in their own
right, and occasionally throw in a "quiet" mood song that would
leave you wondering how they changed scenery so seamlessly. On
"Girl Stand Still" and the subsequent track "Saccharine" the band,
led by guitarist Brian Futter’s effects treatments, journey on to
Pink Floyd territory by incorporating a hypnotic backbeat to Rob
Dickenson’s richly soothing voice. Like a good story teller,
Dickenson’s vocals flow out of his soul and leave you waiting for
more of the goodies he so deceptively mixes in.
Imagine a British band with none of the cliched and overused
idiosyncrasies, but with all the songwriting talent in the world
and fresh approach to presenting moods. Michael Nazarinia A+
Lutefisk "Burn in Hell Fuckers" (Bong Load) What separates
Lutefisk from other bands working the independent label scene is
their ability to shift from snappy punk tunes to wispy folk ballads
to hypnotic arrangements of strange sounds all within the course of
a single album. "Burn in Hell Fuckers," their latest offering,
proves no exception. At times screaming haphazardly into a wall of
staggering guitars and dragging drumbeats while at others leading a
trail of perfumed notes within an angelic calm, the band’s lead
singer never fails to entertain.
Weird snippets from movies no one’s ever heard of sprinkle the
corners of some unusual pieces while one song focuses solely on the
maddening ringing of an electric bell. Yet in its own way, that
bell and the static buzz that sometimes accompanies it is more
intriguing than nearly all of what today’s top mainstream
performers have to offer. It’s as though you find yourself stuck in
a foreign art film from the early ’60s, wearing a black and white
clown suit at the gate of a weathered reform school. It just makes
no sense, and that’s what’s so lovely. Truly a one of a kind
experience, Lutefisk’s "Burn in Hell Fuckers" rates at the top of a
short list of ’96’s most enjoyably abstract albums. Vanessa
VanderZanden A-
Rasputina "Thanks For The Ether" (Columbia) It was only a matter
of time before more "alternative" artists were pushed on to the
mainstream in light of Tori Amos’ recent success in the ’90s. She
made the piano exciting to an audience who would otherwise have
probably only thought of it in a disdainful light because of the
lessons pushed on them in their youth.
Rasputina may do for the cello what Amos did for the piano,
namely make it accessible to today’s jaded youth. If you thought
the cello was only for the orchestra, or that it was only for
geeks, then this album will make you think again. The lead cellist
is also an amazing singer and is supported by two other cellists
playing to the beat of an eccentric drummer that fits right in with
this darkly brooding band. With 18th century Russian ballroom
flourishes, Rasputina have constructed an album worth throwing on
when your ready to curl up to the fireplace on a cold late-October
night.
The pace of the album is steady with the strings sounding
extraordinarily in sync with the distinct sound of an album
committed to standing out amongst the rest of the lot. If you’re
looking for something to refresh your musical tastebuds, and are
patient enough to try out the finer sounds in life, you won’t be
disappointed. The style is accessible to anyone who liked Danny
Elfman’s "Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack, and shares with
it the impeccable attention to detail that made it frighteningly
enjoyable. Michael Nazarinia B+
Marilyn Manson, "Antichrist Superstar" (Nothing) Within the
scratchy, psychotically twitching voice of Marilyn Manson lives the
bitter soul of a spurned 7-year-old. Years of abuse by other grade
school children seem to have aroused in him an agony that only
grinding guitars and screeching feedback can attempt to
relieve.
However, the upshot of all this pain is that a truly sinister,
rage-filled album, "Antichrist Superstar" can take form. More
reminiscent of the band’s catchier first effort, "Portrait of a
American Family" than their techno remix work, "Smells Like
Children," "Antichrist Superstar" combines dark and poppy Alice
Cooper-like tunes with gritty, angst-filled Nine Inch Nails sound
effects to produce a unique gothic torturefest. Manson’s guttural
lyrics about beautiful people and annoyed rock stars crawl over the
background chorus of lost souls in a flurry of boggy basswork and
snapping keyboard projections.
And, for all the success Marilyn Manson has seen while riding
the supportive tails of good friend Trent Reznor, their hatred of
mainstream society appears not to have subsided any, keeping their
art pure and reckless. It’s something that any kid who’s ever been
picked on by grade school bullies would understand. Vanessa
VanderZanden B+
Grassy Knoll "Positive" (Antilles) "Positive" consists of 13
tracks of instrumental songs that are composed with instruments
like drums, guitars and keyboards, as well as samples from other
sources, such as clarinets, saxophones, and trumpets.
The strong points of this album include the guitar work that
displays a variety of influences from jazz to mainstream rock. The
backbeat is smooth and keeps "Positive" moving along nicely. The
clarinet has the hook qualities usually associated with the guitar,
and the saxophone stays away from being too overbearing on all
except one track. The good thing about it though, is that the use
of the samples makes the journey bearable by being efficiently
interlaced with the drum loops that get occasionally introduced.
The cello is a welcome guest on "Slow Steady Salvation" where it is
sandwiched between the sax solos. The delayed guitar riffs on "The
Americans" add a ’70s vibe to this jazz track with the saxophone
fitting in very nicely on this one. Instead of going crazy and
trying to draw you in, it weaves in and out of the backbeat with
graceful precision. Tracks like "Roswell Crash" show off Grassy
Knoll at its finest, with a thick bass line that commands your
attention as the saxophone deals with the samples that come in and
out like children from the playground coming home to a mother’s
calling. Definitely good study music for the Bruin who likes music
without the distracting vocals. Michael Nazarinia B
Soundbites runs Mondays and Wednesdays.
Catharine Wheel
"Like Cats and Dogs"