TongueBath©1993

TOT 7 - December 1997

Spew & Spittle: Christmas is....

Christmas is an illusion, just like money. Here's a poem befitting of this season.

Christmas is...

by Anonymous

Christmas is...

...a paragdigm to the retail megapolis.

...a holiday for the suburban, provincial dream.

...overt heathenism for a whole population of pious hypocrites.

...a superficial, commercialized time of year abound with pagan trappings of Yule Logs, gifts, lights, mistletoe, holly, caroling, feasts, processions, carnal pomp and jollity.

...for some, premeditated fun; for others, a season of premeditated misery.

For the empathetic souls out there, may this season pass quickly. For the rest of you, send hate mail to kimgerly@holonet.net.

"The X in XMAS is just a substitute crucifix for Christ."

-Mark E.Smith, The Fall

Kimgerly

TOP 12 for 1997

[There just wasn't enuff this year to round out the list of 15] In no particular order...

1. THA ALKAHOLIKS Likquidation (Loud)

2. THE CANDY MACHINE Tune International (Desoto)

3. COAL CHAMBER Self-Titled (Roadrunner)

4. DELERIUM Karma (Nettwerk)

5. DOWNLOAD III (Nettwerk)

6. GUSGUS Polydistortion (4AD)

7. µ-ZIG Lunatic Harness (Astralwerks)

8. PHOTEK Modus Operandi (Astralwerks)

9. PROBOSCIS Stalemate (Diehard/Progress)

10. SOURCE DIRECT Controlled Developments EP (Astralwerks)

11. VA: ...GIVE `EM THE BOOT (Hellcat)

12. VA: SKA ISLAND (Island)

TOP 15 for 1996

[Ooopps. Bonked. F'got to do this last year, so better late than never. Here they are.....]

1. BARRY ADAMSON Oedipus Schmoedipus (Mute)

2. BUTTER08 Self-Titled (Grand Royal)

3. DEUS In a Bar, Under the Sea (Island)

4. DOWNLOAD Sidewinder (Nettwerk)

5. (hed)^(pe) 3 Songs EP (Jive)

6. THE KEN ARDLEY PLAYBOYS We've Got Ken (Lucky Garage)

7. MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO Subliminal Sandwich (Nothing/Interscope)

8. OUTKAST ATliens (LaFace)

9. LEON PARKER Belief (Sony)

10. PRODIGY Firestarter Single (Mute)

11. SPACETIME CONTINUUM Remit Recaps (Astralwerks)

12. VA: DEATH ROW'S GREATEST HITS (Death Row)

13. VA: FREAKY CHAKRA VS. SINGLE CELL ORCHESTRA (Astralwerks)

14. VA: THIS ARE MOONSKA VOL.2 (Moonska)

15. VA: WERKS LIKE A TWELVE INCH (Astralwerks)

TongueBath and TOT---not just your run-of-the-mill 'punk' zine family.

NOTE: This episode includes music reviewed between August 1997 - December 1997.

Quick Licks

($)THE BEEKEEPERS"Lunar" b/w "Bitter Taste" (Beggars Banquet) "Do you behave like that at home?" b/w "Less we care" (Beggars Banquet) Formulaic slick rock.The MR. T EXPERIENCE ...And I will be with You b/w Don't Go Breaking my Heart & You Alone (Lookout) Simpleton-rock in the not-very-good-rock-band tradition. SINEAD O'CONNER Gospel Oak EP (Crysalis) I normally find something to like in Sinead's stuff, but this quite frankly, is a snoozer.

One Liners...(or thereabouts)

(!^) BT ESCM (Perfecto/Kinetic/Reprise) BT tosses around veritable plethoras of electronica grooves and genres-----drum-n-bass, house, ambient, disco. Intros are often overly dramatic, and tweaked-out threads of Chris and Cosey, New Order, Bel Canto, Enya, Divination, Jonah Sharp, NIN, and Cheb and Chabas can be heard throughout. Case in point, Remember is a dreamy, Euro-pop hybrid, techno-dance that features Siouxsie Sioux-Bjork vox and quite a bit of New Order signature guitar essence. Memories In a Sea of Forgetfulness is techno Mid-Eastern Cheb chamber-rock. BUSH Deconstructed (Trauma/Interscope) There was a time [late in 1994] where "Sixteen Stone" was trashed/thoroughly tonguebathed. Remixes herein, by jumping on the techno bandwagon, has moved this troupe up----not since Scorn's Ellipsis or Spacetime Continuum's Remit Recaps have I bestowed such acclaim on a remixed release...Bush holed-up with the likes of Phillip Steir (ex-Consolidated), Mr. Meat Beat Manifesto, Jack Dangers, and many others on this 24-bit true stereo hack. Gussied-up with plenty of low-end action and punishing bass thump, Everything Zen is fatter than a sumo wrestler and subwoofers deconstruct. Swallowed is a garden of drum-n-bass digital delights. Jack Dangers drag-n-drop beats and loops on Insect Kin keeps the pond jumping. And Comedown is fitted with echos, reverb, and the beat goes on with monster grooves. Archive this one. PHOTEK Modus Operandi (Astralwerks) Using pro-sampling technology, Photek masterfully carves out anti-looping constructs. Not only does he program a mean drum machine, but he puts finishing touches on his compositions by undertaking wet and dry reverb. 124 is a Tour de Kraftwerk; polished. PIG Wrecked (Wax Trax!) If it weren't for the fact that America's listening audience is 10 years behind the times, artists like this would not have a chance. But, unfortunately, this guy thinks he's cutting edge with the high-octane rants, audio orgies, and industrial-strength rusty guitar solos similar to Jim Thirwell/Foetus, or like Jr. Industrialist Trent Reznor/Mr. NIN, or for that matter like the all-powerful, deranged, ferocious, frightening, fascinating electronics of the Al Jourgenson Posse, AKA Ministry/REVCO. Oh, and let's not forget Throbbling Gristle, Psychic TV, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Test Dept.----the real shit. PLUG Drum n Bass for Papa and Plug's EPs 1, 2 & 3 (Nothing/Interscope) On this double-CD set, all intros show compositional originality, but it all eventually breaks down into the same-old, same-old erractic drum attack and jungle-bass throbs, I guess that is termed drum-n-bass. If drum-n-bass is a deconstruction of chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-etc., and an electronic hybrid of non-stop music, well, then, so be it. Personally, we don't get this electronica spawn, drum-n-bass thang, at all. Electronic music is electronic music. And, in the infamous words of Duke Ellington, "There are only two types of music; good and bad." So, in our opinion, all of these subcategories of electronic music are overly pretentious and unnecessary. Title track Drum n Bass for Papa on Disc One is detuned and the volume's pumped; and that's not a bad thing. DBC has a weird computerized swing that speaks identity. The tracks off the EP Disc that we found especially intriguing and inticing were Brave Lick, Military Jazz, and Versatile. Throb-o-RAMA! SOURCE DIRECT Controlled Developments EP(Astralwerks) New techno science spawn-identity sporn/influenced by Scorn [aka Mick Harris.] Loops speed alongside manicky jungle beats. Keepin' it real-----2 guys from England-Jim Baker and Phil Aslet proficient at playing around with a lot of knobs and doohickies, whilst ferociously fiddlin' around with thing-a-ma-jiggies. Source Direct knows when to insert the pinches and dashes, so they are tasteful interrupts riding the latest lunatic fringe of drum-n-bass; hence preventing monotony and boredom. There are more musical techno ideas and depth going on here than most drum-n-bass out on the market these days. Lights out, this is a knock-out punch!

(!) AFI Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (Nitro) This release sports borrowed bass players and is reminescent of barking, spikey-haired brats, self-destructive cool, brisk `core style of the `70s punk rock era-`80s Dischord straight-edge bands. It's got manic, intense, fuzz-buzzin' guitars; up-tempo chugs; and abundant hooks. The Devil Loves You hauls ass. Rage on, M-fuckers! DOWNLOAD III (Subconscious/Nettwerk) The latest pearl from the Subconscious/Nettwerk collaboration which is completely primordial, double-barreled, trenchant techtronics. Lots of jump-starts, fades, verve, and breaks that are proportionate to the power. Tunnel and Flight of the Luminous Insects are real hustlers that will make you fidgety. Cunning and Moth are enticing, deep, and powerful silicon embraces that leaves an afterglow to warm your soul. Balanced electronic nutrition that's superbly programmed and worthy of all your spare beans, as was `96's Sidewinder. CHINA DRUM Self Made Maniac (Mantra/Beggars Banquet) "Guilty Deafness" is a So-Cal sounding noise tunnel and high-spirited, genuine pop composition promising plenty of punk uppercuts. Vivid words, reedy delivery. Bill McQueen's firm grip, cool-suppressed-acid rock-econo-guitar lines keep things organized. "60 Seconds" displays multiple strains and intricate interplay. "Foxhole" intro toes the line of Simon Gallup's atmospheric bass and evolves into a idiosyncratic upbeat, boppy and hummable, whimsy power-pop presentation of a nihilistic, gloomy view...a Cure speciality. China Drum plays accessible rock with a nice, clear, exuberant DB's guitar-driven sound----which shouldn't alienate casual listeners. HE SAID OMALA catch supposes EP (WMO/World Domination) "As the name suggests, this is a collaboration between He Said and Omala...He Said is the name of one of the solo projects of E. Graham Lewis, former member of Wire, Wir, and Dome...Omala (M. Tegner and A. Karperyd) was one of the early Swedish ambient/industrial acts." This release is best described as honed, smooth, brooding, stark absorbing ambient with a sci-fi agenda and incantory voxs. Visionary. KMFDM [Title consisted of the following icons that I was too lazy to fabricate/scan---explosion, skull and cross bones, bomb, vortex, pounding fist] (Wax Trax!/TVT) Anthemic opener Megalomaniac has beats that are nasty, teutonic throb hip-hop, and modulates nicely in all the right places. You'll probably roll your eyes waiting for the end of the half-baked remainder of this release. Invest your beans in their previous releases What Do You Know, Deutschland, Don't Blow Your Top, UAIOE, and NAIVE instead. MAN WILL SURRENDER Self-Titled (Revolution) Another So-Cal sounding band. The production quality on this self-titled release is awesome! It's hard-edged, but the engineering production treatments keep the acerbic tonalities crisp and clear, tempered, and perfect in balance...figures, Dave Ogilvie, Skinny Puppy's producer gets the citation. Lyrics are highly contemplative, in general about life's day-to-day woes----stuff we take for granted, things that really matter, as laid out in Change. Repressed is another cathartic, catechism, angry-at-daddy tune. In this day and age of formula-novelty, this release is impressive. THE MISFITS Static Age (Caroline) Recording sessions financed by Mercury Records that dives into the realm of short, simple, minimalist aesthetic of `70s anti-art, punk. This is the one that started it all for The Misfits.

(^)ANOTHER SOCIETY Blood Wrong (PC Music) They certainly rock out, but Motley Crue did it better. Tthhppfht! HEADRILLAZ Coldharbour Rocks (Pussy Foot/Gee Street) Upon receiving any CD, the first thing I look for is where they are from; where a band is from has a lot to do with who you are as an artist. These guys seem to elude the fact that they're from anywhere. I then gathered, these guys are trying to hide the fact that they're a bunch of [B]Limey's from the U.K. who wanna be "hard" and "punk." But, let's face it, you gotta be a little more "down" than that to impress the U.S. At best, this stuff could be a Sketcher's commercial.JOY ELECTRIC Robot Rock (Bec Recordings) They claim they don't need a drum machine----None(?) Buy a computer, get a drum machine, and a sampler. Ditch the singer. Missing Persons wannabees/rehash for those who missed the boat in the early `80s.LIFE OF AGONY Soul Searching Son (RoadRunner) Someone's gone deaf at Roadrunner----the recording quality of this release is muddy, etc., etc.... VA: SAN FRANCISCO GROOVE (Vwax) Try to keep in mind that the most of Middle America is still stuck in the decade of catching up---the `80's. With that in mind, this release reeks of the `80s; it's very `80s in tone, and quantized beats----that is to say, tracks sound like a machine. Keep it real for the `90's people. However, there's the stand-out Mephisto Odyssey's acid-jazzy "Catching the Skinny" actually gives the CD the SF flav. This is due in part to the fact that Frisco is chock-full of sax players...and this track really swings. Another pix of the mix included Soulstice's "Superfunkidiculous" which makes your world wiggly with congas, phat horn blasts, West Indies-accented vox and loop-d-loops.

($)THE BOUNCING SOULS Self-Titled (Epitaph) As you're madly searching through the bins of you favorite music store looking for anything to buy with that twenty dollar bill burning a hole in you pocket, don't settle for this. ROB CHRISTENSEN The Truth Hurts (Sweet Science) An obvious home recording, this singer songwriter did his best I suppose. The songs aren't bad and with some better production (and probably equipment) and a lot of work on his singing, he may have something that would make the cut out bins. COCKEYED GHOST Neverest (Big Deal) With "Bingamton" this band shows they can write a catchy guitar pop tune. With the rest of this album, they show their abilities are quite short lived. COMET GAIN Sneaky (Wiija/Beggars Banquet) Fairly uremarkable British-pop with a very 80's feel to it and at times sounding very forced and empty. DOG'S EYE VIEW Daisy (Columbia) & DAVID RYAN HARRIS Self-Titled (Columbia) For those of you who don't know, Wal-Mart (aka The Devil) has asked major labels to change artwork and edit lyrics and music they think will contradict with their "values" and the majors, of course, obliged. Fuckers. Apparently, they have now decided to start putting stuff out that is even more lifeless and banal than usual so it won't even offend Sam and company. So let's boycott the smarmy bastards. It couldn't be that hard to do if this stuff represents what sits in their music bins, there's no reason to go in there anyway. AGNES GOOCH Blind (Revolution/Warner) Your basic guitar rock folks. Some catchy riffs guaranteed to get some airplay..and then get mighty old. Avoid the rush and get tired of it now. O'MALLEY'S MARCH Celtic Fury (Self-Produced) A mix of celtic influenced rockers and more traditional celtic songs, the band seems more at home and sound their best when taking a more traditional approach. On the more traditional arrangements, their excellent instrumental and arrangement skills are apparent and make for pleasing listening. The tunes more influenced by rock and roll are burdened with singing that I honestly found very annoying, which overshadows any good work being done by the band. O'Malley's March 11 East Lexington Street, 3rd Floor Baltimore, MD 21202 EDDI READER Candyfloss and Medicine (Reprise) This singer songwriter assembled a good supporting band, utilizes nicely arranged instrumentation (sometimes) to complement her songwriting and then over produced almost everything. A couple of songs come across well like Sugar on the Pill and Lazy Heart, but many of them fell far short. The use of strings on songs like Semi-Precious and Medicine was super icky and If You got a Minute, Baby is a good example of how the lounge craze and 70's revival can combine together for results far worse than the sum of their pre-existing shortcomings. SHADOW PUPPETS Self-Titled (Self-Produced) This gave me some idea of what the noise, noise, noise, noise from those Whos down in Whoville must've sounded like to the Grinch before his heart grew three sizes. VAPORHEAD Vaporhead (Paradigm) Probably another one ofthose near next big thing bands that a couple of 55 year old A&R guys think will cause pre-pubescent boys to immediately jism in their briefs after hearing the first power chord. I can hear them saying, "Those little shits will steal their parents' credit cards to get a hold of this one !" as they sip their morning coffee in the CEO's listening room after signing them to a three record post indie deal. They may be right, but they'll soon be selling this one for a dollar in the bargain bins. Tyrone did have my toes a tappin' though. VA: THE CAROLS OF CHRISTMAS II (Windham Hill) A compilation of traditional Christmas carols done by Windham Hill artists and others. Mostly instrumentals, this stuff is so sappy and sanitized even talented musicians like Steve Morse and Leo Kottke sound pathetic. There's even a version of Jingle Bells I can only describe as morose and plodding. What is up with that?! Listen for this while shopping for that "perfect something" at department stores everywhere. Duh. P.S. The other day (Oct 14th!) I was in one such store and saw they already had Christmas decoration up. How fucking revolting. VA: THE SONGS OF JIMMIE ROGERS - A TRIBUTE (Egyptian/Columbia) Dear Bono: Shut the fuck up. Stop singing. We are all sick of you. It seems like you turn up on every major-label compilation I see. Get out of my life!!! There are other tracks on this thing I do like. A Lanois produced Dylan doing My Blue Eyed Jane and swinging bluegrass by David Grisman, Jerry Garcia and company and another by Alison Krauss and her band. Iris Dement even shows up and Van Morrison does a bizarre R&B(?) version of Mule Skinner Blues that simply doesn't work. As is true of most of these tribute comp things, a couple of winners and a lot of mediocrity.

(#)TANYA DONNELLY Lovesongs for Underdogs (Reprise) To take image straight from the source, "I'm much higher than I thought I'd be/don't look down" (Clipped), straight up from a cozy, sing-songy Bostonian-of-the-pasture. With her heralded solo departure from the full-bodied Throwing Muses-Breeders-Belly line, she affirms savoire faire with enough left over for bite, partake in tremulous progressive country folk, raucous pop, and as ordered, gutteral ephemeral indie port (viva la cello w/ Walter Halverson) tracks "Acrobat", and "Manna" (includes a Veruca Salt toy surprise) ARKARNA Fresh Meat (Fume-Reprise) Raw & kinetic worldly dance fusion that's almost wise - check out the protracted intro on House on Fire. The fatal slip is their particular Jacobs/Barnett tweeter endowment - maybe too much Perry Farrel blood in the family - this twitty whim-wham style is staticy against the base + color tone. "Eat Me" is not only a boner lyrically, but is frustrating girl toy interference. Sex dispells where it shouldn't be selling. VA: CELTIC CHRISTMAS III(Windham Hill) Gather under the mistletoe in your polyester finest, this compilation is sadly posed with too much prefabby reworked instrumentals and Enya-yawny sound FX (come on let the flute and pennywhistly show some mortality and pain). But for those with passion for degage lullabies in the veins, these near miss fairygodparent celts - Lisa Lynne, Micheal O Domhnaill, et al. - should warm the cockles by the fire. Two real flames who take back the culture's mystical honor are "Triona" and "Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill" (Track 7).

(?)FABRIC Wooly Mammoth (Hepcat Records) Refreshingly breezy pop redolent of Pond. Margarine-like, but catchy...check out (among others) Deaf Baby and Security. HAPPY GO LICKY (Discord/Peterbuilt) Run screaming and foaming at the mouth to your nearest record store and buy this. Arising from the ashes of the great Rites of Spring in the late 80's, Happy Go Licky's live recordings (they never made a studio album) evolve a dense, visceral, wire-like sensibility that demands repeated, intense listening and decoding. Excellent, critical and potent post-punk shit. HO CHI MINH Motorama (Left Out Recordings) Redolent of the Silos, in their relaxed moments. While it lacks the poetry and urgency of the aforementioned band, has moments of epiphany that dredge up sonic postcard stills of hungover southwestern tableaus. MORPHINE B-Sides and Otherwise (Rykodisc) These pretentious shits hold forth with more of their boring, wretched lounge "stylings". Faux-ennui coupled with disinterested plinking and honking make for a rather emasculinating listening experience--PLEASE buy Happy Go Licky or Ho Chi Minh instead.THE PSYCHO REALM Self-titled (Ruffhouse/Columbia) Two guys named Gonzalez break out with mildly menancing x-clan-like vocal stylings backed by decent mellotron-infused samplings. Worth a listen. THE SLACKERS Redlight (Hellcat Records/Epitaph) Cheezy, rather inept, but enthusiastic ska. Play yer old Madness and Specials albums instead....SCOTT WALKER Tilt (Drag City) Very evocative vocal effusiveness from Scott Walker. Suicide-provoking, but sonically provocative; hide sharp objects in the closet. VA: A WINTER'S SOLSTICE [6 Various (Snivelling...) "Artists"] (Windham Hill) Mouldy mellow gold from the most boring label on the planet. VA: GUMMO SOUNDTRACK (Inner-state/London) Comically bad metal (of various speeds) from a bunch of (undoubtedly) hypogonadal losers. Testicle-shrivelling badness; avoid at all costs. VA: WE WILL FALL THE IGGY POP TRIBUTE [Various Bratty Musicians] (Royalty Records/Lifebeat) Irksome. These bands manage to drag the brutal, minimalistic stylings of the Stooges down to the level of a dried up cow-patty. It should be obvious...get the originals, play 'em loud, shoot some smack, cut yerself with broken (cheap) beer bottles and rub salt (or jalapeno juice) in the wounds--that's how Iggy would've liked it....

Return to top of TOT 7