Newspaper Page Text
Page 18
Flagpole Magazine
April 1, 1992
Ear Wax Facts
Poi Dog Pondering
Volo (Colombia Records)
This eight piece band hails from all over the U.S. Home
base now is Austin, Texas. They've always been pegged as
pop/world beat gypsies who play music for peoples. UP
with the peoples. Their latest offering hooks and jives,
running the
musical
garnet, with
ska'ish under
tones. The su
per clean pro
duction is a
plus with the
mini orchestra
enlisted to
help out.
Horns, sam
plings, and
kitchen sinks
thrown in
might cause a ruckess, net here. Jerry Harrison helped
production on 4 of 14 songs. The instrumental stand out
best and I have an idea that was how Poi Dog originally
began (Solid C)
Jon E Glees
Buffalo Tom
Let Me Come Over (Beggar's Banquet)
In the Boston area the alternative music scene has been
dominated for years by two diffe r ent camps. One follows
the lead set Dy Mission Of Burma (including Pixies, Throw
ing Muses, Breeders, and Volcano Suns). The other works
m more straight ahead approaches, i'ke Dinosaur. Jr.
(technically Amherst), Nervous Eaters or Til Tuesday (both
defunct). Lying between these genres is this intriguing
offering from Buffalo Tom There are quirks which bring the
Pixies to mind, but the approach is pure rock 'n' roll, based
on the grind of the power chord to propel the songs.
When I saw the production team of Paul Kolderie and
Sean Slade, I knew to expect a quality sound on the disc.
The drums are full and boisterous, and the bass is heavy
without the thud. The problem is that the guitar lacks
presence, which
sometimes lends a
muddy aspect to
the sound. The
songs are based
more in melody
than flash, though,
so the guitars don’t
really carry the
weight anyway.
The band shines,
ironically, when
they fall back into
acoustic balladry
(like on the mag
nificent “Frozen
Lake’ or the bliss
ful "Mineral’) and let the songs work the magic rather than
the electricity.
Buffalo Tom has much to recommend them, and I look
forward to that next platter. (A-)
J.E. Sumrell
Sun-60
Out Of My Head (Sony Entertainment, Inc.)
A cooi simp'e pop
collection, Sun-60's
album Out Of My Head
is a tranquil, smooth
group of songs from
this los Angeies banc.
The bedrock cf this is
Sun-60's use of basics.
There aren't a lot of
lunky interwoven
dance beats or any
caustic screaming...
just twe voices: those
of Joan E. Jones and
David Russo. Straightforward use of harmonies and instru
ments makes for a clear album of pop with touches of folk,
swirled together with a sort of patently lone wolf guitar. “Kiss
The Train" is an excellent track that features Joan E.
Jones’ vocal and some beautiful piano work. You could
dance to just about all the tracks, you could read a book to
them, or do as lots cf Athenians seem to do: talk all the way
through. Sun-60 is a pretty groovey pop band with a lot of
originality and enough true uniqueness to make them stand
apart from the masses of pop blandies. Other tracks includ
ing “Cold Water,’ "Runaway Jane,’ and a good commen
tary by David Russo in "Too Much Tube’ allow this album to
be considered pretty hanpenm' by me. (A)
J. Brandon Tidweli
# *
Lava Love
Aphrodisia (Sky Records)
This new 14 song CD release on Sky is produced by
Mitch Easter, which is a plus. The band is from Atlanta.
Things get started with
the upbeat little pop
song “My Downfall,’ a
memorable single she
could be Three songs
later ‘ Under the Dim
Lights’ sparkles and
croons. Mix a bit of
Chnssi Hynde vocals.
Swimming Pool Q’s
southern soul, and
Easter’s Let's Active, you
about have the whole
Lava Love. Singer Esta
Hill's little girl vocais are
passionately too much
Then again, they might go over better if all of us were
sunning on a beach, enjoying drinks, no cares (Solid C)
Jon E. Glees
*
■ -jv '
Next week, we'll look at the music of the late, great Dean
Martin, including RCA's recent Lost Recordings release...
■ —v T- > • - tv
.
. Athens’ First
493 E. Clayton St. (comer of Thomas St.) •.■549-FOOD
The Sounds of The 1991 Athens Jazz Festival
showcased Sats. (during April) at 10:00 PM
as part of the Classic 91.7’s 3hr. series
WUGA is a proud sponsor
of the 1992 Michelob
Athens Twilight Jazz
Festival and The Pepsi
Twilight Criterium bike race.
$ON! c
9:00 PM
WUGA 917
TV Univmity of G«nr^i« W *
Qm*t few Carnnuinf Liucotko f T / y J
PRESENTS
ivy i j«u rtiiiv/
PERFORMANCI
RECORDED / PRODUC
BY WUGA-F
Flicker 10*
! SHOWING SHORT}
! 'ART FILMS" i
I _5Y LOCA L ARTISTS |
|
| MONDAY, APRIL 6 i
L_S. : .2,0_RM. - $ i [