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| What's
on Disc by Thomas Schulte |
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SMASH
EASY
Originally christened Tourmaline Music/Media, a
trademarking dispute resulted in an early name change for Conni
St. Pierre's label to Smash Easy. Smash Easy (Tourmaline Media,
894 Mayville, Bethel, ME 04217-4605; http://www.smasheasy.com/
) offers "new ambient and improvisational conceptions in music."
This spectrum runs from serene, New Age recordings by Keith Waa
("Music for Dreams") and Conni St. Pierre ("Legends of Lost Cities")
to the eclectic, challenging concoctions of Forest Floor. But these
forms of ambient composition are but one facet of Smash Easy. The
compilations "Window of Opportunity," "Guilty by Association" and
"Out of the Woods" explores the more punkish, rock-based. Brought
together are such acts as the challenging Busk, the "metalgrass"
of Otis Coyote and Gothic based Sky Frontier. Vintage punk/new wave
recording include those by LaPeste and Peter Dayton. The abrasive
Peace Corps offer a downright metallic experimental assault on their
debut release "The Rat Sugar." More in-your-face rock comes from
the same band when they changed their name to Theory of Negativity
and released a self-titled CD on the label. An essential figure
on the label roster is punk icon Willie "Loco" Alexander (Boom Boom
Band, Velvet Underground). He has two spoken word albums of street
hip rants and witty free associations: "Holy Babble" and "Private
Wa." Smash Easy also offers cassette releases like the John Giorno-styled
"Jimmy Page Loves Lori Maddox" by Emily XYZ. She eventually recorded
poetry ads for The Olympics and secured a recording deal with Mercury/Mouth
Almighty. Smash Easy offers both side of the coin: the 'smash' of
unleashed rock energy and the 'easy' of ambient music for cerebral
or reflective listening. |
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| REVIEWS
>>>>>>>>>> |
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Rose
Polenzani
ANYBODY
Daemon Records, POB 1207, Decatur GA, 30031 http://www.rosepolenzani.com
http://www.daemonrecords.com
hello@daemonrecords.com
As a result of her performance at the 1997 Newport
Folk Festival, Rose Polenzani won a slot on the 1998 Lilith Fair
tour. Her reputation there netted her call from Amy Ray (Indigo
Girls) and a promise of support. Says Ray of Polenzani, "No one
can touch her." The eleven-song collection of early home and studio
recordings begins sweetly, like open-mic night at the local coffeehouse.
At this level, Rose seduces the listener with a dulcet voice and
personal, revealing lyrics. Backed only by chords from the acoustic
guitar, Rose's delivery is so subtle as become spoken word at times.
Notable exceptions to this sparse arrangement is Rykodisc recording
artist Andrew Bird guesting on violin in "Molly's Lilly" and the
Indigo Girls harmonies on "Or." This hypnotic series of songs grows
more poignant until, at "Angel," her tender voice begins to crack
with emotion and the playing becomes more discordant in a final
half of haunting pieces. On "Angel" and beyond, Rose delves into
gender issues and unrequited love with poetry and bitterness. (4)
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Nicki
Sutherland
Precious Things
LHR
Nicki Sutherland is a singer-songwriter par excellence.
Her album Precious Things is replete in solid songwriting
and percussive acoustic guitar with intricate, enticing melodies.
Nicki mixed the recording herself and the results show her care.
The voice and guitar, the melodic mainstays of her material, are
foremost. Sutherland's delivery is personal and warm; each of the
album's ten tracks is a 'precious thing.' (3) |
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Nancy
Magarill & The Heard
Nancy Magarill & The Heard
212-787-4476
Nancy Magarill is a Tori Amos-styled vocal stylist
that works great expression into her delivery. Completing the Tori
Amos similarity, one of the songs, "Pick Me," is piano-backed. But,
Magarill is not merely another Amos, by any stretch. Backing her
in The Heard is two guitarists and a multi-instrumentalist Mark
Stewart that sometimes steps away from his acoustic guitar to deliver
some rich cello. And, while like Amos, Magarill's delivery seems
taken to the breaking point with emotion, she also can be confident
and commanding on such rockers as the Ani DiFranco-styled "I Don't
Know What I'd If I Loved You." (3.5) |
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Colleen
Sexton
Step Outside
Crescent Records
Colleen is brother to Martin Sexton. Martin is thanked
as a guiding light on this project and performs on all the cuts
except "Garden of Eden," which features Colleen in solo performance.
While Colleen may not feature the vocal acrobatics here brother
is known for, she is a sweet, dulcet-voiced angel at the microphone.
The bonus track on this six-song sampler of Colleen's talent is
"I Will Survive," made popular as a late-'70s disco hit by Gloria
Gaynor. (3) |
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Lisa
Hunter
Flying
One Man Clapping Records,
2032 N. Racine, Chicago IL, 60614 http://www.lb.com/onemanclapping
Lisa Hunter is from right out near me in Ann Arbor,
Michigan. She calls herself a "funky, melodic folk chick." A bit
of funk shows up one the title track and the melodic hooks abound.
Singing sweetly and boasting professional production that includes
horns and backing vocals, Lisa has produced a winner here. She honed
her craft as a poet and ultimately lyricist as a ranger in Yosemite
Park where she first picked up a guitar. Obviously the environment
for soul searching, she has learned to apply moving metaphor to
self-analysis and now every track on Flying is poignant.
(4) |
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_________________________________
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DID
YOU MISS TOM SCHULTE'S JULY REVIEWS
?
DID YOU MISS TOM SCHULTE'S AUGUST REVIEWS
? |
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_________________________________
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Outsight
brings to light non-mainstream music, film, books, art, ideas and
opinions.
Published, somewhere, monthly since July 1991. Feel free to re-print
this article.
Ratings are (1) = :(, (5) = :)
"Don't be normal, be natural!"
Visit or Join Outsight's Web ring: http://d.webring.com/hub?ring=music1432
Outsight Radio Hours Webcasts
Sundays 6pm-8pm EST @
http://www.outsight.mu
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Tom 'Tearaway' Schulte,
5224 Shoreline Blvd.,
Waterford, MI 48329-1670
E-mail Outsight at: outsight@usa.net
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_________________________________
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Current reading list:
'Even Cowgirls get the Blues' (Tom Robbins)
'My Son Jimi' (Obrecht)
'Stupid Web Tricks' |
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