High Bias aural fixations
April 21, 2002

THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX
Spit Blood
(MeteorCity)
Best known as a side project for Monster Magnet guitarist Ed Mundell, the Atomic Bitchwax has released two excellent platters of no-frills power trio heavy rock in the past few years. Spit Blood is sort of a stop-gap while the band prepares for its next proper opus. The odds 'n' sods here include new tunes, unreleased songs and one alternate cut. The grungilicious instrumental "Liquor Queen," originally from II, gets a new, more segue-friendly ending, while AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" receives reverential treatment. The previously unissued cuts "Black Trans-Am" and "U Want I Should" revel in the band's 70s metal roots; you can practically see the long-haired headbobs and smell the cannabis. But the best tracks here are the new originals, from the growling buzz of "Get Your Gear" and the graceful riff magic of "Cold Day in Hell" to the Godzilla stomp of the title track. These tunes aren't mere retro exercises, but a successful attempt to write contemporary songs in the old tradition. Bassist Chris Kosnik's voice could be stronger, but vocals are kept to a minimum in any case; Mundell's powerful six-string takes the lead on every cut, as well it should. Call what the Atomic Bitchwax does stoner rock if you must, or retro rock, or just plain rock—this band still does this better than nearly everyone else. If a place-holder like Spit Blood is this good, imagine what the trio's next official LP will be like.

A limited number of copies come with a bonus CD of cool new tracks from MeteorCity labelmates Solace, the Mushroom River Band, Eternal Elysium, the Ribeye Brothers and Orquesta del Desierto, plus an oldie from Lowrider. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Trouble, Solarized, Ted Nugent

THE BOGGS
We Are the Boggs We Are
(Arena Rock)
With his spiky hair, angular features and hip thrift-store attire, Boggs frontman Jason Friedman doesn't look like anybody's idea of a folk musician. But on We Are the Boggs We Are, singer/guitarist Friedman, slide guitarist Ezekial Healy, banjoist Phil Roebuck and drummer Brad Conroy are dedicated as much to bringing the sound of old-time American music into the new millennium as they are to preserving its traditions. Friedman's originals and updates sound as timeless as anything from the Alan Lomax Collection, and the band attacks the tunes with punk rock fervor. "Whiskey and Rye," "How Long," "We Shall Meet Again" and the rape ballad "Poor Audrey James" (don't worry, her attacker is unsuccessful) could've been written a hundred years ago, but sound as contemporary now as they would have then. To be sure, Friedman's boozy yowl is an acquired taste, and those offended by the very notion of city folk playing "authentic" backwoods music will likely not be convinced by this record. Rest assured, though, this is no indie rock pisstake on Harry Smith‹these guys are serious about what they do, and their instrumental skill and passionate performance testify to that. The Boggs make traditional folk music fresh and fiery. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Dock Boggs, Anthology of American Folk Music, the Gourds

THE CANDY BUTCHERS
Play With Your Head
(RPM)
Despite providing the voice for the Oneders in That Thing You Do (not to mention co-writing the song), pop songwriter Mike Viola remains a mostly unknown talent. That's a damn shame, as his band the Candy Butchers makes some of the wittiest, catchiest power pop available anywhere. Viola examines relationships with a sardonic eye and a sweet tooth on Play With Your Head, but it's deliberately unclear if he's talking about how he gets on with women or with his own eccentric mind. This is, after all, a guy who proposes to a date, "Let's take a trip to the strip mall/Cause none of my clothes fit" ("Worry My Dome"). Elsewhere, he greets the onset of approaching middle age with the lines "I want more out of this life than I ever wanted/It's just that these days I'd settle for less" in the odd-metered "It's a Line" and admonishes a former girlfriend with "I can't take it when he talks shit/Knowing he makes love to you with that mouth" in the peppy "Tough Hang." He describes a battle with addiction in the rocking "My Monkey Made a Man Out of Me" and brandishes an aborted sense of outrage in "My Heart Isn't In It." He also castigates a rapidly failing actor in the ironically beautiful "Make No Mistake": "I bet you'd find inspiration if I loaned you a car/With a map to the homes of porno stars." But he's also smart enough to drop the winking ambiguity at times; the lilting "I Let Her Get Away" drops the mask to the floor and declares "Now the only room she's left for me/Is on her answering machine." The clean, crisp guitar arrangements and Viola's soulful rasp make the tunes instantly palatable, and his superior songcraft lends nutrition to the sweetness. Play With Your Head will not only do that, but also win your heart. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Owsley, Velvet Crush, Michael Penn

DANIELLE HOWLE & THE TANTRUMS
Skorborealis
(Daemon)
Danielle Howle is blessed with a rich, acrobatic alto, an instrument better than that of 99% of the other singers in an average CD collection. Imagine the upper register urgency of Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano melded with the pop purity of XTC's Andy Partridge. That voice carries this CD.

On Skorborealis, what we mostly get are original folk-pop ringers like "Could Be Here" or "Conversation," with sympathetic backing from the Tantrums. Speaking of whom, guitarist John Furr, bassist Bryan Williams and drummer/accordionist Troy Tague are credited with vocals too, though on the biggest pop hooks ("Sneaky A.M.") the overdubs are all Howle—what's that saying about buttering one's bread?

Howle et al do branch out in some eyebrow-raising directions. Particularly, a handful of these songs ("Subclassic," "Camaro Power," "Hello Kitty" and "Down") veer into lite metal. Howle's voice borders on being too pretty for this material, and presented alongside her shiny pop, as well as the torch song "Dark Like the Coat," the harder stuff feels a bit disingenuous. Pare these and the CD would weigh in at a streamlined dozen songs, a much more listener-friendly and effective collection.

Someday, when Howle's remarkable voice has propelled her to arena-filling popularity, collectors will seek out these early CDs for hints of her early brilliance. Skorborealis will be looked back upon as a diamond in the rough. Brian Briscoe [buy it]

For fans of: The Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt, Ani DiFranco

HARRY MANX
Wise and Otherwise
(NorthernBlues)
The followup to his excellent debut Dog My Cat, Wise and Otherwise shows solo bluesman Harry Manx continuing to develop his distinctive country blues-meets-Indian ragas sound. The songwriter/picker makes even greater use of the 20-string Indian guitar called the Mohan Veena, applying it not only to original ragas like "Raga Nat Bhariav" but also to the traditional blues tune "Death Have Mercy." Taking advantage of the recording studio's potential, Manx uses canny overdubs to create a fuller, but still sparse, sound. "The Gist of Madhuvanti/The Thrill is Gone" finds the Veena dancing with a fingerpicked banjo and subtlely applied harmonica; other tracks tastefully meld the banjo with Manx's trademark slide guitar to ear-pleasing effect. Centered in every arrangement is the guitarist's warm, grainy singing, which becomes ever more emotive with every record. All these goodies would be empty calories without a strong foundation, however, and Manx's songs provide that. "Tethered Dogs," "Roses Given" and "Coat of Mail" are some of the man's most fully developed tunes yet, and his takes on "Death Have Mercy" and "Thrill" rework both work extremely well. It's not all gold; his version of Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" leaves no impression, and the cover of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" is simply unnecessary. Otherwise, though, Wise and Otherwise is a more than worthy sophomore outing. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Kelly Joe Phelps, Ry Cooder & VM Bhatt, Greg Brown

NIACIN
Time Crunch
(Magna Carta)
Fusion is still a dirty word to most people, as it signifies a kind of vaguely funky, sunny-melodied muzak found in doctor's offices and Wave-format radio stations. But when fusion is done right, it can be undeniably exciting. Niacin does fusion right. Consisting of keyboardist John Novello, bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Dennis Chambers, Niacin giddily mixes the complexity of progressive rock, aggression of metal and improvisational flair of jazz into a steaming cauldron of supercharged witch's brew. The basic format is this: Sheehan and Chambers groove like crazy while Novello puts his Hammond B-3, pianos and synthesizers through their paces. Few bass or drum solos, lots of bombastic arrangements, sparing use of pitchbenders and, surprisingly, quite a few melodies. Novello takes plenty of lead breaks, but concentrates his attack on riffs more than on solos. The trio is nicely versatile, as comfortable with charging rockers like "Stone Face" and funky groovers like "Daddy Long Leg" and "Elbow Grease" as it is with jazzy ballads like "Glow" and Kansas-like prog epics like "Damaged Goods" and "Invisible King." Two covers point the way to the band's inspirations: a crunching take on King Crimson's "Red" and a faithful version of Jan Hammer's "Blue Wind." Find the midpoint between those two bands and you'll find Niacin, happily jamming away. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Return to Forever, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer

PLEASURE CLUB
Here Comes the Trick
(Pleasure Club)
Those waiting for sex rock shaman James Hall to follow up his amazing 1996 album Pleasure Club need wait no longer: the man is back. Along with longtime bassist G.W. Curry, guitarist Marc Hutner and drummer Michael Jerome (Course of Empire, Richard Thompson), Hall presents Pleasure Club, the band, and a musical vision that's more fiery and focused than ever before. Hall's records have always been a big melting pot of styles and influences, from Goth to soul to hard rock, but they've always boasted a sound all Hall's own, no matter how many recognizable elements. Here Comes the Trick is no exception. Groovy bass, like Barry White's croon played on four strings, undulates next to jagged slabs of distorted guitar; nimble drumming keeps the rhythms suitable for either dancing or rocking out. Hall rules it all like a benevolent but decadent monarch, allowing his subjects entrance to his orgies of sound. While his impact is diluted a bit on record (to see him truly in action, attend a Pleasure Club concert), there's no mistaking his distinctive howl, part seductive phone sex operator, part hellfire-and-damnation preacher, a carnival barker offering salvation for a blowjob. While his lyrics are more impressionistic than narrative, there's no mistaking the erotic undercurrent of the delivery, and the musicians follow suit with a noisy sensuality. "Good Time Girl" and "Daze In Daze Out" offer irresistible rock/groove cocktails, while "High Stepping" balances enticement and threat on Curry's throbbing bottom end. "Permanent Solution" and the title cut pound out the straight-up rock, while "One Hand Washes the Other" twists a singalong anthem to the band's own dogmatic purposes. Perhaps best of all is "Shout! You're Automatic," a call-and-response manifesto that's all in-the-pocket drums, shards of six-string rage and unrestrained hysteria. The intensity wanes a bit towards the end of the disk, which concludes with the sedate acoustic ballad "Holding Hands and Singing," but Here Comes the Trick boils the blood in a way of which most rockers can't even dream. Michael Toland

For fans of: the BellRays, Jane's Addiction, Jeff Buckley's louder side

Copyright © 2002 High Bias