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6/26/2003

EAR PLUGS
We've been tossing local CD's on the To Do pile for a while and I've
listened to them all but only today did I bother to sit down and
review 'em in print. Sorry for the delay, but its summer, we're
slackers, and this is free. So here we go, in no particular order.

Michelle Malone has been on the local scene so long I can't remember
when I first heard her name, or her smoky, strained voice, vaguely
reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt. She, too, plays blues-influenced stuff
with a sweet acoustic slide from time to time. Her latest CD,
Stompin' Ground, could easily play next to Shania or Jewel or other
country/rootsy/bluesy artists gone pop. But this lacks the cheese
factor of such mass marketed crap and the lyrics aren't so
predictable. It's too bad fans of mainstream crap probably won't pick
this up at the Wal-mart 'cause they sure could use a boost in music
taste and content. If you like sort of bluesy sort of country stuff
you'll probably like this a lot. It's on the Daemon Records label so
it shouldn't be too hard to find. See out
http://www.Michellemalone.com for more.

Next up, a CD from the Cosa Nostras, "the best sex you ever had."
With a title like that, it's tempting to give a flippant, short
review like "no, it's not." But despite the homemade CD and overly
ambitious title, this disc deserves more than a flippant dismissal.
It's rock with a funky groove and some great harmonies. The lyrics
are just a little on the geek rock side, as is the guitar work, but
it's not so hip as to be unapproachable. There are still plenty of
pop hooks to keep your toes tapping. I keep maybe 1 in 5 CD's bands
send to us for review. The rest head off to Wax N Facts or end up as
skeet, but this one isn't getting chucked in the recycling bin. Worth
tracking down, though you might have to catch them in person to get
your hands on it, so look for them at a club near you. According to
their press kit, "Their members are spread across the east coast, but
operate primarily in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Atlanta."

We got an EP CD from 13 Stories a long time back but we don't often
review EP's. What's the point of a 3 song demo when you can record a
full length album in the comfort of your own home these days? But
it's on the heap, so here goes.
Remember how groovy Deee-Lite sounded some 10 years ago? It was dance
music with enough layers and interesting sounds to make it actually
listenable. 13 Stories approaches that edge and might push over it
for less discerning listeners. Electronic pop dance music with fun
lyrics and nice hooks in the melodies, but still just a 3 song demo
of dance music. Catch them live this Friday in Columbus at The Loft,
or see them online at
<http://www.13stories.com>http://www.13stories.com


What The...? sent us their debut, self-titled CD. It kicks off with a
60's garage sound, I Can Feel It In My Bones, sounding something like
the long-gone local band Dragline. Things continue in that vein,
good, jangly stuff with a heavy Who/Kinks/Troggs influence. In fact,
you could easily mistake this as a lost recording from some
previously unknown 60's blues revival British invasion band. Put
these guys on the bill with The Woggles and you've get a long night
of go-go-garage rock.
Catch What The...? this Friday at the Star Bar for their CD release
party, with The Shazam, or check them out online at
<http://www.what-the.com>http://www.what-the.com

I actually paid for this month's Atlanta magazine, my least favorite
local publication. But June is the Atlanta Music 2003 issue. DON'T
BOTHER. The magazine itself is targeted at the BMW-driving Buckhead
upper crust wankers who need a magazine to tell them what to wear,
eat and do. This issue their cover story boasting of big coverage of
the local music scene barely fills a few pages when you open the
thing. But you can't find that out before you buy it because it's
sealed in plastic to contain the Atlanta Compilation CD #1 2003.
You should recognize most of the names on the CD, but the Muzak logo
on the back of the sleeve is an appropriate omen. There's nothing on
this CD that could offend anyone - lots of acoustic guitar and soft
melody stuff, mixed in with a few more bluesy numbers, most of it
good for what it is, but it just doesn't represent the breadth of
Atlanta's music scene. Maybe it's representative of the stuff Atlanta
Magazine readers want to hear, but obviously I'm not a member of
their target audience. The hardest rocking number on the CD is one of
The Black Crowe's softer tunes, By Your Side. If I wasn't from around
here and I heard this CD, I would assume Atlanta had a preponderance
of coffee houses and blues bars and nobody wanted to really RAWK.
(Which is funny because I think Atlanta has a bit of a shortage of
acoustic venues and blues bars.)
Probably the strangest inclusion on the CD is Atlanta Rhythm Section
- uh... huh? Has anyone seen these guys in, oh, 20 years? More
importantly, has anyone cared?
Then 3/4 the way through the CD things get all choppy and actually
fun for a song or three.
Lemuel's hip hop tune Make Ya Bounce, which is a radical change in
sound yet still dull.
Another flashback is Blink Willie McTell, a pleasant surprise. It's
rare to see any blues that aren't from the Mississippi Delta before
the 1940's.
Then there's some gospel and new Georgia blues and suddenly it's
over. Not worth the $5 for a couple of good tunes. Unless you want
something local for your doctor's office lobby, stay far, far away
from this magazine and accompanying CD!


LESS ARTSY MORE FARTSY
Got these responses to last episode's call for info on IAG:

Last I heard, IAG was still running strong. You know about their
location on Memorial, right (845, I believe) - just east of Lennie's?
Green Party did some events there late last year, and I went to a few
things there this spring. No website that I know of, however Hmm ...
used to have a contact phone number for the IAG, but I can't find that.
By the way, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee is holding a
picnic/educational/entertainment event in Candler Park on July 4th,
meeting in the upper pavilion. This is the local group trying to get
Atlanta to pass opposition to the Patriot Act (http://www.bordc.org/) Degenerate AG

those Donnelly boys,from Nashville tn. have played there. we played there 5 times ,each a Saturday night.then at midnight they have open jams,it is fun. when that fire in Rhode island took place fire marshals all over the usa started closing places down for fire codes. iag was one of them. I have not been down that way and their web site is under construction so I do not know anymore facts.but is is a good place. I wager they are up and running again. Degenerate TD

International Artist Guild--was that on Memorial Drive? I met some weirdo at (get this) the Lynyrd Skynryd in-store in Jacksonville, FL that I had to attend for work. He said he used to live in Atlanta, and I think he said he helped start the International Artist Guild? Degenerate KG

Don't you love vagueness and misinformation?


SOME QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
Maybe our neighbors aren't hardcore rednecks, they're just trendy? http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/06/25/offbeat.pet.chicken.ap/index.html

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