thanks to those crazy mid-westerners in the now-defunct wilco, the unthinkable has become reality: it is cool to like country. or at least "alternative country", or "no depression" as the kids have taken to calling it (a tag stolen from the genre's defining 'zine, which in turn was stolen from the title of a wilco record, don'tcha know). among the bands to have been slapped with this moniker are portland, oregon's own improbably-named worthington. you can decide for yourself if it's accurate. personally, I suspect that whatever country influence you might hear in their sound is largely attributable to the lead singer, who's pipes contain a healthy dose of the twang-meets-rock vibe that marks such singers as jay farrar (ex- of wilco, now frontman for son volt). beyond that, the songs on this cd still have at least one appendage very firmly planted in the rock world. "atrophy", the centerpiece of the disc, certainly won't have you reminiscing about that great garth brooks concert in central park last year. but it will have you saying, "how come this ain't on the radio?" umm, 'cause radio sucks. but that's another article.
worthington
539 se 39th ave
suite 113
portland, or 97214
(503)736-1349
Web Site
Peppercorn, Salt Dough Academy
by teen asian
anyone who tries to tell you that punk rock is dead is a certifiable knucklehead. not because they're wrong, but because it's such an obvious point, it doesn't even bear mentioning. twenty years ago, sporting a mohawk and a leather jacket was enough to get you beaten up in the streets. now it's a fucking fashion statement. of course punk rock is dead. which doesn't preclude bands like green day and the offspring from trying to suck every last dollar from it's limp and rotting dick. now, none of this is to say that the mid- to late-70s held an exclusive license on manic rhythms, chunky power chords, and yelled-not-sung lyrics about alienation and wanting to destroy passers-by. but c'mon kids, it's twenty years down the road; you've got to bring at least a little something more to the party. and san francisco's own peppercorn has done that. not in a big way, mind you, but what they do provide is a glittering bag of pop hooks that suggest more imagination and creativity than your typical major label "punk" (yecch) band. of course, the old standbys are here: short songs, that "wall of guitars" sound, lyrics spat forth in a strangled yelp. but you'll also hear more than a smattering of inventive melodies that will keep you coming back beyond the first listen. one is reminded of early archers of loaf (especially if that one is me). the material does get a little same-y over the course of the record, but the short songs and short overall running time of this disc (12 tracks, plus a "hidden" live cut at the end, but it winds up playing more like an ep than a long-player) help to mitigate that.
peppercorn
some guy down the street records
po box 420455
s.f., ca 94142
Web Site
Guchlrug, New Age Rib Cage
by teen asian
every rock critic worth his or her salt is constantly tripping over themselves to find "the next big thing". a couple of years ago, when electronic music started getting popular (again), they shucked that approach and went whole hog, crowning a whole new generation of british computer geeks THE FUTURE OF ROCK. apparently they felt that the music criticism establishment still had a shred of credibility left that needed to be eradicated. well, it's 2 years down the road, and electronic music is on the cusp of that long, lazy ride into the background of our collective consciousness, and guess what?…kids are still making music with guitars! lordy mae! now, if you were to ask me about this whole "future of rock" nonsense…well, I'd refuse to answer, because I haven't got the foggiest. but if pressed (or threatened, or cajoled, or plied with drinks), I'd hazard a guess that the future lies at least partially with the purveyors of that kooky genre known simply as "noise". call it avant garde, call it experimental, call it…..well, noise. but one can often catch a glimpse of what the future holds for our beloved pop song format by studying the people who seem to be working the hardest to deconstruct it. hailing from the unlikely locale of florida, guchlrug (and no, i don't know how to pronounce it) are a band treading that fine line between rock and noise. those who are curious about this netherworld of guitar mania but not quite ready to take the full plunge with, say, the latest harry pussy disc, can take comfort in knowing that guchlrug have not completely eschewed the concept of song structure, or hooks even. to be sure, this disc does not "rock", but then, most noise doesn't. in that sense (and several others), it bears more of a resemblance to jazz than traditional rock, though most jazzbo's would turn up their nose at the cacophany coming from this disc, save for perhaps the free-jazz improvisationalists such as derek bailey, et al. guchlrug
porn star records
17223 plantation dr
ft myers, fl 33912
Web Site
ARTICLES BIASES CLASSIFIEDS CONTACT US