Old Music Monthly #040: December 1996
The Cover
This might be the most in sync this magazine has ever been. If we allow that the magazine is released 8 weeks before its cover date, then the magazine came out in October. Their biggest single, “Naked Eye” (more on this later), was released on October 1, ahead of the album on October 29.
Letters
Honestly, these letters are lame. No one would blame you for skipping them.
On the Verge
Here, go back in time and read about Atari Teenage Riot
Quick Fix
This movie has held up well, and Tom Hanks definitely called in every favor he had with the crazy amount of cameos in it.
Weird Record of the Month
Here’s Wesley Willis again, and yet, he never made it to the CD. Copies start at $17.89 on discogs.
Mix Tape!
Fire up your fax machines! Eh. I mean, it’s better than what you’ll hear at the grocery store.
Best New Music
Reviews
The Genres
This write is boosting up Korn’s second album, and hyping Limp Bizkit! I have to say, I think Korn’s second album sounds rushed. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard the first Limp Bizkit album, but I remember Fred Durst screaming more than rapping. But I also haven’t heard it in at least 26 years.
Top 75
Through time, I’ve had 9, but currently only 3. How many did (do) you own?
Multi-Media
Classifieds
I don’t usually post these, because they are always just catalogs for labels with the occasional vague sex worker post, but this is something that I could use! 30 years too late. There is a “Cassette Mate”, but I doubt it’s the same company. This new version is basically a Walkman that you can also rip “mixtapes”. Only mixtapes though, not store bought cassettes. The Wired article was very clear about that, but they also called mixtapes “useless”, so fuck them.
Localzine
Tuscon, Arizona with Giant Sand’s Joey Burns.
Without further delay, the CD:
Luscious Jackson – Naked Eye (Totally Nude Mix)
We talked about Luscious Jackson waaaay back in #004 and again in #014. This is the song that blew them up. Are they considered a one hit wonder? Maybe, I can’t name another song they did. Feel free to discuss below.
However, since we last talked about them, keyboardist Vivian Trimble passed away in April of 2023 after a long battle with cancer that lasted for many years. (+)
Johnny Cash – Rusty Cage
I mean, truly, what can be said about The Man In Black that hasn’t already been said? His signing to American Recordings revitalized his career and ensured he’d leave this life with a healthy dose of relevance. Although he was recording with The Highwaymen in the early/mid 90s, he didn’t release any music in 1992 or 1993 (but put out two albums in 1991). For context, he released 10 albums in the 80s, and 21 in the 70s… not including live and compilation albums. Anyway, here we are on his second album for American Records, titled American II: Unchained. On this album he is backed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, with good results. It’s fun to hear this song in this way, and I try to imagine what Cash’s reaction was when he heard the original. It’s all worth it for when he sings the line “it’s rainin’ ice picks on your steel shore”. (+)
Wilco – Outtasite (Outta Mind)
We’ve not talked about Wilco, but we did cover Uncle Tupelo back in #003. When that band split, Jay Farrar formed Son Volt, while everyone else moved onto Wilco. Singer / guitarist Jeff Tweedy (such a fresh faced youth in the video below) was aiming to move away from the country aspects of Uncle Tupelo, but that Americana vibe is still there. It’s a fine song, doesn’t really inspire me to talk about it much, though.
We’ll see Wilco again in 1999. (+)
Polak – Not Listening
It all starts with the Fijalkoswki Brothers, Piotr and Krzys. The started with The Candy Thieves (lasted 23 months), then Adorable (lasted 3 years), then Polak… which is some sort of “taking it back” stance, I suppose. Good for them. This UK band had this song in 1996… but didn’t release anything until 1998, so I’m wondering how this happened. Even then, it was 3 EPs over 98 and 99, then an album in 2000, a second album in 2002, and then they were so deeply in debt they just threw in the towel. Most interestingly, Krzys became an Art History teacher and a “Doctor of Surrealism”. I have to assume that title comes with some sort of reality warping powers.
The song is fine, it’s nothing special. They sat on it for 2 years before putting it on their first EP. (-)
Baby Fox – Curlylocks
I’m not going to go deep on this. I’m using my own loophole: Because the CD version is an edit of some kind, and Youtube only has the nearly six minute version from the album, I’m not going to score. But it’s terrible. If you want to listen to it, you should just listen to the original by Junior Byles. (O)
(The) Cardigans – Lovefool
You’ve all heard this song. You either heard it when it was a smash hit in 1996 (Europe) and 1997 (North America and everywhere else.), or from its inclusion in the film Romeo + Juliet, or when Jim used it to torture Karen in Season 3 of The Office. It’s a song everyone loved, then hated, and now maybe loved again? I wouldn’t say I love it, but I can tolerate it now.
It’s complicated, but they released their first album in their native Sweden and Japan, and then their second album in Sweden and Japan, but their second album was released in the rest of Europe as their first album. Both albums were released under the title of the second album in the U.S. with different track listings in 1996 and 1997. But First Band On the Moon, their third, had this track and of course is why they broke huge around the world. The band split in 2006, but reunited in 2012. They’ve said that there are no plans for anymore albums (2005’s Super Extra Gravity being the last), but are still continuing to tour sporadically.
We’ll see The Cardigans again in 1998. (+)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6aOFI7hms 7
Elysian Fields – Star
This Brooklyn duo was formed by singer Jennifer Charles and guitarist Oren Bloedow. Ostensibly, they are kind of slotted next to Mazzy Star: guy/gal duo in the “dream pop” vein, but I think that Elysian Fields is darker. They signed Universal for their 1996 debut, but guess what? They recorded a follow up the label hated, and they got dropped.
Elysian Fields is still going. Bloedow has worked with Chocolate Genius and Meshell Ndegeocello. Charles also is a member of Lovage with Mike Patton, Kid Koala, and Dan the Automator. She’s also appeared on records by John Zorn, The The, Foetus, and those placenta mongers, Live.
(Wikipedia claims that Charles sang on Mr. Bungle’s self titled 1991 debut, but I can’t find anything to back that up. There is the John Zorn connection, though, so maybe?) (+)
Mazzy Star – Flowers In December
We talked about Mazzy Star waaaaay back in #002. We’re catching up with them on their third album, Among My Swan.
It’s fine, it sounds like them. Not a fan of the harmonica in the beginning, though. I really only like harmonica if it’s in Black Sabbath’s ”The Wizard”.
The band split in 1997 and Hope Sandoval went solo. Mazzy Star reunited briefly in 2000, and then reunited permanently in 2012. The band is still going, but drummer Keith Mitchell died in 2017. Co-writer and guitarist David Roback died in 2020. (+)
Rutles – Shangri-La
In 1975, Eric Idle had a sketch show on BBC called Rutland Weekend Television, where the “band” was originally a Rolling Stones parody called “Rutland Stones”, but then morphed into a Beatles parody. Idle worked with Neil Innes on the songs and they were included in their album The Rutland Weekend Songbook. In 1978, they put out the mockumentary All You Need Is Cash.
Innes resurrected The Rutles in 1996, and Idle declined to participate. The album is cobbled together from stuff written in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. This is actually a promo edit (which is on the disc), the album version is almost 8 minutes long. It doesn’t work for me, does it work for you?
The Rutles ended again in 1997, but reformed in 2002. They split for good when Innes died in 2019. (-)
(also, getting Slash to speak up for you in 1996 is either purposely hilarious or terribly misguided)
Korn – No Place To Hide
We were introduced to Korn way back in #017. We’re catching up with them on their second album, Life Is Peachy, which I think is a classic “sophomore slump”. I think the album is an unfocused mess, and I think this was a poor choice for a lead off single. While I think the album has a few decent songs (and much, much worse ones than this), I think this one just doesn’t get there. It’s the band limping at half power, retreading their debut.
We’ll see Korn again in 1998. (-)
Jeru The Damaja – Ya Playin’ Yaself
Brooklyn’s Jeru the Damaja began to get notice for his appearance on Gang Starr’s 1992 album Daily Operation. By 1993, Jeru’s first single “Come Clean” was an underground hit. We’re catching up with him on his second album, Wrath of the Math. I really like it, it’s a refreshing change from what mainstream hip hop was at the time.
Also in 1996, Pras from the The Fugees took aim at Jeru in the song “Zealots” calling him a false prophet, referencing Jeru’s single “You Can’t Stop the Prophet”. That may be true, but Jeru hasn’t been indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy, tax evasion, and he hasn’t bilked millions from a charity designed for Haitian disaster relief. Oh, also, he shows up to perform at his concerts.
Jeru hasn’t put out an album since 2007, but continues to put out EPs and singles. (+)
Moe. – She Sends Me
Moe.? More like No.
…
…
Sorry, I hate when other publications do that, but I couldn’t resist. Moe was formed at the University of Buffalo in 1989 or 1990, depending on who you ask. Technically, they’re “moe.” because “Moe” was already taken. Frankly, I’m not sure how that’s different enough to avoid lawsuits, but whatever.
This comes from their third album (first for Epic imprint 550), No Doy. Twenty-six seconds in they’re being twee about “corn on the cob” and I want to shove lit matches into my ears. It makes the Spin Doctors sound like Iron Maiden.
It’s clearly not my scene, but if it’s yours, good news! They’re still going strong. (-)
Pure – Anna
Vancouver’s Pure started like in 1991 as The Grin Factory, but by the time they landed on the Cool World Soundtrack in 1992, they were renamed Pure. They released their second album in 1994, Generation 6 Pack and were dropped by Warner / Reprise. They were picked up by Mammoth and the album was re-sequenced and re-released in 1996, and “Anna Is a Speed Freak” became simply “Anna”. The song is fine, but the vocals really drag it down for me.
The band split in 2000. Singer Jordy Birch embarked on a solo career and has at least one charting single in Canada. Guitarist Todd Simko went on to have a successful production career, but went missing and presumed drowned in April of 2012. (-)
Mo Thugs Family – Thug Devotion
I assume that Mo Thugs Family is the early version of Mo Thugs, but at any rate, it’s a gigantic rap collective, and other than being related to Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, I can’t come close to untangling this. Does hip hop still have these huge collectives anymore or did that die out in the 90s? Well, obviously Wu Tang is still around and so are Mo Thugs, so maybe they haven’t died out, but are new ones still formed?
This samples Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Devotion”, and that’s about the best thing about it. It’s not awful, but it plays out like Great Value Bone Thugs, which isn’t unlike most of the spin offs from every popular hip hop group / artist from this era.
Mo Thugs (Family) last released something in 2007, Bone Thugs in 2017. (-)
Rosa Mota – Space Junk
London’s Rosa Mota was formed after the lead singer was homebound after eye surgery, and he learned to play some instruments. Discogs says, “Rosa Mota’s multi-dimensional sound is born of the strength of five distinct individuals with an idiosyncratic view of music, art and life.” Ugh.
There’s nothing here that sounds as exciting as laid out above, but the video is neat. How much do you think the video cost?
The band broke up after this. Two members went on to form Horsepower, who put out one EP in 1997 and dropped of the face of the Earth. (-)
[Urusei] Yatsura – Plastic Ashtray
Glasgow’s Urusei Yatsura is named after an anime, but in Japan they are only known as Yatsura… which doesn’t make sense, or matter, because this CD isn’t from Japan.
The wall of guitars on this are pretty good, it’s a fun listen. The vocals don’t move me, however. The band split in 2001, and the members went on to form Projekt A-ko and Angel of Everyone Murder.
We’ll see them again in 1997. (+)
Ditch Croaker– Second Fiddle
We talked about Ditch Croaker in the faraway times of #029, or the January 1996 edition. And that was pretty comprehensive.
This song isn’t nearly as interesting as “Meat Grinder”. (-)
Blithe – No Comfort Holden
Blithe hails from Sweden, and they (apparently) play dark, quirky pop… per the magazine. This comes from their 1993 album, Head Is Mighty. They put out their last EP in 1996, and the timing of all of it is weird, I guess it’s just because it’s on the cusp of the internet era and pop culture wasn’t moving that fast yet. This is fine, I’m not hearing anything “quirky” here, though, so don’t hang your hat on it. (+)
The Cheese – Plastic Flowers
The Cheese is really one of those perfect 90s band names, isn’t it? Not that it’s a perfect name, but it belongs to the 90s. It’s also a name that is difficult to Google. Here’s what we have: They’re from New Jersey, they put out one album before breaking up. They are self-described (per the magazine CD booklet) as “electrifying acid rock”. I would not use a single one of those words to describe this. (-)
Momus – Saved
Momus is a Scottish musician and singer who is known to is mother as Nicholas John Currie. He started with the band The Happy Family, but they only ran from 1981-83, and then he went solo. Here, we’re checking in on him on his eleventh album (of forty), 20 Vodka Jellies. Is that like Jello shots?
On the whole, I don’t like it. That said, I like the DIY aspect of it, and the guitar is ok in parts. It’s got me wondering, an artist at this level in the 90s, how does he do now? It seems like barely anyone cared then, and with music moving on as it does, has his fan based moved on? Is he gaining any new fans?
Anyway, this song has two videos on Youtube, and they together total less than a thousand views.
When Momus isn’t cranking out albums, he is also writing novels, getting sued by tire manufacturer Michelin. He was also sued by electronic musician and transgender advocate Wendy Carlos, after he wrote a song about Carlos time travelling back in time to marry her post-surgery self. Classy. He also married a 17-year old in 1994.
We’ll see him again in 1998, for better or worse. (-)
Satisfact – 50 Mg. Once Daily
Bellevue, Washington’s Satisfact formed in the mid 90s, and were aiming for music similar to the early punk and new wave they grew up listening to. As guitarist and singer Matthe Steinke says:
“We composed as a unit merging sections together that we all liked from hours of jamming. It was a kind of musical democracy that really seemed to work. We also wrote parts that formed a base for us to improvise electronic and feedback noise over which was a key component to our live shows. Once we had all the instrumentation fully hammered out, I could listen to our practice recordings on headphones and focus on writing the lyrics. On my long bus rides, I wrote the Satisfact songbook pulling lines from billboards, signage, electronics manuals, sci-fi pulp novels, and from the darkest corners of my un-medicated psyche.”
I mean, sure.
This thing has less than 700 views. I like this, but I would’ve live the synth a little further back in the mix. I find it a little distracting how it dominates the sound.
The band split sometime after their third album was released in 1998. Steinke also played in (future) CMJ alums Mocket, and later Octant. He is now an artist in Rhode Island. Drummer Jeremiah Green went on to play with Modest Mouse. Keyboardist Chad States is a photographer in Philadelphia. Bassist Josh Warren went on to play in FCS North, he died in 2019. Jeremiah Green died in 2022. (+)
Now It’s Time For Breakdown:
Worthy Tracks: 9/21, only 42.85% this time, but 60.28% across the series.
Maple Leaf Invasion: 1/21, so 4.76% for this disc; 2.71% across the series.
YEEEEAAAHHH, Here Comes the Roster:
Mazzy Star, Korn, and Ditch Croaker are joining the Two-Timer’s Club. They join the ranks of Lemonheads, Orbital, Frente, Versus, D Generation, The Reverend Horton Heat, Me’Shell Ndogeocello, The Figgs, Dig, Sincola, Cowboy Junkies, The Spinanes, Idaho, Cracker, Iggy Pop, The Coctails, Possum Dixon, Rocket From the Crypt, Pharcyde, Gene, Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, Echobelly, Ben Harper, Hum, Bracket, Chris Whitley, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Quicksand, Digable Planets, Adam Ant, Catherine, Ass Ponys, Magnapop, Cranes, Sarah McLachlan, Eve’s Plum, Jeff Buckley, Beastie Boys, Engines of Aggression, Luscious Jackson, G. Love & Special Sauce, Green Apple Quick Step, Letters To Cleo, Big Audio Dynamite, Eve’s Plum, Greta, Paul Weller, Radiohead, Ramones Stabbing Westward, Sister Machine Gun, Superchunk, Lida Husik, Bad Brains, Cocteau Twins, Blind Melon, Sam Phillips, and Emmet Swimming. Van Morrison is here, too, but no one cares.
Luscious Jackson joins Iggy Pop, Magnapop, Therapy?, Catherine Wheel, 700 Miles, Guided By Voices, and Matthew Sweet as artists that have appeared 3 times.
Catherine Wheel and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are the only two groups to appear four times.
Over the 40 installments, there have been 689 unique artists.