The Exit, a recording by Pamela Robinson that appears on Fort Collins' Kiva Records, sports first-rate packaging; rather than employing a standard CD liner, the folks behind the project sprang for separate cards that feature striking artwork on one side and information about a song on the other. The music, however, makes for some mighty heavy plowing. The compositions are mainly decorative folk drones over which Robinson lays overtly poetic lyrics such as "I am a lonely eagle/High desert to mountain range/Watching the river's end" (from "The Exit"). The Native American flavor of many arrangements occasionally creates some interest, and the saxophone work on "New Sax City" is impressive. But throughout most of The Exit, I was looking for the door (Kiva Records, 1828 Orchard, Fort Collins, CO 80521). On Disorder, its new CD, Enzyme, featuring Sean Chavez and Art Bodin, is a professional piece of work aimed at suave adults. "E-World II" is a highly percussive slice of Brazil-influenced pop, "Stranger" sounds like George Michael turning Simply Red, "Country Disco" is a modest dance track spiked with synth-horns, and "Thousand Times" figuratively strands the Enzyme pair outside a broken phone booth with money in their hands. While there's nothing especially gripping on Disorder, the platter is consistently listenable. And these days, that's saying something (Sean.Chavez@MCI.COM).
VENA KAVA'S BIONICA IS PRETTY SCREWY STUFF. "PURE EVIL" RAWKS OUT IN DOPEY FASHION, "THE SERF SONG" ZOOMS ALONG ON A BURST OF ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW ORGAN OCCASIONALLY ACCENTED BY WEIRD SPACE BURBLES, AND "BACK OF THE BUS" IS AN EXTENDED PIECE THAT MAKES ROOM FOR A PIANO SOLO STRAIGHT OUT OF A LOUNGE--AND THAT'S JUST THE FIRST THREE TUNES. THE ACT'S VOCALS ARE AN ACQUIRED TASTE THAT I STILL HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO CHOKE DOWN BY THE OFFERING'S CONCLUSION, AND NEAR-NOVELTIES LIKE "BEGINNING IS THE END" DON'T PORTEND A LONG SHELF LIFE. BUT GOOFINESS COUNTS FOR SOMETHING, AND VENA KAVA'S GOT PLENTY OF IT (VENA KAVA, 1242 GAYLORD ST. #104, DENVER, CO 80206). HATHAWAY SMILES BY MARCY BARUCH IS PROFESSIONALLY RENDERED EASY-LISTENING, SINGER-SONGWRITER DIVISION. I WAITED IN VAIN FOR A GENUINELY UPTEMPO TUNE, BUT THE CLOSEST BARUCH COMES ARE "BREAKDOWN OF THE WALL," "23 TEARS" AND "I SAW THE WRECKING BALL," WHICH DON'T MOVE VERY QUICKLY BUT ARE ARRANGED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE DRUMS AND BASS TO AT LEAST BE HEARD ON OCCASION. ALTHOUGH HER LYRICS FOCUS ON ROMANCE, SHE MOST OFTEN GOES FOR EITHER OVER-THE-TOP WORSHIPFULNESS ("YOU") OR INTENSE PAIN ("EVERY TIME"). I FELT QUITE A LOT OF THE LATTER WHILE SPINNING HATHAWAY SMILES, BUT DON'T LET THAT SWAY YOU--I HAVEN'T ATTENDED ANY SENSITIVITY-TRAINING SEMINARS LATELY (BIG N' BRASH MUSIC, 3528 W. 24TH AVENUE, DENVER, CO 80211).
As March 28 dawned, everything was wonderful in the world of Uphollow, a Westword profile subject ("Uphollow Victories," February 5, 1998): The band had a gig at the Bluebird Theater that evening and was preparing to head out for a tour the next day. But upon returning to their van following the show, their mood changed. "Everything was stolen," says Ian O'Dougherty, a vocalist and guitarist for the group. "Everything." That's an exaggeration, but not by much: The list of equipment the thieves spirited away includes a gray Premier bass drum, three blue-marble Rogers toms, a natural wood Squier Telecaster, a black American Fender Jazz bass, assorted Carvin, Orange and Peavy amps, a Boss phaser pedal and a pair of Shure SM-58 microphones. Thanks to the kindness of several fellow musicians, who loaned O'Dougherty and friends their gear, the outfit's tour didn't have to be canceled: Uphollow will be on the road until the last half of April. But O'Dougherty urges anyone who happens across any suspicious items to e-mail information to him at uphollow4@AOL.COM. "I HOPE PEOPLE CAN KEEP AN EYE OUT," HE ADDS. "THIS IS $12,000 AND FIVE YEARS OF OUR LIVES."
THE FOLKS AT JIM BEAM, WHO DON'T WANT ALL THAT MANY OF YOU TO FOLLOW JAMES GLADER'S EXAMPLE, ARE BEHIND THE "BAND SEARCH ROCK EDITION," INTENDED TO DISCOVER THE BEST UNSIGNED MODERN-ROCK ACT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. THE FINALISTS IN DENVER--32, ACCIDENTAL SUPERHERO, EIGHTH DAY, MOONSHOT AND THE INDULGERS--MAKE THEIR BID FOR THE FINALS ON THURSDAY, APRIL 8, AT THE HARD ROCK CAFE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE FINE FOLKS AT YOO-HOO, THE CHOCOLATE BEVERAGE BELOVED BY ONLY THE MOST DISCERNING HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN, IS BEHIND THE WARPED SPEED BATTLE OF THE UNSIGNED BANDS. WINNERS HAVE BEEN PROMISED AN ARRAY OF GOODIES, PLUS A STAGE APPEARANCE AT THE WARPED TOUR VENUE NEAREST THEIR HOME BASE. ENTRANTS ARE ASKED TO SEND A DEMO AND A 3-BY-5-INCH CARD FEATURING LINER INFO AND CONTACT NUMBERS TO ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE, C/O YOO-HOO WARPED SPEED CONTEST, 6516 DETROIT AVENUE, SUITE 5, CLEVELAND, OH 44102-3057.
LIQUOR MAY BE QUICKER, BUT YOO-HOO IS DANDY. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 8, PETER CASE, WHO'S ONE OF THE BEST SOLO PERFORMERS ON THE SCENE TODAY, DROPS BY THE SOILED DOVE; THE FUTURE PRESIDENTS INTERVIEW INTERNS AT THE CRICKET ON THE HILL; AND THE PIN DOWNS POKE ABDOMEN AT THE 15TH STREET TAVERN. ON FRIDAY, APRIL 9, BREEZY PORTICOS (FEATURING MEMBERS OF SISSY FUZZ, WHICH RECENTLY FOLDED ITS TENT) HELPS DRESSY BESSY CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF ITS NEW DISC, PINK HEARTS, YELLOW MOONS, AT THE BLUEBIRD. ON SATURDAY, APRIL 10, WENDY WOO HEADLINES AT HERMAN'S HIDEAWAY; THE NEWSBOYS DELIVER AT THE DENVER COLISEUM; THE SAMPLES KICK OFF THEIR LATEST TOUR AT THE FOX THEATRE; FAT MAMA AND THE CREIGHTON HOLLY BAND TEAM UP AT THE MUSIC HALL AT LODO; UNWRITTEN LAW IS PASSED DOWN AT THE AZTLAN THEATRE; AND SALLY TAYLOR JOINS PETER OSTROUSHKO AND DEAN MCGRAW AT TUFT THEATER. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 11, GREAT BIG SEA WASHES INTO THE BOULDER THEATER, AND THE DENVER RECORD COLLECTORS EXPO IS STAGED AT THE HOLIDAY INN, NORTHGLENN (CALL 303-455-8408 TO LEARN MORE). ON TUESDAY, APRIL 13, TEENBEAT RECORDS' OWN ADEN VISITS THE 15TH STREET TAVERN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED DRESSY BESSY, WHOSE NAME CAN APPEAR IN BOLD PRINT ONLY ONCE PER COLUMN. I DON'T MAKE THE RULES; I JUST ENFORCE THEM.
--MICHAEL ROBERTS
BACKBEAT'S E-MAIL ADDRESS ISo Michael_Roberts@ westword.comMichael_Roberts@.
