HEARING AIDS

MUSIC REVIEWS
BY
MARSHALL GOOCH & CO.




Paul McCartney
Paul Is Live
(Capital)
"Paul McCartney?" asked an anonymous questioner. "Yes," said Paul McCartney. "Why are you putting out another live album? You've now had three live albums-counting the Unplugged one-in the space of three years. Your latest tour, at least the American leg of it, had to be called off. Why put this out?"
"It's being released," Paul paused, "for the benefit of my many fans who could not get to any of my shows." "Did you ever stop to think they didn't want to?" "Well, no," said the rapidly decaying pop star. "but I've got something to say. There's 'Peace in the Neighbourhood,' which is about people loving each other, 'Looking For Changes,' about why people should be vegetarians, and 'Biker like an Icon.' I'm not sure what that's about, but there's some bloody good wordplay."
"But Paul," said the anonymous questioner, "all three of those are from your last album, which, if I'm not mistaken, stiffed." "Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Paulie, "but this album's got eleven Beatles songs on it! People want to hear those."
"True," continued the questioner, "but they don't know what they're doing. Those people buy your albums just because they're your albums. You're just stealing their money." "But I've got a big farm to keep up, an entourage of hundreds trying to feed their families and make an honest living off me, and most of all, people love my music. It brings back memories for them. It gives them hope. It helps them cope with the pressures and hardships they face day after day."
"Perhaps if you'd just STOP PUTTING OUT ALBUMS it would free them to spend money on things they need. Then maybe they could cope. Have you ever considered this?" "Actually," Paul confessed, "I have. Back in 1983 after Pipes of Peace died. And later after Give My Regards to Broad Street. Then I got wise." "To what?" "To the fact that I've got to please, please me. That's what really counts, innit?"
- Marshall Gooch (With Laura Vanderpool)



Jane Siberry
When I Was a Boy
(Reprise)
The songs on this sixth album are thematic tapestry of the human experience; Siberry's well-chosen ensemble of musicians weave a tight blend of color, thickness and pattern that is both complementary and illuminating. Brian Eno adds a welcome touch to a couple of songs with his characteristic delicate production.

Siberry's voice stands somewhat back from the action, like a narrator over an aural film, but this works. We're inside her head, sharing her space, watching and feeling. Her lyrics float in the ethereal regions between earth and sky, wherein lie all the mysteries of which she sings. There's a strong Joni Mitchell influence here - a fellow
Canadian songstress - but Siberry borrows gracefully.
Listeners can only speculate on the meaning of the album's title - Siberry's sexuality as it may reveal itself in her songs is somewhat genderless, and is seated in mind more than body. But her person is complete and speaks volumes.
--Laura Vanderpool



The Clash
Super Black Market Clash
(Epic)
A re-issue of sorts, though it's been expanded from the original 10-inch version, Super Black Market Clash is a 21-song salute of the band's rare and unissued tracks. It showcases the band's best stuff, from early, straight ahead punk, to their mid-period dub excursions, to the later, more pop material.

I've always felt Black Market Clash was a great record; I think this is pretty close. It has extended dubs of "Justice Tonight/Kick It Over" and "Robber Dub," longer and better than their original BMC versions, and classic tracks like "The Prisoner," "City of the Dead," and "Pressure Drop." However, two faves from BMC, "Cheat" and "Capital Radio One," are MIA. You've got to get the box set (Clash on Broadway) for those, or seek out the rare import CD of BMC.
Still, SBMC is a killer compilation - a must for the collector, a plus for the prospector - and should be purchased, stolen or extorted at any cost.
-- Marshall Gooch



Various Artists
Born to Choose
(Rykodisc)
Another holiday season, another benefit compilation. For a good cause, to be sure, Born to Choose supports NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League), BWARE (a Brooklyn NY concern), and WHAM! (Women's Health Action and Mobilization). The disc features previously unreleased cuts by R.E.M. With Natalie Merchant-a great song called "Photograph" (Not the Ringo Starr one)- and other groups like Sugar, The Mekons, and NRBQ. The eclectic set also has Lucinda Williams doing Pancakes," Seattle's own Soundgarden with "HIV Baby," and Tom Waits doing a typical oddity called "Filipino Box Spring Hog." In all, a decent compilation for a worthy cause. (You may also wish to check out No Alternative, a similar benefit compilation from the Red Hot + Blue AIDS project with Sonic Youth, The Breeders, and more.)

--Suzy Yap



Buddy Holly
The Buddy Holly Collection
(MCA)
It's about time they came up with something like this, a two-disc, 50-song compilation of Holly's greatest hits and more. All the best are here: "Peggy Sue," "Rave On," "That'll Be the Day," "True Love Ways," "It's So Easy" -- What's to review?

You KNOW Buddy Holly was great: an artist's artist who was always looking for the new sound, and in the process, creating some of the best music ever put to tape. On The Collection you'll find many lesser-known gems, like "Fool's Paradise," "Rock Around With Ollie Vee," and Holly's own takes on other folk's hits, like "Ready Teddy" (Little Richard), and "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (Chuck Berry). An excellent holly-day gift for someone you love. And that may include you, right?
--Suzy Yap



Chris Von Sneidern
Sight & Sound
(Heday)
Here's a guy who wears his power pop influences on his sleeve. Von Sneidern, a student of the Beatles/Badfinger/Rasberries school of songwriting, creates memorable melodies, humongous hooks-what his label calls "genius pop." CVS is like Chris Isaak with a more eclectic record collection, a Marshall Crenshaw for the '90s. Now, we all know what happened to Crenshaw after his first genius album, so let's hope CVS can continue to produce the stuff he has done so well here on Sight & Sound.

With sixteen cuts, though, the album can tend to sound redundant. My suggestion? Split it in two. Call the first eight songs Sight, and the last eight Sound. Do not try to tackle the whole thing at once and you'll be glad you supported this indie label (also home of Penelope Houston) and this promising new talent.
--Marshall Gooch



EXTRA TRACKS

It started with Face Value, and it's been going on ever since. You know what I'm talking about: Phil Collins' mug everywhere. Yes, with each new album, ol' Bag Eyes comes up with new, witty, hell, SEXY pictures of himself. His new album, Both Sides-imagine the possibilities!- features pictures of Collins on the front, back, inside cover, and, in it's debut placing, underneath the inside disc holder. You know, that piece of black plastic, which has lately been made clear or some other color to expand CD packaging creativity? Well, the world's favorite egoist baldy has plastered a huge mugshot of himself right there, so every time you pull out the CD you get to see PC...

How do you spell Sister Psychic? Well, the band's label, Restless Records, has released a benefit compilation album, In Defense of Animals, on which the band appears; on the back cover their name is spelled "pyschic." Other bands on the disc, whose names are spelled correctly throughout, include Pearl Jam, Concrete Blonde, Julian Cope and Sarah McLachlan. Psychic's second LP has been pushed back to a March '94 release...

Squeeze is back: with a new album on A&M, the label they were on for years, and with some new and former members. Some Fantastic Place is a return to classic Squeeze. It features New/former member Paul Carrack, who crooned "Tempted" back in 1980, but eventually left the band to play with Nick Lowe, Mike + The Mechanics, and a solo career. Meanwhile, longtime Squeeze drummer Gilson Lavis has left the group-no one's saying why- and has been replaced by Pete Thomas, the man who banged the skins in Elvis Costello's Attractions. The rejuvenated group recently played Seattle as part of their US tour...

Elton John, who's just released an album of duets called- strangely enough - Duets, has announced the Elton John AIDS Foundation. By way of a card included in that album, John has made a bold step in citing a vision for the foundation ("to provide national leadership and resources which will result in the improvement of care for individuals living with HIV/AIDS"), a mission, and actual goals: to raise $2.5 million in the next year, and numerous grantmaking plans that would help fund recommended projects that provide direct services to people with AIDS and to provide prevention and anti-discrimination education. For more information, write the Foundation at: P.O. Box 52066, Atlanta, GA 30355

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Contents on this page were published in the December/Jan, 1994 edition of the Washington Free Press.
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Copyright © 1993 WFP Collective, Inc.
Gooch