[Sidebar] The Worcester Phoenix
March 6 - 13, 1998

[Airwaves]

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Airwaves

by Brian Goslow

Music critics aren't the only ones upset about the lack of quality music in the shops. On a recent Dave and Dave Show, which airs Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 p.m. on WCUW (91.3 FM), hosts Dave Goldberg and Dave Lyon discussed the current shortage. "We were saying what little patience we have for CDs with one hit song and a bunch of filler," explains Goldberg. "We're looking for new concepts and artists that can expand your horizons." Their current number one is Goldie's Saturnzreturn (FFRR Records). "It's almost like having a rack of five changing CDs. It has everything -- techno, trance, ambient, rap, and R&B. There's even a rock cut with Noel Gallagher ("Temper Temper"). What more can you ask for?" Well, there's an appearance by KRS-One and there's Mother, a second CD of remixes. "It's very Eno-like. It takes two-and-one-half minutes until you realize something's going. It's like an overture or a Leftfield CD."

Sugarsmack's major-label debut, Tank Top City (Sire), "has lots of attitude, the material to back it up, and it's all done with a sense of humor." They get a Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street feel on "Josephine." Goldberg doesn't know if the CD fits in with current commercial formats, "but it should get them better gigs."

However, judging from the track "Rush," which repeats the refrain "This town sucks" while naming cities they can't stand, he gets the impression there are few towns Sugarsmack, who had nothing bad to say about Worcester (they played Ralph's a few years back) want to return to. "I don't think they like touring much."

Goldberg calls Mary Lou Lord's Got No Shadow (Sony) "the great Byrds album that was never made." Early reviews have said her songs reek of unhappiness. "I don't hear any sadness in these songs. Mary Lou could read a software manual, and it would be uplifting. If she can put up with the shit, playing to people in the subways, she must be an optimist." Lord, whose touring band includes Worcester guitarist Marc Barnicle (of the Jimmies), is scheduled to appear on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on March 14.

Rich Desrosiers of Retaliation continues to serve as Dave and Dave's heavy-metal talent scout. His latest find is Fort Wayne, Indiana's InBreed, whose first CD is Back to the Underground (Midwest). "They're angry Texans who have the good sense to play metal with an almost-[White] Zombie-like feel, but the production is a little raw."

For local releases, Woodgrain Theory's Sound of Perception (Headswirl) has been getting airtime, along with "Monica," a song Goldberg recorded with help from Scott Lee and Rob Langely, host of the Tammany Club's Tuesday-night jam sessions. "I've been trying to turn it into a hit, but there's been no response." He hopes to get a better reaction to his challenge to area couch potatoes.

"Even if it's just for one week, I want everyone to turn off their television on Thursday night and listen to the radio and feel the freedom it offers as opposed to TV. Get off your couch, walk around, explore your house. Try doing dishes, mopping the floor, even vacuum if some music comes on that you don't like. Radio gives you opportunities while television drags you down."

And where else can you hear Jason the Psychic and underground film fanatic Dan Lekas, who recently opened VideoZone, a cult-classic film store on Highland Street. "Depending on how much he's into current-day Hollywood, we'll get his thoughts on the Oscars, but his love is low-budget cult classics." Anyone whose store includes hard-to-find Warhol and G.G. Allin films should be quite a trip.


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