A L W a Y S M O R E Muj on Sale at To) Gloria E Stefan Emm
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WW CULTURE TIMBRE BY RICHARD MARTIN In the 'Clean Mindful of the swirling forcement. The message, it seems, ALWAYS MORE MUJ rumors about Everclear's impending could equally apply to his band- breakup, frontman Art Alexakis mates in his newest endeavor. ON SALE AT TO) tackled the topic immediately upon Live and Kicking: Six years ago, striding onstage Saturday night at with the Pacific Northwest locked in LaLuna, where he played an invite- the vise-grip of the movement that only party that followed Dr. Martens' came to be known as grunge, an annual fashion show. Before strum- assembly of scraggly haired break- ming a note, he announced that the aways encamped at the LaurelThirst multiplatinum-selling band hasn't Public House, a cozy, lodge-like called it quits, but that it'll go on a neighborhood tavern in Northeast yearlong hiatus while he releases Portland. Each night on the small and tours in support of a solo debut. stage, musicians ranging in age from Wearing black-rimmed hipster 20 to 60 dedicated themselves to spectacles and seated on a stool, playing rootsy music that sounded > put in One ef ike «orl<fi greatest Rock vocalists is bock with Alexakis previewed some of the thoroughly foreign during those days hands oI today's hip-nop and bnlonl interpretations oI classic Nick towe, Oons, of whine and poses. Loosely grouped techno masters. Gfohom Porker i more forthcoming material. He first accompanied himself on acoustic under the tag "the Eastside sound," guitar and then surprised the (shoe) these performers celebrated the THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY GLORIA E STEFAN industry crowd by introducing a region's longstanding devotion to four-piece backing band that includ- informal jamming based on tradi- ed two ex-Sweaty Nipples members. tional American song forms, from The apparently well-rehearsed folk and country to hillbilly and jazz. ensemble—consisting of Alexakis, a In 1992, the Live at LaurelThirst bassist, a keyboardist/accordionist, compilation CD gamely featured can- a drummer and a percussionist—also did takes from some of the bands' raided Everclear's songbook sets. The result was a charming if disjointed album that included acts Spins of the Week: throughout the one-hour-plus set. who've proceeded to bigger things Ace of Base, Cruel The performance exhibited a new, s McKinley), settled in for the long This stunning soundtrack lectures Propellerheads A blending of original pop ond dance Summer (Arista)— softer side of Alexakis that doesn't music seasoned with retro and Latin haul (Jim Boyer) or fizzled (the wills Shirley Bassey, Jonathan Richmon, the Guilty pleasures bode well for his bandmates in the Dandy Warhols and Ben lee flavors throughout Crackpots, who did, however, pro- don't come any highly successful Everclear. With a guiltier than this: duce the endearing Little Sue). backdrop that included candelabras Sweden's campy EMM GRYNER on either side of the stage, the quin- Currently in the midst of a three- export rekindles tet looked and sounded like a veter- Bananarama's sum- week spate of live performances an group playing an MTV Unplugged mertime classic, commemorating its ninth anniver- though the accom- gig or even a VH-1 special. sary, the LaurelThirst has released a panying "Blazin' The hired hands adorned both sequel to the original Live At... disc. Rhythm Remix" is new songs and hits like "Father of Though it accentuates the same the most egregious Mine" and "Santa Monica" with below-the-radar aesthetic of the Scandinavian sin crisp, lively backing, leaving the original, the popularity of alt-coun- since the Finns singer free to emphasize his post- try music makes this a timelier and harpooned endan- grunge growls and punctuate almost more noteworthy record, and for the gered whales. every line with a throaty "Yay-ah." most part, the performances indi- Emm Gryner mixes spellbinding Brick House, Love Rollercoaster, lyrics with hypnotic bass and Jungle Boogie, Play That Funky But the professionalism couldn't cate an advanced level of musician- Mix Master Mike, catchy pop melodies Music & more mask the monotonous lurch of ship and songwriting. Accordingly, Anti-Theft Device (Asphodel)—A fea- Alexakis' anthems, which orbit many of the featured artists are around a formula of stuttered riffs simultaneously tasting authentic ALSO ON SALE tured guest on the NO Beastie Boys' lat- and plain-as-hair-dye hooks. Of music-biz good fortune. Golden ' MUSIC est, this course, the public keeps buying, so Delicious has become an in-demand NO BEASTIE BOYS • Hello Nasty 13.99 CD .LIFE Sacramento DJ and the crafty artist would be loath to live act in Seattle, where fans clamor BRANDY • Never Say Never 13.99 CD member of the infuse his latest sonic salvo with any for the band's punk-meets-hillbilly Invisibl Skratch BRIAN MCKNIGHT • Anytime 13.99 CD extraordinary stylistic departures. As rave-ups; the sweet country musings Piklz bows with a such, the only way to differentiate of the Flatirons earned the young MONICA • Monica 13.99 CD solo record that between the fresh-baked "solo" act a record deal with the respected bursts with silly tunes and Everclear's reliable reper- Chicago label Checkered Past; 17 samples, big ol' SAVAGE GARDEN • Savage Garden 13.99 CD toire was to spot the well-worn cho- Reasons Why last week won a beats and rousing, ruses. Ever obliging, Alexakis played national unsigned-band contest SEVEN MARY THREE • Orange Ave 13.99 CD rubber-handed turntable screeches. all the hits, including a finale of "I sponsored by Musician magazine SPARKLE • Sparkle 13.99 CD Will Buy You a New Life," his evi- and recently inked a deal with the dently non-fictional ode to West New York imprint Laundry Room; EXCLUSIVE TOWER OFFER Hills homebuying as romantic rein- and Kerosene Dream's sunny-side-up Bonnie Raitt's Limited edition "Fundamental with CD Rom" jam-rock has secured it a loyal fol- Includes 3 additional tracks, a music video and interviews. lowing throughout the Northwest. 13.99 CD OFFER GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST Not that these bands' accom- plishments, or the compilation, SALE ENDS 7/27/98 place the LaurelThirst at the center •jy 1 • 800 • ASK • TOWER of any next-big-thing trend. The STOBt LOCATIONS « HOURS . PHONE 0H0EBS J Thirst remains an earthy watering hole where musicians—some of A America Online KEYWMOJOWEjT) whom showcase originality and spirit while others plod along play- www.towerrecords.com ) ing laconic three-chord gurgles- provide down-home entertainment to go along with a beer or a friendly BEAVERTON GATEWAY game of pool. «« 3175 S.W. Cedar Hills Blvd. 1 02nd « Haloy (Beaverton Mall) (Gateway Shopping Center) 40 01 l? 1998 -'MHHI .