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*TAKE ONE-the occasional modern rock review               *
*ISSUE #32-JANUARY 4, 1998                                *
*SPECIAL YEAR-END EXTRAVAGANZA!                           *
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THIS ISSUE: Scott's favorite albums and singles of the Year
of Our Lord 1997, miscellaneous categories, and brief rants
about stuff that sucked.
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FROM THE EDITOR

Issue #33 will rededicate Take One to a shorter, weekly
format, featuring maybe one or two long reviews and a handful
of paragraph bits or singles reviews per issue plus a special
feature such as the Bargain Bin or Megamix!.  I will also
recommence posting Take One on Usenet newsgroups such as
alt.music.alternative and rec.music.reviews.  More
"advertising" on band mailing lists (bits on the Everclear,
Posies, Poprocks, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Ben Folds Five,
Audities, and Matthew Sweet lists are how many of you came
to receive Take One) will also expand the subscription base.

Appearing next issue will be Jeff Shelton and Drew Perfilio's
(a.k.a. the remainder of Take One's staff) top albums lists of
1997.

Best wishes for 1998.  As I always say, say "no!" to herpes.

-Scott Slonaker, Founder/Editor
ss230495@oak.cats.ohiou.edu
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LAST YEAR'S FAVORITES
Albums:
1. Brian Setzer Orchestra, _Guitar Slinger_
2. Weezer, _Pinkerton_
3. Girls Against Boys, _House of GVSB_
4. Patty Griffin, _Living With Ghosts_
5. Screaming Trees, _Dust_
6. Grant Lee Buffalo, _Copperopolis_
7. Semisonic, _Great Divide_
8. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, _Murder Ballads_
9. Soul Coughing, _Irresistible Bliss_
10. Squirrel Nut Zippers, _Hot_

Singles:
1. Everclear, "Heartspark Dollarsign"
2. Girls Against Boys, "Super-Fire"
3. Superdrag, "Sucked Out"
4. Beck, "Where It's At"
5. Super Deluxe, "She Came On"
6. Cake, "The Distance"
7. Nick Cave f/ Kylie Minogue, "Where the Wild Roses Grow"
8. Sebadoh, "Ocean"
9. Cracker, "I Hate My Generation"
10. Gin Blossoms, "Follow You Down"
11. Fountains of Wayne, "Radiation Vibe"
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1997-A YEAR IN REVIEW

As I mentally retrace the musical highlights of 1997, one
particular factor becomes apparent.  1996 was better.  I
remember around this time last year being unsure of '96's
status as a good or bad year, but comparisons with '97 have
made '96's superiority all too clear.  1997 was a year of
singles more than albums, to the point that I cannot in
good conscience actually select ten records that I love to
the point of meriting inclusion on the "favorite" list.
(Notice the use of the word "favorite" instead of "best";
major difference.)  The upside of '97's bevy of memorable
radio/video singles, however, means that I was able to
find a home for one of the album slots onto the singles list,
thus yielding eleven.  Also added to the package for this
year are categories for favorite covers, favorite
compilations, favorite soundtracks, and those tunes that
shoulda, coulda been everywhere.

Farewell to Dinosaur Jr., Throwing Muses, Presidents of the
United States of America, Gin Blossoms, Redd Kross, the
Posies (probably), Soundgarden, Failure, Imperial Drag,
and that dog.

Hello to a million young bands just practicing for the first
time in the guitarist's garage.  Can't wait to hear ya.
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SCOTT'S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 1997
(Appeared in part in Consumable Online, 12/18/97)

1.  Radiohead, _OK Computer_ (Capitol)

Remember when the hit single wasn't the main idea?  Running
wild with the ideas toyed with on _The Bends_, Radiohead
fashioned a (semi-) concept album far more futuristic than a
whole hard drive full of techno.  Aggressive, harsh, bleak,
mechanical, and pessimistic, but somehow also languid,
pastoral, organic, and hopeful, _OK Computer_ outdistanced
the field by several lengths.

2.  Foo Fighters, _The Colour and the Shape_ (Roswell/Capitol)

To quote CMJ New Music Monthly, "At a time when we needed it,
this is a moment to keep believing in rock."  Expanding Dave
Grohl's solo project to a full band effort, _The Colour and
the Shape_ expertly pummels the ears with such implements of
imposition as the torrid "Monkey Wrench", the now-classic
dynamics of "Wind Up", and the industrial-strength Fab Four-
isms of "Hey, Johnny Park!"  Best of all, this record should
finally end the relentless and annoying Nirvana comparisons
that have plagued the band from the start.

3.  Guided By Voices, _Mag Earwhig_ (Matador)

Lo-fi British Invasion-esque pop auteur Robert Pollard heads in
the opposite direction from both labels.  Enlisting the able
backing of Cleveland's Cobra Verde, Pollard sheds the Beatles
basement-tapes vibe for chunky rock 'n roll (classic in the
best sense of the word) while still retaining the whimsical
and idiosyncratic lyrical matter.  Interspersed throughout
the record are occasional sonic reminders of the band's
Luddite past, which is a nice touch.  "I Am A Tree" is the
usually-concise GBV's five-minute "Stairway to Heaven"-like
epic, and "Bulldog Skin" should have been an up-from-the-
underground radio hit.

4.  Ben Folds Five, _Whatever and Ever Amen_ (550 Music)

Rocking the 88s like few others in this decade can, Ben Folds
and his crack rhythm section made their major-label debut a
dandy.  As aggressive at times as any punk band (see "Song
for the Dumped" as example numero uno), the Five (actually
three) also have quite the Eltonesque touch for power balladry
("Brick").  In between, Folds dabbles in everything from Bee
Gees harmonies ("Fair") to cutting, quirky pop with the
attitude and bite of Elvis Costello ("Battle of Who Could Care
Less").  Like all great talents, Folds simultaneously keeps his
roots in the past while reshaping the present.

5.  Sarah McLachlan, _Surfacing_ (Arista)

A reliable oasis from the ever-growing army of pissy, angst-ridden
bleaters and cloying, precious folkies, Sarah McLachlan's fourth
album manages to display both strength and grace.  While it isn't
exactly a grand departure from her previous effort, _Fumbling
Towards Ecstasy_, songs such as the pulsating "Sweet Surrender",
the gorgeous "Adia", and the solemn "Do What You Have to Do"
more than compensate.  The incredible achievement of the Lilith
Fair aside, _Surfacing_ cements McLachlan's position among the
paragons of modern music, regardless of gender.

6.  Who Hit John, _Hey Buffy_ (Not So Permanent)

Power-pop had a good year in general, despite its continued
lack of commercial major-label viability (ironically enough)
but only one act managed a record that was completely
consistent from beginning to end.  Evoking the Replacements
gone '60s AM radio, _Hey Buffy_ ranges from boppy ("Somebody")
to sweet ("Incomplete") to raucous (a letter-perfect reading
of Big Star's "Don't Lie to Me").
Try http:\\www.geocities.com\~whohitjohn\ for more.

7.  Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, _The Boatman's Call_ 
(Mute/Reprise)

After the over-the-top macabre freakshow that was last year's
_Murder Ballads_, Nick Cave opted to turn the lamps down low
for a low-key set of love songs that are deceptively more
complex than they originally appear.  "Into My Arms" would be
a simple lullaby if it wasn't for the verse lyrics ("I don't
believe in an interventionist God"). "Lime-Tree Arbour" and
"(Are You) the One that I've Been Waiting For?" infuse Cave's
quiet musings with undercurrents of despair and cynicism.
"People Ain't No Good" summons up just a touch of Nick's usual
antipathy.  Elegant and haunting.  
      
8.  Fountains of Wayne, _Fountains of Wayne_ 
(Scratchie/TAG/Atlantic) (1996 release)

Even though _Fountains of Wayne_ was released at the end of 1996,
I spent so much of 1997 listening to it (didn't purchase until
January) that to omit it from this list would be an injustice
fit for the average Sean Connery soliloquy.  This record
collects some of the most insidiously infectious guitar-pop
melodies ever written into a package that contains absolutely
no filler whatsoever.  Quite possibly the only record I own
from the last couple of years where I can recall every single
word to every single song; it was played that much.  What kept
Adam Schlesinger in hiding for so long?  

9.  Everclear, _So Much For the Afterglow_ (Capitol)

In a strong year, this album probably gets bumped.  Admittedly,
following up _Sparkle and Fade_, one of my favorites of all
time, was a next-to-impossible task.  Despite some repetitive
and adolescent lyrics and a couple of soundalike riffs,
_Afterglow_ is an interesting and likable sequel.  The band
adds a variety of new instruments and textures to some of
the tunes, most of which works well (keyboards on "Everything
to Everyone", strings on "Amphetamine", banjo on "Why I
Don't Believe in God").  It isn't all experimenting, though,
and one listen to the seismic, leonine roar of "Father of
Mine" proves that.   
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HONORABLE MENTIONS, OR MERE MORTALS

-Bloodhound Gang, _One Fierce Beer Coaster_ (Republic/Geffen)

It's just funny.  Shamelessly derivative and juvenile, but
funny.

-The Verve, _Urban Hymns_ (Virgin)

This might have been #10 on the favorites list if I'd owned
it more than two weeks.  "The Drugs Don't Work" and "Lucky
Man" are two more gorgeous compositions.

-Super Deluxe, _Via Satellite_ (Revolution)
 Polara, _C'Est La Vie_ (Interscope)
 Del Amitri, _Some Other Sucker's Parade_ (A&M)
 The Gladhands, _La Di Da_ (Big Deal)                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
 Gigolo Aunts, _Learn to Play Guitar_ EP (Wicked Disc)
 Teenage Fanclub, _Songs From Northern Britain_ (Columbia)

The A-list of this year's power-pop crop all turned out solid,
occasionally brilliant albums.  In order, the pick gem from
each: "Farrah Fawcett", "Light the Fuse and Run", "Not Where
It's At", "Gore Girls (Gimme More)", "Kinda Girl", and "Take
the Long Way 'Round".

-Treble Charger, _Maybe It's Me_ (RCA)

These Canadians evoke older Radiohead with downer lyrics,
wall-of-sound guitars, and consistently strong songwriting.

-Cheap Trick, _Cheap Trick_ (Red Ant)

Comeback of the year; rock-solid, ballsy rave-ups and
graceful, lush balladry done up the way it used to be.
Robin Zander has got to be the most underrated singer in
music.

-Freedy Johnston, _Never Home_ (Elektra)

The most underrated songwriter in America, Freedy Johnston
is about as consistent as violent crime and media overkill.

-Whiskeytown, _Strangers Almanac_ (Outpost)
 Old 97's, _Too Far to Care_ (Elektra)

Despite the faltering of the country-rock ("Americana")
genre's heavyweights (see below), both of these young 'uns
prove there's life left.  "16 Days", from _Strangers
Almanac_, is the best Jayhawks tune ever written except for
"Blue", and _Too Far to Care_ may be the only record ever
to (mostly) seamlessly mix power-pop speed and style with
such overt country twang.

-The Interpreters, _Back in the U.S.S.A._ (Freeworld)

Sometimes, high speeds, backing yeah-yeahs, and boundless
energy are enough.

-World Party, _Egyptology_ (The Enclave)
 Sloan, _One Chord to Another_ (The Enclave)

Two enjoyable releases from a defunct imprint, _Egyptology_
(Beatles) and _One Chord to Another_ (early Who) prove that
skilled and gleeful imitation is even more sincere as a form
of flattery.  This pair of veterans deserved better. 

-Thornetta Davis, _Sunday Morning Music_ (Sub Pop)
 Maxwell, _Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite_/_Unplugged_ EP (Columbia)
 (both 1996 releases)

Two African-American artists that break all molds, the
rock-gospel diva and cosmic loveman remind me that all is
not Puff Daddy and Busta Rhymes.  Thank heavens. 
************************************************************
SCOTT'S FAVORITE SINGLES OF 1997

1.  Matthew Sweet, "Where You Get Love"

A brilliant single from a mediocre album, this tune parlays
slabs o' '70s riffage and '80s new wave-y keyboard
oscillations (also known as the loop from Cheap Trick's
"Surrender") into one of Sweet's best.

2.  Foo Fighters, "Monkey Wrench"

Turbocharged like an Indy car and much more sturdy,
this one sees Dave Grohl exorcise his demons with
authority.

3.  The Dandy Warhols, "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on
Earth"

The best music video of the year, hands down (dancing
hypodermic needles, 'nuff said), "Junkie" also happened to
have as a soundtrack one of the wittiest anti-drug tunes
in a long while.

4.  Everclear, "Everything to Everyone"  

Portland's finest break out of the post-Nirvana pigeonhole
with a nagging, buzzy keyboard hook that builds a killer
dance groove, of all things.  An unexpected confection
from a band that is fighting its stereotyping every step
of the way.

5.  The Verve, "Bitter Sweet Symphony"

Sure, the strings are pinched from the Stones, but that
doesn't cheapen the shivery beauty of a powerfully
articulate song.  A deserving breakthrough.

6.  White Town, "Your Woman"

A fond reminder of why 1982 might not have been so bad.

7.  Blur, "Song 2" 

Out with _The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation
Society_ and _The Stone Roses_, in with _Daydream Nation_
and _Slanted and Enchanted_.  Bonus.

8.  Veruca Salt, "Volcano Girls"

The spirit of Heart lives on.  

9.  Space, "Female of the Species"    

What the world needs now, besides love, sweet love, is more
Bacharachian strip songs.  Absolutely genius.

10. Jamiroquai, "Cosmic Girl"

A fond reminder of why 1977 might not have been so bad, either.
Why this was only promoted as a "dance" song is mystifying.

11. Chumbawamba, "Tubthumping"

As long as the Stone Roses get their royalty checks, there's
nothing wrong with a left-field smash that is as catchy the
hundredth time as it is the first.  Intoxication and
barcrawling, apparently, are universally resonant themes.

The First Annual Best Hypothetical 7" Single Award:

-Mr. T Experience, "...And I Will Be With You" b/w "Swiss
Army Girlfriend" (Lookout!)

The world's reigning pop-punk kings (now that Green Day has
left the genre; hope they had the time of their lives), these
two gems, buried in the middle of MTX's umpteenth album,
_Revenge is Sweet, And So Are You_, could very well have been
the best debut 7" in a long, long, time.  "..And I Will Be
With You" nicks the stop 'n go rhythm from "My Sharona", as
many do, and throws in a ridiculously huge chorus.  "Swiss
Army Girlfriend" is so witty, it hurts ("I love the feel/
Of her stainless steel/While we're rolling around on the
floor").
************************************************************
IN AWARDS PRESENTED PRIOR TO THE SHOW....

Best Covers:

-Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, _Have A Ball_ (Fat Wreck)

Punks play '70s rock chestnuts.  Obvious, but also loads of
fun and surprisingly reverent.  "Rocket Man" and "Leaving
on a Jet Plane" rule.

-Various Artists, _Before You Were Punk_ (Vagrant)

Punks play '80s new wave chestnuts.  Obvious, but also loads
of fun and surprisingly reverent.  "In Between Days" and
"867-5309 (Jenny)" rule.

-Kula Shaker, "Hush"

Buried amidst a scrap heap plastered with the label "_I Know
What You Did Last Summer_ Soundtrack", "Hush" (popularized
in the U.S. by Deep Purple; trust me, you know it) saw
Britain's new bohemians put more piss and vigor into two
minutes and forty-five seconds than they put into their
entire debut album.

-Save Ferris, "Come On Eileen"

I had vowed that nothing upon nothing would make me like one
of the '80s' most annoying songs, but then the ska-poppers
got ahold of it.  Sigh....I'm a slut.  That's why you love me,
that's why you hate me too.  (E-mail me with the source of that
lyrical paraphrasing for cool points and a prize.)

-Puff Daddy et al., "I'll Be Missing You"

Hey, it's got heart.  I'm sure I know that melody from
somewhere...

Best Soundtracks:

-_Grosse Pointe Blank_ (The Clash, Violent Femmes, English
Beat, etc.)

Like any non-score soundtrack should come off- as a mix tape
by someone with really good taste.  Minus Guns 'N Roses.
The "More Music From the Film" sequel disc is really good too,
with Tones on Tail, the Specials, Echo and the Bunnymen, the
Pogues, and "White Lines".

-_Austin Powers_ (Wondermints, Space, Cardigans, Strawberry
Alarm Clock, etc.)

It makes me horny, baby.  Despite "I Touch Myself".

Best Compilations:

-_Poptopia!_ (3 volumes: '70s, '80s, '90s) (Rhino)

When placed in the CD changer on "shuffle", these three
discs of power-pop gems are, to quote Consumable Online's
Bill Holmes, "the greatest jukebox in the world."

-The Replacements, _All For Nothing/Nothing For All_ (Reprise)
 
Gets the nod over the Pixies package because of the entire
disc worth of B-sides and outtakes.  One of the most
influential post-punk bands in the last two decades finally
gets the star treatment.

-_Live From 6A: Conan O' Brien_ (Mercury)

Conan's band bookers know what's happening.  Not a bad tune
in the bunch, unless 311 or Cake are _that_ offensive.

-_The World's Greatest Power-Pop Compilation...Really!_
(Not Lame)

Twenty-two bands come up with at least a dozen or so radio
hits between them in some mythical alternate universe where
such bands actually get noticed.

Five That Coulda Been Contendahs....

1.  Silver Jet, "Kid" (Virgin)

It's not like I'm not used to great power-pop tunes about
girls getting the short end of the stick (just like the
songs' protagonists themselves), but "Kid"'s self-effacing,
boyish enthusiasm ("She probably dates a future indie-rock
star/And I just spent my life savings on a drink") and
witty name-dropping ("I think she'd dig me if I was
Thurston Moore") was just tooo good to get overlooked...
or so I thought.

2.  Del Amitri, "Not Where It's At" (A&M)

This was even more surprising, as Scotland's finest pop
band wasn't exactly starting from scratch ("Roll to Me",
"Always the Last to Know").  Nevertheless, no one cared
about the band's fine new album or this perfect single,
about, you guessed it, unrequited love.

3.  Dance Hall Crashers, "Lost Again" (MCA)

After the massive success of No Doubt, one would think
that a similar female-fronted bunch of ska-poppers (that
also happen to be light-years better) would be able to
make some sort of dent in the masses.  Save Ferris,
another act in the same category as the Crashers, had
to resort to a gimmicky '80s cover (as fun as it was)
for bandwidth and ink.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       4.  Chantal Kreviazuk, "Surrounded" (Columbia)

4.  Chantal Kreviazuk, "Surrounded" (Columbia)

Obviously signed in Alanis' stylistic wake, but Chantal
actually merges Miss M's occasionally undeniable rawk
squawk to the cool passion of Sarah McLachlan and, as
a special treat, the bluesy belt of Joan Osborne.  When 
the songs are there, as on "Surrounded", a soaring,
jaw-dropping five-minute opus, she's more than a match.
Some just end up lost in the shuffle.  (Look for a review
of Chantal's _Under These Rocks and Stones_, promo copies
now inhabiting $3 used bins across America, in a future
issue.)

5.  Moloko, "Fun For Me" (Warner Bros.)

Even with the support of a mega-titan and placement on a
marquee soundtrack (_Batman and Robin_), there was naught
to be had for the quirky free-association rapping and fat
Dre-style funk gallop of Moloko's debut single.  

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LETDOWNS

-Matthew Sweet, _Blue Sky on Mars_ (Volcano)

Every one of Matty's albums had a distinctly different feel,
until the water-treading of _Mars_.  Several good tracks,
but his weakest since his two embryonic '80s records.

-Jayhawks, _Sound of Lies_ (American)
 Son Volt, _Straightaways_ (Warner Bros.)

Two country-rock paragons are tripped up by aimless
experimentation and soporific balladeering, respectively.
Both do contain periodic flashes of their respective
classics (_Tomorrow the Green Grass_, _Trace_).

-Live, _Secret Samadhi_ (Radioactive)

For all its advance hype, _Samadhi_ sure did seem dull
next to the dynamic wailing of _Throwing Copper_.  Ed
Kowalczyk also seems to have misplaced his lyrical
magical mystery tour, replaced by a copy of Roget's
Thesaurus and back issues of _Mad_ magazine.  For this
band, bad move.

-Cornershop, _When I Was Born For the 7th Time_ 
(Luaka Bop/WB)

Cornershop have a unique fusion of Asian rhythm and Beckian
scratch-n-sniff going, and they display their knowledge of
this fact by wanking around way too much.  A dull, obvious
cover of "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", ending the
record, punctuates matters.  When they get down to business
("Sleep on the Left Side", "Funky Days are Back Again",
"Brimful of Asha") things improve considerably.  Their
label's papa, David Byrne, one-upped them nicely (_Feelings_).

-Seven Mary Three, _Rock Crown_ (Atlantic)

Neatly alienating their fresh-faced fan base from a stint
as Young Metalliskynyrds, 7M3 voluntarily sentence themselves
to Unplugged Hell in a misguided attempt at the mythic
"credibility".  "Officer, it seemed to be on fire when I
lay down on it."

-Oasis, _Be Here Now_ (Epic)

As if they weren't pretentious enough before.

-The Dandy Warhols, _...The Dandy Warhols Come Down_ 
(Capitol)

When this bunch of pseudo-mods throws a little variation
into their monotonic keyboard/guitar drone ("Boys Better",
"Cool as Kim Deal"), they're a smirkin' good time.  Way too
much of said drone is tacked onto the beginning and end of
_Come Down_, which leaves  "Not If You Were the Last Junkie
on Earth" sticking out like a sore thumb.  Not bad by any 
means, just overrated as a pop record.

-U2, _POP_ (Island)

Sigh.  Electronica actually proved a gilded cage for
everyone's favorite Big Rock Band.  Perhaps a step backwards
into _Achtung Baby_-land dabbling would prove more lucrative,
not to mention more palatable in general.

-Prodigy, _Fat of the Land_ (Maverick)

They made their masterpiece, _Music For the Jilted Generation_,
when no one was looking, then opted for style over substance
when it counted.  "Smack My Bitch Up" is the exception.
************************************************************

I anticipate with bated breath, drool forming at the corners
of my mouth, over scheduled 1998 releases from Liz Phair,
Girls Against Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Semisonic, Soul Coughing,
Midnight Oil, and everyone else who I don't know about now
but will soon enough.  Happy listening in the year ahead.

NEXT ISSUE: The Verve, Fatboy Slim, Crystal Method, Chopper
One, and other people's favorites from '97.

Take One is copyright 1998 by Zeitgeist! Productions, Inc.
Distribution is encouraged.  Any other retransmission without
express written consent or hefty bribery will result in,
minimum, a stern cuff upside the noggin and a thorough
de-pantsing.
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