OLI GUZUL - Agent Des Lichts

Tracks;
1. Ein Agent stellt sich vor 2. Nicht 007-nicht 08/15 3. Unter die Haut geht mir das Licht 4. Schneller als der Blitz erlaubt 5. Schitzo/Blitzo 6. Donner und Sturm ertragt kein Wurm 7. Mir geht ein Licht auf-oder war's nur die Gluhbirne? 8. Und es ward Dunkelheit wieder

Now this is one for the more experimental amongst you, the lovely readers. Because what we have here, for want of a better phrase is 'ambient-choral-dub'.

Oli Guzul is immersed in the world of off the wall electronica. Lots of repetitive beats, which suddenly swirl off into a maelstrom of inexplicable sampling.

"Agent Of The Light" bears up to repeated listening, especially through headphones late at night, when the diverse range of sounds on offer shines through fully. Favourite round our way? Track 4 - "Faster Than Lightning Allows", rusty schoolboy German allowing, which is reminiscent of some of Mick Karns finest moments. Always interesting and recommended.

Contact; Edition Neumann, Gruner Hang 26, D-48151 Munster, Germany

VARIOUS - Global Lo-fi Underground Vol 1 (Duckweed Records)

Tracks;
27 tracks from A:Minor, Bill Foreman, U.T.P., Down With The Ants, 28 Day Notice, Air Hockey Injury, Brian Forden, Grenade, Bluntz Millions, Graham F Watts and The Busted Fans

To shamelessly plagiarise our new best friends "Duckweed Records is a small co-operative independent label based in UK, USA, Australia and Brazil. We are devoted to bringing a world-wide flavour to music, specialising in home-recorded musicians from all corners of the globe."

Couldn't have said it better myself. So I didn't. If you've ever wanted to dip your toe into the vast, uncharted waters of underground and alternative music, you'd be hard pushed to find a better starting point than this.

Musically we're taken on a journey from the superb, folk-lyricism of Bill Foremans "The Snowbank's A Feather Bed", through a brief blast of Krautrock inspired drone-rock courtesy of U.T.P's "Phasers On Stun", back down into the amusing yet sad, fey acoustic guitar storytelling of Graham F Watts on "The Sidekick Song" and into the Mark E Smithian plays jazz "Sharky Delta Strut (The Town Where Punk Was Dead)" by the splendid Down With The Ants.

A marvellous sampler, an ethos to be commended. What more could you possibly want.

Contact; Duckweed Records, 2442 NW Market St #354, Seattle WA, USA 98107
http://members.tripod.co.uk/duckweed

ZONATA - Tunes Of Steel

Tracks;
1. Dream Child 2. Geronimo 3. Thor (The Thundergod) 4. Beyond The Rainbow 5. Criticized 6. Welcome To This World Of Fun 7. The Evil Shadow 8. Bring You Down To Hell 9. Zonata 10. Viking

Sometimes I get the impression that everyone in Sweden is a band. Perhaps the prohibitive cost of alcohol negates the opportunity to waste ones youth. Perhaps the concept of a rider with free alcohol spurs people on. Whatever, Zonata got together in Boras, Sweden in February 1998, and wrote their first song "Viking".

Influenced by the overlords of power metal (Helloween, IronMaiden, Yngwie Malmsteen), Zonata put together their first demo, "The Copenhagen Tapes" sold out, Rock Hard magazine put a track called "Gate Of Fear" on a compilation of promising bands, and in March 1999 Century Media signed them up. Too much too soon? Or a first step towards world domination.

Well, it bodes well. Extremely derivative (at times Johannes Nyborg is Kai Hansen!), but with five classically trained musicians in their ranks, it sounds impressive. Out of the 10 tracks on offer half easily past muster. Set your CD player to play Tracks 1, 3, 4, 7 and 9, and you're in for a treat.

It's early days but there's enough promise here to make the second album well worth waiting for.

Contact; www.centurymedia.net

DAVID E WILLIAMS - Hello Columbus

Tracks; 1. Hello Columbus 2. Not A Gear At All 3. Listen Somewhere Awkward

As the blurb says, "savage white noise collides with a delicate string quartet".

What with this and the Venus Fly Trap arriving in the same month, it's a vintage issue for lovers of all things darkwave.

This 3 track EP highlights a quite astounding talent in the genre allying dramatic and arresting music with some bleak, nihilistic lyrics, especially on "Listen Somewhere Awkward".

Mr Williams has a healthy back catalogue going back to 1988 to choose from so pop along to www.davidewilliams.com for a look see.

And if my word isn't good enough, the International Forum for the Church of Satan said "..maybe the greatest living musical genius to grace these shores, since, well, since ever..". And you don't want to pick a fight with them:-)

Contact; Ospedale Records, PO Box 2422, Philadelphia PA 19147 USA
DEWms@aol.com www.davidewilliams.com


MOONSPELL - The Butterfly Effect

Tracks;
1. Soulsick 2. Butterfly FX 3. Can't Bee 4. Lustmord 5. Selfabuse 6. I Am The Eternal Spectator 7. Soulitary Vice 8. Disappear Here 9. Adaptables 10. Angelizer 11. Tired 12. K

If this CD had been by anyone else I would have bee shouting from the rooftops about how good it is. Because, don't get me wrong, it is an excellent album. But it's Moonspell, and after the double whammy of 98s "Sin/Pecado" and Daemonarch side project, I was, perhaps expecting too much.

This seems like a step backwards, away from the cutting edge darkwave/electronics that they were experimenting with, towards the sound they had on the likes of 96s "Wolfheart".

But they get it right often enough to make this worth buying. "Selfabuse" takes the "Sin.." sound to it's ultimate conclusion with Sabbath circa "Mob Rules" guitars, a whispered gothic vocal and white noise keyboards. "Soulitary Vice" (is there a theme here?) follows a similar path, but hangs on a melodic (for Moonspell) riff. "Tired" sneaks up on you with a decptively understated intro, before a Wagnerian choir hoists into view, and then boom - the guitars kick in and we're in a mid-tempo groove that will sound suitably intense live.

Finally, in the 12 and a half instrumental minutes of "K", Moonspell achieve what they've probably been striving for all along. The perfect mesh of all their influences, taken to a psychedelic white noise conclusion that we mere mortals can only listen to in awe. Half a perfect album, half a throwback, but worth it none the less.

Contact; www.centurymedia.net

EARNEST G WOODALL - Unusual Characteristics

Track;

1. Unusual Characteristics

"Unusual Characteristics" is a single piece of instrumental music stretching over 48 minutes and just as many moods.

Working, as he does, in the modern classical idiom, it comes as no surprise to learn that, in addition to ten independent releases, a large proportion of Earnests output has been in the area of film scoring. Including, to our amusement, a 1992 computer animation entitled "Zeitgeist"!

Although this is a largely electronic piece, it has a warm, human feel which often escapes those utilising modern technology. Incorporating elements of modern jazz, there's the odd trace Of Arkestral influences shining through.

Never less than interesting, often intriguing, this is a diverse and fascinating recording, and, yup, you've guessed it, winner of the much coveted Zeitgeist Record Of The Issue.

Contact; Zephyrwood Music / TWC Music, PO Box 1227, East Northport 11731, USA

TIAMAT - Skeleton Skeletron

Tracks;
1. Church Of Tiamat 2. Brighter Than The Sun 3. Dust Is Our Face 4. To Have And To Have Not 5. For Her Pleasure 6. Diyala 7. Sympathy For The Devil 8. Best Friend Money Can Buy 9. As Long As You Are Mine 10. Lucy

Wow! This is a bit special. Appropriately enough, presented in a faux cinema poster sleeve, this is a magnificent sweeping expanse of soundscapes.

Nine years on from their debut "Sumerian Cry", Tiamat are that most bizarre of beasts, a commercially successful rock band without a hint of commerciality in their music. Top tenners throughout mainland Europe without ever troubling the chart compilers in the UK.

Across 45 minutes of pure class, the frankly, scary looking Johan Edlund and his cronies take to hell, and don't bother bringing us back. from the Floodland-on-downers of "Brighter than The Sun" to the magnificent closing triumvirate via the best Rolling Stones cover ever, this is indispensible. And in "Best Friend Money Can Buy", Tiamat have reached a peak that the likes of Paradise Lost can only dream about.

Contact; www.centurymedia.net

GRENADE - Is An Out Of Body Experience

Tracks;
1. Growing Sun 2. Angels ( L Cohen poem) 3. Liar Father Rise 4. Fishing 5. King Of The Sailors Of Doom 6. Hometown 7. Demons 8. Rubber Made Heart 9. Out Of This Body 10. She Will Fly 11. Time For Picnics 12. Razor Blades 13. Restless 14. The Sensorial Cake Language 15. Down On Me 16. Slow White Comeback

Grenade is the brainchild of Rodrigo Cesar. Coming straight out of Londrina, Brazil, Rodrigo has laid down some extremely potent tracks on his home 4 track.

Working in the milieu previously inhabited by the likes of Fugazi, who I was intrigued to see that he has opened for, my nearest point of reference was Mr Mackaye and his colleagues circa "Red Medicine".

There's also shades of Red House Painters and Mark Eitzels more introspective works, and it says a great deal for Rodrigo that some of the tracks on offer here easily stands up to comparison with those hallowed names.

If I had to pick one track to try and convert the unbelievers it would have to be "Liar Father Rise", an extremely bitter track allied to a deceptively mellow backing. Add in a few selected samples spread across the CD, and you're left with a remarkably good offering.

As if that wasn't enough Rodrigo is also a talented graphic artist, and if you're sensible enough to purchase one of the "Global Lo-Fi Underground" samplers reviewed elsewhere you'll notice that he was also responsible for the artwork and sleeve design. Smart aleck:-)

Contact; Duckweed Records, 2442 NW Market St #354, Seattle WA, USA 98107
http://members.tripod.co.uk/duckweed
https://members.tripod.com/grenademusic

VARIOUS - The Unquiet Grave

Tracks;
32 tracks from Magenta, Trance To The Sun, Advent Sleep, The Machine In The Garden, Black Atmosphere, Sauce Of The Future, Stone 588, Ctrl, Jennifer Hope, Gossamer, Autumn Tears, Orifice, Nimpf, Second Skin, The Last Dance, The Unquiet Void, Rhea's Obsession, Spiritual Bats, David E Williams, Android Lust, Lowsunday, The Azoic, Burning Gates, Anita Haksaw, Emeralde Fear, I Will I, Tapping The Vein, Diary Of Dreams, Bella Morte, Funeral In Berlin, Written In Ashes and Alchemia

Here's an absolute treat for all the goths out there. Cleopatra have put together a comprehensive round up of all the best in gothic, darkwave and ehereal underground on to this top notch 2CD package.

Well packaged, replete with contact information for all the acts, this is highly recommended to those with more than a passing interest in all things funereal.

Trying to pick out favourites has proven to be tricky, but those warranting a special mention include "Restraining Order" by David E Williams (see review elsewhere), "Down" by Anita Haxsaw, "Funeral Night" by Bella Morte, the electronic delights of Magenta and "Eccentricity", Trance To The Suns "Slave", a must for all you NINers, Black Atmosphere and "Love Lies Bleeding (Part 2)", "Oddity" by Orifice which will haunt you for days with its more Siouxsie than Sioux vox, and the bass driven monster that is "Sweet Nothing" by Second Skin.

There's an awful lot of dross out there purporting to be the best of the darkwave underground, but this, clocking in at over 2 hours, actually is.

Contact; Cleopatra Records, 13428 Maxella Ave #251, Marina Del Rey CA 90292, CA

JAMES CHRISTIAN - Rude Awakening

Tracks;
1. Don't Start Me Up 2. Pleasure And Pain 3. Brighter Day 4. Where Does Love Go When It's Gone 5. The Warden 6. Katie 7. Best Girl 8. Labour Of Love 9. Mother Night 10. Cold Day In Hell 11. Love Should've Brought You Home 12. Candle In The Window 13. Woman Enough 14. After All 15. Love Has No Mercy 16. Demons Down 17. Acoustic Medley

Talk about classic! This attained that status back in 1994 when it first arrived in an AOR world bereft of genius. Now five years later it's back as a 5th anniversary reissue padded out with a demo track ans an acoustic medley recorded at the Gods in 1995.

This CD runs for 73 minutes, and there's not a duff minute to be found. From the achingly beautiful "Brighter Day" to the sheer over the top glory that is "Best Girl", one of AORs defining moments, this is right up there with the 1st Unruly Child album in the battle for my favourite AOR album of all time.

For once the bonus tracks don't drag a classic album, and the seven and a half minute live medley in particular showcases his incredible vocal prowess.

Contact; Frontiers Records Srl, Via Gonzaga 18 80125 Napoli, Italy
info@frontiers.it

STRANGEMAGE - Demo

Tracks; 1. Heirarchy 2. Permanent Natural Boy 3. Streetcar Dreams

Well this is a strange one? Track One leads you into believing that you're heading off into some weird Gong like psych trip, but by the time you arrive at Track 3 you end up listening to an incredibly melodic guitar solo that would happily have graced the US Top 10 circa 1978.

Add this to a unique vocal style that will either alienate or entrance you, and this demo for a Music & Elsewhere project leaves you begging for more. The potential for greatness is lurking just round the corner. We like.

Send Mick Magic a SAE to find out more.

Contact; Mick Magic, United World Underneathwhat, 6 Farm Court, Farm Road, Frimley, Surrey GU16 5TJ, UK

SCHEITAN - Nemesis

Tracks;
1. Fury Flower 2. Psyched 3. Black rain 4. Marionette 5. Forgive Me 6. A Silent Hum 7. Ways 8. My Isle 9. Emergency

Well, I certainly owe Swedish metallers Scheitan ("the dark one") a huge apology. I remember when they emerged in 1996 with their debut "Travelling In Ancient Times", dismissing them as just another generic death metal band. And it was a basic, primitive black metal offering.

So, I ignored the follow up "Berzerk 2000", and when this landed on my lap, it was with grave misgivings that I slapped into the deck of dubiety. To be completely and utterly blown away. This bears no resemblance whatsoever to the Scheitan of 1996. They're now operating in the same gothic / darkwave / electronica realm as label mates Tiamat and Moonspell, but with the death vocals of Pierre Tornkvist superbly augmented by guest vocalist Lotta Hogberg.

Less berzerk, more moody, introspective and riddled with Sisters bass lines, this has been one of the most surprising releases I've heard in along while. Personal faves are "Fury Flow", "Black Rain", and the almost punk-goth of "Emergency". One gripe. 33 minutes and 55 seconds may be excusable on a hardcore release, but it's skimping on a ful price CD. Which is a shame, because the music is damn near faultless.

Contact; www.centurymedia.net http://come.to/scheitan

longhair - Yeah?

Tracks;
1. Show Me 2. What's In A Name 3. Just Another Day 4. Overload 5. Insert Rowdy Pub Background Here... 6. Rhythmic Wave

Well, this is a bit good!

Kicks off with a stomping faux glam vibe which veers off into a 70s New York punk two note riff before lurching back to a sing-a-long chorus. Tremendous stuff.

Things thereafter, take a slower trippier take with touches of Krautrock drone and the odd Suicide cop off peeking through. 100% self produced, this is the kind of offering that makes the whole DIY process worthwhile. Plus we get to take a trip down to the end of the pier for a good old fashioned knees up. Mother Brown, anyone?

Contact; longhair, 22 Timbercroft Lane, London SE18 2SB, UK
longhair@cosmic1.demon.co.uk
www.cosmic1.demon.co.uk/longhair

VARIOUS - Global Lo-fi Underground Vol 2 (Duckweed Records)

Tracks;
25 tracks from A:Minor, Bill Foreman, U.T.P., Down With The Ants, 28 Day Notice, Air Hockey Injury, Brian Forden, Grenade, Bluntz Millions, Graham F Watts and The Busted Fans

One hesitates to use the phrase 'more of the same', but in this case it's true. But this is no bad thing. Another eclectic amble through the world of lo-fi, courtesy of Duckweed Records.

Grenade continue to impress with non-album track "Bastard" being a particularly fine track. But this time around The Busted Fans come up with the best song on the album with the epic stagger that is "Allegedly". Don't go looking for them. They were demolished in 1994.

Special mentions go to Down With The Ants with the eminently sensible "Phone Co Telemarketer Lady", with it's ska meets metal insanity. Bill Foreman conjures up another classic story with "The Canadian Vacation" and 28 Day Notice emerge blinking with the twisted "Pennies & Pushchairs".

Another excellent offering from our new buds at Duckweed.

Contact; Duckweed Records, 2442 NW Market St #354, Seattle WA, USA 98107
http://members.tripod.co.uk/duckweed

BLACKLIGHT BRAILLE - The Castle Of The Northern Crown

Tracks;
1. Looking For The Ohio 2. Welcome Dark One 3. Towers Among The Stars 4. Song Of The Battle Of The Birds 5. Warriors Of The Northern Crown 6. The Revolving Castle Of Arianrhod 7. Going To Leicester 8. The Queen Of The Falling Stars 9. The Towers Of Avalon 10. The Castle Of The Air Of Night 11. The First Tree Of The Greenwood 12. The Dungeon Of The Long Blue Chains 13. The SOng Of The Streets Of Yesterday 14. The Queen Of The Glittering Height 15. Three Sides To The Story 16. The Everlasting Smile 17. Arthur's Plough 18. The Window Toward The Hall Of The Death 19. She Sat In A Hammock 20. The Dark Champion

What an issue this is turning out to be. Here we have a fresh offering from our beloved Blacklight Braille, and a few inches down the page, our musings on the long awaited new Tadpoles release. A fitting end to this volume.

This time around Blacklight Braille have reduced in size to approximately 68 limbs and continued their exploration of the Arthurian mythology (or factology, depending on your viewpoint), introduced a few more ritualistic pieces and (most bizarrely), dragged in the occasional blues influence.

Some of the backing has become increasingly sparse, with several voice/percussion only tracks, but this suits the pieces admirably, reflecting the Celtic renaissance mood that they're trying to invoke.

When electricity does return to Ohio, there are some splendid lead guitar lines (see "Warriors Of The Northern Crown" for proof), before plunging back into the darkness of Middle England.

Another worthy addition to the huge canon of Blacklight Braille material, and one you should definitely check out.

Contact; Razzled Music, 530 Flatt Terrace, Cincinnati, Ohio 45232, USA
European based readers should drop a SAE to Mick Magic at his United World Underpants HQ at 6 Farm Court, Farm Road, Frimley, Surrey GU16 5TJ, UK and he'll let you know what BB releases he has handy.

VARIOUS - Serial Thriller Vol IV

Tracks;
1. MOONSPELL - Soulsick 2. STUCK MOJO - Not Promised Tomorrow (live) 3. SCHEITAN - Marionette 4. SKINLAB - The Messengers 5. HASTE - The Absentee 6. RUNEMAGICK - Dreamvoid Serpent 7. ZONATA - Dream Child 8. EXODUS - A Lesson In Violence

The latest budget (you only pay for postage!) from Century Media takes you through some of their latest releases plus an incredible Century Media Classic outing of Exodus and "A Lesson In Violence", a mosh pit favourite from years gone by.

You can read full reviews of the new releases from Moonspell, Scheitan and Zonata elsewhere so we'll just look at the others. Stuck Mojo seem remarkably lacklustre on the sample from their new live album, "HVY1", which is surprising considering how incredible their studio offerings are. A disappointment. Fortunately, Skinlab emerge with their Bad Brains cover taken from the BB tribute "Never Give In". Essential. Haste are a new name to me, but win major brownie points with "The Absentee". Taken from "Pursuit In The Face...", it's a hardcore sound which puts major league players like Rage Against The Machine firmly in their place. Absolutely tremendous. Runemagick, whom we reviewed favourably when their debut album emerged, come up trumps with a track off "Enter The Realm Of Death", taking their classic death metal stylings another step forward. They could be huge one day.

As mentioned before, things round off with a live track from the briefly reunited Exodus. They should have been one of the major players but never quite made it Here's a chance to catch up on your metal history. Take it.

Contact; http://www.centurymedia.net

TADPOLES - Whirlaway

Tracks;
1. Frances The Dancer 2. Lyman Bostock 3. Crash Of The Bug 4. Jimmy Colored Glasses 5. Whirlaway 6. Dusty Baker 7. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere 8. Smile, If You've Crossed Over 9. Sunrise Ocean Bender 10. Horse And Buggy

The biggest ruck of the month was when this popped through the doors at Zeitgeist Tower. Blood was spilled as people fought bitterly to be the first to review the new Tadpoles disc. However, I simply waited until everyone was weak from blood loss, calmly announced "I'm the boss", and walked off with the prize.

However, it all seemed to be going badly wrong when "Frances The Dancer" left me uninspired and emotionally vacant. I was starting to panic. But then "Lyman Bostock" arrived and I was once again swirled away into the spacy, hypnotic, transendent world of the Tadpoles.

Everything peaks on "Whirlaway" and "Smile, If You've Crossed Over" which may well be the finest recordings of the Tadpoles illustrious career when they head off into an alternate mind space unexplored since the glory days of the mighty Hawkbeast (that's one for you, War!).

Investigating large expanses of time and sound, they are without a shadow of doubt, the defining psychedelic sounds of now.

Contact; Camera Obscura Records, PO Box 5069, Burnley Vic 3121, Australia
www.cameraobscura.co..au
Tadpoles c/o Bakery Records, PO Box 1996, Hoboken, NJ 07030 USA
www.tadpoles.com
info@tadpoles.com

BODY FULL OF STARS - Falling Angels

Tracks;
1. Jump Up! (For The Mayan People) 2. Body Full Of Stars 3. Flying 4. Bottles 5. The Quaking Houses 6. Love Is On Your Mind 7. Paranoid Conspiracy 8. Spirit House Dance 9. The Women Come Singing (For Melissa) 10. Fairweather Friends 11. Slave Labour 12. WASP Attack 13. Rainbow Water-Snake Demon 14. This Mortal Coil 15. Jump Up Again 16. Falling Angels

Chappos back! Well, not really, byt Body Full Of Stars have provided another example of their 70s fuelled Family meets Sly Stone groove-fest.

And tremendous it is too! Powered along in places by percussion from the Ivory Coast, this is inspirational stuff.

"Body Full Of Stars" (the track) makes you want to rip your clothes off under moonlight, roll in the mud and dance around butt nekkid in a frenzy, and makes you wonder whether our primal urges should be allowed to shine through rather than shutting them away in cloak of repressed so-called civilisation. However, I have been advised that in my case a cloak is definitely required:-(

In the last few months Stone Premonitions have become one of our new favourites, and you really ought to send off a tenner sharpish.

Contact; Stone Premonitions, 271 Park Road, South Moor,Stanley DH9 7AP, UK
http://www.mellis.demon.co.uk/index.htm
terrib@stoneprem.freeserve.co.uk

THE RABBITS HAT - Outsiders

Tracks;
1. Earth/Man 2. Menage A Trois 3. Silt And Sand 4. Goldsmiths And Gold Diggers 5. Don't Stand Against The Skyline 6. Benefit Fraud 7. Evilution 8. Hydra 9. The Mob Rules 10. Riding The War 11. How Did The Lady Die 12. Passions Great Betrayal 13. Wrap Me In Your Skin

And here they are again, coming up trumps with an earlier offering from The Rabbits Hat.

If anything, we like this one even more than the later offering "Pierce The Dark". Musicianly without being muso, the music is often best when it's at its simplest. Opener "Earth/Man" hangs a hypnotic vocal over a basic hook, that invokes memories of mid-period Cope.

There is also a strong Oriental beat running through some of the songs, but unlike the troglodyte Zep and their legions of creatively bereft impersonators, TRH look a few thousand miles further east of The Taj Mahal, Stourbridge for inspiration.

Most of the tracks are very low key allowing quiet insistence and melody to win you over, rather than the bombastic assault favoured by others. Highly recommended and yours for ten quid.

Contact; Stone Premonitions, 271 Park Road, South Moor,Stanley DH9 7AP, UK
http://www.mellis.demon.co.uk/index.htm
terrib@stoneprem.freeserve.co.uk

VENUS FLY TRAP - Metamorphosis

Tracks;
1. Morphine 2. Desolation Railway 3. Rocket USA 4. Europa 5. Achilles Heel 6. Moscow Menagerie 7. Pulp Sister 8. 13 O'Clock

A look back at the first ten years of Venus Fly Trap recordings spanning five studio albums and including a taster from the next, this is a handy reminder of why they remain at the cutting edge of the darkwave.

From the Bauhaus meets Birthday Party sturm und drang of "Morphine", you can listen to their sound develop through generic Sisters/Depeche influences via the introduction of samples into a unique, edgy sound of their own, drawing from their roots, and heading into the future with a post-punk ATR spin.

This serves as splendid introduction to the Venus Fly Trap. Treat this as a springboard, then dive right in.

CD £9 UK /10 Europe / 15 RoW
Cassette3 UK /5 RoW Cheques/POs or well hidden cash to A Novak as below
Contact; A Novak, PO Box 210, Northampton, NN2 6AU, UK
http://website.lineone.net/~venus-fly-trap/
venus-fly-trap@lineone.net


SILVERSPOON - Ecdyson

Tracks;
1. Open 2. Presence 3. Hegrun 4. Exercises 5. Isolation 6. Away

When Mr Magic starts to rave about something he has a horrible habit of being right. An extremely annoying trait. And so it proves again.

Silverspoon take one part Nine Inch Nails, one part Velvet Underground, chuck in a soupcon of Primal Scream when they were into Love, and a dose of Life Of Agony circa "Ugly" vocals. Which makes this an extremely potent package.

Yet again there's an element of Krautrock (an increasingly prevalent influence, but at least Silverspoon have the courtesy to be German. Mr M reckons there's bitls here like vintage Hawkwind, but as I got a telling off for calling too many things Hawkwindy, I shall demur.

Me, I shall simply say that when the psychedelic swirl of guitars start to blast through the headphones the meaning of head rock becomes all too apparent. One of the finest independent releases of the year.

Contact; Mick Magic, United World Underneaththearches, 6 Farm Court, Farm Road, Frimley, Surrey GU16 5TJ, UK £;3.99 cheques payable to S J Taylor or if you want the CD, drop the Magic one a line, and he'll sort you out.

M&E AUDIOZINE No10

Tracks by;
Cheapo Card Company, Silverspoon, Ed, Earth, Strangemage, Motion Control, Titania Moon, Krankheit Der Jugend, Winterfall, Idiom, Endymion, Otherworld, Eye and Experimental

And while we're on the subject of the United World Undergrowth, a quick mention for Micks latest sampler. Featuring 19 tracks from across the spectrum of the underground there's omething here for everyone. You can read about Silverspoon and Strangemage elsewher, we've already reviewed Krankheit Der Jugend in a previous issue, so this time it's big props to Winterfall and Otherworld who are an absolute delight, and death by a thousand tickles to the Cheapo Card Company and "Rusty Machine". The less said the better.

And you get all this for a mere 2 pounds and ninety nine pee.

Mick Magic, United World Underthearmpits, 6 Farm Court, Farm Road, Frimley, Surrey GU16 5TJ, UK £2.99 cheques payable to S J Taylor

BOB CATLEY - Legends

Tracks;
1. The Pain 2. Shelter From The Night 3. Carpe Diem 4. Tender Is The Night 5. Medusa 6. Hydra 7. A Beautiful Night For Love 8. Too Late 9. The Light 10. Where The Heart Is

Or "How To Set Yourself Up For A Slagging From The Mainstream".

When you're as resolutely unfashionable as Bob Catley, late of the parishes Magnum and Hard Rain, how best to follow up the success of your debut "The Tower" and "Live At The Gods" CDs. Make a concept album. That'll bring in the NME readers.

So "Legends" is exactly that. A concept album revolving around legends, real, fictional and mythological. So we have songs about Elvis Presley, Dracula, Henry V, Marilyn Monroe, The Odyssey and the Iliad, Wuthering Heights, Phantom Of The Opera and The Master of Ballantrae. The only exception is "The Light", where Gary Hughes (who as on "The Tower" wrote all the tracks) tackles religion, war and the loss of innocence.

Never short of immaculate there's more sterling guitar work from Vinny Burns, one of the unsung heroes of the melodic rock world, and the only thing that holds "Legends" back is the lack of surprises. "The Tower" was so unexpected, that this is more of the same. But that's exactly what the legions of Magnum and Bob Catley fans want. Tremendous songwriting, talented musicians at the top of their game, and a hint of pomposity.

Bob Catley has now produced more quality music in the last 12 months than he did in the previous 12 years. How he must wish he'd met Gary Hughes years ago.

Contact; Frontiers Records Srl, Via Gonzaga 18 80125 Napoli, Italy
info@frontiers.it
Now & Then Productions, Unit 23, Empress Mill, Ince, Wigan, Lancs WN2 2BG, UK
www.nowandthen.co.uk

DANIEL PRENDIVILLE - Tantrum Ego

Tracks;
GUITARI INEPTI 1. Every Bump In The Road 2. Amnesia International 3. Born To Compromise 4. Do The Washing Up 5. After Years Of This Wonderland
VENI/MIDI/VICI 6. Bump Clap 7. Sarcastrian 8. Nobody We Know 9. New Money 10. Bad News Day

Now this is a strange one, that I think our buds at Duckweed would appreciate. It's home made in a good way, but very schizophrenic.

One minute it's all folky singer songwriter, then it's early Cabaret Voltaire, then it's Ian Dury & The Blockheads. Very peculiar but very enjoyable. Split into five tracks of guitar rock and five tracks of synth-pop.

So it comes as no surprise to learn that Dave Gregory, late of XTC said "Splendid CD - love it! Can't get 'Every Bump' out of me head!" He was probably in love with the Kraftwerk meets Sly Stone vibe that pops up now and then in between the spiky pop/rock. The vocals are an acquired taste, but the large swathes of instrumental magic compensates if you find the voice is not to your liking. We like this.

Contact; Reincheque Recordings
http://listen.to/reincheque
reincheque@hotmail.com

SLIGHTLY MIFFED - Puzzled?

Tracks;
1. Bingo 2. Plod 3. Doomed To.. 4. Fiend Around The Corner 5. Irrelevant Steps 6. Timeshare 7. Weather 8. Vague Contempt 9. Frank 10. Cheesefish 11. Little Strange 12. Fastfing 13. 10:17 14. User Friendly

As recommended by our friend Mark Hewins, whose CD "The Electric Guitar" is rarely away from the decks of dubiety, this came as a complete contrast to his ambient pleasures.

So despite this being a couple of years old, but mindful of the fact that they're working on a new one, here goes. The first thing that you have to bring to this CD is a sense of humour. The second is a love for the funked up metallic stylee of Suicidal Tendencies. For that is the first thing that springs to mind.

There are songs about bingo ("Bingo", natch), an near-instrumental track called "Doomed To...", with the sole lyric "it is a good day to die". Another instrumental "Fiend Around The Corner", is more a conventional Biohazard type number, then into "Irrelevant Steps" which seems to include references to Rolf Harris. Other goodies include instrumental "Frank" and "Cheesefish" a boogiesome little beast if there ever was one.

Very well packaged with interesting artwork, although having spent several years working on a computer database called PISCES, it brings me out in a cold sweat. Exceptional. Now hurry up with No 2.

Contact; Slightly Miffed, PO Box 1017, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8FJ, UK
http://www.miffed.com
slightly@miffed.com

METROPOLITAN BASS SCIENTIST - Dark Mechanics / Defenders (City Rollaz 12")

"Dark Mechanics" is a mid-tempo drum'n'bass workout with a fairly insistent hook, that unfortunately never takes flight.

"Defenders" on the other hand, is a moody, dark and dubby slab that powers along on a meaty riff, almost industrial in places. It's almost cinematic, with an auteurs view of the dance floor. priceless.

MMi, 33 Sherborne Street, Brindley Place, Birmingham B16 8DE, UK