singles

Rip It Up, Issue 212, 1 April 1995, Page 33

singles

In what"has been a good couple of months for small revolving bits of plastic, S*M*A*S*H scoop the honours with an absolutely glorious belt of

melody and aggression, ‘Another Love’ (Rise), which kicks into their seven track EP. The line ‘I have seen the Starship Enterprise’ leads to a love-is-the-drug message, and a song that defies 90s power-pop. Grab. And salivating all round for Gene’s continued top form. Rossiter has the press eating out of his hand, as he steers the band through another inspired combination .of melancholy and wonderful pop hooks in ‘Haunted By You' and ‘Do You Want to Hear It From Me?’ (Polydor). From the potential future of British pop to it’s founders means institutions the Fab Four and the Stones. The cracking Lennon reading of ‘Baby It’s You’ (Apple) is lifted from the available BBC sessions leaving ‘l’ll Follow the Sun’, Devil In Her Heart’, and ‘Boys’ as the unavailable BBC attractions. The Stones arrive in a tear shaped CD package, for their passable country twang of ‘Out Of Tears’ (Virgin), but the pick of this EP is the knockabout rock ’n’ roll of ‘Sparks Will Fly’. By now Throwing Muses full on live assault will be a fond memory, but don’t forget ‘Bright Yellow Gun’ (4AD), where Kirstin Hersh’s private demons seem a lifetime away, as she guides the band through a memorable tune aided by gently meshing guitars and words like ‘I think I need a little poison’. Right up there is ex Muse Tanya Donnelly’s Belly, with a four track EP that displays her knack at covering the main rock 'n' roll bases, from the aching pop of ‘Now They’ll Sleep' (4AD), to the balladeering of ‘Thief’ to the full tilt of ‘Baby’s Arm’. Mandatory. Up there quality wise is the Wolfgang Press’ ‘Going South’ (4AD), where their obligatory drollness is carried by an unforgettable, ingratiating chorus and four fine mixes, the pick of which is Jah Wobble’s inspired ambience. Still brilliant, and the riff of the month has to be Sebadoh’s ‘Rebound’ (Sub Pop), which twists it’s way around a great guitar lick, leaving Lou Barlow to get acoustic and plaintive on the other three tracks. Down a notch, but in. hard case territory, and Faith No More whip up their usual blend of focus and frenzy on ‘Digging the Grave' (Liberation), before doing another couple of straight, tongue-in-cheek ballads, like the Bee Gees’ old chestnut ‘I Started A Joke.’ Ha-ha.

Meanwhile, reasonable Pearl Jam copyists queue here. First and best is Silverchair’s ‘Pure Massacre’ (Murmur), with it’s deceptively laidback, into making way for hack-saw guitar. Bleutongue’s ‘When You Gonna Learn’ (Slam) and the Flaming Lips’ ‘She Don’t Use Jelly’ (WEA) are routine noises, leaving the Reverend Horton Heat to press the reverb pedal

on their frantic rockabilly ‘One Time For Me’ (Sub Pop). Fair. As is Urge Overkill’s faithfully dramatic version of Neil Diamonds ‘Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon’ from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. But ending on something special, and that means Ween’s ‘Voodoo Lady’ EP, where the attention is grabbled by the hilarious funeral bandito ballad ‘Buenos Tardes’ (White) and a priceless piss-take of Johnny Cash, ‘There’s A Pig’. Adios amigos.

GEORGE KAY