The New Music Report

Rip It Up, Issue 181, 1 August 1992, Page 13

The New Music Report

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HELMET Meantime Formed in 1989, their indie Strap It On achieved a rabid following in fanzines, . ’ college radio and indie retail. Meantime is a masterful excercise in power and control — crushing heaviness that sidesteps any and all metallic convention. Savour the diversity of styles and influences employed in Helmet’s assault!

BODY COUNT? Body Count Ice-T has hit the headlines with this heavy metal tour de force and its controversial track ‘Cop Killer’, now deleted from copies of the album being manufactured overseas. The sound? Mix equal parts of Motorhead, Black Sabbath and Anthrax.. Then add Ice-T! Hurry, some stock in stores still features ‘Cop Killer’. ’ ' '

MR BIG Mr Big The first album (reissued) by Mr. Big, formed after bassist Billy Sheehan’s departure from the David Lee Roth Band Excellent material, essential for those who enjoy their current hit album Leon Into It featuring ‘just Take My Heart’ and ballad ‘To Be With You’. . :

OPUS 111 Mind Fruit

The UK’s hottest ambient dance outfit, discovered vocalist Kirsty practicing her scales, whilst sampling bird noises in a forest. They took her into the studio and recorded ‘lt’s a Fine Day’ which reached the Top 5 in UK. Like C&C Music Factory, Opus 111 are a top dance production team fronted by a terrific singer. Irresistible!

DREAM THEATRE - Images And Words This band is one of the most intriguing, innovative bands in popular music — both reflecting the English progressive rockers of the 70s and the metal heroes of the 90s, such as Metallica. East-coast based, they formed in the mid-80s in -Berkeley, California. The I I minute opus ‘Learning to Live’ is an ideal primer for the uninitiated.

JABULANI Journey, x\ c :X<x-z Four South Africans who live in Australia produced by Daddy-O of hip-hop Stetasonic fame. Sharing the stage with Stevie Wonder on ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, this group came to prominence. They record Wonder’s ‘Pastime Paradise’ and Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’. Other key tracks: ‘Shine Your Light’ and ‘Let Love’

JIMMY NAIL Growing Up in Public Former star of Auf Weidersen Pet has lost some weight and gained some tunes on this his first solo album. In the UK he’s become a bit of a “sex symbol.” Key

tracks are ‘Ain’t No Doubt’, ‘Reach Out' ‘Laura’ and ‘Only Love (Can Bring Us

RHINO BUCKET Get Used To IT. This Californian quartet is well known for their taut and powerful hard rock sound. This album was produced by Terry Manning, known for his work with ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin. The album also include the band’s Wayne’s World track ‘Ride

With Yourself. Cool tracks ‘This Ain’t Heaven’, 'No Friend of Mine’, ‘Bar Time’

BATMAN RETURNS Original Movie Soundtrack . “The Bat, the Cat and the Penguin”, it’s - the sequel to 1989’s S3OO million grossing Batman movie. This time the soundtrack is largely the work of ace composer Danny Elfman, plus there’s a Goth in Gotham — the album contains ‘Face to Face’, a brand new track by Siouxsie & ; the Banshees.

LIFE, SEX & DEATH The Silent Majority Life, Sex & Death (LSD for short) are about aggression, psychodrama, frenzy and familiar made strange. Twin assets are their awesome musical attack and the presence of one of the most enigmatic frontmen of the 20th century, Stanley. Produced by an Ozzy Osbourne producer in Oklahoma, this is weird and wild!

PETE ROCK & C.L.SMOOTH . Mecca & the Soul Brother This their first full-length album, 8 songs. Says C.L., “We stay hardcore, we stay on the street. We hit it with the basics — the beats, the rhymes, the scratches.” Check this LP out, it’s a quantum leap beyond their debut EP All Souled Out. •

ICE-T BACK CATALOGUE RHYME PAYS Debut, includes classic title track, ‘Make It Funky', ‘Squeeze the Trigger’ and ‘Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy)’.

FASTER PUSSYCAT Whipped The third and finest album from Faster Pussycat, once again produced by John Jansen and the guys are rocking harder and more confidently than ever. First single I video is ‘Non-Stop to Nowhere’, another non-stop rocker. Other cool tracks: ‘Jack the Bastard’, ‘Mr.Love Dog’, ‘Maid in Wonderland’.

MINISTRY Psalm 69 >

Al jourgenson and Paul Barker are one of the coolest I hippest bands in the USA scene at the moment. They’re currently touring on Lollapalooza USA tour with Chilis etc. First single is way cool ‘Jesus Built My Hotrod’, kickstarted by some psychobabble from Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes. The next big thing -— this album's a white-hot

SOUL KITCHEN Soul Kitchen A young L.A. based band play honest, straightforward rock & roll with their hearts and their power chords in the right place, their debut is a remarkably confident and assured collection of songs. The band’s high-octane live performances have already generated a massive buzz in L.A. Hot first single ‘I Need It Bad’.

POWER ‘l'm Your Pusher’ (Curtis Mayfield sample) is one of th 13 cool tracks here, plus ‘High Rollers’, ’Soul On Ice’, ‘Radio Suckers’ etc.

DEEE-LITE Infinity Within Helium cockiness, camp genius and more BPMs than you can shake a stick at Deeelite follow up World Clique with an even bigger, brighter technicolour collage of the best that New York, London and Europe can throw up.

DAS EFX Dead Serious

A crucial rap duo with such hot tracks as ‘They Want EFX’ and the great title track ‘Dead Serious’. The executive producers on this project are the very cool EPMD. Way cool tracks include ‘Brooklyn to T-Neck', ‘Looseys’, ‘lf Only’- (with amazing Stanley Turrentine jazz sample), ‘Mic Checka' and ‘Straight Out of the Sewer’. •

SHINEHEAD Sidewalk University Shinehead collaborates with a variety of producers including Norman Cooke (of Beats Int) on seven tracks. First single is very cool hip-hop ‘Try My Love’ produced by Dave Hall (Heavy D I Peter Rock & C.L.Smooth). There’s three tracks recorded

in Jamaica. Shinehead’s finest! Plus released locally are his albums Unity and Real Rock.

THE ICEBERG / FREEDOM OF SPEECH Tough beats and words from Ice-T -— ‘Black ‘N’ Decker’, ‘Freedom of Speech’, ‘Girl Tried to Kill Me’, ‘Lethal Weapon’ etc.

RANDY CRAWFORD . Through the Eyes of Love . ... Randy Crawford is on tour in NZ in September. These 12 songs showcase her warm and wonderful voice at its silky best, with the perfect producer Michael J.Powell, well known for his work with Anita Baker. NZ dates are Sept 3 Auckland, Sept S Christchurch and Sept 9 Wellington.

SOHO Thug Their 1990 single ‘Hippychick’ was massive dance hit internationally and Goddess revealed their unique mix of punk, soul, reggae and psychedelic music. Once again Thug mixes it up with' a slamming, rhythmdriven pop that integrates a multiplicity of musical roots, all in a style that is distinctly Soho. Listen for ‘Radio Soul Groove’!

COLOURHAUS Water to the Soul

A duo, in the tradition of the Eurthymics, Sherrie Krenn from Australia and English guitarist Phil Radford, a guitar-driven twosome with dance I psychedelic, trippy sounds from drum loops. Two fine songwriters, in a remarkable collaboration, find their niche in popular music.

ORIGINAL GANGSTER Latest album, hardcore, includes ‘Home of The Bodybag’, ‘New Jack Hustler’, ‘Evil E — What About Sex?’, ‘Ya Shoulda Killed Me Last Year.’ ,