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XTCA Testimonial DinnerThirstyIEarOh God, not another tributealbum and this time it's XTC.I absolutely loved their firstfour or five albums. After thatit was somewhat hit or miss.The vast majority of the tributefeatures songs from theirlater works. At least some ofthose paying tribute haveseen far more success thanaXTC ever did. Space Hog ison the verge of breakthroughstatus. (Don't they sound likeBowie, Japan or Roxy Music?)If indeed they manage to gainmajor attention maybe someonewill pick up on "SensesWorking Overtime." TheCrash Test Dummies do agood job with "All You PrettyGirls." A nice pleasing popreading. "Making Plans ForNigel" always stood in mymind as one of XTC's greatestsongs. The Rembrandts don'truin it, I prefer the original.Sarah Mclachlan covering"Dear God" is a masterpiece.As famous as she is maybethe song will become a "hit"again. Stunning, and thelyrics certainly apply to thestate of the world more thanever. Reuben Blades and "TheMan Who Sailed Around HisSoul"? P. Hux does aninspired version of "AnotherSatellite" which is reminiscentof Bowie joining up withThomas Dolby. Those lovableboys in They Might Be Giantschose to cover XTC's psychedelicalter ego Dukes OfStratosphere. "25 O'Clock" isnice and dated sounding.Terry & the Lovemen dig upthe obscure "The GoodThings." Now fhat is Britishpop! Finally Joe Jackson (he'sstill around?) goes all the wayback to the first full-lengthand a song titled "Statue OfLiberty." Old Joe is lookingmighty sharp. Kind of thebest thing I've heard fromhim since "Is She ReallyGoing Out With Him." Thecloser has me all nostalgic for'some new wave. Hell, I mightpull out some XTC vinyl andlisten to it.-Bob Gelduffer.Wayne Horvitz and PigpenMiss AnnCaveman HughscoreFeaturing HughHopperlElaineDifalcomenry FranzonilFred ChalenorTim Kerr RecordsAnd now boys and girls it'stime to explore another sideof Tim/Kerr. You all knowthe label from their DandyWarhols, Oblivian Seekersand Jack O'Fire releases I'msure. On this release there's aman playing the saxophonethat wails! Joining him are theusual guitars, bass anddrums. The opener and titlecut rocks pretty damn hardbefore Howit2 and his friendsdecide to take a jaunt to theouter limits. We're talk&jazz, actual on the edge,improvisational music thatisn't sweet and pleasant likeKemy G, the Rippingtons orJazzmasters. You.can't nod offinto some nice friendlydaydream and use the musicas a background for foldingthe laundry or talking on thecellular phone. Concentrationis required to catch all the'nuances of what these cats areup to. The sax leads all theway, listen to him cooking on"Stupid," as the organ goesoff in total abandonment."Ballad" sounds likesomething from the late '70sECM catalog, "Grind followsimmediately with more thanenough color to shake up allthose in love with mutedgrays and off-white. OK,"Miss Ann" is a Eric Dolphycomposition and"Triggerfingers" was writtenby John Zom. If those two areway too far out for "Jazz"fans search out Miss Ann.The disc isn't so experimentalas to draw screams, say likeColtrane's Om, but there ismore than enough of agleaming glint to it for thoseinterested in Crayons strayingfrequently out-of-bounds -coloring outside the lines.Where in the annals of SLUGMagazine does CavemanHughscore fit?Hugn rIopper was with SoftMachine and Robert Wyatt.He joins some out-theseAmericans to record anexperimental rock CD. Thereis a girl trading off on FenderRhodes and accordion evenas she sings.. . at times.Two guys play double speedbass and then there is a trashcan lid dnunmer. Have youever tossed and turned in themidst of a nightmare only towake up feeling restless withskin itching and nerves so ajangle that you somehow feelseconds ticking by as hours?Have you ever kicked heroin,Xanex, or felt the need formore methedrine than moneycould buy?Cold sweats,"I'll kill you if you speak"anger, ants inside your bodyattempting to eat their wayout? Ever tried to sit on aknife blade without beingcut? Noise and dissonance aresoo good. For your typical"rqck" references thinkResidents, Zappa, Beefheart,Camper Von something andAllan Ginsberg. Rememberwhen Phillip Glass andLaurie Anderson played theSalt Lake Arts Festival?Fucking great music here.More than enough to makeme forget allabout major. label connections and indierock/pop all together.-Jazzbo RollinsShoeGazerlbo Boxing Brown BearsT.O.N. RecordsWell that other SLUGhack, the Sausage guy has allthe cool expressions. Kickinglike this, rockin like that ... howabout "Busier than a onelegged man at an ass kickincontest"? Yes, that is how Iwill choose to describe mynewly found cool bandShoeGazer. Much energy,very cool guitars and songsabout sin, life, death and sex.Four of my five favoritesubjects. The fifth of coursedeals with a little white ball.This band delivers like theMailman on a fast break,rocks harder than nipples in' ten degree temperature, andoutlasts that little bunny likeJohn Holrnes on crank.-Mr. Pink