SINGLE REVIEW:

The Psychobabes
On the Head

Keep It Simple Records

Keep It Simple has a reputation for releasing music inspired more by emotional vigor than by expectations of musical or financial success, and their latest release, The Psychobabes' On the Head, has little chances of improving the label's standing. Touted by a bright yellow stick-on label as "The New Young Pop Sound", this four-track release addresses such inspiring and novel emotional issues as melancholia, envy, unrequited love, and breaking up with your boyfriend. Musically this all-girl foursome works to their strengths?the sparse arrangements make it sound a bit less like they received their instruments as a recent birthday present and have produced a record on a dare. Minus the three fans they take with them everywhere and the screeching feedback they seem unable to prevent, their obvious energy and the occasional catchy melody can't save them from sounding like a high-school pop combo jamming with a crash band that can't play.

On the Head is released Summer 35.

EVENT! Remember Fairweather? The talented young vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist died tragically at twenty-one, leaving behind two albums, including the top-selling Take Some. As popular among musicians as fans, she influenced artists as varied as songwriter Ray Kinescope and pop svengali Melody Nelson. This season sees the posthumous release of Some More, a disc of rare, previously unavailable work compiled by her friend and mentor Orange Murphy. Orange will be performing Fairweather?s songs at Omaha's on Summer 35, joined by Ando, members of Marimba Blast, and Briony Chellaston. Fans of Rhythm 2 music better hurry?it?s a ticket-only affair with a long guest list! Some More is released on the Thirty-Seventh. Watch out for our next issue, where Orange Murphy himself will talk us through the disc and discuss the life and death of a Minervan music legend.

GOSSIP! Youngest and prettiest Heavenly King of Pop, the now long-haired Sandy Singh, was spotted last week carousing in Westside nightspot House of Wood with none other than arch-rival Jacky Lau, perhaps Minerva City?s most Heavenly King? And neither Sally Sanchez nor Lau?s rumoured fiancee, Amanda Dimaano, were present! A boys? night out? Apparently not?Jacky and Sandy were playing drinking games with all-girl Rhythm 2 band Shiney. Perhaps the header for this one should have been "Scandal"!

GOSSIP! It?s bad news for Gastrons fans who believed the rumours that the lions of weird pop were recording again, because Keith Noise doesn?t seem to be singing much these days. Aside from installing his piece, "Women (I Have Licked)" in C12?s plush Morgan Gallery, the erstwhile vocalist has been spotted across the road at Virtue, allegedly the only bar in Central he?s still allowed in! Meanwhile, the mixed-media piece, "Women" (see Events) is comprised mainly of photos of over two hundred of Minerva City?s loveliest, both famous and unknown. But we need to know: Is it the women themselves or the photos which Keith has blessed with his saliva? We?ll do our best to keep you posted?

EVENT! Keith Noise (Gastron Space Monkeys) unveils his second gallery exhibition on the Thirtieth of Summer at the Morgan Gallery in Central 12. "Women (I Have Licked)" is a mixed-media piece (mostly photos) and runs until Autumn Fortieth. Intrigued? Us too?see Gossip.

BAD NEWS! As of the Fortieth of Summer, the price of music discs is to rise. In the week to come, the Office of Communications is expected to announce its plans to a hostile music industry, but not to us positively ornery music fans. The larger music companies will call a press conference once the Government?s announcement is made. Details as we get them.

GOSSIP! An audience member at a recent Psychobabes gig revealed to our reporter than the lovely Isabel Usher (lead guitar) is worried that bad results in her seasonal exams might mean fewer gigs in future? Come on girls, you?ve got to give us better gossip than that!

SINGLE REVIEW:

Ricky Khan and Janie Yip
Teardrop Kisses

Music One Records

A glaringly cool cover by Cineculture logo designer Pam Sage here hides a multitude of sins. Firstly, the song?the fifth "re-interpretation" of an old Art Tolliver ballad delivered to us by the Heavenly Kings of Pop this season (Leo Fine?s "The Breaking Of My Heart" being probably the worst). Secondly, the sound?yes, it?s that piano again, gated and filtered until it sounds like the sigh of an angel experiencing sweeter-than-sweet pop despair. Finally, the guest spot is possibly the weakest and most insipid vocal debut ever recorded by a fifteen-year-old soap star famous for her giggle and her rapid bust development. And that?s that. Ricky?s vocal? Hardly noticed it. It?ll sell millions.

Teardrop Kisses is out now.

GIG REVIEW:

The Fleurs

Big Lou?s, Summer 26

In spite of not being a big fan of The Fleurs? blend of mellowness, sleepiness, and melancholia on disc, and in spite of a crowd which was a tad on the thin side (and I?m not saying Fleurs fans are skinny), I was soon caught up in their spellbinding performance. This band is loud, and they obviously love playing live?so much so that whenever they play a single track they forget to be mellow, sleepy, and melancholic and before my ears skimpy ballads like "Rooftop Girl" and wistful odes to sleep like "Fold Me Up" were transformed into sexy pop floated on a wave of synthetic strings, buoyed by an ebullient vocal performance from Rena Clancy and Arlene Klugman. The small audience were appreciative, both Fleurs fanatics and the curious alike, but while I was pleasantly surprised, I wonder if The Fleurs can find a place for their live energy in the mix of their next disc?