It has occurred to me that the average member of the college graduating
class of 2002 was born in 1980, and chances are is too young to remember
any of the escapades the 1980's had to offer. Oh, sure, they probably
heard rumors from their older siblings — you know, the black pumps
and pink lipstick, Converse high-tops and Electric Youth perfume,
the Culture Clubbers (I swear we thought Boy George was a girl...)
and Madonnabees and Durannies and Trannies...
Wait. What was that last one?
Ah, yes, the Trannies.
It has also occurred to me that not everyone spent their free time
at vinyl sales in New York’s West Village (99 cents, you find it you
keep it! Ah, the good old days...). So, as a quick review: the Durannies
went loco for Duran Duran. The Trannies were the late 1980's
punk-pop outfit Transvision Vamp -- which, if you grew up on my side
of the Atlantic, was underground "college" music that was "indie"
enough to make it to the pre-Matt Pinfield 120 Minutes.
Almost ten (!) years after the release of Pop Art, Tex Axile,
the band’s former drummer/keyboardist/programmer/international sex
symbol (I'm kidding about the last one), has put forth Diary of
a Genius, a brilliant solo album that combines rhythm and blues,
pop rock, and a whole lotta New York attitude.
Diary opens up with "This Lovely World," a celebration of the
simple lyric and off-beat tempo that made R.E.M. the staple of the
early 1980's college circuit. It may be a little uneven at times,
but with lyrics like "This lovely world/this lovely feeling/Is it
just love/that gives it meaning," Axile kicks the Third Eye Blinds
and Matchbox 20's of the world square in the seat of their collective
pants with genuine feeling and emotion.
Peruse through the rest of Diary with the same aplomb and expectations
— flash into a funky jive in the Soul Coughing/ "Super Bon Bon" vein
with "Slugs and Snails," fall head over heels for Liam Gallagher’s
spiritual brother and lyrical soul mate in "It’s So Hard," and simply
enjoy the nouveau bohemian poetry of "I Love," a song laden with tasty
guitar licks and drum-funky beats and by far the album’s strongest
showing.
This album, though, is not for the brainless or manically depressed.
If you fall into either of these categories, be prepared to be heavily
medicated after hearing "Car in a Lake," a serious tune guaranteed
to somber the perkiest of listeners. And while the ultra-conservative
may go running to the hallowed halls of the local church to say a
few novenas after listening to the cacklingly funny "A.B.F.C. and
P.", a tribute to four letter words, they're almost guaranteed to
be offended after "Cut Throat". With little more than an acoustic
rhythm guitar setting the beat for a song that deals with the break-ups
and good-byes of every nice guy's worst nightmare, Tipper Gore et
al had better be prepared for their worst nightmare since Prodigy's
"Smack My Bitch Up" with lyrics that pull no punches about bashing
brains in, vehicular manslaughter, and acts considered punishable
by nearly every state, federal, international, and astral law.
Overall, though, rock music fans should not be disappointed with Diary
of a Genius. Granted, rock music in recent years has lost some
of its loyal followers thanks to radio overkill and the major label
signing of such bands as No Doubt. But if you’re ready to come back
— if you’re just waiting for something to tickle your ears and flash
you back to the days of Sub Pop and Captain Beefheart — start with
this, and work your way up. I’ll keep you posted.
Order it exclusively through the website at http://texaxile.com.
Released by Moist Oar/Sperm Boy Productions
WAV FILES :
http://texaxile.com/world.wav
-- THIS LOVELY WORLD
http://texaxile.com/love.wav
-- I LOVE
http://texaxile.com/slugs.wav
-- SLUGS AND SNAILS
http://texaxile.com/hard.wav
-- IT'S SO HARD
Review by Bernadette : tenel_ka@sprynet.com
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