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Artist:	"H20"
Title:	"THICKER THAN WATER"
Label:	Epitaph
Release Date:	10/97
Reviewed By:	Francesca Garten
Rating:

It all began as a joke. "Sick Of It All" roadie Toby Morse penned some lyrics for a song that SOIA's Pete Koller wrote while on the road. "For a goof, I sang 'My Love is Real' during one of their (SOIA's) encores," Morse relates. The crowd, taking the appearance as something other than a joke, reacted so strongly that Toby Morse's "performances" soon became a welcomed and anticipated feature to SOIA's shows. It didn't take long for Toby to realize his heart was into performing far more than roadie-ing. And thus, the seed of "H2O" was planted. Toby enlisted the help of guitarist and life-long friend Rusty Pistachio. Bassist Eric Rice and drummer Max Capshaw followed, and "H2O" played their first show in December, 1994. In the summer of 1995, drummer Capshaw left the band, to be replaced by former "Outcrowd" members Todd Friend on drums, and guitarist Todd Morse (brother of Toby) on guitar. Bassist Eric Rice was replaced by former "Shelter" bassist Adam Blake, and it is this line-up that appears on the band's first full-length effort for Epitaph. Not a bad little punchline after all. "H2O" is all about New York hardcore in the tradition of 80's East Coast punk - served up with a twist, of course. More melodic and less hard-edged than other bands of this genre, "H2O" nevertheless still manages to stay true to its roots; delivering a driving, straight-edged assault of frenzied, energy-charged sound reminiscent of classic hardcore, while keeping it positive and just plain fun. That's probably the one thing about this band that impressed me most - the fact that I could get slammed into my walls by so much pure, brain-melting, searing energy, and actually have it be a feel-good, positive experience. Go figure. Yes, positivity is the main theme of "Thicker Than Water." "H2O" talks about loyalty. They talk about personal responsibility. They talk about love and friendship. And they treat these issues as facets of humanism to be embraced and welcomed into everyday existence, instead of being cut away like a cancerous tumor until nothing distinctly human remains. There is something powerfully liberating in being able to acknowledge the positive aspects of human nature as fearlessly as the negative. Very refreshing. Album favorites include "Everready," a blistering, hyper-tempo little ditty emphasizing self- faith and reliance: "When times get tough, I'll rise above/ Can't bring me down, No you can't/ Let me down! Made my mistakes/ Wear no disguise, I've come too far now/ To ever close my eyes." For those in search of a love song with a hard-edge, there's "Sacred Heart," a composition so lyrically sweet and touching, it almost seems out of place on a hardcore album. Almost. The title track, "Thicker Than Water," touches on familial ties and loyalty, once again delivered with "H2O's" signature driving energy, and once again told in a positive and upbeat style. "GO," probably my favorite offering of all, is a melodic, fast-paced composition that features all instruments performing in perfect balance. There's the meaty and rich-sounding rhythm section, underlying the clear, razor-sharp double-guitar that manage to complement, rather than compete with, each other. And above it all, there rises the voice of Toby Morse. No silky-smooth vocals here. There's just a raspy, power-laden sound emanating from what must be the very core of his being - sometimes sung, sometimes screamed - but always delivered with what I bet is every ounce of passion and emotion that he can muster. That's worth a dozen angelic voices without even a shadow of feeling. Yeah, you know who you are. As a live act, "H2O" is rumored to be something special to see. In fact, this magazine was scheduled to cover one of their live shows, but mix-ups at the label prevented this from happening. Pity. From all I've heard, I can't help but admit to a real curiosity as to whether these guys can deliver all they are said to. Oh, well. Maybe next time. All in all, "Thicker Than Water" is a commendable and very promising effort, and I look forward to hearing more from this band. Good as this album is, I get the distinct impression that H2O is only just beginning to realize its own potential; and that their sound is still in the process of evolving into something even stronger and more influential than it is. If you're into hardcore, this album is a must-have.

Artist:	"JOHN WAITE"
Title:	"WHEN YOU WERE MINE"
Label:	Mercury
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Jill Williams
Rating:

John Waite is probably best known as the lead singer of "The Babys" and "Bad English." He's also had some solo success with the hit song "Missing You." He's been bringing us music for better than 20 years, and unfortunately seems to have had a bit of a hit and run career. His brand of music runs to the faster side of adult contemporary or pop genre, which seems to be less of a driving force than it used to be. His lyrics have become even better with time, and he seems to be able to bring out more emotion in his songs than your average songwriter. With this album, John gives us the same sort of music he always has, and does it beautifully. The title track starts the cd out with some pep and great vocals. This is the theme for the entire album. You'll hear love songs dressed up in a nice happy package. "When You Were Mine" is a super summer song, in my opinion. Aside from the fact that it mentions summer, it sounds perfect for driving around and letting the wind blow through your hair. "Imaginary Girl" is all about being yourself with others. He wants someone who is real. The music is uncomplicated and the vocals are outstanding. He's in love with an "imaginary girl" and wants her to show him what she's really about the way she did once before. "Let's Get Out Of Here" is one of my favorite songs. The music is a little rocky and the vocals a little mellow with an edge. Though it's not a particularly interesting song, the chorus really does something for me. The upbeat tempo is escapist in the best possible way. You can almost feel like you're getting away from things just by listening to it. "Suicide Life" is the longest song on the cd at just short of seven minutes. It starts out with some acoustic guitar that sounds great in stereo. I'd recommend headphones for this one, just for the effect. The song is very slow and mellow and, as you might expect, not very happy. It appears to be about a homeless, drug addicted prostitute. It's effective, but boy is it sad. It's also slightly boring musically. Next we have an interesting cover of "Just Like A Woman" by Bob Dylan. I've always loved this song, so I'll admit I was a bit concerned about the cover. They're never as good as the original. . .or are they? This one comes awfully close. Granted, he doesn't sound like Dylan, but Waite's voice seems just as suited to the music. It's different, to be sure, but it's well done. He takes this song and makes it his own. A budding songstress cleaning tables at a diner is the topic of "Bluebird Cafe." A very simple, but beautiful song, it really tugs at your heartstrings as you follow her dreams to be a country star. "I-95" is definitely the most upbeat song on the album. It makes me think that this should have been a late spring release. Those of us in the cold weather can't appreciate a song about driving around in the sun in October. It's a very fun song, however. I just want to listen to it when May rolls around. Next is a strong and sexy song called "Show Me How To Love You." Gives you warm feelings in your nether regions, hehe. When he sings the song so softly, you don't know what you're getting into, then the real power in his voice when he belts out the chorus makes you want to show him whatever he asks. There are a few other songs on the album that are also excellent, but not especially noteworthy. I urge you to find and buy this CD. This is the finest John Waite album I've heard, and I can't think of one I haven't enjoyed yet. Maybe I'm stuck in the 80's, but I miss good music that doesn't require a translator and can be soft and slow at times without being wimpy. This is simply one of the best CDs for your money.

Artist:	"LOVE SPIT LOVE"
Title:	"TRYSOME EATONE"
Label:	Maverick
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Dave Merrill
Rating:

When the "Psychedelic Furs" broke up, lead singer and song writer, Richard Butler, moved from England to New York. It was there that he began forming a new band, "Love Spit Love." Butler met guitarist Richard Fortus when his band opened for the Furs. Fortus was Butler's first recruit for the new band in 1992. Next to join the band was drummer Frank Ferrer. Bass player, Chris Wilson, joined the band for their first tour in 1994-95. One of my all time favorite songs is the Furs' "The Ghost in You." Though I have a lot of respect for Butler's work on "Psychedelic Furs," I found their albums to be spotty. There were always brilliant songs intermixed with songs I just couldn't listen to. I was expecting the same to be true of "Love Spit Love's" new album "Trysome Eatone." My first run through the album left me feeling that way about the song, but I was happily surprised on subsequent listens. "Trysome Eatone" is far more listenable than any whole album the Furs ever did. There is brilliance leaking out of all of these songs. "Long Long Time," the first single and video, opens the album. The intro of the song is a complex, spacey synthesizer piece which is quickly overlaid by guitar, drum and Butler's patented vocals. You can just make out the synthesizer continuing behind it all. Butler's lyrics suggest much, but they are tough to penetrate. Perhaps the most important line here is, "And if I seem to make no sense/ I make no sense sometimes." This song seems to be about an old broken relationship. "You've got to/ Stop before you talk/ Because it's all been said before/ You can't stop knocking down my door/ It's been a long long long long time." But really, Butler leaves his lyrics open to interpretation. We can often only guess at what he's really saying. The second track, "Believe," begins with a deep, pulsing synthesizer beat. Butler croons over it, "We're sorry Richard's not at home/ He'd like to spend the day alone/ And we don't know why we believe what we believe. . ." setting the tone for the rest of the song. After these lines, the drum and guitars come in. The song has a manic, obsessive feel to it that suits the lyrics perfectly. "Well Well Well" opens with great guitar riffs and soon brings in an infectious beat. The song is about rich people who get their heads so stuck in their own lives they can't see the people who have less any more. Butler wants to know, "What about me well well." He points out to them, "You could be walking in my shoes." This is a great song with an important message. Butler's writing style is unique. "Friends" is about being at parties where you know no one and everyone expects to be impressed by you. Friends, of course, are people with whom you don't have to do that. He says, "There's lots of people I can be around/ And not pretend that I've been everywhere before/ And I call them my friends." One of my favorite songs on the album is "Fall on Tears." The images here are as strong as the ones in the Furs' "The Ghost in You." This is a great song about a relationship breaking up. I wanted to choose something to quote but this song is so strong I need to quote the whole thing. I won't. Just listen to it. "Little Fist" is one of Butler's songs that defies easy interpretation. I think it's a song about being on tour and all the people he has to meet. It shows a lot of frustration with the world. The way it's written, the images Butler chooses, drags us into this part of his world. It's a crazy, confusing place. The song depicts this wonderfully. The next song, "It Hurts When I Laugh," is even more difficult to interpret. The song begins with some great guitar riffs. I see a relationship here, perhaps a one night stand; a party full of friends he doesn't want to say good-bye to; and he's sick with a cough through it all. Butler sings through a megaphone at the end, "Mary says hi, hello/ Annie says hi, hello, hello." It gives the impression of a distance from these people, as though he just can't get close to them. "7 Years" is another of my favorites from the album. The guitar work on this song is beautiful. It reminds me of something I can't put my finger on - perhaps Seals and Crofts, but the overlay is all "Love Spit Love." It can't be confused with anything else. The lyrics and images in this song are wonderful. "7 years ago today/ There was a young man in my place/ I never stopped to count the days." It's about getting older and looking back at where he's been. "I wanna think time is on my side/ I want to be standing in my shoes/ Don't want to be just like you." This is a great image. Why do all the work, and get old just to be like everybody else? Butler is unique. He has achieved this. That's reason enough to listen to his music, what he has to say, and how he says it. "Sweet Thing" is a punky song about a girl who is anything but sweet. Butler attacks this song with anger in his voice as the guitars attack it with distortion. The drums are loud and uncomplicated. Material things are more important to this "Sweet Thing" than people. Butler seems no stranger to depression. "All God's Children" is about sinking into despair. It's beginning message is positive, the music is light and playful, but with an overtone of doom. "The sun will always shine again/ So they say." But later we get a glimpse of what the song is really about, "There's a shadow on the sun/ Now that Summer's gone/ I speak too much yeah yeah." "More than Money" is about a broken relationship. There is a lot going on in this song. Images are layered and it's hard to separate them. The main themes are in the repeated lines. "And love, love, love/ Will open your eyes and sing." "I wanted more than money/ More than this." The last song on the album, "November 5," begins with jazz styled guitar and drums. It's very soft and pleasant. The images are beautiful. It's a lonely song. Everyone has gone inside for winter. "There's ice on the pond/ The fishes have gone to sleep." Then the song breaks into distorted guitar and a manic feeling as Summer ends and the cold loneliness takes over. The song reverts back to the jazz rhythms at the end. This is a wonderfully inventive song. It surprises at every turn, and very listenable. All of the songs on "Trysome Eatone" are very personal. We get glimpses of Butler's life as though through venetian blinds. We never see a whole picture and have to interpret each piece our own way, relate it to our own lives as best we can. "Trysome Eatone" is a challenging album. It has seemingly simple, yet sophisticated, images and music combined. Don't miss it.

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