From: Tom Moellering <moeller@convex.com>
Subject: Review:  Adam Again's Dig
Originator: moeller@neptune.convex.com
Reply-To: moeller@convex.com (Tom Moellering)
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 17:38:05 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

I have read 2 published reviews already.  CCM's was a little dissappointing
in that a recording like this deserves a more thorough treatment than BQN
gave it.  Which is surprising, since he is the editor of the other mag
with the better quality review, namely Syndicate.  And he seems to be quite
a big AA fan.  Go figure.

If you can find the Syndicate review, read it.  It is a great piece of work.
I refuse to type it in, and violate any copyright laws.

The only reason I even attempt a review here is because I feel that if
you don't have access to any other review that you are a poorer man than I.
("I thought I was poor, until I met a man who had no reviews" ;-)

Short review:  buy it.

Long review:

If you liked 10 Songs By Adam Again, but were dissappointed by Homeboys,
then you may not enjoy the new disc either.  Some of you, and you know who you
are, don't go for the harsher, heavier guitar sound.  And there are others
who don't mind the guitars as long as things are more upbeat.

So be it.  Go buy the new White Heart disc, you'll get more of what you
are looking for then ;-)  And besides they have the same drummer, so its
almost just like AA anyway, right?

However, if you have enjoyed the progression from disc to disc, the heavier
sound, the deepening mood, you are in for a treat.

Yep, this one is still danceable.  I guess if I were going to label this
band's music, I would say brooding, moody, rock-funk.  I heard someone
compare them to the Red-Hot-Chili-Peppers, so I borrowed Blood-Sugar-Magic-Sex
and, well, they don't use the M-F phrase, but the music stylings are there.
Try a cross between REM and RHCP and you are getting really close.  And Gene
doesn't do rap vocals though either.

Gene does a deadpan vocalization which makes you think its easy, and
actually bewitches you into believing you could be as musical.  But on the
surface it doesn't sound as melodic as REM's lead.

One of the things about Gene's lyrics is their simplicity of expression.
He takes his mundane, everyday and makes it into something that you
can identify with, and then he mixes it with this danceable funk-rock
that makes you think you are more important just for experiencing your
own life.  Its subtle, but its the only reason I can explain the depth
of committment I have to this band and their music.


River on Fire - this hits me so hard.  Its about relationships.  And uses
		the Cuyahoga as a metaphor for 'when the impossible happens'.
                I was crying when I didn't even know what the song was about.
                It just has such an intensity of emotion.


It is what it is (what it is) - thought this would be more danceable,
                kind of sad really that they didn't give us an extended mix
                of it, like they did with Beat Peculiar on 10 Songs.  Its
		a great thought though: what is the meaning/purpose/drive
		of these 5 people who make a band.  And, it works.  And
		it makes me realize that maybe I don't have to look too
		far away from where I already am for the why of what it
		is I do.

Side notes:

Gene's lost his hair.  If you thought he looked too wierd with that long
blonde hair (was that a wig?) and hat on Homeboys, then just wait until
you see him with only a pair of shades!

The pictures, all 3, only have 4 members in them.  Gene, Riki, and 2 other
guys.  The logical explanation is that their drummer, Jon Knox, is not
in them, but since I never knew what the other 3 guys looked like, I will
leave that to someone else.

Gene even does some whistling on Worldwide.  Its not even good whistling,
but the style of the song demands it.  The fact that its a low quality
whistle, somehow endears it to you, like you feel like he went out of
his way to bring the level of his whistling down to a level where you'd
be tempted to whistle along without being embarassed.

Sound quality:
Well like all AA discs, it is on a level above the others, its why IMHO
so many folk want Gene to produce their own discs.

10 tracks, 40 minutes.

--
Tom (moeller@convex.com)
	"do the faithful sigh, because they are so few?"