  Among
his other distinctions, Edwyn Collins is a child
of the '70s. His recent, groove-packed album, I'm Not
Following You, is an insightful assessment of an era
reminiscent of disco lights and butterfly collars. But
Collins' effort is not merely an emulation -- beneath the
sugary sighs of funk synthesizer and the layers of '70s
brand electronica breathes a continuum of creative beats
and melodic basslines. And then there is Collins'
expressive crooning, which often manifests as a unique
perspective on post-'60s, post-acid-breakthrough
reflection.
Collins' first international attention came in
1995, with his self-produced album, Gorgeous George,
and its infectious single, "A Girl Like You."
On his latest record, whether speaking from within a '70s
persona or from a cleverly situated critical roost,
Collins retro-wit shines through. His first track,
"It's a Steal," engages in the regretful
retrospective of an underachiever. On "The Magic
Piper," Collins encourages us to be wary of slick,
dirty old men, as well as the "expert
politicker." "Adidas World" parodies the
desire for identification via old-school fashion.
Collins' creativity has inspired the British
pop-post punk scene for 15 years. He has lived a history
of music; fortunately for us, he is able to deliver it in
an intelligent and aesthetically pleasing package.
-- Tim Chuck
Edwyn Collins performs
tonight, November 19, at Brick By Brick. Call 275-LIVE
for more information.
The
launching of The Sundays' musical career resembled
every struggling musician's fantasy. At their very first
show, the British band caught the attention of music
journalists and became an overnight success. Since that
summer night in 1988, the Sundays have continued to
impress fans and critics alike on both sides of the
Atlantic.
Their ubiquitous first hit, "Here's Where
the Story Ends," and two gold records, Reading,
Writing, and Arithmetic (1990) and Blind
(1992), are largely responsible for this explosion into
the music biz. The Sundays' music also attracted the film
industry, resulting in their remake of the Stones' song
"Wild Horses" on the soundtrack of Fear.
With two successful albums behind them, the band took
some much-needed time off. The married songwriters
Harriet Wheeler and David Gavurin had a baby, put
together their own recording studio, and recorded the
Sundays' third album, Static & Silence.
Static is simple and intimate. It still
has the Sundays' signature melodic pop sound, though it
is more introspective and emotional than their previous
recordings. The lyrical style is expressive and
straightforward, deviating from the ironic and somewhat
abstract lyrics heard in their earlier albums. The
Sundays continue to evolve with each album, expressing
their music through innovative pop melodies and poetic
lyrics.
-- Katie Morris
The Sundays perform at 'Canes
on November 20. Call 488-1780 for information.
Packaging and design can be an indie
rocker's way of making his or her songs fashionable and
Arlington, Virginia's Tsunami exerts every whim at
the drawing board. Using '50s, cartoonish commercial
illustrations, Tsunami's albums are as appealing to the
eye as they are to the ear. The band's 1995 collection of
rarities, World Tour and Other Destinations,
captures art and songs from over ten different seven-inch
records and compilations. A Brilliant Mistake,
their latest, features a CD booklet made of translucent
vellum. Sequential pages of inset lyrics visually
penetrate the cover which, suitably, has a pair of
magnifying spectacles aimed at the band name and title to
emphasize the album's lyrical strength.
Tsunami's two primary songwriters, Jenny
Toomey and Kristin Thomson, may be as didactic in song as
D.C. neighbors Fugazi, only less ostentatious when
performing. Toomey and Thomson have run their own Simple
Machines record label from day one, highlighting artists
such as the now-defunct Coctails, Danielle Howle, and
Franklin Bruno (who collaborated with Toomey on a
"rock opera" tour last year with her other
band, Liquorice). With so many indie rock colleagues,
it's almost presumptuous to characterize Tsunami as a DIY
band. Then again, it seems their secret to longevity is
not so much a fashionable design mock-up as it is simply
friends who never go out of style.
-- Chris Woo
Tsunami appears with Franklin
Bruno on November 23 at the Casbah.
Call 232-4355 for info.
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