Hi all
 
Just found the first major? print review of WFAD in Entertainment weekly
August 23/30 issue.
 
"THE CONNELLS  Weird Food and Devastation (TVT)
 
A decade after their first release, the Connells are still combining the
honey-dipped melodies of English Pop with the melancholy folk rock of
vintage R.E.M., a formula that's old but still mostly works.  And even
when Weird Food stalls musically, the band's lyrics about disillusionment
and regret keep the songs moving.  B-"
 
Jon Weiderhorn
 
 
The B- minus score is the same as the score given Sebadoh's new release
and generally a about average or a little above the scores given most
relatively unknown artists.
 
Also, I was browsing the web and found a place with some artwork
originally designed for the cover of Ring.  This can be found at :
 
http://www.herron.iupui.edu/faculty/uterwohlen/doubledagger/rock&roll.html
 
It seems to me that this picture (basically a guitar, a telephone and a
man's head) missed the point on the emaning of the use of the word in this
case, which I took to symbolize the completion of a cycle.  To me this was
born out by the release of the New Boy EP which matched the release of
Hat's Off their first EP. Thus by this tortured line of reasoning WFAD
represents the start of a new cycle.
 
The new CD is certainly arranged somewhat differently since it doesn't
start with a really kickin power pop nugget like Slackjawed or Stone Cold
Yesterday.  Also the more egalitarian distribution of song writing chores
may be a harbinger of the shape of the new cycle.
 
Personally, I liked most of WFAD although their seemed to be a few two
many songs trying to be '74-'75, and the voice over (or whatever its
called) in Just Like That (I think) hampered my enjoyment of what was
otherwise a really good song.
 
Anyhoo, sorry for getting all metaphysical but as an engineer I don't get
the chance very often and I find it a cathartic experience.
 
Bill Cross