Arabs off radar The avant act calls it quits; plus, an Invasion update BY BOB GULLA

Jeff Schneider, a member of the late, lamented Arab On Radar, writes in to discuss just what happened to his band and what’s going to happen from here. AOR broke up a few months ago, but because of their significant inroads most of last year, they were still named in the Best Avant category in this paper’s Best Music Poll. "I still think it’s cool that we were nominated," says Jeff.

The statement on the band’s Website goes like this: "Arab On Radar have officially broken up due to irreconcilable differences. Unfortunately these differences have compromised the creative process." In departing, the band has bestowed one last memento with the release of Stolen Singles, a collection of tracks and early demos spanning the band’s seven year career. In closing the statement reads, "Arab On Radar are forever grateful to all those who have helped us over the years."

And, that wraps up that band . . . Schneider says the members of AOR have gone their separate ways to create new bands. "My new band is called Vapor Attack, consisting of myself, Jonathan Wisehart from Lome, Dare Matheson and Jon Loper from La Machine." All of those bands have broken up and seek to break new ground in this new configuration.

As for the sound of it, Schneider invokes a few familiar names. "If you like bands like the Birthday Party, or the Contortions, mixed with the Stooges and a bit of Sonic Youth, you might like us. It helps if you’re from Russia or Mars." Which means Vapor Attack hasn’t completely abandoned its avant roots.

"The music is less shrill than Arab On Radar, less pop than Lome, and less psychedelic than La Machine, although the elements are included from these bands to make a new thing possible," says Schneider. "We attempt to play music that conjures spirits, and people can judge for themselves if we are successful in that aim."

Vapor Attack’s first show is on Sunday (the 11th) at 9 p.m. at AS220, with Vincebus Eruptum and Vapor Attack co-headlining and Haunted House and Four Horse opening. Go to www.as220org. for details.

INVASION UPDATE. As the second annual Providence Invasion nears, I thought it might be titillating for you all to see what’s in store. What follows is a list of acts already confirmed to play the date — though the date itself has yet to be disclosed.

OK, deep breath: Acid Rain Revival, Afterglow, And All Was Silent, Blacklist Union, Blackstone Valley Crew, the Complaints, the Cringe, Dagnabbit, E-Man, Emery Vesch, Forty Eight Rooms, the Gradual, Grandizer Punch, Illustrious Day, Immune, the Jason Colonies Band, Jim James Band, Jon Tierney and the Truth, the Josie Band, Just Before August, Kilroy, Lavalust, Life This Week, Mastamindz, Moi, the Mockingbirds, Mr. Lincoln, Mutha Ugly, Object Permanence, Optic Lock, Paris, Rebecca Nurse, Shiver, Slugworth, Spiney Norman, Spogga, Three Speed Amplifier, Tommy Coma, Train of Thought, Universal Breakdown, Water, and the Wheel. And this list is not final. The org will be accepting participants right up til the day. Go to www.rattleheadrecords.com/ for more information.

The Rattlehead Records folks have also disclosed the fact that they’re getting unexpected cooperation from the mayor’s office, a real tonic compared to treatment of the previous administration. Plus, according to Sean Rattlehead, plans include some new locations opening up in "another undisclosed area of the city and a very, very special location that will surely bring a chuckle when you find out where it is."

BARN BURNING. There’s news in Barn Burning territory. According to the band and Paige La Grone Babcock from Catamount Records in Nashville, Barn Burning has signed with up and coming imprint Catamount. Paige’s husband, Eric Babcock, founded both the Bloodshot and Checkered Past labels and he and Paige are now working on Catamount. One of their first projects will be our own Barn Burning. "We are very excited to be working with these guys," says frontman Anthony Loffredio who, along with Erik Wohlgemuth (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Travis Lawton (drums, drums, drums), Emily Myers (viola, vocals), jack-of-all-instruments Corwin Butterworth (mandolin, dobro, lap-steel), and Mark O'Brien (bass) comprise Barn Burning.

They will be releasing their record nationally on June 3 and celebrating the release with a brief tour starting at the end of the month. According to Loffredio, "We are going up to Buffalo, down through Columbus, Pittsburgh, into Kentucky, over to North Carolina. Caitlin Cary hooked us up with a show and her living room floor for that night, and then into Virginia, then back home. In the meantime, you can still get the Secret Eye version of the record (their previous label) on the Barn Burning website or at shows, at the Atlas Bower Bookstore, or your fave Thayer Street record store.

Best of luck, guys. Sure sounds like you’ve found the way to get from here to there.

WANDERING EYE. You have one more chance to see the Young Ones before they go on recording hiatus for a while. And this show should be smoking.

On Saturday (the 10th) at the Met Cafe, the Young Ones open for Seks Bomba and the Blackstone Valley Sinners. Also on Saturday, there’s some serious rock going on at Jerky’s on Richmond Street in Providence featuring Freakshow, Donnybrook, and Transparent. Get there early.

Don’t get much chance to mention hip-hop in this department, but following the big Hot 106 show at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center with 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Li’l Kim Hot Night show on Saturday (the 9th), there’s a rockin’ after-party at Sanctuary on Hartford Ave. Hosted by Li’l Mo & Violator, the party will feature DJ Buck and Big Stress. Admission is only $10 with Hot Night ticket stub. For more info, call 831-7747. Then on Sunday (the 11th) at Sanctuary, the Ultimate Mothers Day all-male revue goes down, with Flava, GQ, Punisher, and more. Call (508) 400-7810 for more info.

On Saturday (the 10th), freestyle MC Supernatural is hitting the state, performing in Providence as part of the Beats For Peace Tour. Sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), the tour was created to rally youth, especially those who may not feel connected, to participate vigorously in a Global Justice Movement that addresses the rapidly changing climate of American society (their words). Supernatural will perform songs from his Babygrande/Koch debut, The Lost Freestyle Files. It all goes down at Lupo’s.

Whaling City Sound continues its monthly "Tuesday Jazz at the Narrows" on the 13th, as the Whaling City Sound Superband brings its danceable jazz to the Narrows Center for the Arts (16 Anawan Street, Fall River, Massachusetts) at 7:30 p.m. The Superband mixes elements of Latin, funk, rock, straight-ahead, and progressive music into a hypnotic rhythmic tapestry.

Got an e-mail from an old acquaintance named Jon Comey. Many of you might know him as the singer of John Monopoly, the Best Local Act winners of 1995. Comey has a new band called BOMBdotCOM, and they’re playing at the Living Room on May 17. They have some demos up on mp3.com/bombdotcom if you’d like a listen. It’s Comey’s first time back in Rhode Island since JM broke up in 1996 so let’s give him a hero’s welcome, eh?

E-mail me at big.daddy1@cox.net with all of your music news.