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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1987)
"Never Let Me Down" David Bowie EMI America Records ★★ David Bowie is rock music’s most flamboyant schizophrenic. He might be Ziggy Stardust, a glittery rock idol from Mars. Or he might be the Thin White Duke, a clean- cut crooner of pop songs. Or he might be the Lodger, an urban street punk cranking out hard rock. Or he might be Aladdian Sane, an androgynous poet of the Jean Genet school. Or he might be the Young American, singer of white soul music. For each new album, Bowie adopts a new musical style and a new persona. “Never Let Me Down, ” Bowie’s 19th album, is probably the most erratic and directionless album he has ever released. Unlike his previous work, there is no distinct style or personality to act as a unifying force for the album. It’s almost as if Bowie has taken the worst ideas from each of his different stylistic periods and put them together on one album. The album is listenable, due to the way Bowie and co-producer David Richards have structured the album’s sound. The album sounds good with its horns and eurodisco electronics, but it doesn’t say much. Tracks like “Day-in Day-out,” “Zeroes” and “Time Will Crawl” aren’t bad but can only be placed in the “David Bowie’s Minor Hits” catagory. Once again Bowie covers an Iggy Pop tune. “Bang Bang” shows that Bowie still can’t master Pop’s rawness. He would have been beter off if he would have slowed the song down and re interpreted it, like he did with Pop’s “Tonight” a couple of years ago. If you have ever seen Rob Reiner’s spoof of rock movies “This is Spinal Tap, ” you won’t be able to listen to “Glass Spider” without bursting into laughter. Bowie’s spoken intro to “Glass Spider” is so much like the prententious, drugged-out Christopher Guest used to introduce Spinal Tap’s “Stonehenge” that he can’t be serious. Not even Bowie can sing a song about magical orphan baby glass spiders and make it sound like anything but a joke. I might be being a little hard on Bowie but he obviously didn’t put much effort into the album. True, Bowie is a genius, but his genius is sometimes confused. For Bowie fans, “Never Let Me Down” is a let down—Reuieiu by Karl Pallmeyer "Hillbilly Deluxe" Dwight Yoakam Reprise Records irk-kick In 1975, music critic Jon Landau said that Bruce Springsteen was the future of rock ’n’ roll music. Last year, the future of country music burst onto the scene. His name is Dwight Yoakam. Yoakam, and others like him, are trying to take country music back to the basics. The Hollywood Best Bets Howdy! This summer term is drawing to a close. Good luck on finals this weekend. If this term is the only one for you this summer, so long, but if you’re going to stay around another five weeks, Best Bets will continue to provide you with unique entertainment opportunities which can be reached with little difficulty. If your agency or group has a unique event coming up, let us know by calling At Ease at 845-3312. Friday, duty 10 Movie In The Park: This month’s movie, sponsored by the College Station Parks and Recreation, is “Alice in Wonderland. ” Admission is free and concessions will be available. If this is one of your favorites, or if you’ve never seen the film, head out to Wear stores. Saturday, July 11 Papa’s Porto and Blue Bell Tour: If you like Blue Bell and good wine, Messina Hof Wine Cellars offers this fun and fattening tour again. You’ll be able to taste several wines and enjoy Messina Hof s own dessert composed of Blue Bell’s Homemade Vanilla ice cream and Messina Hof port wine. Admission is free, but you must make reservations. Call 778-WINE. country of Dolly Parton and the crossover country of Alabama are cast aside in favor of a pure, honkytonk sound. Yoakam mixes guitar, bass, drums, pedal steel guitar and fiddle, along with sweat and beer, to get a sound that Hank Williams and Bob Wills would love. Like “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.,” Yoakam’s debut album, “Hillbilly Deluxe” is hard hitting honkytonk music. A few well-chosen covers, like Elvis Presley’s “Little Sister” and Lefty Frizzell’s “Always Late with Your Kisses,” are thrown down with Yoakam’s originals. Lots of good guitar picking from Yoakam producer Pete Anderson helps the album sound like it belongs on the juke box at the roughest bar in Texas. All it takes is a few bars of “Readin’, Rightin’, Pt.23,” “1,000” or “This Drinkin’ Will Kill Me” to understand how the West was won. Like Springsteen, Yoakam speaks for the working man, but this man works south of the Mason Dixon line. Now this is what country music is supposed to sound like!—Review by Karl Pallmeyer At Ease Staff Editor Karen Kroesche Assistants Anne Dejoie Melisa Hohlt Reviewer Karl Pallmeyer J Production Alan Sembera Don’t Worry when an accident or sudden illness occurs CarcPlus is open when you need them 7 days a week with affordable medical care. Pharmacy now open 7 days a week for your convenience PCS Card accepted by Pharmacy CarePlus^ti Medical/Dental Center 696-0683 1712 S.W. Parirway • C.S. Open 8am - 8pm (mom fom Kroner Center)