The Battalion
LIFESTYLES
Monday, February 26,1990
Lifestyles Editor Mary-Lynne Rice 845-3313
Me
Record review wrap-up
’80s mainstays Oingo Boingo, Gabriel
still
first-rate
S
d
By JOHN RIGHTER
Of The Battalion Staff
. I was asked recently what music
I’ve been listening to over the past
couple of months. T don’t use tea
leaves or a crystal ball, so just like ev
eryone else, I don’t always know
what to expect when I buy an album.
So in view of this uncertainty, I offer
reviews of albums I’ve bought in the
last month.
OINGO BOINGO
Dark at the End of the Tunnel
MCA Records
Lead Boingo man Danny Elf-
man is gaining stardom with his
movie soundtracks, most notably
for Beetlejuice and the Grammy-
winning Batman. Fortunately, in
light of all his success, Elfman
hasn’t abandoned one of the few,
great new wave acts America has
produced.
Since Elfman brought together
seven of Los Angeles’ best and
most diverse musicians in the
early '80s, Oingo Boingo has
rocked and grooved through its
mixture of quasi-big band and
Latino-hip hop via the ’80’s funnel
of British new wave.
Elfman’s frequent hiatuses,
coupled with the side projects of
other Boingo members, most no
ticeably John Avila and Johnny
‘‘Vatos’’ Hernandez’ Food For
Feet, hasn't helped quantitatively,
but qualitatively, Oingo Boingo is
better than ever.
Not as fun and quirky as mid-
80 releases’ Nothing To Fear and
Only A Lad, Dark At The End Of
The Tunnel builds on 1987’s
Boingo, a refined, accessible
sound that gives commercial ra
dio the chance to sound cool.
Boingo’s bottom-heavy
rhythms and saxophone section
couple with Elfman’s smooth
tenor vocals for a sound worthy of
Billboard and Rolling Stone.
"Out Of Control,” "Skin” and
“Flesh ’N Blood” all have a Rick
Dees “popability” to them. But
this is Danny Elfman and Oingo
Boingo, not Duran Duran or Bon
Jovi. Popability, in this case,
never sounded so right.
Unless you’re someone who
lives and dies by the mod beats of
’80’s new wave, then Dark At The
End Of The Tunne/should be one
of your first picks for commercial,
yet still Boingo-quality, grooving.
It’s as good as Boingo and still
Danny Elfman — that means it
never will be normal, but always
will sound cool.
GORILLA BISCUITS
Start Today
Revelation Records
New York is fighting along with
Washington D.C. to preserve
America’s stake in hardcore. Al
though far from dead, hardcore
and the straight-edge movement
is fluttering on the critical list.
Seven years ago, Los Angeles,
Minneapolis, Washington D.C.
and New York were cornerstones
for the aggressive and ambitious
hardcore scene.
Drawing its courage from the
English punk movement of the
late '70’s, America's contribution
to the ’80’s (along with rap and
acid-house dance) proved true to
its anthem: Live fast, die young.
With the revival of Restless Re
cords and Dischord, helped by
newcomers Revelation and Caro
line, hardcore has found a voice
again.
And as before, the screams
and stomps are serving as the
gospel of inner-city white kids.
The cream of the east coast crop
is Youth of Today, Warzone and
Gorilla Biscuits.
Gorilla Biscuits is not only the
best new-hardcore group today,
but one of the best-ever thrash
bands in an American-dominated
scene. After an EP and a couple
of compilation efforts, Gorilla Bis
cuits has joined the straight-edge
fighting grounds with the angry,
moralizing of Start Today.
Start Today adds the modern
touches of less bass, more guitar,
and eases on the primal screams
in favor of enunciation and mel
ody.
Lead singer Civ owns a strong,
emotionally-tinged voice that is
outdone only by Meister Ian
MacKaye. Civ's surprising range
and raspy chokes move fluidly
through the machine-gun beats
fired through the Biscuits’ dual
guitars.
Three songs are especially im
pressive. "New Direction” is a
thrown fist that flies in the face of
older hardcore acts who have
sacrificed their auspicious begin
nings in search of a more acces
sible sound.
“Now you’re so ashamed, now
I'm so ashamed of you. We be
lieved the same thing ... New
stage, new ideas. You don’t have
to make excuses for us. Sitting
there looking back, I’m scared.
Don’t spoil the memories of the
way things were.”
“Degradation” joins the fren
zied attempt of new hardcore
acts to disclaim their ties to rac
ism. “Forgotten” is hardcore at its
best, consolidating angry tempos
and self-righteous scolding, in
this case attacking the self-serv
ing attitude of today’s youth.
Start Today is a chronicle of a
lifestyle that is beyond empathy
for most of us. It is hostility, class
struggle and vigilantism for the
ideal of right and wrong.
For the New York street kids it
is an escape, a true alternative
lifestyle for those who have few
alternatives.
Hardcore wasn’t meant to last,
and it won't. But it’s satisfying to
see a group like Gorilla Biscuits
kicking and screaming until the
end.
TEN HANDS
The Big One Is Coming
ESG Records
Ten Hands is the leader in the
Texas sweep towards tight funk.
Widely recognized as Texas’ top
Largest-ever BVSO to perforin
Wagner, Holst masterworks
More than 100 musicians will
perform during the Brazos Val
ley Symphony Orchestra’s con
cert Tuesday at 8 p.ra. in Rudder
Auditorium.
The concert will begin with
Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the
Valkyries’’ from. “Die Walkure,”
followed by Wagner’s “Arrival of
the Guests at Wartburg’’ from
“Tannhausen.” Mezzo-soprano
vocalist Dixie Fine Sellers will i>e
featured during Gustav Mahler's
“Songs of a Wayfarer.”
The final composition will be
Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” ac
companied by the Brazos Valley
Chorale. During the perfor
mance, pictures taken by the Voy
ager spacecraft will be projected
above the orchestra.
During the intermission, Texas
A&M President William Mobley
will recognize University honors
students who will be special
guests.
Tickets are on sale at Rudder
Box Office. Prices are $12 for
adults, $10 for students and se
nior citizens and $8 for children
underage 12.
For more
845-1234.
information, call
unsigned act, the fivesome re
cently finished the follow-up to
1988’s Kung Fu ... That’s What I
Like.
The Big One Is Coming is the
same fusion of eclectic funk and
satire that catapulted the former
North Texas University group to
its teetering position.
Their innovative sound is
wedged in the wackiness of
Frank Zappa, surrounded by the
sounds of Camper Van Beetho
ven, Bad Mutha Goose and Peter
Gabriel.
Ten Hand’s strength undoubt
edly lies in their arrangements of
catch-all percussion, jangly gui
tar, pounding drums and the un
usual bass tones of Gary Muller's
Chapman Stick.
Meanwhile, keyboardist Paul
Slavens adds his hoarse whims
that tend to become tiresome at
their more absurd moments.
The Big One Is Coming splits
between Zappa grooves and soft
asides reminiscent of Gabriel.
The romanticized "World With No
Money,” the mocking “Moses In
My Life” and the unexplainable
"Little Man In My Head” are the al
bum’s highlights.
Musically, Ten Hands is excel
lent, and they only fall short on
the vocal arrangements when
Slavens is allowed to really ham it
up.
Lyrically, they can be ex
tremely funny on songs such as
"Jimbo, The Gay Methodist Min
ister," (definite anti-religious
overtones can be found through
out the album), touching on “You
Are My Fix” and just plain stupid
on "Amoeba.”
cable that Gabriel decided to add
extra music to the disc and name
it Passion, a befitting title that was
director Martin Scorsese’s work
ing name for “Temptation.”
Three years ago, Gabriel re
leased the spectacular So. Since
then, he seems to have become
bored with the conventions of
pop music.
But even devoid of vocals (ex
pect background cries and
chants on "Passion"), Passion is a
work of art that only Gabriel could
concoct. Why else does every
one from Kate Bush to Brian Eno
to Laurie Anderson end up col
laborating with him?
Although the album is not a
true soundtrack, it flows like a
continual piece that probably was
devised for a longer version of
“The Last Temptation Of Christ.”
The tempos are based on Ga
briel’s fascination with North Afri
can sounds and rhythms. Violins,
flutes, oboes and a bizarre ar
rangement of African instruments
create the mystical atmosphere
that is chilled by the hums and
cries of Gabriel, Yossou N’ Dour
and a cast of African session
men.
Gabriel deserves compliments
for his collaborations with musi
cians from Africa and South
America. The distinctive sound
developed on So and Birdy (an
other movie score) now is copied
heavily by a rock industry that
used to shun ethnic flavor.
With luck, Gabriel will find time
to revitalize his solo career. The
one-time frontman of Genesis has
a voice worthy of these sounds of
Passion.
son and saxophonist Zip Irvin
add a little pizzazz to the usual
punch.
“Pass Me The Gun” is a song
reminiscent of John Lennon’s
“Happiness Is A Warm Gun." The
arrangement is extremely simple,
but changes tempos throughout
to give it more life.
"This Old Town” and “You
Can’t Change the World Anymo
re” are mellow, night club num
bers. "Meet Your Heroes," a satire
on fandom and glorification that
borders between cynicism and
jealousy, is the album’s highlight.
“Look in their eyes, stand in
their shoes. Put them on the
ground right next to you. So many
jerks and so many fools. They’ll
make you laugh when you meet
your heroes.”
The album works best when it
gets down and dirty on “Meet
your Heroes” than on the wine-
and-dance theme “You Can’t
change The World Anymore.”
All My Friends is obviously a
the group's metamorphosis from
an early thrash band to a kind of
blue-collar Elvis Costello. The en
tire way, however, the Minutemen
based their lyrics on Boon’s short,
symbolic spiels fraught with politi
cal ambiguity.
Although their later efforts
paved the way for fIREHOSE, it
was their early work that gained
them recognition along with
Husker Du as America’s blue-col
lar spokesmen.
The recommendation here is
for Post-Mersh Vol. 1 & 3 that fea
ture their first six releases (oddly,
the later albums are contained on
Vol. 2).
Particularly important is the two
recordings of The Punch Line
and What Makes A Man Stan
Fires?on Vol. 1.
In fact, if you were to buy Vol. I
and the remarkable Double Nick
els On The Dime, you would have
all the necessary material fora
Minutemen collection.
The Minutemen was one of the
MINUTEMEN
M
to th
hun<
rallk
30 <
wan
first
plod
M
out i
occu
warn
v .quen
medi
cities
altog
Rn
who
deni(
there
rest.
In
throi
sion)
natin
marc
bullh
bysta
ger."
Ga
Cong
one o
stratif
unde
nisi 1
engin
seen
thwar
sentii
Th
succe:
E?
w/
won’t
ing fo
how ti
Obviously, Ten Hands is hop
ing the big one (record deal, that
is) is really coming. Their new al
bum is a strong, sometimes
great, independent release that
astutely was recorded live.
Anyone who has seen the
group perform knows that live is
the only way to hear them. Expect
great things from Ten Hands in
the future.
PETER GABRIEL
Passion
Geffen Records
The Grammy-winning sound
track to “The Last Temptation of
Christ” is not as controversial as
the movie.
In fact, it is so universally appli-
HOUSE OF FREAKS
All My Friends
Rhino Records
All My Friends is the second
release in the past year for the
folk-punk duo known as House Of
Freaks.
The combo finished the crit
ically-acclaimed Tantilla last
spring and rounded up leftover
tracks and a couple of new sin
gles for this 6-song EP.
Guitarist and vocalist Bryan
Harvey and drummer Johnny
Hott offer the usual manic beats
that rely on a simple guitar format
with an all-hell-is-breaking-loose
drum sound.
On All My Friends, hired hands
such as trumpet player Paul Wat-
closet cleaner and not equal to
Tantilla. Recommended only to
House Of Freaks freaks.
MINUTEMEN
Post Mersh
SST Records
Post Mersh is a trio of collec
tions (Vol. 1, 2 &3) from a-group
forced to disband abruptly in the
wake of the death of guitarist and
vocalist David Boon.
Bass player Mike Watt and
drummer George Hurley have
moved on to form the critically-
acclaimed fIREHOSE, a group
that recently saw its third release
fROMOHIO soar up the college
charts.
The three volumes chronicle
most important alternative banc:
of the '80s. They were also ones
the first. The Punch Line was th;
first full-length release on Arm-
ca’s groundbreaking SST label.
The Post Mersh collection is a'
excellent opportunity to acc L
mate yourself to a segment d
America's underground from the
early ’80s.
The sound quality is improvec
from the original recordings, ana
grouped together, the albums
cost a third of their normal price
But hearing bassist extraordinaire
Watt on two continous albums is
worth any price.
Post Mersh is a must if yoi
pride yourself on alternativt
thought.
dmg I
“W
mem,
Pharn
New 1
sea wi
Ric
Contr
more
helps
bowl
problt
“Tl
use, bi
pie us
Bi
ca
of
'Men Don’tLeave ’ gives tribute tofamily strength
ByTODD STONE
Of The Battalion Staff
“Men Don’t Leave” is a quality film that
evokes warm-hearted tears and gentle laughs
without the typical Hollywood manipulation.
Fine performances and a sincere screenplay
add depth and originality to the film’s conven
tional storyline.
Beth, played by Jessica Lange, is a middle-
class housewife and caring mother of two
sons. Her husband, John, has provided the
family with a home, love for his sons and secu
rity for his wife.
The sons are completely devoted to their
father, and Beth looks at John as though he
were the one reason she wakes up every
morning. He is the nucleus of the family, the
person who solves their problems.
Of course, for the sake of plot devel
opment, this secure family life is too good to
last. One evening, John is called to work be
cause of an emergency. When he drives away
with Beth anxiously watching, you know he
isn’t coming back.
Suddenly, Beth is a widow, and her sons are
without a father.
John was a good provider, but he failed to
leave life insurance for the family. His legacy
included a $63,000 debt, and Beth doesn’t
have the education or training to get a
$63,000job.
Beth is forced to sell John’s truck, which
her 17-year-old son, Chris (Chris O’Donnell),
considers worse than robbing his father’s
grave. Then, she must sell the house and
uproot the family from the peaceful suburbs
MEN DON’T LEAVE
Starring Jessica Lange and Joan Cusack
Directed by Paul Brickman
Rated PG-13
to downtown Baltimore.
She gets a job at a gourmet food store, but
her boss treats her like a worthless errand girl,
which makes working there unbearable.
Further, Beth is attracted to an avant-garde
musician, Charlie (Arliss Howard), but she is
too insecure to begin a relationship.
The move from a small town to an inner-
urban lifestyle is intimidating and upsetting to
the nine-year-old son, Matt, played by Charlie
Korsmo.
Matt meets a kid who steals videocassette
recorders, and the two start selling their stolen
recorders for extra money. Matt wants to buy
lottery tickets with his share of the loot, so he
can win enough money for his mother to buy
back the family home. —•
Chris falls for a nurse, Jody (Joan Cusack),
who is in her 20s, and they begin an affair.
Jody is kind and caring, but her airhead
sweetness has the same effect as fingernails
scraping across a chalkboard.
Cusack is simply wonderful in this role, and
she makes Jody the most memorable charac
ter in this movie. In comparison with Lange’s
performance as Beth, Cusack’s prominence is
a grand achievement.
Beth is overcome by her problems and
grief. She enters a deep depression and stays
in bed for five days.
Ironically, it is Jody who comes to her aid.
The interplay between Beth and Jody is
grand. Jody coaxes Beth out of her depres
sion, despite Beth’s unwillingness to cooper
ate.
The theme of the film seems to be that the
family must endure. It does, although the
characters go through significant transitions.
Beth wants to be more than a mother, and.
she tries to develop her own accomplishments.
Chris is entering adulthood and discovering
his sexuality. Matt just wants the security of a
family again.
Lange is superb as Beth, who desperately
wants to keep her family together and develop
as an individual. Cusack steals the screen as
the nauseating but caring nurse, and Howard
is charming as Charlie.
Newcomer O’Donnel has surprising range
as the troubled older son, Chris. One of the
most moving scenes of the movie is when
Chris desperately pleads with Charlie to help
his mother. Korsmo is equally effective as
Matt.
Director and co-screenplay writer Paul
Brickman (“Risky Business”) maintains a slow
and meandering pace, which works because
the audience focuses more on the characters.
The dialogue is snappy and believable.
Brickman and co-screenwriter Barbara Ben-
edeck’s screenplay is a cinematic gem.
The ending of the film fails to sum up the
action and developments of the movie, but by
then, you already will be more than satisfied
with “Men Don’t Leave”.
BE
collet
tours
deadl
ing tc
Th
fered
in res
busin
faults
cialC
Sin
indue
arm t
hble i
Th
v ide
0 pent
lectio i
capita
com n
s quad
Wro
On
cialist
Wro
r\
MSC
Politic
forur
‘Classics Illustrated’ offer colorful alternatives to novels
NEW YORK (AP) — Classics Il
lustrated, those comic-book adapta
tions of classic works of literature,
are back — in glossy print, and with
new artwork and adaptations.
The original Classics Illustrated
were produced on newsprint and
stapled together. Publication began
in 1941. The series ended in 1972.
At the height of its success, more
than 25 million copies of Classics Il
lustrated were sold each month, with
total sales at more than 1 billion cop
ies worldwide, according to the
Berkley Publishing Group.
The new Classics Illustrated are
soft-cover, printed on glossy paper,
generally in a 48-page format. Each
adaptation has its own distinct style
and look, depending on its text and
artist.
The original Classics Illustrated
urged readers to read the original
texts.
The new series explains, “While
they stand on their own merits, Clas
sics Illustrated are not substitutes for
the originals. Rather, they are artis
tic interpretations.”
Eighteen titles are planned for re
lease in 1990, including “Great Ex
pectations,” “Moby Dick,” “Hamlet,”
“The Count of Monte Cristo” and
“The Scarlet Letter.”
Rick Obadiah, publisher of First
Publishing in Chicago, says the text
of the new Classics Illustrated is “sui
table for educational, as well as gen
eral reading.
“The content of these books re
tains the integrity of the origini!
novels,” he says, “but the wording^
appropriate for a young adult audi
ence.”
Obadiah says low literacy raid
were one factor in his firm’s decisit*
to produce the new series.
“People aren’t reading enough
he says.
“We wanted to show that readinj
can be visually exciting, vibrant ant
entertaining.”