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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1990)
ik i,TX 103 lircuts Monday, September 3,1990 The Battalion Page 7 Living Colour’s second album slides past ‘sophomore slump’ (Reg. $59 less $20 pretreatmenl cash discount) v Accepted KnM inters Hege Station 1 Lawson, DOS: 2 S. W Parkway 396-9578 n ad noon $800 $800 $800 $800 :ipate $800 o en- $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 300 $300 $300 r ood ood en- $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 300 $300 5100 $100 $100 $100 "all $100 $100 $100 $100 1100 $100 10- CH Z7ENTER 9TO By JOHN RIGHTER In sports, the term “so phomore slump” is liber ally used to describe the production tailof'f of out standing rookies. While not as colloquia- lized as sports, sophomore slump is as apt a phrase in music for second-time un derachievers. It’s often noted that rookie sensations spend their “amateur” career, sometimes many years, preparing for their first release. In contrast to the four or Five years of pre paration and build-up of tight, original material, [roups find the second re lease, pushed along by strict time tables, a much greater challenge. Unfortunately, the sec ond release is what really makes or breaks most bands, a stressing reality they are painfully aware of (just ask Guns ’N Roses). Living Colour was one of 1989’s brightest new groups, scoring big with their album Vivid and sin gles “Cult Of Personality” and “Glamour Boys.” For tunately, Time’s Up, their latest release for Epic, dears the sophomore slump hurdle, landing a stronger, deeper album than Vivid. Time’s Up is not as catchy as their debut, but guitarist and frontman Vernon Reid leads Living Colour be yond mainstream metal into a root- oriented collection that relies as strongly on jazz and rhythm and blues as the group’s raw, grunge ap peal. The most pleasant part of Time’s Up is the growth in Living Colour’s musical itinerary. Despite Vivids heavier critical acclaim last year. I really thought that 24-7 Spyz’ Harder Than You was a gutsier, more collective piece of work. The 15 tracks on Time's are a pol ished, experimental collection bouyed by several incredible instru mentals and the first single, “Type.” “Type,” a stronger release than “Cult,” works off its pattern changes that groove in and out of fast rips and mellow harmonies. The lyrics fit nicely into topic deception, one of several themes strung throughout the album. Along with deception (sexual, historical, self), sexual deci sions and consequences and racial pride compose the topical meat of Time’s, a more outspoken release than their debut. On “Pride,” lead singer Corey Glover wails, “History’s a lie that they teach you in school, A fraudu lent view called the golden rule, A peaceful land that was born civilized, Was robbed of its freedom, its riches, its pride.” “Under Cover of Darkness,” a dark, jazzy number (Reid destroys in a brief solo), features guest vocalist Queen Latifah following Glover’s lines of sexual frustration in dealing with the posibility of AIDs. “To do or not to do that is the question,” raps Latifah, “Over and over you’re thrown these sugges tions, I’m sympathetic but I can’t condone, The fact that you want to make your bed my home.” “Let’s say I take this man as my lover, And he swears that there will never be another, But really he tells me he could give a damn about safe sex. And with all these other girls he’s had a taste test, But the thrill does not outweigh the conse quences, Therefore I’m using my common senses, To let you know I adore you, But I’m afraid I’m not the one for you.” Breaking from “Under Cover” is Muzz Skillings’ bass exploration on “Olo- gy,” the album’s coolest track. Skillings proves that Reid holds nothing over his head as the group’s in strumental spokesman. Likewise, Reid’s “His tory Lesson,” an instru mental that layers sam pling pieces over Reid’s airy rhythms, and the mouth percussion of Co rey Glover and guest con tributor Doug E. Fresh on “Tag Team Partners,” are intriguing tracks and per fect fillers. Time’s Up is everything that Living Colour did on Vivid and more. Reid, Skillings and drummer William Calhoun are sen sational musicians who shine while performing Time’s varied formats. Glover is normally solid on vocals, but is much more suited for the softer rhythm and blues, than the al bum’s harder tracks. In the past two years, Living Co lour and 24-7 Spyz have taken the roots set by hardcore-starters Bad Brains and deepened the multi-in fluences of African-American music. Both are years ahead of popular white glam metal in guts and ability. Fortunately, Reid and Colour seem determined to advance their sound and broaden their direction. Even though they’ll move more away from the CBGB metal days, I can only expect this change to continue the improvement shown on Time’s Up, an album that is anything but a sophomore slump. Music Spotlight: The Road Kings Photo by Fredrick D.Joe The Road Kings perform near the fountain in front of the Old Chemistry Building Friday af ternoon. Brian Lux on bass, Eric Rucker on drums and Jesse Dayton on guitar and vocals make up the trio. Their rockabilly sound has pleased crowds in several local clubs since they formed last spring. Fit College Republicans First Fall 1990 Meeting { Sept. 4 8:30 p.m. 201 MSC ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ft f ¥ ¥ Featured Speaker Gayle West Vice Chairman Republican Party of Texas Everyone Welcome! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ? t * * * * * * Indoor House Plants, Decorative Baskets, Potting Soil, Silk Floral Arrangements and more for your HOME or APARTMENT cfs contemporary landscape services & nursery 6 Blocks North of TAMU Off South College Ave. 106 North Ave. 846-1448 •i. -s International Professional Business Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi RUSH CALENDAR Mon. Sept. 3 SMOKER - Meet the Lambda Nu Chapter at our Delta Sigma Pi infor mational smoker for all interested students. (MSC 229 and 230, 7:00p.m.) *profes- sional attire requested* Thurs. Sept. 6 RUSH DINNER - Join us for dinner and meet the chapter in a relaxed atmosphere at Chicken Oil Co. at 6:30p.m. Fri. Sept. 7 HAPPY HOUR - Start your weekend off right at a Delta Sig’ happy hour at Sneaker’s at 6:30p.m. Sun. Sept. 9 RUSH PICNIC - Get ready for food, sports, and fun at our rush picnic at Bee Creek Park at 2:00p.m. Tues. Sept. 11 PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER - Experience the professional side of Delta Sigma Pi with our speaker at 7:00p.m. in MSC 201. *professional attire requested* Fri. Sept. 14 RUSH PARTY - Come to the Briarwood Apts, party room at 8:30p.m for our “Black and White” end-of-rush party! Dress completely in “black and white” from “head to toe” and be ready to have fun! (Join us for Midnight Yell after the party!) A2n ‘The Best in the Business” Office of Student Residence Hall Judicial Affairs Association are seeking students with good decision making and communication skills for STUDENT JUDICIAL BOARDS POSITIONS AVAILABLE NOW! Residence Halls Judicial Boards hear cases of on-campus students alleged to have violated Residence Halls Policies and/or University Rules and Regulations Applications are available in Student Judicial Affairs Office Student Affairs Annex (corner of Hughes and Moses Residence Halls) Information Session: Tuesday, September 4, 1990 7:00 p.m.-Student Affairs Annex Application Deadline: Friday, September 7, 1990 For more information call 845-5262