The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, March 24, 1992, Image 8
Page 8 The Battalion Love on Ice thrashes blaring unpredictability with 'Nude' By Chris Eklof The Battalion Love On Ice "Nude" Interscope Spring break is over. We've tested the lim its of the human gastrointestinal system, learned a few new mystical hangover remedies and analyzed the liquid absorbency rate of a T- shirt. Not surprisingly then, the best thing that I discovered over spring break was "Nude." The tape had innocently enough been picked out of a pile of new releases and popped into the car's stereo. Expecting to hear another lame album, I was surprised to hear the energetic music of Love On Ice. Blaring out of the stereo with a high-octane was a brand of rock that leans towards the thrash music scene. The tape stayed in the car stereo for the rest of the break. The music of Love On Ice helps fill the void left by the breakup of Jane's Addiction. The screeching vocal style of singer Dan Krueger combined with the intense guitars of Dirk Sul livan and the band's conviction to not follow any formulas make them sound like a distant relative of Jane's Addiction. After listening to the album for a week, I knew the names of only three songs because of Krueger's vocal style. That didn't matter much because it was easy enough to make up my own lyrics to fit the songs. Most of Krueger's lyrics are unintelligible, but that doesn't take away from the songs 1 power. Krueger's howl ing is not used to deliver political or social messages; instead it becomes another instru ment by adding an extra bit of noise to the music. Underneath all the noise. Love On Ice takes the time to play a melody or two. "Foot In The Grave" and "Ugly" have melodies that can be followed and their choruses can actually be understood (most of the time). Love On Ice's music should be noted for its unpredictability. Just when you think you Love on Ice offers screeching thrash and energetic rock on their debut, “Nude know where a song or guitar riff is going, it storms off in another direction. The songs of ten flip-flop from one musical style to the next, right in the middle of the song. This album is not all screeching thrash, though. It also includes screeching, horn- drenched blues boogie and a screeching ballad. Only four or five songs are truly hard thrash ing songs; the rest demonstrate a wider range of music. The music varies from the piano in tro of "Sweet Thing" to the violin-backed cho rus of "Self In Blue" to the country style of "Country Boy." "Country Boy" stands out on the album be cause of its unusual style and sense of humor. The background percussion consists of the clip-clopping of horse's hooves and the lyrics describing a country boy's love. The acoustic ballad, "Gone Away," was recorded after the band had been upallnifi drunk and then got stuck in an elevator 111 three hours. At 7 a.m., they got out of thet:w LL cHUDZEtT vator and stumbled into the studio to recoiJctED sawo . the song. Their physical and mental conditi^ 5 probably had a large impact on the songp/D n't look^ slower pace and volume because there isnd ing else like this song on "Nude." Love On Ice are probably at their besta the wilder songs when they cut loose andlJ out all of their frustrations. The free-wheeli* "Foot In The Grave" and the angry "Leavelf Alone" spotlight the band at their best, do 'Nude" was a huge surprise with itsinte; ... .JB sity and spirit. Love On Ice is another altemL . five band from the Northwest that is lookingjpT'l QO1 bust out and make it big. Even if they dona make it, the album has found a permanei^^g^ f r< place in my collection. mte dowi Article 99' diagnosed as lacking originality in typical hospital script By Timm Doolen The Battalion "Article 99" Starring Ray Liotta and Kiefer Sutherland Directed by Howard Deutch Rated R Playing at Post Oak 3 Isn't it painfully obvious to writers, directors and even ac tors when they find themselves in the middle of a cliche? The new Howard Deutch film "Arti cle 99" is a one long cliche cling ing to a formula plot. "99" is a hospital movie, pulled straight from the files of other hospital films, anywhere from the "Dr. Kildare" series of the '40s and '50s up to last year's "The Doctor." • The only twist is that this time the hospital is a Veteran's Administration hospital, and the good guys are doctors trying to help veterans, while the bad guys are the government. The first 30 minutes of the movie are captivating, as we are shown how impossible it is to re ceive help from the Veteran's Administration, and how the surgeons working in this partic ular hospital work around the rules to givd p'atienfs thbmedical treatments they de£4rrve. Kiefer Sutherland is the new intern on the block, and Ray Liotta is the champion of patients' rights, even if he has to bend the rules sometimes. Unfortunately, after the ini tial bustle of the setup dies down, the movie starts dying as well, falling into the comfortable dressing of a formula hospital movie. We have these typical clich es: young, righteous surgeons battling for good; an evil admin istrator only worried about keeping costs down; an upward ly mobile intern who eventually learns there's more to life than just making money; the female doctor who scorns the intern's advances at first, and then changes her mind towards the end; a love interest between the rebel surgeon hero and the by- the-books psychiatrist; a heart patient who gets his operation at the climax of the movie (will he pull through?); and the old, dy ing war hero who imparts a little knowledge and love to the up start intern. Admittedly, there are some G enuine concerns and issues rought up. We see how doctors have to keep shifting patients who need care from department to department, because if they stay in one place too long, the administration discharges them. And we sympathize with the plight of the doctors who have to steal equipment from the ex perimental labs because the ani mals are receiving better treat ment than the humans. But most of the general is sues of inadequate health care have been touched upon in tele vision (St. Elsewhere, for in stance) and in other movies, most notably "Born on the Fourth of July." And the gener ally good drama has to be wa- touches that just don't r or agaim dred and ivor, 7 were decided. ne citizt Json, Dian ught the ed enougl "Ordinary ’ suited ear son or rot, a major di tered down with unlikely and ! unnecessary love stories, and comic toucru work. Also, the movie makes h prison) will I seem like all the problems ot ths of our commi entire medical community m -Kaplansa> caused by this one administ about thesafi tor, although we all know| much more complicated tte that. To the film's credit, all tin acting performances are first rate, but even the best crew cant keep a sinking ship afloat. "Article 99" has been 1 as the sequel to "M.A.S.H.,"! it is far from the quality of the Robert Altman movie, or the television series. There is scarce humor, unlike "M.A.S.H.," and the little that is attempted seem out of place. As formula hospital dramas go, this isn't all that (pad. Butif you want to see first-rate pro ductions that hit on issues in unique ways, watch Kiefer's fa ther, Donald Sutherland, in "M.A.S.H.," or stay up and watch the series on television. The Re-Unified Germany: Dr. Jurgen H. Wolff Professor of Sociology at Ruhr - Universitat in Bochum Wednesday, March 25,1992 0 7:00 P.M. Bfe 292B MSC ^ Free Admission - Reception Following r Presented by the MSC Wiley Lecture Series th is Vi Three i Opportunities in Texas Medicine Saturday, March 28, 1992 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Kleberg Center Texas A&M University Medical, Dental, Veterinary, and Allied Health Schools from all overTenas will be available at Kleberg to answer any questions students might have about the schools. Everyone is welcome, and the admission is free. Sponsored by: Alpha Epsilon Delta Biomedical Science Association Minority Association of Prehealth Aggies Premedical/Predental Society VJSCOTT&VC'HITE HCA Greenleaf Hospital St. Joseph Hospital 4 H«lth ito* 1 & +China Garden Chinese Cuisine Daily Lunch Buffet ^4 95 Full Dinner Menu LUNCH FINE DINING DINNER Mon-Frl 11:00-2:00 MODERATE PRICE Mon-Thurs5:00-9:30 Sat - Sun 11:00 - 2:30 BRAZOS VALLEY WINES Fd - Sat 5fl0-10:00 Sun 5:00-9:00 823-2818 2901 S. Texas Avenue BryanJ Ticket Studen Noit-Si