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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 1992)
Arts & Entertainment Tuesday, Novembers, 1992 The Battalion Page 3 iber 3,1 e right-side tely off anc the victim's aged. sued. 1992 :hief right sided was dentec >meone de- ctim's 198S ig the core ere Prohid d floor was inclusion of suddenly o the build- to the from the people had a gun ,es were in- >d that dur- individuals isplayed a s searched - several 'ere detect- he victim’s 992 Theft n, Special- ed bicycle irary Snack ebook-style ;h and his dentific cal- im has re- ip calfS. tim has re ip calls. im is beins r acquain- fork rializing in and medi- 11 travel to lay to con- dministra- A&M can ? the trans- "Mexico- ips: Yen co/Page 5 mior nee major ments are liver Taps DS 3 10,000 Maniacs' new album explores Eden with powerful poetry and catchy melodies By TODD BLACKMON Arts & Entertainment Editor of THE BATTALION 10,000 Maniacs "Our Time in Eden" Elektra Records With the release of their new album, 10,000 Maniacs takes a troubled look at the struggles of heavenly belief, and guides the lis tener through the bitterness of a lost Eden. The album is powerful, in triguing and quite possibly the best album the Maniacs have produced. One thing I've discovered about 10,000 Maniac's previous al bums is that the catchy upbeat melodies seem to contradict the serious, thought-provoking lyrics. "Our Time in Eden" is no excep tion, but that's not to say such contrast is negative. In fact, such diversity makes the band that much more enjoyable. The album's most appealing as pect is Natalie Merchant's clear, bright voice. The simple, catchy melodies are enjoyable even if you don't concentrate on what she is saying. Merchant's voice grabs 10,000 Maniacs' new album has deep lyrics and upbeat melodies. the listener's attention away from the songs' meaning. However, that doesn't mean the words should be ignored. Each song is like poetry in blank verse, and I enjoyed reading the lyrics before I listened to the songs. Many of the songs are filled with Biblical themes and imagery and deal with the struggles and hopes of Christian beliefs. The lyrics of "Eden" illustrate the Maniacs' views on the mixed blessings of paradise: "We are the roses in the garden, beauty and thorns among our leaves. To pick a rose you ask your hands to bleed. What is the reason for hav ing roses when your blood is shed carelessly?" The song "If You Intend" con tinues questioning, saying: "God, if you persist you'll die like this, and wither in the midst of your first season, cut down with no rea son. How can you be so near and not see everything?" Merchant is backed by the Ma niacs' usual lineup — guitarist Rob Buck, bassist Steve Gustafson, drummer Jerome Augustyniak, and Merchant's own haunting pi ano playing. The folksy pop arrangements the band creates provide a nice backdrop for Mer chant's voice. On several songs string arrangements add to the emotional depth of the lyrics and lend added strength. The emotional depth of the song lyrics is a primary strength of the album, but the listener doesn't have to agree with Mer chant's subject matter to enjoy it. "Our Time in Eden" is truly a record lover's time in paradise. Cellist performs at Brown Bag luncheon By ANAS BEN- MUSA Reviewer of THE BATTALION The resounding notes of a cello will be heard at Wednesday's Brown Bag Con cert at 12:30 p.m. in 402 Academic. Cellist David Garrett will play Antonio Vival di's "Sonata No.5 in E minor" and Sergei Rachmaninov's "Sonata in G Minor, Opus 19." Accompanying him on the pi ano will be Junko Ueno. Garrett is currently performing with the Houston Symphony Or chestra. He is well-versed in the stan dard repertoire of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. In addition, Garrett is an estab lished professor of music and has taught at Ball State University, the University of Texas at San Anto nio and Trinity University. KAMU-FM 90.9, Texas A&M's public radio station, will broad cast his performance. The Brown Bag Concert is pre sented by the OP AS Stark Series and the Department of Philoso phy and Humanities' Music Pro gram. 'A River Runs Through It' meanders without a plot By JENNY MAGEE Reviewer for THE BATTALION "A River Runs Through It" Starring Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Tom Skerrit Directed by Robert Redford Rated PG Playing at Post Oak Mall Cinema A river might have run through it, but I never exactly figured out where the river was running to. "A River Runs Through It", Robert Redford's latest directing excursion, is a story in the purest sense of the word. Unfortunately, it is a story that lacks an extremely impor tant essential — a plot. The story is told by Nor man McClain (Craig Shef fer), who is a product of Montana Presbyterianism with an order of fly fishing on the side. At his father's sugges tion, Norman is telling the story of his family. Primari ly, Norman's memories meander through the re lationship he has with his brother Paul (Brad Pitt). Unfortunately, it takes two hours and 10 min utes to establish the fact that Norman is the smart sibling and Paul is the charming rebel. Norman is the one who has inherited the re served perception of his father's sermons, and Paul is destined for trouble from the outset. But however different the two brothers may be, they are bound by one love — fly fishing. In the clear waters of their river, they learn and practice the art of fly fishing. It is something that separates them from the world, yet binds them to each other. First of all, let me begin by saying that the scenery in the movie is absolutely incredible. I am seriously ready to pack my bags and head out for Montana. If you are a nature freak the movie is worth seeing on that count alone. However, to put it bluntly, I spent the entire movie waiting for something of great significance to happen. This might have been because in the opening narration, Norman relays to the audience a mes sage from his father, who said, "Norman, one day when you are ready, you should tell the story of our family; only then will you understand." Maybe it's just me, but I always take those "only then will you understand" lines as a big hint. I sat up a little straighter in my chair and prepared for something monumental. Needless to say, all I got out of that was a big backache. I have come to the conclusion that the basis for "A River Runs Through It" is life. Not exception al or unique life, just plain life. I feel like some sort of artistic degenerate for not being able to appreciate the simplistic quality of the movie. But I want some suspense, some sort defined story line, or at least some romance. No one even kisses. Pardon me for being girlie, but I find that to be a darn shame when you have a movie that stars Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer. I don't want to give the impression that the movie was a total flop. There was just never any thing defined or concrete about the direction of the story's message. But maybe that was the point. I mean, a river's flow is constant. It does not matter to a river if to day is your wedding day or if you got lemon juice in your paper cut today. It doesn't matter. The river will still follow the same course. All right, this is a real neat analogy and all, but I don't want to have to work this hard to justify a movie. While "A River Runs Through It" was a scenic trip, the water was a little too calm for my taste. FAMINE IN EAST AFRICA f or rhetoric? Come join E>ula Abdue as he discusses the famine and civil strife of his native region. Thursday, November 5 401 Rudder 7:00 p.m. Presented by the MSC L.T. 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Package includes: - 1 ticket to the game on November 12 - Bus charter to and from the Astrodome in Houston - Refreshments on the bus For more information concerning the trip, please contact Stephen Archer @ 764-8008. Spots will fill quickly, so make your reservation as soon as possible !!!