Right to Remain Silent Stranger finds fame in Nashville music scene that the whole deal only took about four days to put together. The result was a success. Perfect Stranger’s club expe rience shows in the dance-ori ented quality of most of the songs on You Have The Right To Remain Silent. The album includes a waltz and several country swing-style cuts. “It’s Up To You,” “Ridin’ The Rodeo,” “I Ain’t Never” and “Even The Jukebox Can’t Forget” are all strong, up-tempo songs that seem tailor-made for dance clubs. Two strong ballads are also featured, including the title track and “I’m A Stranger Here Myself.” One of Perfect Stranger’s strengths is its live performance. Lead-guitarist Richard Raine’s rap version of “The Beverly Hill billies” is a crowd-pleaser. Whether in person or over the air waves, this band is ready to take center stage in the country music scene. Perfect Stranger Perfect and Dunn as two of their prime musical influences. After years in Southwest area clubs. Perfect Stranger has had the chance to cover just about everyone’s style. As a result, the band was able to pick and choose what type of country it preferred and develop its own style — and it worked. Lead singer Steve Murray’s classic country voice blends well with Perfect Stranger’s traditional sound to give the band a lot of potential. The band’s first single, “You Have The Right To Remain Silent,” has been gaining popu larity around the country, and Perfect Stranger appeared on Music City Tonight last month to perform the single. Perfect Stranger scraped funds together to release its work on a Pacific Records’ album, It’s Up To You. When Curb Records heard the band’s work, it prompt ly signed Perfect Stranger. In fact, the studio was so impressed By David Taylor The Battalion Perfect Stranger You Have The Right To Remain Silent Curb Records ★ ★★ 1/2 (out of five) In the world of country music, “young” is the buzz-word. For many bands this trend means making music for the crossover to mainstream pop. Not for Perfect Stranger. Perfect Stranger’s first Curb Records release. You Have The Right To Remain Silent, reveals the band’s honkytonk roots. A simple glance at the band reveals the authenticity of its home-town attitude. Although it’s the latest Texas act to break onto the Nashville scene. Perfect Stranger has spent years playing at Texas honky- tonk bars while honing its skills. Not surprisingly, the band lists George Strait and Brooks Congo fizzles fast despite expensive effects By Jay Robbins The Battalion Congo Starring Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson and Tim Curry Directed by Frank Marshall Rated PG-13 Showing at Hollywood 16 and Schulman 6 ★★ (out of five) Congo begins with a bang — and that’s it. The action opens in the Virunga rain forest in Zaire. Two corporate scientists discover a source of in dustrial-grade diamonds that can make possible a “communications laser,” which is light years ahead of current technology. Just after they notify their Houston headquarters of the find, an unseen attacker kills the men and their guides in a gripping scene. TraviCom Communications sends Dr. Karen Ross (Laura Linney), a former CIA operative and field expert, to find out what happened to the first team and stake a claim to the diamonds. But she doesn’t have time to set up an expedition of her own through the proper government channels. Enter Dr. Peter Elliot (Dylan Walsh). Elliot is a prima- tologist who has taught sign language to a gorilla named Amy captured in the same region as the diamond find. Amy, an amazing lifelike puppet crafted by Stan Win ston, suffers from nightmares that Elliot believes Eire caused by her captivity. Elliot makes the painful decision to return Amy to the wild. Herkermer Homolka (Tim Curry), a Romanian “phil anthropist” really out to find a treasure, sets up an ex pedition to take Amy back to Zaire, but runs out of cash before he can pay to fuel the plane. Ross and her unlim ited TraviCom expense account bail out the expedition, getting a ride into Africa in the bargain, and the plot fi nally takes off. The expedition arrives in Africa to be met by a safari guide named Monroe Kelly (Ernie Hudson), the only in teresting character and the single example of good acting in the film. Except for the interesting play between Kelly and the tribesmen the group meets, the rest of the show is hardly watchable. This much-hyped movie, based on a mediocre novel by Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park), fails to build ei ther momentum or suspense. J.P. Shanley’s screenplay fails to even live up to the shallow standards set by the book, which at least featured some semblance of origi nality and suspense. Congo’s apparently high-doll ar budget shows through in the wonderful cinematography and some special effects like the gorillas. Yet other scenes seem cheap and staged because of unconvincing acting and the predictable plot. Congo needs to be sent back to the beginning of the moviemaking process and start over from screenplay to theme music. The greatest disappointment of the film lies in its failure to fulfill its potential. With a story that features priceless diamonds, wild an imals, high-tech lasers and mysterious deaths, no movie should be so one-dimensional. The Battalion • Page 3 Tuesday • June 13, 1995 Jackson’s eqo swells with pompous History One afternoon, as I lay around watching MTV out of sheer boredom, a commercial came on that disturbed me quite a bit. It wasn’t about vio lence, drugs or condoms — it was about Michael Jackson’s new al bum and video, HIStory. As I watched the throngs of screaming fans throwing them selves at this man, I started to wonder why exactly Michael Jackson is the “king of pop.” What were the requirements for winning this prestigious honor, and am I the only one that wants a recount? I don’t know many people — none, to be exact — who are even the slightest bit excited about being bombarded by more Michael Jackson videos on MTV all summer long. Then again, I know few people above the age of eight who are remotely excit ed about anything on MTV. The only reason the HIStory hype is getting any attention whatsoever on MTV can be at tributed to one reason — money. But seriously, Michael Jack- son gets entirely too much credit. By saying he’s the “king of pop,” we are saying this man reigns supreme over every oth er top-40 male. Granted, top- 40 males are nothing to get ex cited about to begin with (Michael’s in close competition with Jon Secada for this hon or), but there must be someone out there that is more influen tial than this freak. I don’t deny for a second that I own the Thriller album, but See Jackson, Page 4 { The Musical Comedy Tickets Available at Rudder Box Office — 845-1234 Regular *Dinner/Musical $25.00 Students *Dinner/Musical $20.00 Regular Musical Only $10.00 Students Musical Only $ 7.00 * All Dinners Must Be Purchased, 48 Hours In Advance dune 15-18, 22, 24 Dinners served at 6:30 p.m. June 25 Brunch only served at 12:30 p.m. A First Time Collaboration Presented by: Aggie Players BUSINESS IS BACK! Italy Spring Semester 1996 Students will select a minimum of 12 hours: Interested? Attend any one of these informational meetings in 154 Bizzell Hall West: Wed., June 14 12-1 Thurs., June 15 10-11 ECON 489/: Economics of the Eur. Union 1BUS 489 Prof. Pier Luiyi Sacco LBAR 332/: Culture of Mgmt. in the Eur. Union MGMT 489 Prof. Pier Luigi Sacco ARTS 350: Arts and Civilization Prof. Paolo Barrucchieri ANTH 201: Introduction to Anthropology Dr. Sylvia Grider ANTH 205: Peoples and Cultures of the World Dr. Sylvia Grider PSYC 405: Psychology of Religion Dr. David Rosen PSYC 306: Abnormal Psychology Dr. David Rosen Study Abroad Programs • 161 Bizzell Hall West • 845-0544 OVERSEAS JOB OPPORTUNITIES with the U.S. PEACE CORPS Current Openings in AGRICULTURE, BUSINESS, EDUCATION, HEALTH, ENGINEERING '** (For 1996-97 there will be over openings for both BUSINESS Sind ENGLISH TEACHING Professionals). TAMU Peace Corps 360 NT. Bizzell 845-5499 actioH! It happens when your advertise in The Battalion Call 845-2696 [SR AZ0S TRADER .ANTIQUES & COLIECTIbVe" Browse in our store for a different shopping experience! • M - F 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Sundays by chance 210 West 26th St.. 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