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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1995)
3 ay • October 31,| K The Battalion fuesday ober 31, 1995 Aexrjelife :ferendum. id we try again.’sj ec Premier Jaci] years this time. 1 get it.” ?ves and we our country - JaquesPiim is not imminent, lil Litutional reform. I Id have spelledrl — and perhaps :| ts history. It won Corgan and co. tackle massive Mellon Collie The dangers of becoming a prolific artist in the indie-alternative rat race became a harsh reality for Billy Corgan in 1993. Lifting his voice to the heavens was Siamese Dream, an astounding album that pigeonholed the Smashing Pumpkins as the primary art doom band in post-Nirvana rockdom. But while Corgan wore his heart on his sleeve in his deeply personal lyrics, he ended up slip ping in his own entrails. Charges of band turmoil ran rampant, and Corgan’s control freakish behavior propelled his sin cere intentions into puddles of pretentious ness. Corgan now goes from Siamese Dream to his own personal fairy tale, Mellon Collie and the Infi nite Sadness. The album is a monstrous accom plishment, with extremes racing from blood-cur dling death rock to glorious ballads. Of course, releasing a double album with 28 songs will probably further the band’s pretentious glow achieved by refusing to play for fans who throw shoes. But Mellon Collie is ambitious, in deed, and a testament to Corgan’s creative output. From the CD booklet cover to the inside art, it appears the band is trying to land the Pumpkin spaceship in the middle of Aesop’s Fables, a world of magic and wonder, anger and darkness. With such a vast array of songs, trying to pro vide any kind of cohesiveness is futile. Where Siamese Dream and Gish traveled down a coordi nated road, Mellon Collie is all over the place, nev er stopping to rest before switching gears complete- ly- Taking a jab at critics despite its cryptic title is “F—k you (an ode to no one).” Corgan growls “And you’re mistaken, it’s you that’s faking,” and “De stroy the mind, destroy the body, but you cannot destroy the heart.” Ironically, Mellon Collie’s proudest moment is without Corgan’s lyrics at all. The title track, a jple and one-s lit precedent ies, » nent had refused Yes vote von, would not to liately. They had year on a newf dp between Album Smashing Pumpkin! Motion Collie and the |l! Infinite Sadness Virgin Records **★ 1/2 (out of five) stunningly beautiful piano ensemble with squealing keyboards, may seem insignificant next to the usual Pumpkin noise, but is an intriguing start to the al bum. A curious first single is “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” one of Mellon Collie’s hardest songs. Cor gan’s raging vocals tear into the angst-driven lyrics, “Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage.” At times, Corgan’s attempts at love lyrics fall as flat as a Mariah Carey tune. Well, that might be stretching it a bit, but “Thirty-three’s” lines of “1 know I’ll make it, love can last forever” sound dan gerously like the Lionel Richie school of devastat- ingly sappy ballads. Equalling “Thirty-three’s” cheese factor is “Beau tiful,” with the Burt Bacharach-ish lyrics “You’re beautiful as the sun.” But ultimately, whatever sound comes from the Fhimpkins is intriguing. This album will not provide the same chart success as Siamese Dream because of its sheer magnitude, but that’s never been the point for Corgan anyway. Mellon Collie shows that perhaps Corgan isn’t taking himself so seriously, allowing his undeniable talent and skill to answer even the most cynical critics. 'K critics. I fervice fraternity stays true to history with growing work force Amy Protas Battalion nination at the the MSC r United Way ember 3,3:30 pi mck at 696-0849 n 1962, the Dean of Students said there was only one way he would al low a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega A&M. lis stipulation was that the service imity “constantly strive to be the best ipter in the nation.” This has become motto memorized by all members of a coed service fraternity, asey Conner, APO president and a fl ee graduate student, said the fratemi- ies to fulfill the dean’s expectations. On and off, we are the largest chap- in the nation,” Conner said. “UT cur tly has the largest chapter. Even h less members, we are able to do ice as much.” Throughout the year, the fraternity works on service projects, including the Special Olympics every spring. Sylvia Johnson, a pledge trainer for APO and a sophomore community health major, said she was hesitant to go to the Special Olympics last year but it turned into an experience she will never forget. She held the tape at the finish line of a race. “It’s so touching just to watch these people because they struggle and they work so hard,” Johnson said. “I really like that feeling of just helping the slightest bit.” Jessica Walters, vice president of pro jects and a senior political science major, said her favorite project is Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers food to elderly people confined to their homes. “I love older people,” Walters said. “A lot of them live alone, and we might be the only visitor of the day. We really get to know them, and they look forward to seeing us.” The fraternity also participates in El der Aid, where it replaces roofs for elderly people who cannot afford it. Conner said they replaced a roof for an elderly woman who was sleeping in plastic to stay dry in her house. Karl Burns, a sophomore economics major and APO pledge trainer, said Elder Aid is the type of project that shows how necessary an organization like APO is. “There’s nothing quite like the feelings you get when you drive the last nail into the new roof of a house [for someone] who couldn’t afford it,” he said. The fraternity branched out with a new project during October when it orga nized “A Step Toward Awareness,” a col laboration with AIDS Services of Brazos Valley to educate the community about the AIDS virus. Jennifer Schmidt, AIDS Awareness project chair for APO and a senior politi cal science major, said the new project made an impact on her about the need for AIDS education in the community. “It taught me a lot about the people in the Brazos Valley and their responses to AIDS,” Schmidt said. “It’s a continuous effort to let people know that it’s constant ly going. AIDS service always continues.” Conner said in addition to APO bene- fitting the community, it offers members a chance to work in a big organization See APO, Page 5 [RENOT, City Editor Night News Editor N, Night News Eoirt* )AUER, AggielifeEi)' 111 NDIS, Sports Editor )urtney Walker, TaraW' Lily Aguilar, Heathd^' Pamela Reason, Erin I], ■ckham, Jason Brown, 1 ’awlikowski & Lydia mtorial Cartoonists: ^ downing, Robyn Callo"’ 1 & Gwendolyn Struve eLuca, Zach Estes & A' )bin Greathouse DaveD. :rs, Valerie Myers, xas A&M University iR 1 ’ Journalism. 145-3313; Fax: 845-2^' r endorsement by The '-' call 845-2696. For*; 5 Reed McDonald ann ( ' 345-2678. 4 student to pick up aft >40 per school year aw)’ in Express, call 845-26 1 ;. Friday during the fall ^ immer sessions (excep 1 ' sity. Second class poW aid Building, Texas AS' 1 Banking Between You ’ll never have to go far to find one of our five convenient locations, including our University Center directly across from campus. 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