8OmnibusThursday, November 17, -1988
M
continues to rise with 'Green'
larity
By DOUG EDMUNDS
Staff Writer
Creen R.E.M.
Ah. yes R.E.M. Those three
letters have come to mean quite
a lot In the 1980s music scene.
What started as a sloppy bar band
in Athens, Ca.. has become, after
a few years as the most highly
worshipped group from the rock
'n' roll underground, a regular
honest-to-goodness Top 40 act.
Who would have thought that the
men who brought us Chronic
-Town and Murmur would later be
sandwiched in Billboard's Hot 100
between the likes of George
Michael and the Bangles? Stranger
things have happened, but this
does prove that justice still exists
in today's pop music world.
it Is not for me to say whether
R.EM.'s increasing success had
changed its approach to making
music But it is true that as its
popularity has surged, so has its
sound become more direct, up
front and confrontational. Begin
ning with Life's Rich Pageant, this
trend can be attributed in part to
a noticeable change in production
technique, with the drums and
especially the vocals being
Mailbag
Joe Bob, Joe Bobinii!
We, too wish to belong to a
group totally and eternally vig
ilant to neanderthals, cretins,
interlopers and dorks bent on
destroying the last vestiges of
true culture.
Douglas Higgins and Mike Palmer
instructors. Math Dept.
Center High School
North Highlands, Calif.
Dear Doug and Mike-.
As mathematicians, I'm sure
youll appreciate this experiment
I'm publishing this letter to see if
yall will get fired.
Dear Joe Bob,
I'm your biggest fan in Yama-
Open Until December 17
Saturday, 7 am-12 noon
Roberson St. in Carrboro
On sale will be broccoli,
spinach, lettuce, beets,
radishes, turnips, sweet
potatos, vegetables in season,
organic vegetables, baked
goods, cheese, eggs, herb
vinegars, honey, periwinkle
ground cover, compost,
baskets, garden art and other
crafts! All products are locally
grown and made by
particpating vendors.
So visit the Farmers' Market to
. .buy or browse. .Bring a friend v .
. . , . . . . , . . , , , , y t t i i t i . i, i.
The enigmatic Mr. Stipe is singing coherent well-enunciated
lyrics more than ever before. The man who once mumbled
something about 'Sitting Down,' is now shouting at us to 'Stand'
and listen up.
brought out in the mix, making
them louder and clearer.
But more interesting is the
change that has. evolved in the
songs themselves. Not only are we
hearing fewer chiming arpeggios
from Peter Buck's guitar and more
crunching bar chords, but also the
enigmatic Mr. Stipe is singing
coherent, well-enunciated lyrics
more than ever before. The man
who once mumbled something
about "Sitting Still" is now shout
ing at us to "Stand" and listen up.
Such changes in sound and style
are crucial to any good band's
vitality and longevity. At the same
time, they dont necessarily guar:
antee that the music will be better
or even as good as earlier work,
or that the band will continue to
be popular.
Creen, R.EM.'s seventh record of
all-new material, is perhaps the
culmination of the changes it's
gata, Japan. You know how short
the Japanese are.
Anyhow, I'm such a big fan. I'm
almost an air conditioner. Do you
like bad jokes? Nobody here under
stands humor in English, good or
bad. Thanks for keeping me in
touch with my language and
cultural roots.
Speaking of diseases, check out
teddy-bear lace-curtain cuteness
25-year-old adolescent virgins,
deadly junior high school uniform
ancestor magic kung fus, books on
TV. 10 percent public wearing
doctors' face masks, talking vend
ing machines, choking-cat -being-castrated
singing syrup, English
that nobody reads or understands
being printed on everything,
fashion food, musical crosswalks,
lifeslzed plastic policemen.
Mark Anthony
Yamagata, Japan
04?AT MMERICAM ll
5s
TAKE A BREATHER
Join the Great American Smokeout on Thursday,
November 17. Millions of smokers across the country
will take a break and try not to smoke for 24 hours.
How about you? Or, if you don't smoke, adopt a smoker
for the day and promise to help that friend get through
the day without a cigarette!
JJ5r7MM-Rev. 388-No. 568p7L- .y ?.v.'V vv VV,
been making in the past few years.
Lyrically, this is by far the group's
most straightforward album to
date. Never before has Michael
Stipe sounded so eager and willing
to share his messages with us.
Nearly every word can be under
stood, and the meaning behind
these words, in most cases, is more
decipherable, less obscure than in
earlier songs.
The band even did the unthink
able printed the lyrics to one
song on the inner sleeve! To any
long-time fan of the group this
comes as a major surprise.
This effect is both good and bad.
On the one hand, in songs, like
"World Leader Pretend" and "Get
Up," the clarity adds to the overall .
effect and makes for enjoyable
listening. On the other hand, in
tunes like "Orange Crush" or the
LP's worst piece. "Stand," a little
bit of mumbled obscurity would
Dear Mark.-
You're right. iVe always wanted
to go to Vegas and see those
things.
Dear Joe Bob:
l have doubted the sincerity of
your support for the Right Reve
rends Swaggert, Bakker, Roberts
and Falwell. Now you malign the
intentions of Her Majesty Queen
Nancy.
If it wasnt for your stereotyp
ical bravado, I would doubt that
you even hail from that great God
fearing patriotic nation south of
the Oklahoma holy land.
Sincerely.
George W. Steffner
Moraga, Calif.
Dear George.
I love Nancy. I would buy Mary
Kay Cosmetics from Nancy, in fact,
CANCER
SOCIETY
have been more than welcome to
hide Stipe's no-longer-self-conscious
philosophizing, in the
end if s a pretty even trade-off,
with some of the mystery being
lost but a good deal of insight into
the band members' sentiments
being gained, indeed, one of the
album's most affecting songs is
"The Wrong Child," a quiet tune
sung convincingly from the view
point of a confused, outcast boy.
Here Stipe reveals more of his
character than he was ever willing
to in the past, and the result is
almost frightening.
Musically, the record is an exten
sion of last year's Document The
guitars are loud and full. Buck
pulling out some ripping open
chord patterns and a "wah-wah"
lead in addition to the usual
interesting riffs. The main riff of
"Orange Crush" recalls the hook of
"The One l Love," while the heavy,
I no longer think she looks like a
lipstick lizard whose face has been
freeze-dried. I think she looks like
a piece of discount furniture that's
been left out in the sun for six
weeks.
Graffiti
(who is 61" and weighs in at 371 Vi
pounds), and the "Byrd" Man, Byrd
Wilson (63" at 235 pounds).
Be sure to look for "Super Bad
Billy Ivory (6T 317 pounds),
"Psycho" Michael Waddell (6. 160
pounds), Chester "The Molester"
Beck (6'1", 220 pounds) and "Boil
erhouse Byrdman" Wilson (63", 235
pounds).
Not to be outdone (and barely
outweighed) or chauvinistic,
there's a "Toughwoman Contest,"
too. if you go, be sure to say hello
to little" Betty Hogg (42", 261
A FEW
QUIT TIPS
Hide all ashtrays, matches, etc.
Lay in a supply of sugarless
gum, carrot sticks, etc.
Drink lots of liquids, but pass
up coffee & alcohol.
Tell everyone you're quitting
for the day.
When the urge to smoke hits,
take a deep breath, hold it for
10 seconds, & release it
slowly.
Exercise to relieve the tension.
Try.the'buddy system," and , , ,
as a friend to, quit tbp; V.
throbbing drive of "Turn You
inside-Out" sounds similar to "fin
est worksong." The three acoustic
numbers on the record are a
pleasant change pace and fit in
well. Mike Mills' outstanding bass
playing just keeps getting better,
and Bill Berry sounds as strong and
in control as ever on drums. The
back-up vocals, as always, flow in
and out of the lead voice in
beautiful fashion and add greatly
to the arrangement.
Well, rVe managed to ramble on
here without really saying what
l think of this LP as a whole. My
first impression was one of con
siderable disappointment, but
after several careful listenings I'm
starting to warm up to it. It's
.certainly not a landmark achieve
ment like Murmur, but it's also not
a throwaway. With so many bands
imitating the "old" R.EM. sound, it's
important to recognize the fact
that this band continues to grow
and explore new musical fields, its
music is no longer as vital and
immediately pleasing as it once
was, but RE.M. has again demon
strated craft and intelligence on
Creen. We cant count it out of this
fast, rise and fall business quite yet
from page 5
Dear Joe Bob
Is fu what I think it is??????
-Elizabeth Stell
Arlington, Texas
DearLiZ:
Absolutely NOT!
from page 3
pounds), "Sexy" Sherri Gardner
(52". 120 pounds), Emily "Stompet"
Stirewart (5'4", 120 pounds) and
"Big Mama" Spinks (5'6", 312 and
a half pounds).
I'm sure you're all now ready to
rush over for this grand occasion,
so-. Tickets are $11 for ringside, $9
reserved or $8 for general admis
sion. And you can call promoter
Jill I IViUIl Id 5L . OO'HKAJ IUI IIIUIC
information
Before you go, be sure you can
answer these questions: "How
tough are you?" and, if you're
pretty tougn, lan yuu
SURVIVE?!!"
u
It
PYEWACKET
RESTAURANT
W FRANKLIN 'CHAPEL HILL. .
i