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Third time-the -c-harm for Following the lead of their previ ous two albums, 10,000 Maniacs has unleashed yet another college radio gem apparently destined for main stream success. The first album, The Wishing Chair, established the band as perhaps the most important new band of 1985, selling quite well for a debut album. In My Tribe, a sleeper on the charts in 1987, went gold on the strength of the charming single "Like the Weather." This year's re lease, Blind Man's Zoo, should at least equal Tribe's sales, possibly even reaching platinum. The first single, 'Trouble Me," is already moving strongly up the charts. The success of R.E.M. (a band to whom 10,000 Maniacs is often com pared) helped blaze the trail for many of the new college radio bands. This has allowed 10,000 Maniacs to de velop (and to achieve success) rap idly. If The Wishing Chair was analo gous to R.E.M.'s Murmur, then Blind Man's Zoo is 10,000 Maniacs' Docu ment, a transition which only took three albums. Both In My Tribe and 'Renegades' good but cliched By JEFF KIEL and RANDY BASINGER Staff Writers Due to a lack of free popcorn, we were forced to just watch this movie and give our true opinion of it "Rene gades," starring Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips (both of "Young Guns" fame), plays along the same tired lines as "48 Hours" and "Running Scared," yet the story seems fresh, which is a real accomplish ment Bravo! The film opens in typical Holly wood fashion, with a bar brawl. "Buster" McHenry (Sutherland), an undercover, off-duty Philadelphia cop, looks out of a barroom window and sees what should be a routine speed ing ticket go sour accompanied by a shower of bullets sprayed through the bar. McHenry uses his street smarts to help out these flat-headed flat-foots and prevent a total disaster. As if that wasn't enough, McH enry is a part-time diamond thief in with the mob. Well, not exactly. In order to uncover a bad cop, McH enry agrees to help the local mob leader (Rob Knepper) scam some $6 million in diamonds. But while the crooks (and McHenry) are running i from the police, they duck into a museum, which is having a display of ancient Indian artifacts. The crimi 1 75 lh E. FRANKLIN STREET P net; resslveAl tern ettve Music All Might, Every Klfiht TCIESPfiY FRIPfiY Quarter Draft On The Hill -. 254 draft Weekends wen made for ? On The Hill - $1" light & dry WEDNESDAY SfiTORPfiY Celebrate The Hump On The Hill - .50t draft Grab a Heiney On The Hill - $1" imports THtlRSPfiY SONPfiY Grab a Long One On The Hill - $1 longnecks Live Music On The Hill - The Pirate Orchestra Beside Four Corners No Membership Required For more info call 968-1741 or 942-8509 Brian Springer Album Blind Man's Zoo have not changed the Maniacs' sound dramatically folkish yet driving, socially conscious, American rock 'n roll. Instead, the two' albums demonstrate refinement on that basic sound. The only fear is that 10,000 Maniacs will stagnate as R.E.M. did with Life's Rich Pageant. After using producer Joe Boyd on the debut, 10,000 Maniacs chose Peter Asher (of the 60s band Peter and Gordon) for the two subsequent re leases. Asher has given the band a clean, polished sound (especially on Zoo ) mat avoids being "slick." The drums are tight and powerful, the current in-vogue approach which owes a sizable debt to Don Dixon. Guitars drift in and out, with Natalie Mer chant's strong vocals dominant throughout. Musically, it appears that the in nals break into the display, steal a sacred Lakota Indian lance, and kill Hank "Chief" Storm's (Phillips) brother. McHenry, however, is shot by the mob leader after his cover is blown. Storm, knowing that McHenry has an idea where the lance and the crooks are, nurses him back to health and the two go out on the hunt We've already seen an odd "buddy-buddy" cop combination this summer (Jim Belushi and a German shepherd in "K-9"), and this is merely an addition to an ever-increasing list of similar films, some of which work ("48 Hrs," "Midnight Run"), some of which don't ("K-9"). Although the story line has been overused in re cent years, the more successful ver sions have the uncanny ability to en tertain rather than annoy. They also have interesting characters. This is the case with "Renegades." Congratulations go out to David Rich, the screenwriter, and Jack Sh older, the director, for not making this just another cop movie with car chases, gunshots and all the rest of the things we spend $4.50 to go see. They've given us an entertaining flick. You never get the feeling that you've seen this one before, although you know the basic outline. What H n dividual band members are coming into their own. Merchant lacks a truly beautiful voice, but she sings with a remarkable strength and presence. At times her voice calls to mind Tracy Chapman, Robin Lane, Suzanne Vega, Melissa Etheridge and early Deborah Harry, but Merchant's ver satility allows her to transcend such similarities. Guitarist Robert Buck's playing is brilliant throughout, util izing many different approaches. His fluid solos resemble those of Tom Petty sideman Mike Campbell. From the sparse, atmospheric rhythm gui tar of 'Trouble Me" to the folkish acoustic guitar of "Please Forgive Me" to the distorted leads of "Headstrong," Buck has a stylistic smorgasbord at his disposal. Drummer Jerome Au gustyniak powers the songs along, but within the limits of the individual songs. Dennis Drew, keyboards, and Steve Gustafson, bass, ably fill in the empty spaces, without interfering with Merchant's voice. Merchant wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album. As with the especially impressed us was the ac tion, which wasn't dry at all. How can you say a movie is boring if the bad guys have a cop driving their getaway car (a stretch Cadillac limo) through rush hour traffic in Philadel phia? Or if there's enough ammuni tion set off to supply the Contras? JEFF: I really liked this movie. I thought that the story, in its own little way, was fresh and I'm glad they didn't try to make a movie that came out of the same Play-Doh Fun Fac tory as "Die Hard." RANDY: I agree that there were some fresh ideas added to an ancient plot, and I liked the flick, but I'm afraid that with all the blockbusters coming out this summer, this movie will be overlooked for say "Ghost busters II" or "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." It was a little too predictable for me, like when McHenry lance-ke-bobbed the head dude. I saw that one coming for a mile, but I still wanted to see him do it Maybe I'm psy chotic, but I liked it. JEFF: I agree. You are psychotic. Anyway folks, this is not a must-see, but if you're in the mood for a shoot-'em-up, steal-the-diamonds, kill-ev-eryone-in-sight good time, go and check it out flPELHiLL The 10,000 .Maniacs previous albums, she displays a strong social consciousness. She takes aim at issues as diverse as poverty, the continuing influence of the Vietnam war, water pollution and unwanted pregnancy. At times, such commen taries can put off the listener, but less-directed songs are strategically placed around the album to prevent listener desensitivation. Merchant is also adept at making songs that can appeal as both entertainment and social critique. Meaningful songs need not be unappealing. The opening track, "Eat for Two," is perhaps the best on the album. The song is the story of an unwanted preg nancy. "Dream child in my headIs a nightmare born in a borrowed bed," grieves Merchant, as she ponders her new condition, in which she "eats for two, walks for two, breathes for two now." This is a sure-fire hit single, with a poppish feel that manages to mesh well with the unpleasant sub ject matter. "Poison in the Well" criticizes water pollution, seeming especially timely in the wake of the Alaskan oil spill. Merchant asks, "I wonder how long they knew our well was poi soned but they let us just drink on?" Chiming guitars and fast drumming make this a cut that college radio will surely embrace. The next song, "Dust Bowl," bears a strong resem blance to the work of Tracy Chapman. A mother who struggles to take care of her children mourns that "the hole in (her) pocketbook is growing," despite her attempts to escape the "dust bowl days." The subject mat ter, restrained music and vocal per formance are all Chapman-like. The last two songs on the album ATTENTION CATALOG SHOPPERS GREAT MISTAKES Specializing In Carrying At Least The Top 20 Items From Your Top five Favorite Catalogs. THIS WG0lS FI2A?UnEj Men's & Women's Short Sleeved Knits A Wide Assortment Of Styles & Colors For All j Ages & Sixes. SrhrioAS. Solids A" CGntrastinj) collara&r cuffs Interlock. & pique weaves Ribbed collar -6? cuffs:- banded Sr open deeves Also dress Collars w pocket Great -for Dad i IOO cotton & blends available Compare Catalog $16.00-$28.00 OUR PRICE $T99. $-j299 NOW OPEN IN EMERALD ISLE, EMERALD PLANTATION COMING SOON TO OLDE RALEIGH VILLAGE, RALEIGH, WOOPCROFT, DURHAM Tar HeelThursday, June 8, 19891 1 are sharply different from the rest "Hateful Hate" features pipe organ courtesy of Merchant The song seems to be a broad-based critique of inter ference with personal autonomy. Calling up images of imperialism, slavery and safaris (poaching), Mer chant urges these foreign invaders to stay where they belong, not to fall victim to their own curiosity. The final cut, "Jubilee," features the Saint Luke's Chamber Orchestra, at first playing soft accompaniment, later building a wall of sound. The song tells the story of an overly pious reli gious fanatic who sets fire to a field in order to stop sinful activity during the jubilee. The last two songs add a Beatle-ish flavor to the album, which is both emotionally and musically effective. The album is not as gloomy as it might seem, however. "Trouble Me" is a gem that should be all over the radio this summer. The song is one of the more personal, less global tracks on the album, helping to save the album from hopelessness. Instead of addressing the world, Merchant sim ply wants to ease her friend's pain, asking "Why do you let your shoul ders bend underneath this burden When my back is sturdy and strong?" The vocal interplay between Merchant and guest vocalist Jevetta Steele is exquisite. The atmospheric vocals and sparse guitarwork give a textbook example of gifted pop songcraft "Headstrong" is another song removed from social consciousness. Displaying almost Elvis Costello-ish self-will and independence, a woman berates her lover for trying to control See MANIACS, page 12 Raleigh: Stonehen&e Market, Center Court 8707001 Durham: Shoppes of Lakewood 493-3239 Chapel Hill: Willowcreek SC 9297900 Beaufort: Historic Waterfront 728-5550 Oriental: On the Harbor. Pamlico Marine 249-1 797 Rocky Mount: Westndge Village 443-9336 Charlofte: Steel Creek Commons 588-3189 Wrightsville Beach: Plaza East 256-2644 Li NT"
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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June 8, 1989, edition 1
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