Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Feb. 26, 1998, edition 1 / Page 6
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6 Thursday, February 26, 1998 Kaplan album lacks maturity, direction There are those albums, far and few between, which sound so wonderful that we never want them to be over. But, of course, for every album of this type, there must be 20 others that abuse your ears to the point that you think they’ll never end. Jonathan Kaplan’s album Through the Window is one of the latter 20. Kaplan’s musical endeavors show a brief glimmer of promise at the outset of the album but quickly plum met to a level | BROCK PIERCE) CO Review Jonathan Kaplan Through the Window Jonathan Kaplan f of annoying monotony that seems to make for an eternity of boredom. The first track, “Faith,” begins with crashing guitar, pounding drums and seems to suggest a kind of vigor that brings hope for the rest of the album. However, those Pietasters light up stage with energetic ska grooves At 11 p.m. Saturday, The Pietasters finally appeared, dressed in suits, on a smoke-filled stage to give a packed Cat’s Cradle an hour and 15 minutes of pure ska entertainment (fortunately, the majority of the smoke came intention ally from machines for special effects). The band’s upbeat lyrics, fun vocals, and intricate trumpet, sax ophone and trombone solos exem plify the steadily grow ing attraction to ska music. CARL JACOBS ; Concert Review The Pietasters Cat’s Cradle ffff With music reminiscent of tradition al Jamaican-influenced ska with some added modem punk sounds, the band showed the large audience the true power of horn-driven music —most http://www.movieminder.com motfemOoodM.com accurate, up-to-the-minute movie times for the Triangle Outstanding 8 week youth camps in Maine need &v female and male counselors in the following activities: Tennis Swimming Gymnastics ' i% ' Jo! 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However, the most captivating part of the song is not the music but the lyrics which hit close to home for many Chapel Hill residents: “Jan. 26, 1995, Henderson St. Chapel Hill, NC, 1:46 in the afternoon, crazed gunman, an Ml rifle, 45 rounds of ammo, 2 dead, 3 wounded, everyone is asking why? Why did this happen? Why did Wendel Williamson do what he did?” The album’s motif is all too obvious. Kaplan’s lyrics show maturity and depth, but his music remains infantile and falls short of providing structure for his vocal contemplations. While the song “as for me" repre sents the best Kaplan has to offer with crisp riffs on the electric guitar, it still lacks distinctive sound and falls into a repetitious rut And that seems to be one notably the ability to grab the attention of fans from varied backgrounds. From skater people, to fraternity and sorority people, to punks, to preps and to beer-drinking idiots (this last group drawing its crowd from each of the other categories), the audience lulled not once during the entire concert. Opening the concert with three mel low songs (the latter two being love songs), The Pietasters slowly teased the eager-to-dance audience, and the poten tial energy of the crowd reached its peak of the night by the end of the third song. At this point, lead singer Stephen Jackson took advantage of the situation, asking the audience, “Do you guys like to drink beer?” With the incessant roar that followed, Jackson dedicated the fourth song, “Take it Easy,” to all the beer drinkers. The entire audience, beer drinkers and all, went insane. Special Formal Wear. Special Student Prices. Rent your next tuxedo at Julian’s and save if your house commits to 15 or more. Julian’s Student Tux Special is $45 on your choice of three tuxedo models. Plus there’s a wide assortment of accessories to personalize your outfit (additional cost per item). Let Julian’s be your tuxedo headquarters .. f for all your formal wear needs. i Sultana <Jlll Since 1942, Julian’s College Shop in downtown |! j ffVjIMM Chapel Hill has been dressing UNC students in style. DIVERSIONS Music of the album’s main downfalls. It’s as if each song begs to be taken in a particular direction but are all left hanging. The final tune, “rebekah,” is the best example of this fault. Presenting a nice lilting touch on the acoustic gui tar, Kaplan seems to have crafted an ear catching sound that, if developed, would deliver a song worth listening to. But the song goes nowhere, and the only sentiment that arises is “Wien will this ever end?” The best way to characterize the album as a whole is to look at the effect (or lack thereof) that each song creates for the listener. Listen to a mere 15 sec onds of certain catchy songs on the radio, and you’ll be whistling their tunes for an entire day. Listen to Kaplan’s album for an entire day if you wish, but don’t expect to be able to hum a single note of a single song. Instead, you might just take the CD title’s advice and decide to throw it “through the window.” From this point on, the kinetic ener gy of the crowd took control. It seemed that everyone who could fit on the dance floor was hopping around and having a great time dancing to the sound of one of the best horn sections in ska music today. Meanwhile, I calmly observed the dancing crowd from my seat in the back of the Cradle, cursing my need to take notes on the concert. By the seventh song, my desire to dance was too strong and I spent the remainder of the concert disrespecting my journalistic career on about one square foot of the dance floor. What can I say? The concert was simply too good to pass off as a chore. The Pietasters emanate their enthusiasm and pure understanding of ska music with every note they play. My only wish is for their next concert to last a little longer. too s* mmtm -to- <*■ -w> - * p 'V On Franklin Street expires 3/1 3/98 Jb BPHStfiißiibifc IMit inr ' i99 In . i \ I wfjfc I UR m The Seymores fail to create a distinctive sound and lose focus with conflicting musical forms. The band, originally formed in Richmond, makes a futile attempt to mix the musical genres of punk and pop. MUSIC BRIEFS The Seymores The Seymores Pitch a Tent Records I could get a group of guys in my res idence hall and make a better CD than this. Maybe the recording company forgot to listen to the Seymores’ demo tape. In any case, it must be an accident that this group ever made an album. The CD sleeve doesn’t even give the musicians’ names. Hmmm... This group could best be described as All American Meal Deal Includes your Choice of Hamburger or Grilled Chicken Sensation Sandwich plus French Fries* and a Dessert Sundae i All American Meal Deal i togs $ a | Limit 2 persons per coupon. Not valid with any other offer. Good at participat- j ■ ing S wen sen's only. Tax and beverage not included. Coupon expires 3-26-98 SWensens lUn iversity Square • 133 W. Franklin Street | SCOTTRUDICIL] a homeless man’s (assuming this worse than a poor man’s) Green Day with worse vocals and more annoying screechy nois- Music Ennws The Seymores “No Feet" Musings of a Creek Dipper lit es from the guitar. And Green Day isn’t even that good to begin with. New male groups continue to sound more and more like each other these days. The Seymores manage to escape this trend. They sound worse. It’s amazing when groups with less combined musi cal talent than Rosanne cut a CD. At least she has a Hollywood career to fall back on. And my hall mates and I have school... Victoria Williams M usings of a Creek Dipper Atlantic Records I get her name confused with Vanessa Williams. I get her looks confused with As Low As 14* per minute Pre-paid phone cards ’ within the United Statee. AD call* curs Ah additional surcharge. Spain 35e 3—, India 79e Nigeria 99e \_l> iB U.K. 14 V . V 0.0. COPIES 169 E. Franklin St. • Near the Post Offlca OPEN LATE 7 DAYS A WEEK 933-9999 Distinctive salsas ire our trademark From mild to fire hot - the perfect dining companion A. T A Q U E R I A ZkjJh j 111 W Rosemary St (arrboro Mon-Thun llam-9pm-Fri llam-lOpm*Sat Noon-lQpm I 9)3.1226 And look us up at: www.triinqlfnstAunats.com/CArrbarrltos Your Choice Super Sundae iTJT3JSSt QBs- I Coupon good for any party siie. Not valid with any other offer. Good at partici pating Swenaen’s only. Tax not included. Coupon expires 3-26-98 gWENSEN& | L33_W. Franklin Street She Batly Sar Beri Alanis Morisette. But it’s hard to mis take Victoria Williams’ talent. With singers like Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, Morisette and Fiona Apple lead ing anew wave of killer female singers (killing all the male competition), Williams may not be far behind with her quirky new album Musings of a Creekdipper. Quirky is the only description that defines everything (her voice, her lyrics, her voice, her instrument choices and her voice) about her. Distinctive voices have become hard er to come by in these modern days of hearing the same song on the radio 50 times in a row, but Williams is a refresh ing difference. Whether she lulls the listeners in with the dreamy sounds of “let it be so” or gets a good laugh from “grandpa in a cornpatch” (laughing yet?), she’s got their attention. Even if her voice takes a song or two to get used to, its worth the time. My first Williams’ CD was stolen (she’s had a few before this one). I always knew it was gonna be worth something someday. | s6off i I the Regular Price \ of any Package! > 942-7177 1 j JLf&icU j 3 Miles frarrcCampus • 15-501 S. & Smilh Level Road I HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30-9:30. Sat 9-7 Sun 12-6 I
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Feb. 26, 1998, edition 1
6
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