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(Ebe iattg QJar BM Arie, Cave Offer Smoldering Releases; DiFranco Dabbles in Jazz India Arte Acoustic Soul kkkk 1/2 “This is in remembrance of our ancestors,” whispers India Arie to begin her album. She goes on to thank R&B greats Cooke, Gaye, Hathaway and others who “opened up a door.” “Because of you," she intones, “change gon’ come.” Many young artists give similar lip service, but then produce music lack ing any sense of reverence for their idols. With Acoustic Soul, Arie openly pays homage to her artistic legacy. In fact, the album’s last track “Wonderful” is a ded ication to Motown labelmate Stevie Wonder. But the most powerful tribute comes between the praises that open and close the recording. Acoustic Soul is a heartfelt effort that exhibits all the characteristics of its fifth track’s tide - “Strength, Courage, & Wisdom.” The vital strength of this melodic album is Arie’s voice. It is smoldering and textured, equally capable of gende coos or visceral moans. The sensuality of Arie’s sound is slightly reminiscent of Nina Simone, while the styling of her vocals leans on Tracy Chapman and Bill Withers. Like Chapman, her range is not great but the variance Arie achieves within it is magnificent. On the snappy “Video,” Arie sings of conformity with a thoughtful warmth that fellow Adians TLC could n’t reach on their hit “Unpretty.” And her voice adds an affecdng honesty to life story tracks like “Promises” and “Beautiful.” Arie’s singing is well complimented by the album’s production and song writing. Acoustic Soul presents a spare yet enveloping sound that is intuitive, bal anced and highly personal. The soundscape that her writing is set against is equal parts folk and blues. Most tracks have an old school earthi ness, but new and old elements are blended well throughout the album. “Nature,” for example, has a drum heavy hip-hop beat that is layered with intriguing string loops. Instead of submitting to a team of producers, Arie co-wrote all but one of her songs and penned two of the I Now lilt University Registrars Office http://regvveb.unc.cdu/gradtips.html brings you f Inf 0A 1-l.vrfl. |/4 y , A everyday. Just visit O.U.R. website and discover all of those graduation tips that will aid you in preparation for graduation. Countdown %l\ H AtTimberlyne \ into tfie futuii uxdityh! \ 942-3291 jjjS&L DATE Monday, April 16 - Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21 (1 lam-2pm) PLACE UNC Student Stores 50* Student Stores 1-800 952 7002 “Officially Licensed Carolina Ring Dealer" Local Artcarved Office: 919-968-7894 • Special Payment Plans Available. Hi 131 MH strongest tracks by herself. When you experience the album’s consistency and charisma you’ll wish every R&B singer had her courage. That consistency shows Arie’s artistic wisdom. She rejects the shotgun approach that plagues today’s R&B. No rock acts or rappers make appearances. From begin ning to end, the only duet is that of Arie’s voice and her acoustic guitar. Recendy, the flow of R&B has shown signs of exciting change. Artists like Erykah Badu and D’Angelo have received popular acclaim and inspired what is being called a “soul renais sance.” Naturally, India Arie fits into that movement, but dismissing her as Badu iike is missing the point Acoustic Soul presents a wonderfully warm and refreshing collection of soul music from a young artist with deep roots in R&B both past and present So, instead of seeing her as the next Tracy Chapman, open yourself up to the authenticity of India Arie. I think you’ll agree that change has come. Michael Woods Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds No More Shall We Part irkirk 1/2 Over 20 years, Nick Cave has acquired a cult following and constant critical acclaim for his unique blend of potent, insightful lyrics and traditional song forms. The Australian native has spent his career dissecting the extremities of the human experience in song, often tack ling subjects as disparate as romance and murder within the same song. No More Shall We Part, his 11th studio album, finds Cave returning to an explo ration of darker territory, while retaining much of musical restraint found on 1997’s The Boatman’s Call, his previous effort with the Bad Seeds. The album opens with the groaning organ/piano ballad “As I Sat Sadly by Her Side,” in which Cave expresses a disbelief that God could have a hand in such a violent, twisted world. Consequently, the track introduces the metaphysical question which haunts the entire album - Where does the divine love of God enter into the inferior and DIVERSIONS conditional love of man? The presence of God is palpable throughout the majority of No More Shall We Part The album is filled with delicate piano-and-string-driven love songs, such as the title track, that find Cave calling out to God for inspiration. “Oh My Lord” mounts to a steady gospel march as Cave drops to his knees in supplica tion - “How have I offended thee?/ Wrap your tender arms around me/ Oh, my Lord!” What gives the album its disturbingly dark tone, though, is that Cave’s prayers are never answered. For all his pleading, his troubles are never resolved at all much less resolved peacefully -which leaves the listener in a state of bewilder ment For such a thematically dense, strik ing album, No More Shall We Part is remarkably subtle. This is largely due to the Bad Seeds’ rich, yet carefully mea sured performance. The seven musicians never over power Cave’s fiery presence or intricate lyrics, but always balance support and accentuation of his conceits while dri ving the compositions forward with their interplay of guitars, violin and organ. Adding anew ingredient to the mix on several tracks are Kate and Anna McGarrigle, known for their bright, folksy harmonies. This album marks the first time that Cave and the Bad Seeds have hired backup singers, and their presence lends an otherworldliness to the songs. No More Shall We Part demands repeat listenings to fully comprehend and appreciate, but it is the kind of album that will reveal new meanings and inter pretations each time. Another landmark in the trail of stel lar albums Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds have left in their wake, No More Shall We Part is often lushly beautiful, sometimes frighteningly tense and, in moments, even darkly humorous, but it is always the sound of a riveting artistic statement. Michael Abernethy Ani DiFranco Revelling/Reckoning kkk 1/2 If everyone looked as good with I /'Njf/lfi? Unlimited, / Princeton free v — Review cxtru hel P Better Scores, Better Schools That’s what you get in our LSAT class. Live, no tapes. With your own expert instructor. The way it should be. CALL USOO-2-REVIEW ww-w-rcvdew.com LSAT classes begin April 14 Don't get caught without your diploma! UNC SWIM TEST April 20th, 9am-4pm /f r - \ Bowman Gray Memorial Pool (located between Woollen and Fetzer Gyms) All you need is your ' V UNC One Card and A ’‘“S? ■ your bathing suit * dreadlocks as Ani DiFranco, we’d prob ably all forgo the shampoo and get them. Similarly, if every musician had the ability to fuse genres like DiFranco, there would be no genres left because everyone would be doing it. But most people can’t DiFranco has the enviable ability of being able to pull things off and pull them off well, whether it’s her music or her musical persona - she was the girl in your high school who first experi mented with Manic Panic (and it actu ally looked good), and still could have been elected Prom Queen (had she not been too busy becoming a folk-rocker). Thus her newest album Revelling/Reckoning is just one more example of DiFranco pulling something off well. This double disc release is her 13th full-length project, and it is surpris ingly heavy on horns and jazz. DiFranco has clearly made a move from a solitary singer-songwriter to a musician who is more fully integrated with her band. This album’s quiet funk and jazz strain prove how effective she’s been in this shift. There is still enough of the tradition al DiFranco: those snappy lyrics cou pled with a buoyant melody, as in the song “Garden of Simple,” to make it a smooth transition. As with any double-disc album, there’s always the most-listened-to disc and the forgotten one- in my case, I found myself listening to Revelling more. This CD is supposed to be more of a musical exploration, more fun and more of DiFranco just playing and having a good time. Reckoning, on the other hand, is the more introspective disc, and thus slower and quieter. It is pretty, but the tracks have a tendency to run into one another - she is sad and contemplative, she is bemoaning capitalism and America, there’s a sprinkling of broad cultural complaints ... okay, she’s still sad and contemplative... That’s the major weakness of the album: no songs really stand out enough to be single-worthy and no tunes redly get caught in your head. But the weak points don’t outweigh the good. DiFranco can be funny, she has a real sense of language and her voice still has that wonderful half-husky, half-sultry edge to it. She tries new things - like mixing in an answering machine message on the track “Kazooinit” And if nothing else, people should buy this album because of its fabulous packaging. It’s an intricate fold-out thing with two little boob of lyrics and some sleek photos that, as a friend observed, look a lot like Gap ads (in the most com plimentary sense). My prediction is that this album will be a huge hit with DiFranco fans -but then what album is not to that loyal crowd? As for the rest of us, it’s a pretty solid (though not spectacular) indication as to why DiFranco is such a persistent force in die music world. Joanna Pearson Tin Can Jam Band Tin Can Jam kk 1/2 If you listen closely to the Spice Girls’ first album, you’ll find the songs fit together like a sonnet cycle tracking the ups and downs of a romantic relation ship. This gives Spice a decided lyrical advantage over Tin Can Jam’s seven song self-tided debut. Tin Can Jam plays bluesy Southern rock with a country twang, a genre that has a tendency toward inconsequential lyrics (i.e. Widespread Panic, .38 Special, etc.). As with lyrics, Tin Can Jam’s strengths and weaknesses corre spond with those typical of Southern rock. Themes range from the summertime “just stay with me tonight” lovin’ in “Thrill” to “Southern Georgia growin’ up days” in “Georgia.” The spacey “Tatdetales” asb you to “Climb aboard your ship of dreams/ Where nothing’s ever what it seems." “Tattletales” is the album’s best song, highlighted by lovely vocal harmonies against a mystical backdrop. It weaves Widespread-style funk with the offbeat ‘7os stoner-rock of Joe Walsh, followed by a faster jam. The three-part harmony also worb well in “Rain,” characterized by the fair ly big sound of a six-piece band. (They’ve added a sax since recording the album.) Lead singer/acoustic gui ! '“V-'V I IfcXi Yackety Yack fj|: The Yearbook of UNC Seniors... This is it!! Your last chance to order a 2001 yearbook!! J The Yackety Yack is a beautiful book that has captured the memories of your years at Carolina that will last for a lifetime. | Have it shipped to your home in September for $55. Please fill out and return this form to: Yackety Yack, Box 50 Carolina Union, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 | Name: □ Check □ Mastercard J Address: □ Muncy order □ Visa | Card/check no.: ;| Phone: I Expiration date: | □ Please send this book j to my permanent address Signature: l—— : 1 Free.com I A student loan "gift registry" H Let the people who care about you lighten the load. H it Experience the History & | Tradition of Tar Heels Basketball! |fl www.blueheavenmuscum.com 919.929.5877 •.1840 A.i'porl-RdatJ. O' .-v Kill -NCOOS'i-J- Thursday, April 12, 2001 tarist JohnJemsek’s voice sounds good here and in tunes like “Autumn Soul Fishing,” but mysteriously comes out weak and raspy in “Thrill” and “Had Me.” Jemsek’s playing forms a fairly solid basis for the largely acoustic-driven tunes, which sound like the Pat McGee Band and old-school Santana when they’re good, and like Weekend Excursion and the washed-up 21st cen tury Allman Brothers when not. A heavy Widespread Panic influ ence can be found in all of the songs, especially in Mike Yanoski’s percus sion playing and Mark Kline’s lead gui tar. Aside from the lyrics, the songs are, for the most part, well-written and well played, but offer no surprises. Several of the tunes, including “Said the Sinner,” leave you wondering why they need that many instruments to play what they’re playing, but they are still respectable. In terms of respectability, Tin Can Jam definitely holds the upper hand against the Spice Girls. Unfortunately, that doesn’t say a whole lot Warren Wilson t March 25-31 1. Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus (Matador) 2. Phillip Johnston - Normaloqy (Koch) 3. Ike Turner & His Kings of Rhythm - Ike’s Instrumentals (Ace) 4. Magic Sam - The Essential Magic Sam: The Cobra and Chief Recordings 1957-1961 (Fuel 2000) 5. Tortoise - Standards (Thrill Jockey) 6. Various Artists - Ethiopiques Vol. 9(Buda) 7. Breakestra - The Live Mix Part 2 (Stone's Throw) 8. Felix Baloy - Baila mi son (Tumi) 9. Tipsy - Uh-Oh! (Asphodel) 10. Lompav Segundo - Las Flores de la Vida (Nonesuch) 7
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 12, 2001, edition 1
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