Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 16, 1992, edition 1 / Page 14
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DTH Omnibus Page 6 Thursday April 16, 1992 DTH Omnibus Page 7 Thursday April 16, 1992 Kid w OOQQQ o (SOODDDQ guitarist Tim scout Roven. Such a glitch in WPW's immediate future is no big deal because it's nothing new for a band which in the last year has dropped its founding guitarist, switched names (from Teasing the Korean) and had their debut record release date pushed back so far that it'll be over a year since it was recorded. Death of a Sailor will be out on Baited Breath Records in a couple of weeb, and as sort of a preview record release party, WPW and MFM will play at the Cat's Cradle tonight. Tom Maxwell will marathon as drummer for both bands. Like a first taste of Jaegermeister, WPW's authentic blend of scorching Goth-rock and a dreamy mix of spicy swing and acoustic cabaret make for an impressive a la carte of alterna tive rock and pop. Death of a Sailor, despite its de EMS OudSE 1 V rmilBIMIiBli ,mannrii r it. ...... ''"-T-miMIM-iimr-r' Metal Flake Mother: hat Peggy Wants isn't re ally looking forward to summer. After all, it'll be losing its drummer, Tom Maxwell, for over a month. Maxwell was invited to stand in as the tempo rary drummer for fellow labelmates Metal Flake Mother when MFM does a month-long tour with newlyacquired Virgin artists, Cracker. "After that, we told Metal Flake that they were just going to have to find another drummer, be cause they couldn't have ours any more," joked What Peggy Wants layed release, is a record which isn't held by any kind of temporal bound aries usually set by industry trends, because it's anything but trendy. Indeed, listen to "Mold," "Baby Dracula" and "Come on Wall flower" and you'll see why it would have been remarkably en vogue in the mid-80s, or even mid-'30s. Then listen to "Live to Ride" and "What Peggy Wants" to see how well it fits that post-post-punk, pre-Nirvanastaee. The new four-piece line up gives the smoother Roven room to roam and gives the band a cleaner sound. Perhaps more impor tantly, it brings bassist Jeff Taylor back into the forefront, where previously the cavaliering clash and clutter of two guitars relegated the efferves cent Taylor to being a role player, playing way too much rhythm for a bassist of his talents. Taylor's bass now plays more melody and adds Who looks familiar? What Peggy Wants debuts new LP tonight SB a fatter sound that gives added muscle to songs like "No Answer" and "Love Potion 69" The shift to a four piece also leaves room to roam physically. Ensslin and Taylor especially appear liberated on stage now able to jump and dance around with abandon.unconcerned with running into a bandmate. What Peggy Wants live perfor mances have always been intriguing, due to the smeary stage presence of John Ensslin, whose high pierced vo cals are stamped with a mysterious and exotic-sounding accent ringing true the nasal blur of Bowie, the goulishness of Robert Smith or even the impulsive firepower of Axl Rose. But his loud eyes often penetrate innocent audi ences with a look of someone possessed in a bizarre offbeat horror movie. Virgins to a WPW show are often floored by this sultry, unfazing gaze. His vocals wander, often unintelligi bly, through a forest of snapshots and Metal Flake Mother to celebrate belated release Ifl etal Flake Mother's Beyond the Java Sea, has been out for a couple of months, thoupb they'll be boosting it again tonight at a double release party with What Peggy Wants. Java has had, as expected, wor thy critical acclaim since its release. Obvious comparisons to the Pixies are getting old, but listen to the opening Black Francis shriek that kicks in "Tounge Long" and you'll see why. The guitar licks are also have that tight, Bostonian scratch pop edge. MFM's record sounds like its front cover design, which looks like an ad for a '50s coffeeshop and all-night diner, touting consumer culture at its best. The slow swing beats that drive "Mean to Me," and the fuzzy snap and pop guitar staples would sound perfect on an old phonograph. MFM plays intel .-"-V What Peggy Wants otherworldly allusions: "Alcoholic French maids scramble through the snow," during "Mold" and "Tandem bikes and espadrilles are back in style" on "Love Potion 69," for example. While some of the songs do a have some sort of ordered narrative, ("Cruel Samantha," "Let's Play House,") many of his picturesque lyrics bring to life the background characters, establish the setting, all helping to create a blurred vision of the song. Only the frayed edges of the picture are revealed; the focused heart of the song is left to imagination. Ensslin's lyrical themes on Death of a Sailor bear a striking resemblance to the Cure's KissMe, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, as both contemplate forcefully the feel ings of physical desire the passions that engulf erotic love and dangerous lustful pleasures. "Love Potion 69" tiptoes around the parts of love surrounding physical climax and how even the initial de- ligent pop that never loses its edge. The band's recent personnel changes ha ve been a shock to most un underground local music fans. With such a bright future ahead, guitarist Randy Ward dropped out. A partial solution came as drummer Jim Mathis moved to guitar, leaving the drum seat vacant. MFM seemed all but broken up another story of an inspiring young band flattened at its finest hour. But Mathis and Ben Clarke now share gui tar and vocal duties. And, with Tom Maxwell of What Peggy Wants play ing substitute drummer, they'll go on tour with Cracker in May, giving them a push outside the state and time to get a permanent drummer, all without los ing too much valuable time following the release of a successful album. Charles Marshall and Allen Baddour scent into lust can make sense out of what seemed previously nonsensical. "One kiss and you can sympathize" he says with a distinctive bite. "Mephisto Drag" tackles one-night stands: "I'll show you wrong from rightain't nothin'like your mama told youbaby open your eyescause there ain't nothin here but usexcept for Mephisto drag." Many of the Death of Sailor songs, particularly "Come on Wallflower" and "Beg," would erupt into a frenzy of chaos, Maxwell's drums often tipping Taylor's bass overboard and Ensslin wailingout desperately singing about the most unusual characters the beautiful and the depressed, the hor rific and the grotesque. All this seems to be saved only by a song's abrupt ending, or Roven's stabilizing guitar patterns. The new songs have a cleaner edge to them, often lacking the thun dering assaults mentioned above. These songs are less threatening and less boisterous, but the band agrees that they have quality dynamics, a mature addition to their songwriting that wasn't very apparent before under all of the hazy rush of sonic depravity. This legroom allows for more recog nizable melodies and a wider spectrum of sounds. The less-is-more attitude suits the band, which may find itsniche not in the new wave of guitar grinders so easily found in the area, but in a sightly more refined, yet mellowscene. Undergoing a name change has its obvious disadvantages, mainly getting the message across that the new band is the old band. But it also showed just how loyal some of the anonymous Teas ing the Korean fans were. But WPW really hasn't lost stride. If you haven't caught them in awhile, you haven't seen them at their best. Many of the songs have been reworked with Roven maintaining a full guitar sound and Taylor adding trusty new bass licks that could shake a beer right out of your hand. Ensslin's vocals ranged from peaceful to poignant and power- BE effrey Gaines offers up more than a healthy dose of pessimistic real ism to anyone who cares to hear on his debut, self-titled release. While it's hard to beat the musical quality of the album, the introspective depres sion might just be a bit too much for the average listener to handle. Gaines approaches the rather grand subject of life in much the same way as Lloyd Cole and Tracey Chapman. That is, while there exists a faint reason to have hope, life and love, in particu lar holdshumiliating, debasingpros pects for mere mortals. But unlike Cole, Gaines favors the acoustic stylings of Chapman rather than Cole's classic pop or orchestrated sounds. And unlike the other acoustic, folk greats, Gaines prefers to avoid the irony of dark lyrics superimposed over brightchords.choosingstraightforward lyrical and musical synchronicity. The opening cut typifies the sound Gaines favors. "Hero in Me" looks at the security that people find in painful situations. The acoustically dark chord progressions mirror the psychological limits of the subjects of the song, while the chorus shines faintly brighter. "And I dream of the person I might have beenThere I am free again... And I swear that my grass is greener than anyone'sTil I believe againThen I wake And the dream fades away and I face the dayAnd I realizeThat there's got to be some hero in me." While Gaines finds hope only in dreams, at least he realizes something good exists. If you're looking for a male Tracey Chapman, Jeffrey Gaines' new release will please you. On the other hand, if you aren't into that sort of depression, "Jeffrey Gaines" will probably just turn you off. Still, if you can tape it from a friend, it could grow on you ... Matt Morgan t here's nothing sweeter than homemade jam, as Michelle Shocked can and does attest with her new album Arkansas Traveller. Getting back to her musical roots in a somewhat controversial way.Shocked ful to pugnacious. And yes, those eyes. Many of the refashioned and new songs include more harmonies. Previ ously limited to Ensslin and Maxwell, Taylor has jumped in on some vocals. Anyone who has heard Taylor sing backup with Chapter Two knows he can do it well. The harmonies add one more wrinkle to an already wrinkled and creviced band that so easily climbs in and out of genres. Also in the works is an electric violin for Roven, which should streamline the transformation. Band members seem to enjoy their J plus all the music briefs you can stand gives an impressive presentation of original, semi-original, and traditional tunes with an all-star guest list ranging from Hothouse Flowers to Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown to Chapel Hill's own Red Clay Ramblers. The album definitely has a bluesy bluegrass flavor, with many of the tunes adapted by Shocked from traditional fiddle tunes straight from the Ozarks. Through her research, Shocked found that many originated in the old min strelsy tradition, where whites would perform in blackface, singing and act ing out scenes from plantation life. As she states in her liner notes, "My early intention was to present this record with a cover photo of myself wearing blackface ... my sincere inten tion was that it would provide a genu ine focus on the real 'roots' of many of the tunes included; blackface min strelsy. It's my contention that a blackface tradition is alive and well hidden behind a modern mask." The music is simple and accessible and keeps the down home sound and feel despite the high tech recording. The title' track clip-clops and fiddles its way to the tune we all grew up with as "Bringing Home a Baby Bumble bee" and ends with the classic "Shave and a haircut" with Shocked chuckling in the background. In case you're missing an utter lack of far-fetched metaphors and descrip tive phrases, this album has left me quite at a loss. It can't be compared to other artists and albums, and some descriptions would fall flat. If you're a Michelle Shocked fan, buy the album. ..no doubt. If you're a fan of traditional music, blues, bluegrass, this album's a keeper, if for nothing other than the guest musicians. It's upbeat attitude, twangy guitar and mandolin, and all around travelin' atmosphere will eventually sweep you right up along with it. Lindsay Lowry un WiththedemiseofCamperVan Beethoven, former lead vo calist David Lowery proceeds to the nobler truths as revealed by his new band, Cracker. These truths in clude lust, being stupid and being "pissed off." Johnny Hickman on guitar, Davey Fargher on bass and Joey Peters on the drums join Lowery to fashion a classic rock sound juxtaposed against the sa tirically stupid and inane lyrical steadyevolvement, and unfortunately, a live show will be the only way to catch these news songs for the time being. Songs like "No Answer," "Blue Boy" and "Another Tragedy" scream for inclusion on the next album, which hopefully won't have to travel the same path for production as Death of a Sailor. So, what does Peggy want? Only Death of a Sailor will tell you, or maybe one of the encores tonight. So come on !; wallflowers, come and take thischance. ' Put on your black dress (or ConnellsT- shirts), and we'll meet you at the dance. . scheme. With a few exceptions, the album relies heavily on simple electric power chord progressions and "South-ern"-sounding guitar fills to poke fun at the return of guitar-centered, good oF boy rock and roll. Lowery's new band forsakes the eso teric subjects that made Camper van, opting instead for such greats as "What the world needs nowIs a new Frank SinatraSo I can get you in bedWhat the world needs now Is another folk singerLike I need a hole in my head," from the opener, "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)." . Poking fun at classic rock comes easy for Cracker, playing up the guitar fills and the cooing female back-up vocals. Especially good is the mockery made of the classic rock "inspiration ballad" in "I See the Light:" "I see the light at the end of the tunnelSome body please tell meIt's not a train." Despite the predominant humor ous slant on this disc, Lowery manages to stiffen up a bit for the more serious numbers "Someday" and "Another Song About the Rain." While the hu mor disappears from these two songs, the simple topic remains: the depres sion of missing someone during separa tion. But instead of breaking up the rhythm of the album, the pieces only prove what Lowery is capable of. The self-titled debut release by Cracker proves to be a must-have for music fans. Even if you buy this one on a whim, this writer believes that you won't be disappointed. Matt Morgan the new Def Leppard album, Adrenaline, should have a warn ing label on its cover. Not be cause the lyrics are dirty, but because they suck. ("Lyrics may cause you and your unborn offspring to become stu pider.") Not that Def Leppard has ever re ally been a songwriting powerhouse, but last year's death of guitarist Steve Clark has left the band glaringly cliche-ridden. The liner notes credit Clark with contributions to some of the songs on this album. However, I don't recall Def Leppard ever writing as screamingly moronic a line as "Make loveLike a manI'm a manAt what I am" when Clark was alive. It's terrible that the band would drag a dead man into this travesty. After one gets over the astonishing drop in lyrical quality (and that's an obstacle), one can move on to the music, the real test of a Def Leppard album. The burning question is whether or not Steve Clark's death hurt the sound. The answer is ... yeah. Steve Clark was a cool guitarist who'll be missed. Fortu nately, studio technology allows for the surviving guitarist, Phil Collen, to play enough to fill out the songs. "White Lightning" and "Stand Up (kick love into motion)" are two notable songs in which Collen makes Def Leppard a o ( , M.C. Brains decent band able to rise above its sorry Instrumentals Non-Stop. That's lyrics. killer. Def Leppard has one other part of f The 17-year-old lyricist has cre its trademark sound still workine on ated a debut album that is more fun this album: the power chorus. Even on a dumb song like "Let's Get Rocked," the band sings in a very convincing, catchy style that can make one smile like a dork and wag one's head with the drums. On better songs like "White Light ning," the chorus makes the entire album seem almost worth whatever Since Adrenate debuted at num ber one, it's probably going to sell mil lions of copies. But it's not a great album, and it's completely forgettable. On the other hand, it's a good al bum to leave in the car not too distracting and something to beat the time to on the steering wheel as the odometer rolls over. As some earlier music scholar once said, "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it." Alex DeGrand KMC iffim bel Biv DeVoe's Michael Bivins is really on to something. His latest discovery, M.C. Brains, proves that he has an eye for young talent. The newest member of Biv's showbiz family is definitely out there to make a name for himself. The showbiz name that James Deshannon Davis chose clues the lis tener in to his unique style. Brains is an acronym for Bringing Raps And t.:1"- "X.' v ft V than anything else. Stepping away from the controversial topics that many rappers prefer, M.C.Brains raps mainly about sex and romance. Lovers Lone sports several poten tial hits sure to liven up those late spring parties after dark. There's at least two d ifferent types of rapping here. On the Poohnany side, M.C. Brains starts with a funky sound guaranteed to make you move. He then travels into more serious, romancing music that appeals to the lover in you. But don't be fooled by the drop in tempo, because he pulls a fast one on the Non-Stop side. M.C. Brains has a host of talented artists working with him: Boyz II Men sets the mood for "Brainstorming" and "Boyz II Men (sequel)." Then Mike Bivins not only does back ground vocals but throws in some additional rap lyrics in "G-String." And you can't forget sexy soul singer Johnny Gill who provides back ground in "Brains Is Goin' Cra-ze." "Brainstorming" is surprising, be cause Brains not only raps but sings lead vocals and it sounds good. There aren't too many rappers who have done that on a serious cut. Carol Davis THE RATINGS
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 16, 1992, edition 1
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