THE GEM & CENTURY THEATRES

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NOW THROUGH

DECEMBER 31

"Buoyant 'Forbidden
Christmas' snakes for
a wonderful parody."

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-Martin F. Kohn,
Detroit Free Press

The Purple Rose Theatre Company Production of

"Yoop it up for Escanaba,
a Gem of a comedy."

-Michael H. Margolin,
Detroit News

"Some comedies have laughs
by the dozen. Escanaba has
them by the gross."

The Spin Doctors' three Jewish members
inclu-de, left to right, Eran Tabib, Chris
Barron and Aaron Comess.

-Martin F. Kohn,
Detroit Free Press

A Hilarious Comedy

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subtle, unvarnished country rock of
the Jayhawks or Golden Smog.
Take away the music, and the
lyrics are pure poetry; as songs they
arequiet observations and short sto-
ries about everyday life. The album's
opening line hooks you right away:
"In 1984, I was hospitalized for
approaching perfection," Berman
sings in "Random Rules." Lines such
as those, looming large but unclear
and bewildering, pepper Berman's
songs.
"Honk If You're Lonely Tonight"
conjures up cinematic scenes and cries
out to be in a movie. It opens with
"Radio's on, feelin' alright/ cruising
the strip on a Saturday night/ I smile
and I wave and I hide all my pain/
but the sign on my bumper gives me
away" It's so catchy and forlorn it
could be an anthem for singles.
Most of Berman's songs are imme-
diate but unfold like flowers revealing
a bit more with each listen.
While none of his songs makes
overfly Jewish references, he talks
about his work like a rabbi studying
Talmud.
_ "When I sit to write," Berman
explains, "in most rases I'm exploring
a problem, and I don't believe the
songs answer any questions. If you're
going to have an audience, you've got
to pose questions: Are you honest?
Why are we here? Why is there some-
thing instead of nothing? I don't pro-
pose to answer any of them. But it's
important to pose them ... It releases a
),
kind of energy.

Here Comes the Bride by the Spin
Doctors (DAS/Universal Records)

p, including Israeli lead guitarist
Eran Tabib and the band's prima-
§ ry songwriters and co-founders,
lead singer Christopher Barron
and drummer Aaron Comess.
This is the first album in three
years from the band that made a
big splash in 1992 with Pocket
Full of Kryptonite. That recording
sold 5 million copies and
spawned a pair of Top 20 singles,
"Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" and
Two Princes."
Here Comes the Bride finds the
band in adventurous, innovative
form. Call it a rhythm holiday as
the band tries out a range of
grooves: funk, Latin, Afro-pop —
you name it — combined with
lyrical pop hooks, grungy guitars
and even horns.
Many of the tunes have a mar-
itime theme, including "Fisherman's
Delight," "Diamond" and "Siren
Dress" — perhaps the catchiest song
on the album.
One song, "Key to the Kingdom,"
is straight from the Old Testament. It
opens with, The prophet said to
David, 'Someday you'll be king. So
go on down to King Saul's house and
let him hear you sing. Don't worry
'bout what you hear. Don't worry
about what you see. Don't worry
'bout his spear. Because, my David,
you got the key.' "
Possessing the courage to confront
your fears and exhibiting kindness to
others, the song professes, are the
keys to everyone's kingdom.
The album hasn't gotten the atten-
tion it merits partly because lead
singer Barron has been unable to per-
form due to vocal cord problems. But
don't let lack of airplay stop you from
giving Bride a spin. With Latin-pop
still the rage, many of these rocking
tunes fit right in.

Lay Down and Love It Live by Sonia
Dada (Calliope Records)
With a law degree from
Northwestern University and hailing
from one of the wealthiest families in
the country, the last thing Dan
Pritzker needed to do was to be in a
rock 'n' soul band. But that's what the
son of Jay Pritzker has been doing for
most of the '90s.
"I'm a lawyer, but I've never prac-
ticed. Hopefully I never will," says
Pritzker, who is quite content with
the musical life he has chosen, and is
serious about his band.
All you have to do is see Dada live