Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 17, 1986 Rambo goes to college in 'Avenging Force' By Naomi Wax Avenging Force is a Rambo- type adventure movie. It is entertaining and somewhat exciting, but the formula is familiar and unoriginal. Professor Eliot Glastonbury (John P. Ryan) is the heart of the Pentangle Hunting Fraternity, Records Game Theory THE BIG SHOT CHRONICLES Rational Records Let's face it, pop lyrics are rarely intelligible let alone moving. There's no way "Dress You Up" is going to make any Norton An thologies. When faced with dealing with the endless babble of pop music it's refreshing to hear some - thing now and again that expresses itself clearly and elegantly. Right now, it's extremely refreshing to hear something like The Big Shot Chronicles. The single most stunning thing about this record is the pure poeticism of its lyrics. As lyricists go, its reasonable to venture Game Theory guitarist/vocalist Scott Miller has few peers in pop right now. On top of his lyric gift, he's a talented songwriter, which leaves him with even fewer peers. Combine his gifts and put them into practice and you'll likely end up with a record like The Big Shot Chronicles, which, like its predecessor Real Night - an extreme right-wing group which is headed by five big businessmen whose identities are a mystery to society. Glas- tonbury's disheveled gray hair and distorted looks are reminiscent of the mad scientist- type character and make his role as a ruthless reactionary convincing. The members of the Pentangle are masters of the martial arts and of every kind of weaponry from wooden staffs to cross bows. The murky bayous of Louisiana are the setting for what they call the "Great Game". The "game" is manhunting, and the principle behind the game is "survival of the fittest". The members of the time,is a joy. Built for durability rather than speed, however, Big Shot lacks some of the quirky freneticism of Real Nighttime. It rechannels that energy into pure pop craftsmanship, has reexamined the sometimes- irritating quirks of Real Nighttime and reduced them into delightful hints of camp. It's no mistake that this record draws somewhat on the tradition of Eno-era Roxy Music and Some- thing/Anything-era Todd Rundgren (Advance tapes of Big Shot even included a version of Rundgren's "Couldn't I Just Tell You"). Both these artists have a similar aesthetic to Miller's: intelligent, interesting lyrics with an ear for style and detail; and expansive yet still in- herently pop melodies. applied, that largely char actorr Mind," with its grinding guitar, and "Erica'sgWord," have an unmistakeable moment-of-glory quality that have no recent precedent, save perhaps "24," off Real Nighttime. "I've Tried lyrics. The only real exception Subtlety" really rips, tones to the rule is "Like a Girl down the shrill keyboards of Jesus" which is atmospheric, earlier Game Theory outings, scary in its bigness, and one of and adds a much bigger drum the LP's best tracks. It proves sound, thanks to a new band the whininess is conquerable. lineup and judicious production He'll get over it, next LP... courtesy of Mitch Easter. "Here All in all, Big Shot it is Tomorrow" and " Make Chronicles could prove Any Vows" do the same. paradigmatic for pop fans. The only thing that keeps the Like its predecessor, Real LP from being a consummate Nighttime, Big Shot Chronicles pop thrill is a somewhat patchy has reduced this critic to vocal performance by Miller gushing goo-goo-isms. It's (something of which he must be flaws are negligible enough conscious, as he's labelled and its uniqueness great himself "guitar, miserable enough to merit picking up. whine" on the back cover ). Above all, it's very listenable, The uptempo songs' vocals have and the clear expression of a the venom of Miller's previous major talent. Probably even superb LP performances, but the ballads lack the conviction one of the year's better records. necessary to go with his pointed -Julie Jurjens Learn Korean KARATE Improved Health/Self-Defense $1000 Introductory Lessons " special student rates " free uniform with regular membership THE ACADEMY 220 S. Main, Ann Arbor 994-0333 4cAPY Master Keith Hafner Show how you feel with.. . Michigan Daily Personals 764-0557 THE ER O SiSTERS - The Center for Japanese Studies Presents THE MAKIOKA SISTERS Admission: FREE 7 - 9 p.m. Japanese w/ English Subtitles Four daughters of an old merchant family face unknowing the end of a gentler way of life. "A beautifully punctuated, subtly sensual film, as gorgeous to behold as are its accomplished stars." -L.A. Times From The Classic Novel By Junichiro'Thizaki With Keiko Kishi Yoshiko Sakuma Sayuri Yoshinaga Yuko Kotegawa A Toho Production A R5/S8 Release for further information. I , rJ ' \ M 764-0553 News 763-0379 Arts 764-0562 News and Opinion 747-3334 News 763-0376 Sports 763-2459 News 747-3336 Sports 0 4 I