4 Page 8 -The Michigan Daily-Thursday, September 17, 1987 Lavin expands folk boundaries with her engaging, original style 4 By Timothy Huet Those who view folk music as a strange therapy engaged in by neurotic, whining hemophiliacs will be pleasantly surprised, probably shocked, if they go to see Christine Lavin's performance at the Ark tonight. Lavin is one of the emerging singer/songwriters who is expanding the frontiers of folk's image and essence. When Lavin moves beyond the traditional bounds of folk, she usually ventures somewhere between the Far Side and the Twilight Zone. Lavin's last album, Future Fossils, is a collection of truly demented and delightful songs illuminating the odder aspects of "reality." As the subtitle to her new release Beau Woes (and Other Problems of Modern Life) implies, most of the songwriter's send-ups are inspired by everyday life - as filtered through a pair of warped and witty eyes. Lavin explains that her character assassination of the royal family in Prince Charles is the product of her not-so-secret yearning for the "ear- apparent" and that Biological Time Bomb stems from her own anxi- eties. Asked about the everyday inspiration for Amoeba Hop, a celebration of lower-life form high- life, Lavin launches into a long story about "seeing pictures of a beached whale and a hospitalized Liz Taylor on the same day." The singer's musical origins are just as unconventional. Lavin first learned to play guitar from a PBS television series. She later received the great fortune to be "discovered" and taught by Dave Van Ronk. Lavin says that Van Ronk "is really like the guiding light for all of us in the Village," and describes him as a continuing influence on her music. Indeed, Lavin will soon begin guitar lessons under Van Ronk's tutelage again in an effort to expand her limited musical abilities to meet her limitless lyrical creativity. In turn for such beneficence, Lavin has actively promoted the careers of other aspiring folk singers as a driving force behind Fast Folk Musical Magazine. Unlike a normal magazine, Fast Folk is issued with a record ten times a year. The record is a compilation featuring talented but unrecognized performers. Suzanne Vega's meteoric rise to fame was prefigured by several releases on Fast Folk Musical Magazine. The emergence of Vega has spearheaded what Lavin terms a "folk resurgence." But Vega's success has only been the most popular manifestation of this resurgence. The folk scene is filled with bright stars, of which Lavin is one of the most incandescent. Christine Lavin will take the Ark's stage tonight at 8. Tickets are $6 for members, $7 for non Ark members. 4 4 C ristine Lavin will be performing her witty folk songs at the Ark tonight. 1' M, Start the School Year Right with Chambers... 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Records We know it's late, but in case you missed 'em check out this "Best of the Summer" listening guide: Lenny Pickett and Borneo Horns Lenny Pickett and Borneo Horns Carthage Records The Horns have cut an album that is a playful frolic that dances gingerly upon the waves of its rising, falling, rising rhythm. The tracks are all horns and percussion; the music is minimal, perky, and PRE-=MED ORIENTATION MEETING INFORMATION & REGISTRATION COURSE REQUIREMENTS, ADMISSIONS, PREPARATION FOR MED SCHOOL, VISIT WITH UM MEDICAL STUDENTS. THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 7P.PM. ROOM 170, DENNISON PPRE-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ' CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT A UNIT OF STUDENT SERVICES very pleasant. The liner notes say that they had to spend a lot of time rehearsing to achieve the extremely tight effect, and it paid off. If they sound familiar, it's because they have played back-up to David Bowie - but this is not a rock record. Great fun. -B.F. 10,000 Maniacs In My Tribe Elektra Natalie Merchant's ability for writing gloomy-but-enlightened lyrics hasn't faltered, but the'sound on this record is a bit dull and over- produced and doesn't do her justice... A disappointment com- pared to their previous releases, but tolerable. -S.F. Bernice Johnson Reagon River of Life Flying Fish Reagon is from Sweet Honey in the Rock. If you've ever heard them, this record should come as no surprise. It's beautiful acapella gospel music. Reagon's voice is a warm, smooth instrument that's loaded with the true conviction of her songs. A gorgeous record. -B.F. See RECORDS Page 9 U I We've giyen toscc ourbra 4 . pence. 4 ta. =r v : t y q The TI-60 functions include hexadecimal/octal conversions, integration using Simpson's rule, ' statistics (including linear regres- sion), trend line analysis and metric to English conversions. You can program 84 steps. 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