Page 8 -The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, January 19, 1988
Records
Steve Kilbey
Unearthed
Enigma Records
Brian Ritchie
The Blend
SST Records
kAhhh, solo records. The darn
things always worry fans of whatever
b'and the protagonist originally came
from. Beyond that, solo records pre-
sent a quandry when judging their
merits. Does the solo artist have
anything to say outside the frame-
work of his/her original band? If so,
d'. fans of the band want to hear dif-
f~rent styles from one of their fa-
vtrites?
, Steve Kilbeys, Unearthed, his
first solo project away from the
Church, answers the first question
with a "no." The album merely con-
tinues the Church's gradual mellow-
ing from crashing guitar songs such
as "The Unguarded Moment" to
softer pieces such as "Columbus."
Unearthed sounds like the last
Church effort, Heyday, without the
rest of the band. This accounts for a
lack of contrasting background vo-
cals, and a downright annoying drum
machine. Although this LP doesn't
move Steve Kilbey in any n e w
directions, it is still highly
recommended for his gentle vocals
and songwriting. Fans of Church
albums such as Heyday and Remote
Luxury should enjoy Unearthed,
but if those albums put you to sleep
then this one will, too.
Brian Ritchie, on the other hand,
manages to simultaneously use some
of the style of his band, the Violent
Femmes, while exploring some ma-
terial the Femmes haven't tried. The
Blend is an aptly named album, as it
blends a couple musical styles unex-
pectedly. Ritchie uses the Femmes'
trademark propulsive acoustic guitar
on a few tracks, but most of the
songs are not as minimal as past
Femmes arrangements.
The surprising part of the record
is Ritchie's bland attempts at funk.
Overall, The Blend doesn't contain
anything truly noteworthy, but die-
hard fans of the Femmes will at least
be able to listen to it.
The big question these records
raise is about the future of the
artists' respective bands. Kilbey's
press release coyly describes the
Church as "an ongoing concern," so
it is a safe bet there will be a new
Church record sometime in 1988.
The Femmes case is a bit more
complex. While Gordon Gano was
off fiddling with his Mercy Seat
project, Ritchie managed to put out
this record and appear on an album
by another band. However, one of
the many current rumors about
Johnny Marr is that he has been
asked to produce the next Violent
Femmes LP, so maybe if we keep
our fingers crossed they will come
back as well.
-Brian Jarvinen
4
Books
4
(Continued from Page 7)
the same face at thirty-four that I had
at five, same sulky mouth and
Kewpie-doll cheeks, unlined and
missing something, the face of a
Gerber baby, so essentially
unmemorable that a change of
hairstyle er color is enough to cause
acquaintances of many years to pass
me by on the street."
But even if the character's voice
lacks credibility, Anna Kate makes
up for it with color and vivacity. As
fiction, it works; as slice-of life, it
wouldn't. But that's okay, because it
is fiction. Perhaps it is even a bit
autobiographical, because Anna
Kate, like her creator, is co-
writer/producer/director of a socially,
conscious film. In any case, Between
Pictures is a book worth reading if
you've got the time for a little fun
poked at the trendy, chic lifestyle of
the showbiz world of the '80s.
4
Brian Ritchie, bass player for the Violent Femmes, combines familiar
Femmes' sounds with original avenues in his aptly titled solo album
'The Blend.' Does this release along with vocalist Gordon Gano's
project Mercy Seat mean the Femmes are defunct?
-Meredith McGhan
I I
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For All the Commitments You Make*
1IMY IJ±VI NJ1
Top Israeli singer, songwriter and guitarist. Winner of Israel's
King David Award for best male vocalist and performance.
4
Stop by and see a Jostens representative,
Monday, January 18-Friday, January 22,
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
ild