4 ARTS Tuesday, September 20, 1988 The Michigan Daily Page 8 .............. ....................................... ...........:t.y : . :{ I I A Walter Salas-Humara Lagartija Record Collect It's probably unfair to compare the solo release from Walter Salas- Humara with his work as lead singer of the Silos, but in this case, it seems justified - the album features a song called "Cuba" (the title of one of the Silos' EPs) and backup guitar help on the first song, "Carol," from fellow Silo Bob Rupe. Salas-Humara's voice, when backed by a band with the power of the Silos, can carry its own; but by itself, it's not enough. His plaintive tones succeed at times - like on the melodic "Wide Open" - but at other times they just become annoying, especially in the repetitive cries of "Carol." Repetition can work if the singer uses varied vocal inflections, but Salas-Humara obviously thinks mournful refrains are enough. To Salas-Humara's credit, he is a good lyricist, and the album holds together thanks to his observations about male/female relationships. Especially good is "Don't Go Home": "Sometimes decisions are hard for me to make/ I know it bothers you when I hesitate/ It happens when I imagine what you're thinking/ And don't just ask you/ But what really matters now darling is that I'm thinking of you always." Also to Salas-Humara's credit: Though side one of the album is weak, side two shows real promise, except fob (ironically enough) the dull "Prgmises." If he starts his next solo effort where he left off on Lagartija, he should merit attention apart from his "other" work. In the meantime, though, check him out on the next Silos release - not Lagartija. -Lisa Magnino 14 14 4 The highlight of feedtime's career to date was this meal, recorded on film, which they ate in the very kitchen once used as the site for Bruce Springsteen's Brilliant Disguise video. feed time Cooper-S Rough Trade Records "hope you can understand that we like the songs that we've done and stick by what we see as their original purpose - good music and not a lot of unnecessary bullshit... say it and say it good, or at least the best you can." - from the liner notes to 'Cooper-S. Cooper-S is the third album by the mighty Australian trio feedtime (and yes, it is spelled e.e. cummings-style). The band's two previous records, feedtime (AUS, Aberrant) and Shovel (Rough Trade) are already classics of the highest order. Cooper-S is as good as its predecessors and reinforces feedtime's reputation as a band than can make rock and roll unbelievably fresh and vital. The feedtime sound is a deep, growling rumble, with chainsaw guitars, throbbing muscle of love bass, and unstoppable, blurting drums. This sound is an undeniable force matched by very few of their contemporaries. Factor in an unprepossesing attitude, street smarts, and a complete mastery of their form, feedtime are right there in the league with godheads Sonic Youth and Spacemen 3. It takes no small amount of guts and talent for a band to cover the Beach Boys' "Fun, Fun, Fun," the Ramones' "Loudmouth," and X's "I Don't Wanna Go Out" and not fall flat on their faces. And it takes a load of courage and inspiration to play the Rolling Stones' "Paint it Black" and "Street Fighting Man" with a tenth of the power of Keef and the boys. 99 out of a 100 bands couldn't handle it. The expectations are just too high for mortal bands to even think they can reinterpret such classics. History shows us that it's easy for a band to play well- meaning but pathetically dispirited homages to their influences (see R.E.M.'s Velvet Underground and Wire covers). It's another and altogether more difficult task to recontextualize classic songs without dissipating the powerful essence that made them great in the first place. feedtime show a dedication to the functional power of rock and roll that too many have forgotten. Jerry Lee Lewis, the Stooges, the Ramones - all the great stylists knew the indescribably exhilirating rush of wild crunching rock and roll. feedtime, without a doubt, are cut from the same mold as these artists. They are that good. But don't take my word for it, listen to Cooper-S and rediscover what rock and roll is all about. --Brian Berger Michigan Daily ARTS 763-0379 -..j _ t Save Big Bucks on a - I Let's Active clips Wire North Carolina's Let's Active (above) will replace Wire on the triple-bill with the Churh and Tom Berlaine October 9 at the Michigan Theater. The British (former) punk icons cancelled due to "logistical problems." Forester Sisters Burn Like Wildfire! News at 11 The Forester Sisters Warner Brothers The Forester Sisters are country singers. Not instrumentalists. Not songwriters. Just singers. And they do what they do best here on this LP: singing fine, uncontrived pop with a country backdrop. Pop country is not a new phenomenon. It's simply country/western watered down to appeal to the AM listener's ears, high on gloss, jingles, and hooks. But I'm not afraid to say I like listening to transistors, and I like the Foresters. There's plenty of gloss, but it ain't blinding, and there's sure plenty of substance here too. First of all, the material here is top rate, ranging from a neat-o rapid- fire version of the Beatles' "I've Just Seen a Face" to a sacred song and more straightforward c/w. Just about everything here is immediately' memorable and hummable, if not out-and-out shower concertino material. And the solos and swell harmonies are backed by some of Nashville's finest musicians - Bela Fleck on banjo, Jerry Douglas on- dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin and Mark O'Connor on fiddle. But in they end, the songs and musicianship all ride, and ride well, on the Foresters' voices. - V.J. Beauchamp Correction Hillel Foundation was mistakenly identified as the sponsr of the Shanik-Fleischer forum for 1988 "Jews in American Cinema" Film Festival in a page 15 headline of yesterday's Daily Arts section. The Shirley and William Fleischer Foundation funds the antual Shanik-Fleischer forum in order to explore the creative interaction b&. tween Jewish people and the larger societies in which they have lived. The foundation seeks to examine the roots of Jewish intel.e.tuaI.and cultural activity in Western civiization and the links between this actvity and norms deriving from the Jewish heritage. The forum began in 1986 and has since held four conference The Daily apologizes for the error. .0, ........:.' : "" i::::t:::::: i,::JI::::."":J: G::. '*:k::""::':: :":t': : ::i:":.:::: :J 4 4 11 Personal U. -Mstucents, facufty, 41 % - 58% off retaifpri personaf computers tflrou To help you decide on a system, take a test- drive and talk to a representative at the Hands-On Displa in the Michigan Union Mall loam - 6pm Call 763-6181 for more informa- Co mputer! and staff can take adivantage of ices on Apple, PBM, and Zenith ql U-9vs Computer Kickoff Safe. y 4 k r t'- k) # i Know every line in Annie Hall? Can you pronounce Truffaut? LI tion, or pick up an information book/order form at: ff campus computing sites Campus Infonnation Center, Michi qan 'Union Computing fResource Center Photo and Campus Services Order your computer today! 4 / 4'. * $v .,Q Do you agree with our music editor who says, "Lynch is cool"? I. Do you use the phrase "Capra-; esque" in mixed company? If you answered "Yes" to at least one of these. we want vou. I