?age 8 The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, November 1, 1989
I I
Colorful Trauma
Bad Trip on a Paisley Train
Methadone Records
It's always interesting to hear new local
bands. If they ever get famous you can say,
Yeah, I knew those guys, they were all idiots"
to your impressed friends and win new ones in-
ttantly. While I doubt that Colorful Trauma will
hit the big time soon, Bad Trip on a Paisley
rain is an extremely listenable effort. Espe-
cially since it's from some local folks. (To be
more precise, they're from Detroit.)
From the photo of the needle and spoon on
the cover to the lyrics of "Take Your Money
bowntown," the effect of drugs on people's lives
Is a major focus of Bad Trip. (Note the name of
the record company.) This isn't to say that drugs
itre all the record focuses on; to be sure, there are
the obligatory lost love songs here. But when
'inger/guitarist Murray sings "Gotta hide like a
tat until you get back inside/ Gotta go across
town to get some cash 'cause they won't let you
Slide," it's easy to believe he's been there.
c Although the sound quality isn't the greatest,
the songs come across well. With the standard
guitar, bass and drums lineup, Colorful Trauma
turns in some winning performances. "Goodbye
Jo Believing" is as catchy a pop song as I've
card this year and the complex chord progres-
pions of "Ghost of Autumn" ;show that these
guys are no mere Velvet Underground/REM
clones. While the songwriting could stand some
more work, it shows a lot of promise: the in-
strumental "At Hill" had me humming for days.
Even the only dud, "Flies of the Marketplace," is
better than most of the stuff that wins big-time
record contracts.
All in all, Colorful Trauma is a pretty good
trip although I don't recommend that everyone
run right out to the record store and buys this
six-song effort. Bad Trip on a Paisley Train is
only for those of you with a sense of adventure
and an extra five bucks or so who are into origi-
nal non-conformist local music. And when
someone gives these guys the money and time to
write and produce a full length effort in a good
studio, they just might get the recognition they
deserve.
-Mike Molitor
Burning Spear
Live in Paris
Slash Records
Live reggae albums seem to be the craze these
days, but this double album is as good as Toots
in Memphis was bad. Jah veteran Burning Spear
has put out a live account of his 1988 show at
the Zenith in Paris which has tremendous sound
quality for a live album while retaining enough
"soul-chillin' riddim" to be righteous.
Born and raised in St. Anne's Parish, Winston
Rodney (aka Burning Spear) was bound to keep
some of the area's philosophies. The Parish, also
birthplace of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, bred
these Jah messengers into highly political lead-
ers, both in and out of their music. As songs
such as Tosh's "Legalize It" or Spear's "Slavery
Days" and "Never Run Away" show, St. Anne's
teaches universal action, a lesson Burning Spear
has carried with him onto this record.
Spear is a man of power, and thankfully did
not lose any of it in the transfer of his live show
onto vinyl. The vocalist/percussionist brings
with him all of his motivation and Jah love, as
well as his impeccable roots reggae - interna-
tionally appealing African and Jamaican sounds.
The somewhat subdued percussion matches up
nicely with the simple bass for a Sly and Rob-
bie-ish riddim section, while a very ethereal
synth swirls about Spear's Alpha Blondy-ish vo-
cals. The all-female horn section rounds out the
sound, a unique addition in the male-dominated
reggae world. The odd dub is thrown in to stir
things up, and Spear's historical roots of the one
love philosophy and redemption theme is present
throughout. Live in Paris captures Burning Spear
at his best, on stage with an irie crowd, brutul
dub, and Jah love.
-Rob Flaggert
DYLAN
Continued from page 7
might be in Tangiers" at this very
moment. Or Katmandu or Cairo or
Bangkok. Maybe the "bitter taste
still lingers on from night 1 tried to
make her stay." I don't just miss her
a little; I don't relinquish her to the
world with dignity. Like Dylan,
"I've never gotten used to it."
Where's the generosity in that? It's a
creepy, selfish, unjustifiably posses-
sive emotion as far as I can tell. And
yet, it's a beautiful song, delivered
in one the most romantic tones he's
ever mustered.
8. "Where Are You Tonight?
(Journey Through Dark
Heat)" 1976 Street Legal
An exhausting love/religion/death
chant. A strange gospel/rock/soul
cinematic epic. This one, I'm glad to
say, never happened to me. I don't
think I'd have lived through it.
9. "Brownsville Girl" 1986
Knocked Out Loaded
A lazy epic number co-written
with Sam Shepard. Asks the ques-
tion: Where does art end and life be-
gin? When memories of actual
events are no longer distinguishable
from recollections of a movie, or a
song, or a book, the psychologists
tell us it's schizophrenia. I prefer to
call it success.
10. "It Ain't Me Babe" 1988 in
concert in Hoffman Estates,
Illinois.
I used to think this was a kiss-off
song to some girl I never knew. But
now I know he's singing about me
again. Bob Dylan wants my respect
for him as an artist, my engagement
with his art, and yes, my money
($27 for tonight's show? What do
you call that?) But not my blind
obedience. "Go away from my win-
dow/ and leave at your own chosen
speed," he mutters encouragingly. I
should even choose my own speed,
huh? I guess I'll have to make all
my own decisions from here on out.
I think I can do it.
BOB DYLAN and bandplay tonight
at Hill Auditorium. JASON AND
THE SCORCHERS, a cowpunk out-
fit best known for their take of Dy-
lan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie"
open up the show at 8 p.m.
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In Aristophanes' classic comedy Lysistrata, Athenian women wisely
use sex as a weapon, thus defying the dictum of Pat Benatar. Definitely
the highlight of Great Books 191.
Lysistrata: Greeks
practicei safe sex
BY KENNETH CHOW
FOR those of you who have an appreciation for ancient Greek epic po-
ems, chances are you'll enjoy the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre's Lysistrata.
For those of you average college students who enjoy an old-fashioned
good time, this is a play you'll also enjoy.
Lysistrata was originally written by Aristophanes in 411 B.C. Dou-
glass Parker later translated it into English and geared it toward a more
modern audience. The play actually reads similarly to The Iliad, but it
has a lot more flair and was 2400 years ahead of its time. This is the
story of Lysistrata, a Greek woman with an ambition to stop the war be-
tween the Athenians and the Spartans. But how? She manages to get all
of the women in both city-states to abstain from sex. Well, the men have
no chance against this rough strategy. After trying everything from vio-
lence to reasoning to pleading, the men give in and call a truce.
So how does the play fare in the hands of the AACT? The perfor-
mance itself begins with a slow pace. The actors lack enough energy to
kick it off. The chemistry between some of them is almost completely
missing. Some of the jokes in this act did not quite hit home, probably
because the actors were not emphasizing the punchlines enough. Thus
the first act drags itself along without much flair.
The second act glides along more smoothly. With the exposition over
and done with, more time is spent on developing the humor. The perfor-
mance reaches its climax in the middle of this act when the men are so
horny they're going to break. In this scene, Kinesias (Chris Korow),
wearing an enormously huge plastic tube on his pelvis to emphasize his
desire, takes a trip to the Acropolis where his wife Lampiro (Susan
Morseth) and the rest of the women are hiding. He makes an attempt to
get his wife to lie down with him right on the street. Lampiro agrees to
lie down, but she swears not to do anything more unless her hubby
promises to stop the war. But her husband fails to make that promise,
and Lampiro graciously retreats back to the Acropolis. The acting in this
scene is colorful and realistic.
This liveliness follows through to the next scene, but after the men
agree to commit to peace - and all the men and women have what must
be an ecstatic orgy inside the Acropolis - the energy level settles back
to where it began. Lysistrata then goes into another scene which seems
excessive, and it ends with everyone singing the "we'll live happily ever
after" tune. Pretty phony, yes, but also quite lifting.
Although the play has been translated to fit today's audience, the story
includes some materials found only in ancient history textbooks. Those
who have this knowledge would of course understand the play with little
effort, but those who don't need not worry. In the playbill you'll find a
quick lesson to fill you in on what is to be encountered. It won't take a
scholar to appreciate Lysistrata.
LYSISTRATA starts tomorrow at 8 p.m. and runs through the next two
weekends at the AACT Building, 1035 S. Main Street. Tickets are $6,
Thursdays two for one.
Read Jim Poniewozik Every
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When you start
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Exciting opportunities exist at IBM!
IBM is recruiting 1989/1990 graduates and co-op
candidates for openings in Programming,
Engineering and Technical Sales (BS/MS).
Meet with IBM Managers
At Our Career Information Day
Wednesday, November 8,1989
EE/CS Building-Atrium
12:00 noon-5:00 pm
Order your college ring NOW.
Stop by and see a Jostens representative,
Wednesday, Nov. 1 thru Friday, Nov. 3,
There is no formal presentation, so feel free to stop ,
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