ARTS
Tuesday, April 10, 1990
The Michigan Daily
Page 5
7
Seattleites stompthrough
by Rob Flaggert and Chris Wyrod o
A2
BUCKLE up boys and girls, as Seattle's premier "World Domination
Regime" continues its endless onslaught of cities this planet over,
unleashing big-boy band Tad and label-mate grunge voles Nirvana upon the
unsuspecting populace of this musically inert city. Birthed from the very
bowels of this nation's backwoods, Tad Doyle, ex-lumberjack, has traded in
his ax, while Nirvana members have shed themselves of the "satan-
worshipping, cousin-fucking" reputation they earned in their home town of
Aberdeen, Washington for guitars of "unusually large size" in order to bring
you an extra large dose of super-sound, Sub Pop style.
Uot hy ok ad adDyl seon ro ef*se t*ac*ea*utNo*ngy*mye*us*onued*hemebrso*Nran*wner*Col
Dor't they look mad? Tad Doyle (second from left~used to pack meat but
now he packs a punch with his crash-and-thrash performance.
Tad utilizes louder ax
Not angry, maybe just confused, the members of Nirvana wonder, "Could
that guy in Spinal Tap really turn his amps up to 11?"
Nirvana finds itself
Originally a drummer for the now-defunct slush-band
fl-Hour, yet another Seattle guitar group (formerly on
C/Z Records), Tad Doyle formed the super-crunch, bass-
ridden Tad band after stints not only as a woodcutter,
bVt also as a butcher and a meat packer. One has only to
watch the way this hefty guitarist slices out sonic riffs
aknd falls power chords to see his past vocations come to
life. His imposingly large body, wrapped around a
seemingly tiny guitar, is enough to stun any grunge
-. rock fan. His "greater than Screaming Trees" build and
the band's Sabbath-fed, confrontational sound give this
group the edge it needs to out-weigh and out-rock any
other band on the market.
The international success of their debut album,
G'od's Balls, especially the anthemic first cut,
"behemoth," spurred the need for a European tour, an
undertaking that was happily undertaken by the band -
weeks on end blasting the balls and burning the butts
off our Allies across the Atlantic. The short bursts of
energy-laden songs on God's Balls are like sucrose
blasts - mini-tunes packing an awsome punch. The
"Loser" seven-inch, on the other hand, saw a more ma-
ture approach to music with longer, more driven and
more "rocking songs," a trend that has continued on
into the recently released Salt Lick EP. Salt Lick deliv-
ers, in full force, the headache-crashing, power-rhythm,
guitar-crunch sound into which this band has evolved.
As a live act, Doyle, parading around stage in suffo-
catingly small rock garb, implodes on stage into a vac-
uum of sludge, sweat and sonic follicle. As proven at
last year's Old Miami show on the God's Balls tour,
Tad can rock out with power that even thwarts the hair-
wagging masterdom of Ann Arbor's own Big Chief.
Doyle's mass is directly proportional to his empowered
stage presence and rockability, making him an even
match for both the Conner brothers and Henssler either
on stage or in his dining room.
Spawned from the bogs of the aforementioned
Aberdeen, a town of "chopping down trees, drinking and
having sex," these three (formerly four) wiseapples set
fire to the international music scene a few years back
with a garagey demo tape that eventually turned into
their Sub Pop debut - the "Love Buzz" seven-inch.
This initial mini-slab, chock full of the band's meta-
amphetamined, Bastardized bass, rocketed them into
icons of sadistic, intellectually perverted proletarians.
Since then, through both sound and line-up changes, in-
cluding the rejection of a guitarist who has now become
the bassist for ex-Sub Pop, ex-SST, now A&M metal-
bozos Soundgarden (who seem to be, by adopting Nir-
vana's throwaways, this band's clean-up crew and lack-
eys), this trio has grown into one of the nation's most
notorious acts.
Most reputable for their hard-hitting, Seattle crunch
sound and their almost Who-ish habit of destroying
equipment on stage, these Gibson-busting gangsters
have a hell of a lot more to them than big amps and
broken guitars. In a recent interview with Sounds,
frontman Kurdt Kobain explained that the "early songs
were really angry, but as times go on the songs get
poppier and poppier." This is apparent in the leap in
sound from their first album, Bleach, to the most re-
cent 12-inch, Blew.
This meaty, yet frenzied and much tighter sound to
which they have moved on (while keeping a firm grasp
on their torque-ish and blighted guitar) is gaining them
an even more devoted folloWing worldwide. Savoring
the very gristle of their own muscley punch, Nirvana's
thick slabs of beefed-up, 100 percent pure malice are a
musical vegetarian's nightmare. The blurred fury of
their live sets virtually rocks the stage down to the
ground, making their interpretation of this religious
experience less one that is attained through purity of
mind and more one that they stuff down the throat of
anyone within earshot.
TAD and NIRVANA will attempt to vomit their own entrails live tonight at the Blind Pig with VICTIM'S FAMILY opening. Doors open at around 9 p.m. Advance tickets, available at Schoolkids and the Union, are $ 8.
Michael Colina
Rituals
Private/BMG
Michael Colina's latest release,
Rituals, showcases the many tal-
ented jazz, soul and rhythm and
blues performers in music today.
Though few of the artists have yet
gained tremendous success individu-
ally, their collective effort results in
an album that spans from the begin-
nings of African music to today's
niew age sound without skipping a
beat.
If Rituals is a royal flush of mu-
sical talent, then the ace up the
sleeve is a surprisingly unique cover
of "I Shot the Sheriff." Colina com-
bines the reggae of Marley with the
blues approach of Clapton and pol-
ishes the sound with jazzy tenor sax
while background vocalists provide
soul. "Shambhala," the only other
truly vocal selection, has a simple,
soothing rhythm featuring the silky
voice of newcomer Vaneese Thomas.
The remaining instrumental
works offer as much style as any of
the Marsalises and much more sub-
stance than Kenny Whatshisletter.
In "Magic," keyboards begin, joined
by wiry electric guitar, then drums
kick in before horns shine. The re-
sult is what you might call "happy
blues" - that is, if there is such a
thing.
"Lolita's Room" is one of the
strongest pieces, and here Colina's
ivories are at their very best. The
sound is brilliant and clear, reminis-
cent of David Foster's keyboard
work. Michael Brecker, leader of
New York Horns, provides a soulful
backdrop for Colina's composition
with his classy tenor sax.
There's a real fresh approach here,
one that, while based on past musi-
cal forms, takes off on its own
course, and ultimately ends up where
it begins.
-Scott Kirkwood
Jerry Giddens
Livin' Ain't Easy
Chameleon Music Group
Livin' Ain't Easy is a compelling
solo effort released by former Walk-
ing Wounded singer/songwriter Jerry
Giddens. The album consists of
eight acoustic tracks plus an acous-
tic/electric combination. Most of the
songs are insightful and inspiring.
With "Remember Ruben Salazar,"
the album's first piece, Giddens de-
mands the listener's attention. Along
with his harsh voice and rhythmic
conga drumbeat, the notes dance
melodically from the acoustic's
strings. In this social commentary,
Giddens illustrates the sad existence
of many East L.A. residents.
The title track of the album,
"Livin' Ain't Easy," contains the al-
bum's finest guitar playing. The
song is a tribute to Giddens' father
and, more generally, farmers and
cowboys. It depicts their hardships
and absence of hope. "Whispering
Wires" is the album's acous-
tic/electric track. It begins with
acoustic guitar backed by a shaky,
twanging electric guitar which
segues into an accompaniment. The
vocals heighten to a minor fury
while the guitars and lyrics climax
together.
The two tracks "Lost Angels" and
"Saint Mary's Gate" are rather poor,
both lyrically and vocally, but as
with the rest of the album's songs,
the power of the guitar playing can-
not be denied.
"Diana," the final cut on the al-
bum, has Giddens illustrating a dif-
ferent dimension of his writing with
the addition of a subtle echo to the
song's vocals. A repetitive undertone
intensifies and subdues with the vol-
ume of his voice, rendering the
lyrics relatively irrelevant. The song
See RECORDS, page 8
- I , -.
U U
Organizational Meeting
History Honors Society
(Phi Alpha Theta)
4:00 PM, Weds. 11 April
Faculty Lounge, History Department
3rd Floor, Haven Hall
Prospective Seniors Majoring in History with a
GPA of at least 3.25 over-all and 3.5 in History
are invited. Formal enrollment in the
History Department's Honors Program not a
requirement.
SPONSORED BY DODGE, WJR & THE GREATER DETROIT DODGE DEALERS.
WIR Radio, Dodge, and the Greater Detroit Dodge Dealers are proud
to announce their sponsorship of the
Quest for Excellence - one of the largest cash scholarship
music competitions in the state of Michigan.
In recognition of young people in music today
the Quest for Excellence is open to contestants in three categories:
classical, jazz and pop. Contestants must be
non-professional vocal and instrumental performers
between the ages of 15-24 (dependent upon category).
Three cash scholarships in the amount of $5000 each will be awarded,
one to the top Grand Final winner in each category,
whether the winner is a solo performer or group. A $2000 cash
scholarship will go to the second place winning soloist
or group in each category. Listen to WJR Radio 760 AM for more
details and then later for the broadcasts of the
Quarter Final. Semi-Final, and Grand Final competitions.
Dodge, your Greater Detroit Dodge Dealers.
and WIR Radio are honored to welcome young musicians and singers
everywhere to participate and wish you good luck
in your Quest for Excellence.
Applications are now available at all Greater Detroit Dodge Dealers as
well as WIR Radio, located at 2100 Fisher Building, Detroit.
No entry fee is required, but a completed application accompanied by
an audition tape must be submitted to WIR by May 1, 1990.
For further information call the Quest Hotline at (313) 873-9780.
DO XF ORD
MODERN BRITISH STUDIES
Literature - History - Politics
Modern British Studies offers upper-level undergradu-
ates a program in Britain's modern literature and
culture, social and political history, and governmental
processes.
The fourteen-week program includes sixteen Boston
University semester-hour credits, lectures and tutorials
taught by faculty from Oxford University, centrally
1...-4a L... :.. -A r+ 4:r+ r;%;L n c t o m .. r
For program details and an application,
complete the coupon below and return it to:
Boston University
Washington Internship Program
725 Commonwealth Avenue B2
Boston, MA 02215
617/353-9888 ____