Page 8 -The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 12, 1992
The Swiss avant-garde:
stark, dark, andwitty
by Laura Alantas
Ringing
Wonderfui Tree Ears/
Rusted House
Manta Ray Fleet
Ringing's debut single is easily
the self-sufficient single of the
year so far, and I don't see too
much competition coming around
the corner. The A-side s a Popol
Vuh-ish rave-up thump-thumping
in the best of Indus Delta boogie
traditions.
The B-side sounds like an out-
take from one of Eno's dreams
circa "Taking Tiger Mountain,"
had he been listening to My
Bloody Valentine's "Loveless."
This Detroit duo of Christopher
Girard (ex-Sleep) and Keir Mac-
Donald (ex-Viv Akauldren) is
probably more familiar with the
movie "My Bloody Valentine"
than the band, but nowadays you
should be thankful for that level of
awareness.
It's quite jaw-slacking to think
that something this good is being
produced right down the street,
and what could have been an iso-
lated project stuck in a shoebox
underneath somebody's bed, like
so many Phobolex tapes, has seen
the light of day - on vinyl, no
less! If "Forced Exposure" still
evaluated 45s with their "C/U me-
ter," this clear blue future legend
would certainly rate an "ENTIRE
PRESSING," which happens to be
200. I've got #121. You could use
a few yourself. Get to work, kids:
Manta Ray Fleet, 21735 Grand
River, Detroit, MI 48219.
- Greg Baise
Des'ree
Mind Adventures
Sony
Comparisons suck, but
Des'ree, on her debut LP "Mind
Adventures," possesses an un-
canny similarity to what a female
Luther Vandross would be like -
or is that Sade?
The music is often inconse-
quential, but her vocals are always
domineering, ranging from the
depths of a deep knee-bend to a
grabbed-by-the-balls high note.
The title track and European hit
"Feel So High," are two of the
better demonstrations of her abili-
ties. And "Momma Please Don't
Cry" possesses a quirky cerieness
that's unique to the album.
It's not always exciting. But,
"Mind Adventures" does take you
places.
c - Kim Yaged
Monks of Doom
Forgery
I.R.S.
"Monks of Doom go major la-
bel shock!" OK, so perhaps mov-
ing to I.R.S. isn't the same as sign-
ing a multi-million dollar deal
with Time-Warner. And while the
Monks probably don't have as
cozy a contract as former Camper
Van Beethoven bandmate/current
nemesis David Lowery does with
his band Cracker (on Virgin),
recording for I.R.S. is certainly a
big step up (or down) from the
tiny labels of their past.
This isn't to say "Forgery" is a
sell-out. But it's a more mature al-
bum than any of the past Monks
releases. Gone are the crazy and
spacey instrumentals of their early
albums, when the band was a
chance for the Monks to let loose
and escape the growing pressures
of eing an indie legend in the
making.
After the break-up of the
Campers, the Monks wanted to be-
come a full fledged band and not a
side project. They succeeded with
their last album, "Meridian,"
which captured the exuberance
and energy they've always pos-
sessed but also polished their wild
creativity, by concentrating more
on singing, lyrics, and tightly
crafted mekxlies.
"Forgery" is a continuation of
01
Ann Arbor will catch a rare glimpse of the avant-garde European dance
scene when The Philippe Saire Dance Company visits to perform their
evening-length work "The Life and Morals of a Night Chameleon." This
Swiss troupe will perform as a part of the University Dance Department's
Fifth Annual Guest Artist Series.
"The Life and Morals of a Night Chameleon," a work which gleans its
inspiration from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," highlights
two specific themes from the play: the manipulation of characters by exter-
nal forces and the desire to imitate. As the story of the dance develops,
however, the work moves further and further away from the Shakespearean
influence so that the creativity of the dance can come to full realization.
"The Swiss company should be very exciting. Their European flavor,
which is a particular brand of dance theater, focuses on theatricality, stark-
ness, darkness and wit," explained Professor Jessica Fogel, Coordinator of
the Guest Artist Series. This originality coupled with the fine academic
technique are traditionally staples of most European companies.
The Guest Artist Series originated five years ago when the Dance De-
partment decided to showcase "independent artists who are the life blood of
our field, who are pioneering spirits, working with a passion and integrity," 0
Professor Fogel said. .
In those five years, though, choosing who would perform as a guest artist
became a somewhat passive process. The University Dance Department
would present alumni of the University or friends and colleagues of faculty
members as guest artists. The addition of The Philippe Saire Dance Com-
pany to the Guest Artist Series marks the first group that the department has
actively pursued.
"The opportunity just fell into our laps," said Professor Fogel. The Com-
pany planned a U.S. tour, which will take them to Washington D.C. and
New York before their arrival in Ann Arbor, and the Swiss government de-
cided to subsidize their tour. It is only because of this funding that the Uni-
versity can afford to present the group.
THE PHILIPPE SAIRE DANCE COMPANY will perform on Tuesday and
Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the Studio A Theater in the Dance Building, which
is adjacent to the CCRB. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5.for
students and seniors. For more information call 763-5460.
The Monks of Doom can smile now they've sold out to a major label.-
that process. Anchored by bassist
Victor Krummenacher's captivat-
ing and sometimes dlisquietmng
voice, the band creates complexity
in every song. Not content to have
just a catchy hook, mandolins may
weave in and out of earshot
("Every West Coast band needs a
mandolin," says friend and CVB
alumnus Jonathan Segel); some-
times drums and bass abruptly
stop and change direction. Greg
Lisher and David imumerglick
continue their fascinating interplay
of dueling lead gui tars on
"Cigarette Man," going beyond
simple guitar pyrotechnics.
But by using the larger studio
budget of I.R.S. to further hone
their music, the Monks may have
gone overboard in trying to con-
tain their frenzied creations. Even
the jams and instrumentals seem
too quiet and constrained. The .
eight minute closing song, "Chaos
is not Dead," sounds more like
distant disorder than all-out anar-
chy. Hopefully, this seeming tran-
quillity only represents a more
melancholy batch of songs, not a
loss of energy.
- Jeremy Lechtzin
WHOJ [HAT WHRE WHE
UAC Announces a coed
4 on 4 sand Volleyball tournament
on North Campus
Oct. 18, Sunday!
For more info. Call the
UAC offiCe at 763-1107
HERO
Continued from page 5
"Hero." Geena Davis's Gale Gayley
has about as much edge as a rubber
ball. Andy Garcia's fake hero is al-
ways mooning about being nice to
everybody (you want to smack him
after about five seconds). Even
Dustin Hoffman, whose alternately
funny and pitiable performance is
the film's only strength, turns
squishy at the end.
4. Pick a tone, any tone, and keep
it up. "Network's" cold realism
added to its authenticity. "Hero's"
director, the talented Stephen Frears
("The Grifters") completely botches
the job here. Sometimes he wants to
be funny, sometimes he attempts a
modern version of a Frank Capra
movie, sometimes he's deadly seri-
ous - and most of the time we're
never sure what he wants. This be-
comes painful to watch in scenes
like the one where Davis gives a
speech at an awards ceremony about
journalistic responsibility while slic-
ing an onion onstage. The audience
is not sure whether to laugh, take it
straight, or hoot.
What a waste of the prodigious
talents of the cast and director!
Maybe what they ought to do is get
together for a new movie, a satire on
the excessive number of self-serious,
boring, underwritten Hollywood
movies that masquerade as Impor-
tant Social Drama.
HERO is playing at Showcase and
Briarwood.
Woody again?
Well, we can't help ourselves,
it's a Woody Allen flick, and we
think - nay insist - that you go.
It's "The Purple Rose of Cairo,"
it's at the Michigan Theater on
Tuesday, and it's at 7 p.m. After
all, Chelsea's Purple Rose Theatre
was named in honor of this movie
(founder Jeff Daniels stars in it).
Ignore the hype - he's still a
filmmaker you oughtn't sneeze at.
Indy 8:00
It's that wonderful Monday TV
line up again. Don't forget,
"Sherlock Holmes" at 9, and
"Lovejoy" at 10, both on A&E
(Columbia 47). But start it all off
with our favorite, "The Young
Indiana Jones Chronicles" at 8.
Indy goes to Spain this week!
To see, or not to see ...
By the way, we've been
meaning to mention to you that
you really should stop by the
Kelsey Museum of Archaeology.
We know you've been meaning to,
and, after all, it is going to be
closing at some point in the near
future to install climate control
stuff. What, we ask, would you do
if you had an urge to view an Attic
black-figure vase, and you
couldn't get in? Put your mind at
rest, just go today - it's open
from 9 to 4.
Vinx and whispers
Vinx, who would probably
rather have his own identity than
be known as "Sting's favorite
percussionist," will be at
Schoolkids today at 4. If you're a
newcomer, Schoolkids is offering
a deal on his new CD "The Way It
Will Be In the Past."
Vinx
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