8 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 18, 1993 Unrest falls short of goal Stereolab outshines Unrest at St. Andrews 0 S By HEATHER PHARES The performance Stereolab and Unrest gave last Thurs- day at St. Andrew's Hall disappointed none and surprised many. Both bands showed that they are among the best at what they set out to do: find new solutions to the pop puzzle. Stereolab was the big surprise (and success) of the nrest with Steroolab t. Andrew's Hall tober 14, 1993 evening. They gave a performance that managed to be hypnotic and hypercharged at the same time. Their trade- mark organ-dominated sound made bodies sway and pulsate, and the vocal interplay between Laetitia and Mary was complemented by the Moogs and organs nicely. Even when their amps picked up radio signals, Stereolab kept their cool and churned out lots of lulling, groovy, loud melodies, such as "Jenny Ondioline," the single from their latest album, "Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements" as well as selections from "Space Age Bachelor Pad Music," "Peng!" and others. All in all, it was a unique performance that blew the audience away with its volume and force. Unfortunately, they were a tough act for Unrest to follow. While the band was musically proficient, techni- cal difficulties hindered their performance from achiev- ing the level that Stereolab's achieved. Most unfortu- nately, the vocal mics were too quiet in the sound mix; one could barely hear Bridget and Mark near the beginning of the show. To add insult to injury, one of guitarist / singer Mark's strings broke toward the end of the performance. But these problems did not snuff out Unrest's charm completely; the group was instrumentally tight, espe- cially the drummer, Phil. His ferocious attack gave the songs a looser, heavier feel than might be expected from the band's rather precious recorded sound. But the standout songs gave the audience its money's worth: "Make Out Club," "Light Command," "Cherry," "Isabel" and "West Coast Love Affair" pleased the crowd immensely. But, again unfortunately, once Unrest were beginning to hit their stride, it was time for them to leave the stage. Despite the glitches, the concert was an enjoyable, fun show that more or less satisfied the audience's craving for some of the most original-sounding pop being made today. Ever since "Nevermind," the rules of the game have changed drastically within the rock & roll world. Bands that would never have gotten a record contract three years ago are inundated with offers and money. Every once in a while, one of these bands will make something worthwhile and with "Envy," Eve's Plum has made an auspicious debut. They borrow and steal from anything they get their hands on, from R.E.M. and Jane's Addiction to the Beatles and the Doors - it's likely that you'll be able to hear your favorite band somewhere in "Envy." And that is a compliment, because the band mixes all of these diverse influences into an accessible, enjoyable sound - it may not sound completely original but it does sound good. In many ways, Eve's Plum is a perfect example of post- Nirvana pop; Gumball guru and Teenage Fanclub / Posies producer Don Fleming even contributes some guitar, While their grinding guitars are straight out of contemporary college rock, Colleen Fitzpatrick's emotive vocals are derived directly from classic rock. Because they cover so much territory, it's hard to resist the group's sound. Eve's Plum will open for the thundering, alternative-rock power-trio Eleven at the Blind Pig tonight. The doors will open at 9:30 and don't hesitate to go - there's no cover charge. And if you're worrying that you'll miss buying the new Pearl Jam album because you're at the show, don't fret - Schoolkid's Records will be selling the record at 12:00 for a measly $10.99 on CD. You can't lose with this one. 0" Stillborn State of Disconnection Century Media Records In the genre of metal music, there's a fine line between the exciting and themundane. Bands such asMetallica, or even the more recent Therapy?, are clearly among the former, adding char- acter and interest to the metal move- ment through musical ingenuity and creativity. However, these are pre- cisely the elements that Stillborn's "State of Disconnection" lacks. An overview of the characteristics of basic metal shows how very little Stillborn drifts from the norm. First, power chords: Check;next, bass lines which match those chords exactly: Check; low, phlegm-jarring vocals: Check; and finally, band members with hair so long you could shave it and have dental floss for at least a decade (sweaty dental floss, nonethe- less): Check. Stillborn is also bla- tantly transparent in lyrical content. Random lines like "created just to be destroyed / out of the fire and into the void" ("A Wonderful Time") or "I don't wanna be / a puppet on your string / Ain't gonna let you clip my wings" ("Non Serviam") demonstrate the triteness infecting "State of Dis- connection." The music has the same essenti flaws; rarely does Stillborn throw any' variation into the generic death- chords. Although listeners who enjoy such low-frequency romping might find this element of "State of Discon- nection" desirable, they can find many more talented bands who use the same technique more successfully. "State of Disconnection", Still- born blatantly ignores one very im- portant fact - there's more to metal music thanjustheadbanging. Today's listeners can find far more interesting music to suit their moshing needs. And they do. - Josh Herrington It was a cool show. What can we say? Unrest and Stereolab are definitely bands on the rise. 9 w ht' z nm fp g ex 3 Y m n~k-~eN