it, musi on disc this month a RDOU. COLLEGE RA ( HART SPONSORED MiniS NY 1. US3, Hand on the Torch US3 6. Lois, Strumpet (K) (Blue Note/Capitol) 2. Afghan Whigs, Gentlemen (Elektra) 7. Spinnes, Manos(Sub Pop) 3. Silkworm, In the West (C/Z) 8. Unrest, Perfect Teeth (4-AD) 4. Lemonheads, Come On Feel the 9. Go Is My Co-Pilot, Straight Not Lemonheads (Atlantic) (Outpunk) 5. Ramones, Acid Eaters (Radioactive) 10. Erik's Trip, Love Tara (Sub Pop) Chart solely based on college radio aiplay. Contributing radio stations: VIDB, Southern Illinois U.; W"TUL, Tulane U.; KUCB, U. of Colorado; KCMU, U. of Washington; KUSF, U. of San Francisco; KCOU, U. of Missouri; KCRN, Ohio U.; KRNU, U. of Nebraska, Kearney;v WCBN, U. of Michigan; KRUI, U. of Iowa; KWVA, U. of Oregon; KTSB, U. of Texas; WIUV, U. of Vermont; XWUM, U. of Mi ami; WSBF, Clemson U.; WUOGH, U. of Georgia i Key: *****= Celeb ****= Doctor Afghan Whigs Gentlemen (Elektra) Last year, Cin- cinnati angsta' rock- ers Afghan Whigs finally decided to add themselves to the ever-growing list of. indie buzz bands making lucrative transitions to major labels. Gentlemen, the group's first album since leaving the Sub Pop label, picks up nicely where the 1992 under- ground hit Congregation left off. Greg Dulli's pained, wailing vocals soar over the screeching whine of the Whigs' grinding guitars. The resulting sound is less potent than their last effort, but ultimately satisfying. Gentlemen delivers chills, yet it doesn't really kick out the furious adrenaline rush we've come to expect from similarly angry young bands. Nevertheless, tracks like the sprawling ballad "My Curse," the intense single "Debonair," and the title track still pack a winning intensity. Stephen Thompson, The Onion, U. of Wisconsin & U. of Illinois ***= Trainee **= Mdob *= Lawyer Various Artists Alternative NRG (Hollywood) There's been no h shortage of benefit albums in recent months, but none of them offer the kind of cohesion that sets Greenpeace's Alter- native NRG apart. Like its counterparts, Alternative NRG sports serious star power, including U2, R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Annie Lennox and UB40. But where other albums offer up mere B- sides, each of these 16 live tracks was specially commissioned for NRG. The infamously stage-shy R.E.M. devoted its only 1993 concert to the cause, and their bright, hard-edged ver- sion of "Drive" makes for an excellent opening. Gently beautiful, James' acoustic "Ring the Bells" and Midnight Oil's "Tell Me the Truth" accompany the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy's cataclysmic "Everyday Life Has Become a Health Risk." Alternative NRG is one benefit album that's well worth the investment. Kelly O'Donnell, Daily Bruin, UCLA The Sealand Poets Wekome to the Heathen Reserve (Reprise) From the dense, pounding repetition of "Tomorrow I Shall' Sail" to the tropical .. sway of "She's Liz Taylor and I'm Dick Burton," Copen- hagen's Sealand Poets have created an obscure but spunky debut album. Evident in The Poets' simple, opti- mistic language, the legacy of fellow Scandinavians ABBA shines through. The lyrics also recall the impressionistic style of Charlatans: "No no not so small, me pain head where light burns/kiss good cry we got a sound now." But apart from a few remarkable phrases, like "Nail my eyes to that stone... I will be your most private ter- ror," the lyrics serve merely as back- ground for the sound of Troels Bech's deft guitar. Moving from ethereal pop to power chord with ease, Bech's play- ing embodies most of what is likable about the album. * Yosha Bourgea, The Bradley Scout, Bradley U. Meat Puppets Too High to Die (London/Polygram) From the under- ground of skin- t scorching Arizona H; comes Too High to Die, another diverse Meat Puppets release. For 13 years this bandr has slowly chipped away at rock and roll sensibility, creating their unique style of twisted, unconventional, melodic music. Tracks like "Comin' Down" and "Shine" are dusty-sounding ditties chock full of lyrical innuendoes about misinterpretation, reinforcing a Puppets credo that things aren't as they seem. Rhythmically solid "Violet Eyes" and "We Don't Exist" groove with a semi- hard, sparse edge. Quirky, inventive guitar lines via Curt Kirkwood thread Too High to Die together, adding anoth- er layer to this thick-sounding trio. Remaining in the background while peers like Soul Asylum rocket to star- dom, the Meat Puppets continue putting out no-nonsense, high caliber records. They are still cranking out fun- in-the-sun, gritty tunes - Arizona style. * Aaron Cole, The Union, California State U., Long Beach Adam Sandler they're all gonna laugh at you! (Warner Bros.) Generation X may not know where it's going, but it knows where it's been: high school. And by look- ing at '90s pop culture icons, one might think it never graduated. Saturday Night Live's Adam Sandler joins the underachiever craze with his new CD, they're all gonna laugh at you! The CD is packed with flashbacks of high school from the daydreaming per- spective. The janitor, bus driver, science and Spanish teachers are all brought back to life with due beatings. Even Mom, uri- nation and baseball are fair game. Between comic skits, Sandler sneaks in five musical bits, all about food, to some extent. Sandler's bits may be pre- dictable, but it is only because they play on a cast of characters that we all know and love. Troy Fuss, State Press Magazine, Arizona State U. in the studio * Interstopo Record's 4 Non Blondes lake their buzz- nesoeRcr' o lne eterbin selves back to the console in March. They are working on various hushed side projects, including a Led Zeppelin tribute album. 4NB contributed their own skewed cover of "Misty Mountain Hop" to the compilation. * Life's been good lately for the Red Hot Chili Peppers who are recording their next album (due in September) in Hawaii. It must be tough writing and recording songs in a $16,000-a-month house on a bluff over the Pacific. 4°n Blondes 0 The granddaddies of torture-tech, Skinny Puppy, survived the fires and recent earthquakes while making their debut album (due in May) for American Recordings in Zuma Beach, Calif. The kingpins of thrash-punk, Slayer, plan to lay down tracks soon with producer extraordi- naire Rick Rubin. It will be their first release in more than three years. Since each of the group's preceding records have gone gold, this promises to be another successful, hellish offering. Also keep an eye out for Helmet's latest (it's in the mixing stages), Non-Aggression Pact, Violent Femmes' New Times, out in April or May, and Ween's sophomore effort due in May or June. U Christina Pirozzi, Foghorn, U. of San Francisco CDs on parade More releases we didn't have room to review Curtis Mayfield Tribute (Warner Bros.) 2/15; Hammer (Giant) 3/1; Sass Jordan (MCA) 3/1; Luna (Elektra) 3/1; Anthrax Live (Island) 3/8; Chainsaw Kittens (Mammoth/Atlantic) 3/8; Elvis Costello (Warner Bros.) 3/8; Sam Phillips (Virgin) 3/8; The Latin Playboys (Slash) 3/8; David Lee Roth (Reprise) 3/8; Brian Setzer Orchestra (Hollywood) 3/8; Inspiral Carpets (Elektra) 3/11; Motley Crue (Elektra) 3/11; MC Solaar (Island) 3/15; Nine Inch Nails (Interscope) 3/15; Sheep on Drugs (Island) 3/15; Threesome Soundtrack (Epic) 3/15; Charlatans (Atlantic) 3/22; The Farm (Sire) 3/22; Best of Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Atlantic) 3/22; Husker Da (Warner Bros.) 3/22; Yes (Victory) 3/22; Yothu Yindi (Hollywood) 3/22; Phish (Elektra) 3/25; Keith Sweat (Elektra) 3/25; Hole (Geffen) 3/29; Harry Nilsson Box Set (RCA) 3/29 Ifyou wanna become a rapper, iWs like you wanna become a student im college. You gotta become a student to the game." -Snoop DoggyDogg, on learning to rap 22 " U. Magazine MARCH 1994