4 - TheMichigan Daily - Friday, September 9, 1994 Labradford creates, not destroys By ANDY DOLAN Sometimes, amidst all of the fads, genres and sub-genres of popular mu- sic, one can't help but wonder about the diverse sounds that wander outside its familiar boundaries. While several bands have explored this uncharted realm, very few can actually claim their sonic textures as being residents of it. Oddly enough, Richmond, Vir- ginia is home to one of these bands, a youngoutfit that calls itself Labradford. "We're trying to communicate feel- ings and moods, as opposed to energy or power or aggression," summarized Mark Nelson, Labradford's guitarist and vocalist. Nelson, along with keyboardist Carter Brown and bassist Bobby Donne comprise this trio that prefers to use subtlety and calmness as its means of extracting the deepest of emotions from their listeners. Labradford's art is undoubtedly at- mospheric in nature, but it could never be described as background music. As the title of the opening track on their debut album, "Prazision," sugests, "Listening In Depth"describesthemost rewarding way to experience theircraft. As Nelson explained, "If you start with the ideaofarocksong, it's apretty well established form, soIthink it's hard not to have that structure defining it. So I think that when we start with some- thing that's not like that, you don't have the structure or the tradition or the scene to tell you what it is immediately. You're kind of thrown into our world." It's somewhat tempting to think of Labradford's music as being simply "depressing," butNelson explained that 'We're trying to communicate feelings and moods, as opposed to energy or power or aggression.' - Mark Nelson, guitarist and vocalist, Labrad ford the band hopes to provoke something a bit more meaningful than that. "We're not depressing people by nature," he said. "I just think a lot of it is that when something is introspective, people as- sociate that with depression. I don't think it's depression so much as aloneness or quietness. Fundamentally, though some people find our music depressing and some find it relaxing." "There's very rarely any clear vi- sions at any stage," Nelson said of the band's method of creation, "but we have a distaste for jamming for some reason. So usually, we start with some After "Natural Born Killers," you'll never be able to look at Woody Harrelson and think of "Cheers" again. 'Kers'Unot worth the hype By SARAH STEWART This is not the first article on "Natural Born Killers," Oliver Stone's melange of violence and experimental cinematography, nor is it the last. But considering all of its faults, it is surprising that the hype surrounding this film has only partly diminished. Natural Born Killers Directed by Oliver Stone; with Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson. The story, based loosely on a screenplay by Q u e n t i n Tarantino, is straightforward. Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis) are young people in love. They are also mass murderers. They kill, we watch. They go to prison, and we watch as they escape, ultimately providing a demented example of a happy ending. In the first scene, one that's likely to leave the audience gasping for air, Stone wastes no time digging into his bag of tricks. The music blares, the color changes from one moment to the next and the camera never has its head on straight. Amidst all of this, Mickey and Mallory surface as the lovers and killers we're supposed to be dying to love. With this frantic start, the acting, story and character- ization become features only as noteworthy as an airbag in a Porsche. Although who said safety was a bad thing? Although Stone should be commended for experi- menting with what is cutting edge in the film industry, he overdoes it. His use of flashing images - ranging any- where from mating lions to an animated hairy beast representing Mickey's evil -- are appropriate to the film's action but too frequent, too repetitive and rarely stimulat- ing. He does create a brief niche of brilliance by presenting Mallory's childhood abuse as a sitcom sarcastically en- titled "I Love Mallory." Her father (Rodney Dangerfield) is just as frightening as our murderous heroes, insisting that Mallory shower for the sake of his personal enjoy- ment. Harrelson and Lewis seem natural choices for the role of killers, but with all of Stone's dressing, the quality of their performances is secondary. The episode gains importance as the film progresses. It becomes clear that Mallory's sexuality is nothing to be reckoned with. The number of powerful acting sequences in "Natural Born Killers" are few, but when Lewis asks both of her lecherous murder victims if they still think that she's sexy, we are reminded that Stone is not the only one on the screen. Harrelson and Lewis seem natural choices for the role of killers, but with all of Stone's dressing, the quality of their performances is secondary. When the Geraldo Rivera-like news reporter (Robert Downey Jr.) interviews the public about Mickey and Mallory, it seems that the fictitious media has done a better job of providing sympathy for their cause than the filmmakers; these people actually "love" Mickey and Mallory, while we long to get to know them better. It would be wrong to claim that the violence in "Natu- ral Born Killers" lacks potency. Nonetheless, do not expect to relive the glory of the gory ear scene in "Reser- voir Dogs" or even Christian Slater's bloody annihilation of Gary Oldman in "True Romance," both Tarantino- penned masterpieces. Mallory scolds Mickey after he kills an American Indian generous enough to befriend them, concluding a scene that comes close to providing violence that's more than just a visual aid. But thanks to its melodramatic tone, it is more of an absurd non-sequitur than a successful attempt at providing the intensity "Natural Born Killers" typically lacks. Maybe Stone's point is to demonstratejust how numbed to violence the American public has become, but audi- ences don't see movies to be taught a lesson. Isn't that what the local news is for? NA TURAL BORN KILLERS is playing at Ann Arbor 1 & 2 RECORDS Continued from page 2 The album goes on in inventive and entrancing ways. Songs like "Baby Love"and"ShotDown" are someprime examples of the raw power the Cows have when it comes to writing music that's better than at least 88.7 percent of everything else that's coming out nowadays. And they're even better live, even if Selberg's revered bugle has gone missing. And since they're tour- ing soon, youjustmightget achanceto see them. Show some intelligence and latch onto this bovine unit. - Ted Watts Dick Dale Unknown Territory Hightone Records King of the surf guitar, Dick Dale is backed and geared for a new, young and hip crowd. "Unknown Territory" is an odd collection of tunes - a mix- ture of blues, rockabilly and of course surf instrumentals (with a few vocals thrown in) but the highlight is of course Dale's guitar work. Intricate and light-speed paced, Dale's fingerings treat your ears to some delightful songs. Rumor also has it that he uses high-gauge guitar stings - we're talking deadly sharp strings here that would shred Steve Vai's fin- gers leaving nothing but threads of flesh and a bloody mess. Dale is talented, no doubt, but does his work entertain? Yes ... and no. The single "Scalped" is catchy and peppy, while the cover of "California Sun" is perked up by gut-wrenching vocals courtesy of Dale. However, the wild west theme that runs through half of the tracks becomes tiresome after awhile, and the cover of "Ring of Fire" is disappointingly tame. "Unknown Territory" is worthwhile to pick up to see a real legendary guitar player woop it up for the kids. Oh yeah, Huey Lewis plays harmonica on two tracks. Thrill! - Matt Carlson Whitesnake Greatest Hits Geffen Remember the '80s? Were you like me and thought, in your pre-high school days, that certain bands really rocked? If you did, one of those bands may have been Whitesnake. I've got news for you, my friend. You can't go home again. We were wrong, OK? Whitesnake bit. Worse than Def Leppard, even. Yeah, yeah, this disc sure has all the big ones here, including a different version of "Here I Go Again" so the die-hard Whitesnake completists have to buy it (snicker, snicker). Well, let me tell you, those hits everyone liked so much are the epitome of what you might call popular crap metal ballad idea for a guitar melody or a keyboard sound that Carter gets." Most of these sounds are created by Brown's huge array of strictly analog- style synthesizers. "(Analog) is much more of an interactive technology," Nelson explained. "You're given a series of ways to construct however you want, where with digital the emphasis is on creating maybe a timpani or amuted trumpet or whatever. The older keyboards a~e based on the idea of a new instrument, creating new sounds. I think the pio- neers (of that equipment) had much higher aspirations!" Labradford's music doesn't seek to destroy, redefine or even change the face of popular music. It simply exists outside of that entire framework, de- veloping its own methods and tech- niques for creating andconveyingemo- tions through sound. Like all great music, however, Labradford's greatest success lies in the fact that their music actually achieves this end. LABRADFORD will be stopping in at St.. Andrews Hall on Sunday, September 11 along with Stereolab and local dudes Outrageous Cherry. Doors open at 8p.m., and Labradford is first up, so get there early! Tickets are only $6.50 (plus service charge). Like all great shows, you have to be 18 to get in. thresholds and voices reachnewheights was never really good and it sound even worse in hindsight. Oh well. If you were disappointed by Coverdale-Page, you should buy this just to truly understand how much better David Coverdale has gotten. Or better yet, turn on an AOR station and see how far Jimmy Page has fallen. - Ted Watts Pale Saints Slow Buildings 4AD Pale Saints are the archetypal 4 AD band: within their songs one can find bits and pieces of their artsy brethren, like the sonic experimentation of HIs Name Is Alive, the crunchy guitars of the Pixies, the pop genius of the Breed- ers and the dulcet vocals ofBelly. These elements combine beautifully in th* first single off "Slow Buildings," the three-minute gem "Angel (Will You Be My)." Singer Meriel Barham's vo- cals are simaultaneously sweet, angry, and sad, and the rest of the band plays competently on songs like "One Blue Hill," "Under Your Nose," and "Little Gesture."The extendedjams like "King Fade" and "Henry" are either deep and intense or tedious, depending on one' frame of mind. Pretentious title aside, "Slow Buildings" is atestament to Pale Saints' talent and versatility. - Heather Phares Nas illmatic Columbia Given instant classic status by at least one prominent hip-hop magazine this is certainly no joke. Lyrics rain down over solid production courtesy of some of the best - Premier (Gangstarr), Pete Rock, Large Profes- sor and Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest) - with a flow that is hard to come by. Nas at first listen comes off like a gangster type, but even with messages that are disturbing his lyrical skill is .inescapable. When looking deeper into the; al- bum, Nas goes waybeyond the aver- age hard rock; bringing music which demands reflection. For instance on "Life's a Bitch", Nas first simply seems like a negative brother, but as a live trumpet blows at the end we realize there is something more. As the album flows on, the dark and soulful sadness overwhelms the anger, bringing a fla- vor that is head-bobbin',serious and ali the way live. It's something new but familiar. Check it out ya'll. - Dustin Howes Coverdale crap. Over-produced corporate "metal" from the '80s involving guitars with too much treble and singers with their undies pulled up so high that their pain ARE YOU, LIKE, ARTISTIC? CAN YOU, LIKE, DRAW AND STUFF? YEAH? COOL. SHOW US YOUR THINGIES. DRAWINGS, WE MEAN. OR CARTOONS. CARTOONS ARE COOL TOO. YEAH. BRING THEM BY 420 MAYNARD. ASK. FOR TOM, MELISSA, JOHN OR TED. Thee Hypnotics U - - Earn credit in the community SOCIOLOGY 389 EDUCATION 2-4 CREDITS Community Service Learning The Very Crystal Speed Machine american The first time I put this recording in my trusty compact disc player, I started 044 to laugh out loud. Pure cheese rock! After this preliminary stage of intoxi- cating chuckles came the anger- how dare this British band try to pass this over on the consumer public as a seri- nusnrietWeal kn, tha , heB,,s 3171 sections include: I