6 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 9, 1994
RECORDS
Continued from page 5
Deee-Lite
Dewdrops in the Garden
Elektra
How far the mighty have fallen.
Since their brilliant 1990 debut
"World Clique" Deee-Lite haven't
been able to recapture the magic that
was their special blend of personality
and danceability. That's not to say
that "Dewdrops in the Garden" is bad,
but in the wake of songs like "Groove
is in the Heart" "Smile On," the songs
on the new album sound a little bland
and faceless.
Caught between the resurgence of
the P-Funk sound and the popularity
of techno bands like the Orb, Deee-
Lite vacilates between funk and rave,
not seeming to know which direction
to choose. On the whole, the funkier
numbers suit the band the best. On
"Stay in Bed, Forget the Rest," "Pic-
nic in the Summertime," and "Apple
Juice Kissing" Lady Kier and com-
pany are in fine form, with a warm,
sexy sound sound that builds on
"World Clique." A mixed, spotty al-
bum, but there's enough good stuff
here to give fans a taste of what made
Deee-Lite so delovely and delicious
in the first place.
- Heather Phares
Uncle Joe's Big o'
Driver
Uncle Joe's Big 01' Driver
Cargo/Headhunter
Yes, Uncle Joe's Big 01' Driver is
the name of the band. Yes, they look
like they want to be the Rolling Stones
(on the cover, one member strikes an
obviously Jaggerian pose - lips puck-
ered, arms tucked like chicken wings).
Yes, this album is one hell of a good
ol' fashioned rawk and roll record.
UJBOD rocks without the distor-
tion that so many bands favor today.
The treble-heavy guitars does in fact
bring the early Stones to mind, but
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comparisons stop there. Sounding like
pre- "Runaway Train" Soul Asylum
or a less charged-up Replacements,
UJBOD delivers great songs like "Red
Room," "Mary Anne" and "Jersey."
Some are bouncy tunes that'll make
you want to jump around the room.
Some are soulful dirges that'll make
you want to roll your head until it falls
off your neck. Some are rockers that'll
make you want to play air guitar for
hours. You can call it all retro, garage
rock or punk, but whatever else you
call it, just make sure you call it good.
- Matt Carlson
Mark Lanegan
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
SubPop
Imbued with the gravel of a thou-
sand cigarettes and countless drunken
nights, the voice of Mark Lanegan is
perhaps one of the best, deepest and
most evocative in rock music. His
work with the Screaming Trees, how-
ever, only hints at the range of feel-
ings he is capable of conveying.
I I
A SOLO
PIANO CONCERT
THE WINTER SHOW
featuring selections from George's albums
Autumn and December
7
Deee-lite's latest album, "Dewdrops in the Garden," just doesn't have the sparkle of the fantastic past.
OCTOBER 14 8PM
HILL AUDITORIUM ANN ARBOR
PRESENTED BY MAJOR EVENTS/DIVISION OF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STUDENT AFFAIRS
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Stripped, for the most part, of the
Trees' catchy riffs, his second solo
effort, "Whiskey for the Holy Ghost,"
is perhaps the darkest singer-
songwriter album ever recorded.
Musically, it is far from that soft ter-
ritory and lyrically it lies yet more
distant. Songs such as "Borracho,"
"Kingdoms of Rain" and "Shooting
Gallery" are inspired visions of down-
and-out characters revelling in their
own pain and misery. Lanegan is no
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crooner and no one will mistake him
for Sinatra but his voice possesses a
passion and depth all its own.
Though it features guest appear-
ances by J. Mascis as well as mem-
bers of Mudhoney and Tad, "Whis-
key for the Holy Ghost" is not a
bloated, studio-heavy record. The
music is sparse, for the most part, and
when organ or saxophone is added,
the result is subtle and effective.
"House A Home" and "Carnival," the
two best songs on the album, benefit
greatly from the touches of Dave
Kreuger's violin. It may have an oc-
casional weak moment, such as the
too-long "Riding the Nightingale,"
but the album, if nothing else, proves
that there is more soul hiding behind
the distortion of the northwest than
people suspected.
- Dirk Schulze
That Dog
That Dog
DGC .
That Dog are an outfit that combine
violin, three-part harmony and punk
rock to interesting, if sometimes an-
noying effect. Songs like "Jump,"
"Raina," "You Are Here," and "She"
showcase the pretty, naively girlish
side of the band, while "Just Like Me"
and "Westside Angst" represent the
more rockin' side of That Dog. Not
surprisingly, their experiments don't
always succeed, and at times the group
seems merely whiny. But, along with
Helium, That Dog represent some of
the most interesting girl-driven music
being made today.
- Heather Phares
See RECORDS, Page 7
OF COURSE
YOU'VE ALWAYS
WANTED TO WRITE
FOR DAILY ARTS.
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YOU'VE DREAMED
ABOUT IT.
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YOU'VE EVEN
FANTASIZED
ABOUT IT.
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So -W4
YOU SPEND
HOURS UPON
HOURS IMAGINING
WHAT
IT WOULD BE LIKE.
HERE'S YOUR
CHANCE.
MASS MEETING:
WEDNESDAY SEPT.
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