10 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, April 7, 1995 RECORDS Continued from page 9 table voice ofmusicianextraordinaire Louis Armstrong singing "Black and Blue" (1929). Other '20s - '50s Black artists featured in "The Promised Land" in- clude such late, great personalities as Duke Ellington, the beautiful and tem- peramental Billie Holiday, gospel great Mahalia Jackson and saxo- phonist Terence Blanchard. The '60s and '70s was without a doubt a time to remember for many Black music lovers. "The Promised Land" brings this nostalgia full force. Booker T. & The MG's hit "Green Onions" can be found here, as well as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues," Martha & the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street," the O'Jays' "Love Train" and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' "Wake Up Everybody." Timeless singers like Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire and Major Lance also have cuts here. Nineties singers can also be found in full force. Dionne Farris, Tramaine Hawkins (who took the baton from the deceased Mahalia Jackson and has done her legacy proud) and Asant6 (performing a rendition of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready") are prime examples. As this expansive trek from one Black musical form to another winds to aclose, it is only fitting that the final two songs of the second CD showcase Black musicians' newest crowning achieve- ment: Rap. "Bring the Noise," per- formed by the once well-respected and socially conscious men of Public En- emy, is the first of the two songs. The Men's Glee Club spreads enjoyment i By Emily Lambrt Daily Arts Writer You've seen its posters everywhere and you may have even been lucky enough to witness one of the group's many "publicity sings" around cam- pus. If you haven't yet been to a Men's Glee Club concert though you've been missing out. In the words of chorus directorDr. JerryBlackstone, thisevent has "something for everyone." "That's a goal of mine," said Blackstone, "to have something for everyone. We need to have music that's worthwhile and substantial. We need to have music that's beautiful and we need to have music that's fun." Although the repertoire avail- able for men's choruses is only a fraction of that written for mixed- gender choirs, Men's Glee Club (MGC) concerts always include an amazingly wide array of songs, and its audiences "run the gamut." Com- bine imaginative programming with a healthy dose of talent and enthusi- asm and you have an,audience-pleas- ing, 135 year-old Michigan tradition. The variety of music in Glee Club concerts surprises those who expect what the name may imply. Glees origi- nated as lighthearted pieces of music performed in rousing renditions in{ 18th and 19th century pubs. The men who got together to sing these tunes were referred to as glee clubs, and the term stuck. Blackstone is in his seventh year of directing the MGC, and its excite- ment hasn't diminished one bit. "The spirit of tradition has been in the glee club for so long, there's a certain kind of enthusiasm and hoopla that's just aspects of the choir. Rehearsals arxl general business meetings are held twice a week, and an executive com- mittee meets weekly to oversee pub- licity, fund-raising, tour planning and other activities. "There's a wonderful spirit of cooperation," said Blackstone. "Everyone is enthusias- tically involved." Lately, the singers have acted as ambassadors, busily espousing th university's choral tradition. The MGC has given several concerts around the state, and visited Massachusetts in early March to perform at Smith College. This Saturday at 8:00 p.m., the choir will return to Hill Auditorium for its 135th Spring Concert. The diverse pro- gram includes Schubert's composition for male chorus and four horns, "When I Fall in Love," which appeared in th- film "Sleepless in Seattle," and an ap pearance by the ever-popular Friars. The choir will also sing a Western Medley in preparation for its upcoming tour of Colorado and Texas. With vivacity and variety, the Michi- gan Men's Glee Club has delighted audiences for well over a century. This strong choral establishmenthas retained clear musical integrity and intention which Blackstone summed up nicely "The main objective is to sing great music beautifully. The main purpose is to join in song." powerful new rapper, Nas, performing "The World Is Yours," is the second. Don Ienner, president of Colum- bia Records, said, "I can not imagine anyone not being moved by the voices and images in 'The Promised Land' and what it tells us about a generation's struggles and aspirations." His words sum this collection of 35 of the most awe-inspiring examples of Black musical prowess best. "The Promised Land" delivers more than your wild- est dreams could imagine. It is the Garden of Eden among CDs today. - Eugene Bowen The Verve Pipe's taking the world by storm. This East Lansing-based band, after two 1993 Detroit Music Awards, two best-selling independent Albums - 1992's "I've Suffered a Head injury," and 1994's "Pop Smear" - and two songs on the AWARE II compilation disc, the addition of guitarist A. J. Dunning and percussionist Doug Corella, and countless days of touring, finally signed with RCA Records this past winter. While the ink dries, this power pop quintet, sponsored by Insider Magazine, is performing all over the U.S.. And guess what? They're landing in Ann Arbor. Catch them at the Blind Pig on Saturday, April 8 for two shows. Opening are the Imposters. Come one, come all to the all ages show at 6 p.m., but only 19 and over welcome for the 9:30 p.m. set. Tickets available at the door. Call (313) 996-8555 for more info. And get ready to celebrate. Lida Husik Joyride Caroline Not to be reductive or anything, but imagine a cross between Liz Phair and Lisa Germano, and the result is Lida Husik. Often dreamlike and hypnotic, and occasionally bouncy and loud, Husik's "Joyride" is a very enjoyable hybrid of dream-pop and no-nonsense singer/songwriter musings that spin an entrancing web over the listener. Husik lures her audience with her silken voice, lulls them with her quiet reveries and then lets 'em have it with more strident guitar blasts. Standouts include the title track, "Glorious," "Star," "Persinthia Lawdro & John" and "Sweet Laven- der." The subtlety, variety and insight that Lida Husik invests in her work indicates that she will continue to be a musical force to be reckoned with for a long time. This album is a "Joyride" worth taking many times. - Heather Phares Tree Plant a Tree or Die Cherry Disc Unlike most alternative bands that stand for nothing or wallow piggishly in their own angst-filled crap pile, part of that wonderful tradition," he remarked. He feels that the enthusi- asm, history and sense of community in the club could not possibly be over- emphasized. "I often say that the glee club has three major points: musical excellence, tradition and camarade- rie. Probably in that order," he as- serted. Glee Club members are known around campus for their ardor and dedication to the group. Blackstone selects and directs most of the music, but the students manage most other Tree come out and point fingers. Any band that militantly demands "Plant a Tree or Die" is not going to be singing about not calling them daughter or wondering what the frequency is, Kenneth. Tree is hardcore the old school way, aggressive and straight to the point but with a little bit of early Suicidal Tendencies melodicism thrown in. In other words, Tree's got roots, ha ha. Nothing sappy here, plant lov- ers. "Negative Hippie" viciously de- stroys all the hippie hypocrisy of the '60s and how it turned into the '80s yuppie revolution. They branch out with "Surf Aids," a catchy little ditty about contracting AIDS at a polluted beach. Unfortunately their bark is worse than their bite on "Johnny Bravo," a slightly petrified view of bands that use image over sound and is more akin to '80s hair bands than today's rock scene. Don't just leaf through this one; if hardcore doesn't stump your love of music, this is aggressive, fun and sort of the flipside of conservative talk radio; all finger-pointing and sarcas- tic but environmentally sound. I think I shall never see hardcore as lovely as Tree. (Feel free to burn this for heat.) - Kirk Miller Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society, was founded to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. We, the officers and faculty advisors of the Michigan Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Pi, wish to congratulate the following people who have achieved our high standards and have successfully completed the initiation rituals, thereby becoming active members of Tau Beta Pi: Montell Jordan This Is How We Do It PMP Records Montell Jordan is already riding high on the success of his first single, the hip- hop song "This Is How We Do It," which features the beats of Slick Rick's 1988 "Bedtime Story." Now, with the release of his full LP, the 15-cut "This Is How We DoIt," Jordan hopes that other songs on this freshman release will do for him what his single did. And quite possibly, they will. The one strong positive Jordan has going for him is his amazing versatility. His voice can change in more ways than a GoBot. In "Payback," Jordan sounds just a smidgen like Mr. 12-Play him- self, R-Kelly. And remember Keith Sweat's "Honey Love?" Reminisce with Jordan's "Don't Keep Me Waiting." Jordan and his background singers defi- nitely sing with a Guy vibe in "Down on My Knees," and he also remakes the Temptations' "Close the Door" which gives us a single glimpse of his amaz- ingly nice-sounding tenor voice. Montell is obviously comfortable with music experimentation because his songs are as wide-ranging as his voice. Even ballads (i.e. some of that "Babyface-ish" begging) like "I'll Do Anything" and blues ("Comm' Home) settle comfortably in his repertoire. Other must-hear cuts include the rhythm-filled, voiceless "Midnight In- terlude" which leads beautifully into "I Wanna" and rapper Shaunta sound- ing like a lightweight MC Lyte in "Introducing Shaunta." Although Jordan is an excellent singer and the disc is a recommended buy, I can't shake the feeling that this CD does not fully tout Jordan's musi- cal abilities. He has earned musical credibility, but he must develop disci- pline if he hopes to gain longevity. - Eugene Bowen Various Artists Best of Techno Volume 5 Smile Contrary to popular belief, techno is not all cold and mechanical. In fact, this CD has more variety than you car shake a corndog at. Ranging from the intense, pounding trance music to the ethnic, jungle-sounding tribal beats, "Fluid" has it all ... and then some. One of rave music's most aestheti- cally pleasing and commercially uncer- tain contributions is the mix-tape ap- proach to making albums. The results are, at once, more thematically consis- tent and musically varied than any aver age disc limited by exclusivity. "Fluid' uses this approach, combining funk ar- rangements, house beats, disco energy, pop urgency and hip-hop's respect for the spoken word, and results in a con- sciousness-expandingpunchlineas well as inducing massive'booty movement. On certain songs, like "Two Full Moons and a Trout," the beats are slower, the grooves more thoughtful than propulsive, and the arrangements@ are as influenced by the tropical rainforests as they are by reggae and house music. Rave vocalists bring so- prano voices that sound as though they might be on helium. And, on the track, "Are You Ready to Flow?" it is clear that while the hooks are many, even the rhythms themselves catch fire. Combining the trance of the dance and the bounce of the beat, "Fluid"* doesn't stay in one place long enough to lock into one groove. It brings you up and drops you down - a manic depres- sive trip through a raver's psyche. A blend of electronic pulses and some- times sobthing delivery, "Fluid" is an aural message you can boogie down to. - Lise Harwin Stacey Adams Ajay Amlani Gregory Apotsos Brett Birchmeier Michael Brewer Jeff Brown Ellyne Buckingham Mark Burggraaf Quintin Burns Robert Chappell Theodore Chen Ho Man Chiu Lee Claycomb Colin Cooke Alan D'Agostini Megan Davidson Laura Diepenhorst Stephanie Duprey Michael Eaton David Edington David Fiske Michele Fliss Gustavo Freitag David Gray Bryan Griffith Koralie Hill Rob Johannesson Anthony King Wee-Lih Koh Sean Kolassa Kenneth Kozloff James Lettieri Edward Li Robert Liu Christopher Loke Kathleen Lott Adam Malachowski Shane Malone Edgar Manalo Brent Maranzano Valerie Martin Matthew Mathias Brett Meyer Sarah Middleton Szu Hui Ng Meghan O'Keefe Joshua Pagel Jennifer Peters Tracey Primeau Natasha Pukhlik Adam Rasbach Mark Ratajczak Matthew Rechtien Jeremy Redenius Christopher Rumer Gary Schwartzbard Ibrahim Sendijarevic Neil Shah Robert Soto Kevin Storch Bryan Toth Naresh Vyas Samuel Woo Trade in your milk crates The stuff that Broadway dreams are made of You've suffered through milk crate furniture. You've survived macaroni and cheese. Soon, however, it will be time to come home. But "home" does not have to be back to Mom and Dad (and their rules). d { h UofM .ac Montell Jordan has a voice of gold; GRAD E "Come Home to Village Green Apartments" Village Green means apartment living that sets the standard in Michigan. Resort-class amenities and social activities at 40 different apartment communities in Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids and throughout the Detroit Metropolitan area. " Choice of spacious floorplans 11 rc.," Cathedral ceilings N OL fe 1 ei.L'hIe a * fY.1r' ° v: I 0 Erl t1 1 11 9