The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 16, 1997- 9 .Sloan strikes chord in U.S. v lqxwwpp 9p JOWEL Sloan One Chord To Another The Enclave A band like Sloan is hard to come by. Not many bands can jump from sound . to sound and make it seem so incredibly ":coherent, but Sloan does just that on its : third long-player, "One Chord To Another." Possibly the best band you've almost never heard of in the United States, Sloan is a virtual superstar in the land to our north. "One Chord To Another" was released . about six months ago in Canada, and it has consistently been near the top of the Canadian charts. ow it's our turn. The album begins with the pop- punky "The Good In Everyone" a song so catchy that it sends shivers down the spine for its two-minute duration. Then, Sloan launches straight into "Nothing Left To Make Me Want To Stay," a slightly slower tune that's just as beauti- ful as the first. The Beatle-esque "Autobiography" showcases the Sloan lyrical bend: sub- .tle humor and play on words, to make the song all that more intricate. Other songs recall familiar sounds, like the Beach Boy harmony of "Junior 'anthers," the Rolling Stones-flavored guitar in "Take The Bench" and the Police's "Roxanne" riff in "Can't Face Up." One reason why "One Chord To Another" is so incredible is that it tra- verses the complete realm of Sloan's ssibilities. No two songs sound the same, and although there is a familiar '60s pop feel to the entire recording, something sticks out as fresh and new. What's always struck me about Sloan has been its lack of pretentiousness and its ability to experiment with new sounds, whether it be a piano on "A Side Wins;" or a trumpet on "Everything You've Done Wrong."' Fans of "Twice Removed," Sloan's last album, will be - both pleased and dis- - appointed. Those looking for the same structured, melancholy pop of "Twice Removed" won't find it in "One Chord To Another," but Sloan fans who appreciate the subtler intricacies of the band will be thrilled with the genuine feel to the new album. It ain't punk, and it ain't Britpop, but "One Chord To Another" could be the most diverse and engaging record of the year. - Colin Bartos The Offspring xnay On The Hombre Columbia Records I was just about ready to give up on The Offspring. After "Smash," my vote for one of the worst albums of the '90s, I was pretty much delusional. 1992's "Ignition" had been a fireball of hyper- SoCal punk that could jumpstart any engine. Then came "Smash," which, like any other 8-million-copy-selling record, sucked so incredibly bad that I swore I could never listen to another song by the annoying whiny vocalist who told me to "keep 'em sepa- rated" and that he had no "self-esteem." All I could hope was that "Ixnay On The Hombre" would be more like "Ignition,"and contain less of those stupid Pulp-Fiction-sounding guitars and arena-rock anthemic choruses. My wishes came true. Although not as straight-ahead blis- tering and raw as "Ignition," "Ixnay On The Hombre" is a solid effort that stands to reaffirm my faith in the band. The album starts out with a little spo- ken piece by legendary Dead Kennedys' frontman Jello Biafra. "The Meaning Of Life" follows, and it sums up The Offspring doctrine: Be your own person. Dexter Holland sings "Open wide and they'll shove in their meaning of life / But not for me, I'll do it on my own" to a Speedy Gonzales-like pace. The first single, "All I Want," is one of the best tracks on the disc, and prob- ably the closest thing to "Ignition" on "Ixnay" The second single, "Gone Away," however, is a slow tune that is uncharacteristic of the disc, and doesn't work too well. After everyone else has at least made some feeble attempt at ska music, the Offspring follow suit with the funny and fluid "Don't Pick It Up," and it actually works. The Southwest- flavored "I Choose" and the off-beat "Me & My Old Lady" are both new for- ays for the band, and give "Ixnay" a new feel that shows that the band isn't just trying to recreate "Smash." Holland still has a flair for playing the character, too. "Mota" pits Holland as a pothead loser who does nothing with his life, and in "Cool To Hate," Holland is one of those self-righteous people who hates everyone and every- thing and is only happy being miser- able. Overall, "Ixnay On The Hombre" is a solid effort. Obviously, The Offspring has sold out twice already (selling 8 million albums and moving to major label Columbia), but it still has retained enough of its talent to create an inter- esting record. "Ixnay" shows that The Offspring is no longer a one-dimen- sional punk group. The band looks to show the world it has more in store for the future. Sloan's "One Chord To Another" could be the most diverse and engaging record of the year. I BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRtC|| BY MEREDITH WILLSO7 TICKETS ARE $14 || CHARGE BY PHONE: 313-764-0450 - 4; V STUDENT SEATING IS $5 WITH ID AT THE LEAGUE TICKET OFFICE . MUSICAL THEATRA DEPARTMENT Special ticketed rehearsal performance TONIGHT only! All other performances are SOLD OUT! ri The Offspring makes a solid effort on Its latest album, "Ixnay On The Hombre." - Colin Bartos ' ' i i , i ' ' a J , ° f ' e , i . ,. wkat c aor eer . RE7RDS a I: 2 'V w . r L'~~eal po mus~atpices t L' 114 Si Ln 7u ier -i (s*'ve " i t,1tedi4-i?4 I -i .. and snotI eve~n clos~e 4'O 'OVeAt. V 4 A Sze .._ oj"99 A 1p '4- At as 4k :3 y' 99 Igo k1clvtcm C_17 UK:5 «' IL mU I E