The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 30, 2000 - 9
*A selection of Ted
Watts' favorites
'Starfleet Academy'
shoots potent load
I
Various Artists
Joyride
4AD/Elektra
There's nothing like a 4AD collection
to bring you down and make you para-
noid. Creepily hushed tones get thrown
around like it was a '70s living room. If
nothing else, those cats know how to set
a mood. Even when just using their
back catalog.
Even the happier upbeat tunes like
"Chlorine Dream" by Spirea X play like
a pastel suicide. And most of the con-
tent isn't close to upbeat. It ranges more
from Tarnation's empty melancholy to
Lush's energyless glumness.
Relief from this is found in songs
whose darkness is malicious instead of
painful. Swallow's "Cherry Stars
Collide" moves along gently yet
viciously, and that is a happy break
from unrelenting downness.
But if it weren't cotton candidly
depressed, it wouldn't be 4AD. And the
whole thing ends with locals His Name
is Alive. You could replace a Spice Girls
CD with this puppy and then watch the
concertedly perky owner of the afore-
mentioned CD implode. And you'll be
happier than the album for sure.
7ed Watts
Lollipop
Sucked In, Blown Out
Amphetamine Reptile Records
Yee-haw! Its a hem-rippin", nitrous
breathin', trannie rapin', dog shavin'
event when Lollipop comes to town!
I'm not sure exactly what that means.
but Lollipop is pretty ding dang doodi-
lv good.
From some long-thought-extinct-hot-
rod kulture comes songs like "Strap on
Tool Girls" with a ton of guitar
noodling and happily repetitive
rhythms. It's that far out garage sound
where the Woody's over on one side of
the car hole and the grease slicked
instruments are on the other.
It's the sound you're not exactly when
it sounds like from but you know
you've heard it before. Sorta rockabilly
but not really. The drums have somec
fairly heavy cymbal action going on
and are altogether faster than you'd ever
be able to, the vocals are in the range of
cracked and a half, the bass is heavy
and smooth and the guitars are
screechier than the tires of a school bus
starting to careen over the side of a
bridge.
It's not exactly sleazy, not even on
"Puritan Goes All the Way," but it
almost is. It's rawk and roll, and there
just isn't a much better way of explain-
ing it. Bet that the touring van has lots
of detailing and flames on it.
- Ted Watts
Moby
1 Like To Score
Elektra
Moby's newest is subtitled "Music
From Films Vol. I" and that about says
it all. The album is largely light movie
score fare as done by a guy with a com-
puter instead of a guy with an orchestra.
And like a lot of Moby's studio work,
it's not all that interesting.
It's not innovative either, but then
most of the CD has been released on
soundtracks previously. All your
favorite Moby songs from movies like
Cool World, The Saint and Scream.
Didn't remember having favorite
Moby songs from those movies? Don't
remember any Moby songs from those
movies? That's not surprising consid-
ering that the songs aren't notable for
either goodness or badness. Twin
Peak's fans will be interested at the
Puffy-level theft of "Laura Palmer's
Theme" from Angelo Badalamenti in
"Go."
The single being pushed off this
album is, of course, Moby's version of1
the "James Bond Theme." It's a good
song. But then it was a good song 10
years ago. And 20 years ago. And 30
years ago. Come on, I mean Wings and
Duran Duran were both able to come up
By Gabriel Smith
For the Daily
The Star Trek universe is a vast one,
filled with aliens of all races and colors,
binary stars, and
adventure every
light year traveled. R
Now with Stat
In t er pliay 's
"Starfleet
Academy" you canI
become a part of
the Star Trek universe.
You enter the character of Cadet
David Forrester, an ambitious young
man attempting to graduate from the
Academy with honors and to
impress your superiors. As
Forrester, you are in charge of a
crew of specialized yet inexperi-
enced peers.
Your goal is to complete 25 simu-
lated missions. But with an inexpe-
rienced crew, there will be bickering
- as captain, your job also is to
maintain order.
Watching over you are Captains
James T. Kirk and Hikaru Sulu, played
respectively by William Shatner and
George Takei. Also throw into the mix a
m
E
irfl
very proud Commander Pavel Chekov
(Walter Koenig).
"Star Trek" is about seeking new
worlds, dealing with aliens, and making
the universe t hap-
"'E w pier place.
This game cap-
leet Academy tures that essence
beautifully with its
**** mix of live action
win 95 CO-ROM and strategy. Much
like the "Star Trek"
world, each mission is rich with a blend
of diplomacy, strategy and action for
hours of enjoyment.
The options on this game are end-
less as it is in a "choose your own
adventure" format. When a time arises
for a decision to be made, several
options will appear on the screen.
Whichever option you choose will
affect the outcome of the entire adven-
ture and game.
"Starfleet Academy" also carries a
wonderful musical score as well
adding to the Star Trek experience.
PC gaming magazine voted this game
the top simulation game of 1997.
Interplay Productions has produced a
gem.
L.L Cool J is jinglin' baby. But Tina's got a big o1' butt, so he's leavin' you.
with their own songs for Bond films. talking about the pain of being a rodeo
Couldn't Moby have, too? clown in "A Nugget of Joy from Zorak"
Moby's efficient mediocrity is very -it's all pretty recognizable stuff from
disappointing considering how interest- the show.
ing he can be live. Oh well. "I Like to The CD has several brilliant
Score" is pleasantly boring. If you don't moments, though. "Down to the River"
own a copy of the Bond theme in any is a shockingly well executed bluesy
form, and like inoffensive and unchal- track, realistically portraying an evil
lenging techno, this is for you. alien anthropomorphic mantis singing
- Ted Watts an entertaining song about contemplat-
ing suicide over a recent breakup but
Cartoon Planet Band moving on to get a new bugfriend. Then
Space Ghost's Musical Bar- there's the Dylan-esque acoustic tracks
B-Que "Put Your Sox on Mama" and
"Highway 40 Unplugged," which are
just some fun craziness that you might
want on your answering machine.
Kid Rhino One annoying point is that about two-
thirds of the previous Cartoon Planet
You know you've got a big chunk of Band release is included. Since it was
value when you hold a CD in your hand mail-order only and apparently no
that's got 38 tracks. Especially when it longer available, this release serves to
comes from a kooky, wacky, post-mod- bug people who have the previous
ern basic cable cartoon show and a album and don't need half of the new
caped moron sings like Elvis. CD. while at the same time irritating
Don't be confused into thinking this people who can no longer get the
is avant guitar work like on "Space unique songs on the old one.
Ghost Coast to Coast." "Space Ghost's At any rate, the songs are pretty
Musical Bar-B-Que" is instead a collec- good. Oddly, the tracks with Space
tion of novelty ditties and short bits Ghost singing are the weakest links.
from "Coast to Coast"'s spin off, Fortunately, there's a plenitude of Brak
Cartoon Planet. Songs like "I Love and Zorak on the disc. Go get it before
Beans," a song by stupid villain Brak they release anything kind of like the
about eating beans and "cutting later "Ren and Stimpy" records. Ugh.
muffins;" bits like smarter villain Zorak - Ted 4atts
A
Does Daily Arts make you
horny? Yeah, baby, yeah.
Shag-a-delic, baby.
Yeah.
The University of Michigan
School of Music
Friday, January 30
Guest Master Class
Max Dimoff, first chair double bass, Cleveland Symphony
Room 2038, E. V. Moore Bldg., 4 p.m.
Sunday, February 1
Indian Music Festival
Thyaga Raja Aradhana
(contact Prof. Stephen Rush 734-764-5582)
Britton Recital Hall, E.V. Moore Bldg., 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (free)
Monday, February 2
Guest Master Class
Ursula Oppens, piano
Britton Recital Hall; E. V. Moore Bldg., 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 3
University Symphony Orchestra
Kenneth Kiesler, conductor
Robert Auler, piano, Concerto Competition Winner
* Elgar: Enigma Variations
* Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Faculty/Guest Recital
Prof. Fritz Kaenzig and Angie Hunter, euphonium
Kevin Class, piano
Britton Recital Hall, E. V. Moore Bldg., 8 p.m.
Wednesday, February 4
Concert Band
James Tapia, conductor
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Thursday, February 5
Guest Master Class
Darryl Taylor, tenor
Room 2043, E. V. Moore Bldg., 6 p.m.
Guest/Faculty Recital
Prof. Harry Sargous and Fiona Wilkinson, MIDI-flute
McIntosh Theatre, E. V. Moore Bldg., 8 p.m.
Thursday, February 5 - Sunday, February 8
University Dance Company
The Choreography of Geography
Power Center, 8 p.m. (Thursday -Saturday), 2 p.m. (Sunday)
Admission $18, $14; for more information phone 734-764-045
All events are free and wheelchair accessible unless
specified otherwise. The E.V. Moore Bldg. is located
at 1100 Baits Drive, North Campus. For more information
phone (734) 764-0594 Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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