.

8'- The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, November 22. 2000


.-~~~.1

'I .

Bizzar, Insane Clown Posse; Island
Records
By David Edelman
tDaiiy arts Wrter
The wicked, wicked clowns are back
with their new album entitled Bizzar,
which is sure to rage a dispute within the
record industry: Satirical masterpiece or a
pieceof utter stupidity? Hell I'm not even
gongut:e sides in this debate. No one can
make tht decision but one's self. One
warning first: If you're new to ICP, you're
in for a filthy, merciless ride into the Dark
Carnival of hell.
Now that you're prepared for the worst
it's quite the surprise when the album
starts off on the slow side (well, at least for
ICP). The first few tracks are nothing spe-
cial; ICP raps to one beat, one theme,
graced with excessive use of the F word.
Evea being hypnotized by the album cover
doesn't make the first couple tracks any
more interesting (I tried), and the red ques-
tion ,marks oust add to your sense of con-
fusion. Could the opening songs have
caught Shaggy Too Dope and Violent J in
a mildmood? What is this? You are pret-
ty much waiting for what they are going to
throw at you next. Maybe all the slack they
took from the media for influencing the
Cohumbine shooting taught these guys a
thing or two about using violence and vul-
gariy in their music? Wait a minute.
Lisie to "Behind the Paint" first. I didn't
thin so. These guys embrace controversy
with open arms. "Still Stabbin" is bound
to he a hit with the folks of the little
clowns. These guys don't mind negative
attet'ion, it fuels their music so they can

do what they do best, blast everything they
hate in this world with lyrical animosity.
By "Rainbows and Stuff" these crazed
makeup maniacs are back to their roots
rapping about railing the mommies of
newborn babies, flag poles, fat chicks, bee
hives, skinny guys even little puppy dogs.
My, my, my, the Insane Clown Posse even
gets their ever so expected revenge on
Eminem with a nice tribute to his mother,
ha ha. If you can stomach this stuff, it sure
can be funny. Otherwise go back to the
minors and give the CD booklet a try. It's
jammed packed with a goody bag of sick-
ening fun for everyone. Who needs song
lyrics when you can play ICP's very own
Crossword Bizzar, Can you decipher the
Juggalo code, Mad Libs for maniacs and a
board game, which races you against your
opponent to see who cures their ass herpes
- oh yeah, watch out for the feared burn-
ing piss, it moves you back two spaces.
Wow, it's like Highlights for Trailer Park
Trash Elementary School.
Dice must be assembled yourself. board
game pieces not included and remember
consult Bizzar CD booklet for rules and
instructions. Play nice now, kiddies.
Grade- R


Ijot Caribb'en Hits, Various Artists,
Victory WNorld Records
By Luke Smith
Iiyic Artsmunter
Anslem Douglas did it. He is the man
to blame. He let the dogs out. Damn him.
And damned as well is the first release
from fledging record label Victory
World. Hot Carribean Hits, a compila-
tion that is sure to shake your rump right
over to the stop button on the CD player
atop the dresser.
Opening with "Who Let the Dogs
Out" is clearly a label ploy to generate
itterest. Victory Records scored big time,
landing the song's original performer
Anslem Douglas.
One would think it gets no worse than
"Who Let the Dog's Out," except it does.
What follows is a sporadic collection of

artists like Super Blue and the Roy Cape
All Stars.
The sampling of' Soft Cell's
"Tainted Love" by Gailann & Rocky
for "On D'Road" is the battery that
burns out in the grocery store parking
lot. Sadly, the royalties Soft Cell is
going to see from the sample on Hot
Caribbean Hits is going to be less
than an hour's pay flipping burgers
(the ad-wizards who devised this
release at Victory Records obviously
didn't consult Miss Cleo before slap-
ping this piece together).
Ht Carihbean Hits proves over and
over (12 times over in fact) that the only
thin true in the title is that the songs are
Caribbean (maybe). The 53 minutes this
record lasts would be better spent watch-
ing Ron Popeil infomercials.
Grade: F

No Nme Face, Lifehouse;
Dreamworks Records
By Sheila McClear
Daily Arts \Vriter
Perfectly marketable, perfectly
packaged - perfectly boring!
Lifehouse's debut album actually does
the writer the service of reviewing
itself "Somebody Else's Song" pretty
much sums"it all up: "I've got some-
body else's thoughts in my head, I
want some my own," sings
singer/songwriter Jason Wade. That's
right, it's obvious that these boys were
reared by nope, not grunge, it's
even worse - post grunge! They truly
are singing somebody else's song,
with lyrics both hopelessly pale and
generic. "I remind myself of some-
body else," he continues. Let me give

you a clue: It's Eddie Vedder mixed
with a little Scott Stapp, watered down
and ready for mass consumption.
SNNme Fice boasts an original
variety of influences: Pearl Jam,
Creed and the Verve Pipe. However, it
is melodically impotent. The glaring
lack of hooks - any hooks, good or
bad -turns it into a lumbering snore.
Any quirks the songs may have had
were lost in the recording process, as
the songs are overpolished and radio-
ready to a fault.
Lifehouse pulled out all the stops in
their dedication to Pearl Jam -as the
back cover shows (in larger-than-usual
print), No NAme Face was mixed by
longtime Pearl lam producer Brendan
O'Brien. This may be seen by cynics
as a clever but fruitless attempt to
either "play the grunge card," or gain
some rock-titan credibility.

The album is full of instrumental
flourishes that seem to be added by
producer Ron Aniello in a frenzied
attempt to make the music seem more
interesting. "Less distortion! More
harmonies! Geez, I gotta spice this
thing up!" You can practically hear
him shouting. Moments of sincerity
are few and far between, but it should
be noted that "Hanging by a Moment"
does possess honesty in its kick-drum
powered chorus, and "Trying" con-
tains unusual, pretty piano accompa-
niment. "Somebody Else's Song" has
a sneaky bassline that almost makes
up for the unintentionally ironic
lyrics.
Lifehouse has "dropped by major
label after their second album" written
all over them. That's okay: There's
genuine songwriting ability lurking
beneath their influence-heavy veneer.

Singer/songwriter Wade is only1
twenty, and while he may not eves,
have another opportunity like this,'he
certainly has time to blossom and find-
his real voice.
Grade: D+



COLUMBIA UNIVERSIJY'S
BI: SfIEE 2

UofM
Students:
Attend Columbia
University's
Biosphere 2
Spring Semester
2001 for the
SAME TUITION
you pay at UofM!

EARTH SEMESTER
" Earth Systems Science
and Policy
* Field research in places
such as the Sea of Cortez
and the Sonoran Desert
- Interdisciplinary teamwork
UNIVERSE SEMESTER
" Astronomy and Astrophysics
* Night sky observation with
a variety of telescopes
including our 24" telescope
- Access to professional
telescopes at
Kitt Peak Observatory

VOLVO SCHOLARSHIPS A

Visit us at www.bio2.eduleducation
or contact student admissions at
(800) 992-4603 or admissions@bio2.edu

Students may cross-register
for select courses in
both programs.
APPLY NOW FOR
SPRING 2001!
Non-science and science
majors welcome to apply.

S

a a