ARTS The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 11A Harper, Blind Boys try gospel By Jamie Hillenberg For the Daily As artists grow and their musical styles mature, change is inevitable. It is a byproduct of growth and a healthy sign that those highly artistic and talented minds haven't yet given all that they've got. Often this transition works and the artist We may look tough, but we sound like Dave Matthews Band. Courtesy of Capcom "Mortal Kombat" can kiss my ass. Cclaeom's cas siC fighter returns is easily able to carry their dedi- cated and faith- ful fan base with them into their new era of sound but hey travel too far in the wrong direction and end up com- pletely aban- Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama rhere Will Be Ligh1 Virgin two forces have found musical suc- cess; however, it still does leave the listener longing, at times, for that familiar Harper sound that he has secured for himself over the years. Of Harper's many obvious musi- cal talents, his ability to incorpo- rate variety and push his musical boundaries has always kept him ahead of the pack. For the 11 tracks on this album, Harper uses his magic to fuse a variety of sounds with the highly traditional vibe brought in by The Blind Boys, cre- ating an eclectic but still balanced gospel album. Songs range from the upbeat country rock "Church On Time" to the slow and piano- heavy "Where Could I Go," a chill- ing spiritual ballad that fits the clarity of Harper's powerful voice to a T. Traces of Harper's funk roots can be heard in the catchy "Church House Steps" and similar sound- ing "Wicked Man." However, in "Wicked Man" especially, the beats are too safe and too toned- down to give the song life and energy. The album also includes traditional songs such as the spiri- tual a capella ballad "Mother Pray" which uses four-part harmonies to achieve that old-time church choir feel. Other notable songs on the By Adam Rottenberg Daily Arts Editor "Street Fighter 2" - the consummate fighting game - returns to consoles 15 years after its arcade debut. Capcom is celebrating the anniversary of its illustrious franchise with this collection of clas- sic "Street Fighter" games, but unfor- tunately, it leaves a lot to be desired. Street Fighter Those looking for flashy 3-D graph- Anniversary ics will be sorely disappointed. How- Collection ever, fans of "Street Fighter 2" and PS2 "Street Fighter 3" will be ready to hit their combos and destroy the comput- capcom er competition. "Street Fighter Anni- versary Collection" emulates a new hybrid version of "SF2" and features the "3rd Strike" version of "SF3." The original game, alternate editions of "SF2" and "SF3," the "Alpha" series and the awful movie tie-in are all missing. But what Capcom did supply should satisfy the hardcore fighting fan. "Street Fighter 2" is the game that ate quarter after quarter at arcades in the early '90s. This "Anniversa- ry" edition is basically a combination of all five alter- nate editions of "SF2" that were released: the original, Championship Edition, Turbo, Super and Super Turbo. The fighter select screen is most representative of Super Turbo, but upon selecting a fighter, the player is given a choice of which version of the fighter they wish to play. The graphics of the character - in both the fighter select screen and in the match - look like that version of the character. Additionally, the edition determines the move- set and combos for the fighter. So, for example, if Ryu is selected from the Championship Edition, he does not have the super bar found in Super Turbo. If this sounds too confusing, that's because Cap- com teased its fans for so long before releasing a true sequel. When "Street Fighter 3" finally came out, it was met with much frustration. Few fighters returned from "SF2," and both the graphics and gameplay didn't feel upgraded enough - though Capcom attempted to rectify both problems through two enhanced semi-sequels. "3rd Strike" fixed some of these issues and seems stronger now than it did upon its initial release. The ports of both games are flawless, but they are just that, ports. For the most part nothing is new and the lone feature that would have added significantly to the game- play - online fighting - will only be available for the yet to be released Xbox version. Instead, PS2 owners get treated to a special "Street Fighter 2" anime; not an entirely fair trade-off. Even though the games are dated both graphically and mechanically, there still are few titles more fun than either of these "Street Fighter" titles. It would have been nice if there were more bonus material included, but it's the gameplay that matters most. doning their signature sound. Ben Harper, who is best known for his catchy blends of funk, rock, blues and soul, walks this very fine line with his newest release, There Will Be Light. Leaving behind his band The Innocent Criminals, Harper has teamed up with the historic gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama to create his first gospel album. Harper's music has always con- tained religious undertones, but never to this capacity. The Blind Boys, all of whom are legally blind, have a very powerful musical pres- ence that provides a solid base for Harper's rich voice. Together these album include the instrumental "11th Commandment," which sadly is only one of two songs to really show off Harper's infamous slide guitar skills. And the title track, "There Will Be A Light," stands out as the most fan-friendly tune, with its easy beats, strong vocals and memorable chorus. Whether it be his usual acoustic ballad or a highly spiritual ode to Jesus, Ben Harper certainly knows what he's doing. He succeeds at blending styles to make this newer gospel sound his own. There Will Be Light, however, lacks familiari- ties such as his slide guitar, jammy acoustic rocking and funk beats and, in the end, levels itself off as a great album that was just made for the wrong audience. Trio 's albums attempt new sounds By Andrew Horowitz Daily Arts Writer Emo punk band Say Anything fail on debut For almost two decades, Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe's Bang on a Can has remained committed to presenting new music. In the vein of contemporaries like the Kronos Quartet, Bang on a Can con- tinues to play and record adventurous projects that maintain a degree of es f a+. CA y ig By Jerry Gordinier Fbr the Daily Alright you emo punks, there's a new band in town. Say Anything frontman Max Bemis managed to put together Say Anything is a Real Boy among the agony of sleeping Say Anything Say Anything Is a Real Boy Doghouse in his parent's basement and the tor- ment of walking the dogs for dispos- able income. This one is deep, so get out the tissue box and thick rimmed glasses, find the ex-girlfriend's tele- phone number (the one that left the hair all over the apartment) and settle in for some real tear-jerking commen- tary. Get ready to feel vindicated! Get ready to feel!, An excerpt from the album booklet: The songs on this recorded album were originally written as part of a "rock opera" with a full narrative, spoken word interludes, a cast of characters. The plot revolved around an unsuccessful punk rock band called Say Anything . . . one night, a supernatural power "curses" Max (Bemis) with a mysterious affliction. The "curse" causes his inner-most fears, fantasies and thoughts to burst forth from his unsuspecting mouth in the form of fully orchestrated rock anthems. It's all true. Say Anything is an unsuccessful punk rock band. The album's first track, "Belt," opens with satirical, spoken-word foreplay between Max and some unim- portant character. He ends his feigned confusion with a defiant statement: "And the record begins with a song of rebellion." To this end he forms a coalition of disorienting, "edgy," electric-guitar lines, poor vocals and dull lyrics, to rebel against harmony, real emotion and the listener. Then, of course, there are the rela- tionship songs. What terrible emo album would be complete without some girl ripping a heart out? On the album's ninth track, "Every Man has a Molly," Bemis insipidly states "Here I am, laid bare, at the end of my rope. I've lost all hope. So long! Molly Connolly just broke up with me over the revealing nature of the songs." Set against the background of angry (horribly off-key) group vocals and dark (trite) power chords, it leaves the listener almost longing for Dashboard accessibility. Two new additions on their own Canta- loupe label add to their wealthy catalogue. The first, Philip Glass: Music in Fifths, remembers the revolutionary musical landscape of the 1960s, when minimal- ism was emerging as a viable move- Bang on a Can Philip Glass: Music In Fifths and Bang on a Can Meets Kyaw Kyaw Naing cantaloupe Music Confessional. The majority of the album feels more like lecture hall than dance hall. The guitar and bass lines are hushed, while Bemis presents rather than sings his propaganda. While there are sparks of real, intellectual commentary, (most notably on the infectious "Yellow Cat/Red Cat") he extinguishes them. Bemis truly is cursed: His overwhelming narcis- sism and "starving artist" complex come through to the point where no one can truly believe in his suffering or disaffection. The blatant honesty of the lyrics ... strike a powerful chord amongst the underground culture that once dis- regarded Say Anything as "unsub- stantial." Now worshipped by the youth of America as a Christ-like figure, Bemis begins a worldwide quest to use his powers to vanquish all hypocrisy. That makes everyone an atheist. adding the lightness of a marimba to the mix. The composition examines the deconstruction of a musical five- note phrase, a 27-minute response to Glass's early exposure to the ragas of Ravi Shankar. For Glass aficionados, this record- ing is a chance to hear a skilled ensemble reinterpret Glass's early minimalist origins. For the average listener, the relentless pacing makes Philip Glass: Music in Fifths a dif- ficult listen. The other release, Bang on a Can Meets Kyaw Kyaw Naing, introduces a collaboration between the ensemble and Burmese percussionist/composer Kyaw Kyaw Naing. Naing is a mas- ter of the pat waing, a traditional instrument made of 21 surrounding, separately tuned drums. His mas- tery of the instrument and composi- tional prowess has made him famous throughout Southeast Asia. Meets Kyaw Kyaw Naing mixes improvisation with through-com- posed song. The tracks generally sound like Western musicians play- ing Asian music; the sound is har- monically grounded in non-Western pentatonics. The rhythm and tempo frequently encounter drastic trans- formations, bridging ideas and focusing the attention on the call- and-response nature of Naing's com- ment. Philip Glass, alongside Terry Riley, LaMonte Young and other minimalists, stripped modernism to its most basic musical elements. The basis of composition became an inherit simplicity of rhythm and har- mony, a far cry from the atonal hyper- intellectual modernism of the day. On Philip Glass: Music in Fifths, Bang on a Can transcribes two early Glass works for the ensemble. "Music in Fifths" unfolds as its title implies, taking five notes and repeating them in different order and rhythmic variations over twen- ty-four-and-a-half minutes. This is Glass at his most intense, insistently poking his listener, a far cry from the recent harmonic lushness that defines his compositions. The other piece, "Two Pages," is less severe, positions. Naing, no doubt, displays stunning dexterity and harmonic proficiency. Too often, however, the call-and-response on improvisatory passages isn't interesting enough to sustain attention. The collabora- tion works best when Naing and the ensemble are most compositionally confined. At a time when contemporary music is needy of proponents, these record- ings come as a blessing. Bang on the Can creates music that's both chal- lenging and accessible and reminds contemporary music enthusiasts that innovation is alive and present. There still is much terrain left unexplored. Philip Glass: **** Meets Kyaw Kyaw Naing: *** Q sl . 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