The Michigan Doily-Wednesday, June 4,1980-Page 7
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s
ew sou u dergrou d
Outofthe Tunnel
MX-80 Sound
Ralph MX 8002
Half-Mute
TuxedoMoon
TX-8004
Diskoemo/Goeebump
The Reideon
Ralph R2-8006
By MARK DIGHTON
Remember when you were in grade
school and your teacher used to ask you
to stand up in class and use a
vocabulary word in a sentence that
would demonstrate its meaning? If you
had used Ralph Records as an example
of an anomaly you almost certainly
would have won great regard from both
your instructor and peers, for Ralph
Records practically defines and
delimits any term related to deviance
and abnormality. This San Francisco-
based outfit has been producing some of
the scariest and most alienly industrial
music this side of Cleveland. The very
idea of listening to a Ralph Record in
the daylight is alomst inconceivable,
making this record company's location
in the heart of Sunland a bit in-
congruous, to say the least. If for that
reason alone, the simultaneous release
of new "product" from Ralph Records'
top three recording groups-the
Residents, MX80 Sound, and
Tuxedomoon-should be quite an in-
teresting event. And that it is.
The Residents are clearly the gran-
dadies of the San Francisco scene (not
including that "other" San Fran scene
of the mid-60's), having released a long
series of deservedly underground LP's.
The Residents are nothing if not an
acquired taste, but speaking from per-
sonal experience, even long periods of
exposure to their music is no guarantee
of ever liking-or even understan-
ding-them.
THERE CERTAINLY is a strange
sort of logic and even humor to the
Residents' work, but it seems to be of
an excruciatingly intellectual and self-
indulgent nature. Their muddy produc-
tion, monastic chanting, and helium-
treated vocals are intriguing at first,
but later seem to be little more than a
one-dimensional joke that has become
annoying upon repetition (a la Devo).
The mere fact that they consistently
apply the same sound to everything
they record puts the Residents on a
level only slightly above formulaic
bands like Boston.
Their limitations are adequately
displayed on their new 12" 45, Diskomo.
This single is comprised of a sort of
"Best of" synthesis of their last album,
Eskimo, set to a disco beat. In all fair-
ness, there are some hilarious momenjs
during the course of this song,
especially the point near the beginning
where they chant something akin to
"Breakfast breakfast great for us. Of
boy oh boy it can't be beat." But the
remainder of the disc relies solely on
the Residents' traditional
pseudo-Oriental synthesizers and
various faked arctic sounds.
The "disco" beat itself is highly
unimaginative. The Residents seem to
think that any repetitive synthesizer
riff centered heavily in the lower
registers constitutes disco. It may con-
stitute disco alright, but it doesn't con-
stitute good disco (and yes, such a thing
is possible, though rare).It is not until
the last minute of this 15-minute opus
that the Residents manage to develop a
bass synthesizer line that you could
describe as "funky" in a tone of voice
anything but sarcastic. In short,
Diskomo could have been a good idea,
but it is hard to tell based on this
realization. The Residents cannot even
compare to James White and the
Blacks in understanding the power of
disco to subvert itself. Perhaps The
Residents could learn a lesson from
James White in his advice, "Why don't
you try being stupid, instead of smart."
THE B-SIDE of their single would
have been a good chance for them to try
out this new attitude since it consists of
their version of some of their favorite
Mother Goose nursery rhymes.
Goosebumps even start off with a syn-
thesizer riff that is ironically more dan-
ceable than anything on the "Disco" A-
side. As with all Residents com-
positions, though, the infatuation
begins to wear thin and finally
dissipates when you realize that the
idea is never going to progress from the
word "Go." I honestly don't think that
the Residents can write "songs," which
may or may not be a valid criticism.
Their compositions are in fact little
more than collages of sound
modification. There is little coherency
and no song development present in the
majority of their work. Especially in
Goosebumps you can pick up or set
down the needle at any point without
missing anything crucial to understan-
ding the song. All that is fine. . . except
in a 15-minute song, in which case it is
nothing but tedious.
Perhaps the Residents' time has
come ... and gone, but at least they
have opened the way for some other
bright young bands who have adopted
some of their theories without being
caught up in their limitations. MX8o
Sound is the most promising of the new
San Francisco bands. They are no less
challenging an experience than the
Residents, but are in the end infinitely
more rewarding. MX80 employ
something of the subterranean sound of
their predecessors, but in their own
context achieve almost contradictory
ends with it. That context is a sound
roughly approximate to early garage-
band psychedelia not quite divorced
from heavy metal.
But what really characterizes this
band is their almost redemptive
energy. Somehow through the
unaudible bass, barely adequate
drums, almost nerve-shattering guitar-
s, and mumbled vocals of their second
album, Out of the Tunnel, erupts a
sound of refreshingly naive exuberan-
ce. A good portion of each MX80 song is
lost in an undifferentiated wave of
sound. But suddenly, out of darkness
emerges a recognizable spy series riff
or an honest-to-god harmony vocal that
abruptly pulls you back into the song
just when you'd begun to drift off. It is
these obscure but well-placed treasures
that gives one the incentive to fathom
the murky sound of the remainder of
each song.
LUCKILY, THAT sort of dedication
rarely goes unrewarded with a group
like MX80 Sound. On further listening.
one discovers that an MX 80 song is like
cutting into a telephone cable and
listening to all the conversation at once.
They are the first artist since Eno to
appreciate the lesson of early
psychedelia : Solos are only interesting
if everyone plays them simultaneously.
MX80 constantly tread a fine line bet-
ween genius and ineptness. Sometimes
they fall on one side of the line,
sometimes on the other, but they
always benefit from that tension.
The third Ralph Records release is
unfortunately closer in spirit to the
Residents than MX80 sound.
Tuxedomoon's Half-Mute suffers from
much the same sort of self-conscious in-
tellectualism that mars the Residents.
Their near ludicrous, angst-ridden self-
indulgence would not be so disappoin-
ting if they didn't prove at least oc-
casionally that they are capable of
much more. One a few of their cuts,
they seem to have learned the lesson of
Wire and the Gang of -Four that you
can put anything to a dance beat and -
make it just that much more immediate
and unavoidable, even lyrics like:
"It's 59 to 1 against you
It's 59 to 1 against me
59 seconds of every
1 ... minute
59 seconds of every I ... .
of misery."
The majority of the rest of the album
seems to forget that lesson, though,
and wallows in its own directionless
self-pity. Many of the saxophone and
oboe solos are striving so obviously to
be melancholic that one almost has to
laugh out of nervous tension. Sounds
like a funeral, you say? That is a
disturbingly accurate portrayal of this
album.
You really can't fault it, though. The
members of Tuxedomoon prove to be
excellent musicians and expert
manipulators of sound, but their
album is made for a very particular
mood-one of deep depression-a mood
I hope you don't find yourself in often
'enough to enjoy this album.
Three candidates to
seek Bullard's seat
(Contiued from Page3)
the ability to make a profit," Barton
said, "there can be no jobs provided by
free enterprise. In fact, the incum-
bent's legislation serves to make the
business climate even worse."
Graham, who ran as an independent
against Bullard in both 1974 and 1976,
said he has thrown his hat into the ring
a third time because, "I don't like the
way government is operating these
days."
THE INDEPENDENT contender
said politicians are acting as social
reformers who are "taking away from
the 'haves'-who happen to be middle-
class businessmen who aren't
rich-and giving to the 'have nots."'
Graham criticized Bullard for in-
troducing legislation that has raised the
severance tax on oil companies to help
the elderly meet rising fuel costs. "It
sounds good, but you cannot continue
hitting the businessman," he said.
"Sometimes I think Perry goes a bit
overboard - his cures can be worse
than the disease."
Libertarian candidate Quick said he
believes a reduction in the size and
scope of government is essential. "If
elected, I would work for a reduction in
taxes and, necessarily, a reduction in
social services," he said.
QUICK ALSO said he supports the
legalization of marijuana and all other
drugs, although he is willing to "take it
one step at a time."
Quick explained his decision to run
for the seat as a Libertarian because he
sees no difference between Republicans
and Democrats.
Barton, a 23-year-old bachelor, said
he has been involved in state and local
politics since 1976. Graham, 48, said he
has lived in the Ann Arbor area with his
family since 1961 and has been involved
in the Tisch tax cut drive. Quick, 24,
said he has no prior political experien-
ce, but said he could handle the position
"as well as any of my opponents."
All three contenders said the student
vote will be vital to the success of their
campaigns.
The British post office was founded in
1657. It was the first in the world and is
now the largest commerical employer
in Europe.
Tle Ann Arbor Film Copmfv presents.t Old A & D: $1.so
Wednesday, June 4
WINTER KILLS
(William Richert, 1979) 7 & 9:15-OLD A &.D
Controversial in its closeness to historical reality, WINTER KILLS charts the
journeys of -a billionaire's son, Nick Keegan (JEFF BRIDGES), as he attempts to
piece together the mystery behind the assassination of his brother-president of
the United States. Black humor in-the Dr. Strangelove tradition, featuring JOHN
HUSTON, ANTHONY PERKINS, STERLING HAYDEN and a cameo role by ELIZA-
BETH TAYLOR. 35mm.
Tomorrow: Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO at the Michigan Theatre