ARTS Page 8 Friday, August 12, 1988 The Michigan Daily Summer releases guaranteed to sizzle BY BRIAN JAR VINEN Too bad the even better flip side, Syd Barrett's "Vegetable Man" is AUGUSTishere at last! What's so omitted. good about another month of the While on the subject of every- hots? I already payed my rent for this one's favorite acid casualty I am month a year and a half ago, that's pleased to report that the too cool what. Time to hit the record stores! British psych-music label, Bam But what to buy? Perusing these Caruso, is now distributed domesti- musings (ouch) should get you cally by Fundamental. One of their started, first American releases is Paul The summer's most anticipated Roland's Danse Macabre (Bam disc has to be Jimmy Page's first Caruso / Fundamental). Roland solo album, Outrider (Geffen). Ru- seems to be in an involuntary com- mors started about this album last petition with Robyn Hitchcock to summer. The album does feature Ja- see who can have his music con- son Bonham on drums, but the main nected to Syd the most times. The concern is the guest vocals from lyrics deserves no such comparisons, Robert Plant (John Paul is nowhere as it is far too literal for such name to be found). Unfortunately their ex- dropping. The music is ok, succeed- cellent collaboration "The Only ing the best when the acoustic gui- One," is, well, the only track featur- tars show up. igRbrwowins hands down as Creation, another British indie ing Robert, who wishnsdw sknown for psychish releases such as best of the three vocalists Page uses. the "Upside Down" single, now has Outrider contains few surprises us- an American distribution deal with less you thought heroin had knocked Relativity. The first fruits of this out Page for good. He still loves the aiv in the form of The House of blues, devoting an entire side to Love's self-titled debut LP. This Song-coarse lyrics in "Prison record teases the listener on the Ble"-oasI've got a weasel in opener, "Christine," which makes B ' gonawein my list the synapses tingle with thoughts of pocket / And I'm gonna ..' (listen another Express. But by the end of to it yourself for the rest). the album The House of Love seem The most inappropriate title of more like a less sophisticated ver- the summer is Cinderella's Long sion of the Church than Love and Cold Winter (Mercury). "Gypsy Rockets. The band have almost got Road," the first single, is another the brain-melting guitar sound right great, meaningless '80s rock jam to earn them an opening spot for that makes good radio fare, just like those two bands - if only they the better-with-time "Shake Me" toetobns-i nyte fothei dtebu ight 'Shokes'Too would junk some of the extraneous from their debut Night Songs. Tomusical goings on. Maybe next bad the Bon Jovi factor (Girls buym. agog y heavy metal too: c.f. "Angel") dic- time. ates Single #2 will be the profound Meanwhile on this side of the big "Don't Know What You Got (Til water the Lyres are still combing It's Gone)." This is the kind of garages for their organ-driven sound. record that all those future rock crit- Actually, front man Jeff Conolly is ics (that are now busy picking out still at it, as the "band" once again what color Reeboks to wear for the has a new line-up. A Promise Is A first day of Middle School today) Promise (Ace of Hearts) serves up will be raving about in 15 years. A more tasty but oh-so-obscure covers big quibble: Did they have to print and a few originals. Liking this the lyrics on the sleeve? record depends on your tolerance for So much for music heard on the the pure cheese sound of Conolly's radio. The record I have been waiting instrument, the lead organ. Promise for is The Jesus And Mary Chain's ends each side with a live track, Barbed Wire Kisses (Warner Broth- while the CD and cassette versions ers), a compilation of rare tracks. have bunches more. This is pretty The compiling is far from complete; surprising from Conolly, a fanatical at least ten more tracks exist on record collector. Maybe they just vinyl from this prolific band (Ten forgot one of the discs, as the record bucks says the next one will be comes in a gatefold cover featuring a imaginatively titled And Her Love). complete personnel chart for the This LP offers fans a chance to Lyres and Conolly's previous band watch the Chain's music mutate DMZ on the inside. from the pop noise of Psychocandy Anti-keyboard rock fans should be to the moody pop symphonies of well pleased with an excellent batch Darklands. A rough chronological of new releases from the fastest-ac- track listing for the album version quiring label in the country, Funda- runs mental. The Colorblind James 13,2,6,4,8,14,1,10,7,12,5,15,16,3,1 Experience's self titled debut 1,9. An excellent record for the Bo (Earring / Fundamental) features Diddley and Beach Boys covers gobs of Mojo Nixon styled simple alone, not to mention the incredible story/rhymes. There is probably a "Upside Down," their first single. name for this psuedo-rockabilly Despite their somber expressions, the new releases from (clockwise) House of Love, Cinderella, The Paladins, and Jimmy Page will keep you smiling for the rest of the summer. genre and 20 compilation albums to go with it, but you will never see. "compiled" bands live, so get this one and pester the Blind Pig for a Colorblind James show. God only knows why the atypical, compara- tively bad lead-off track and the only one sporting horn arrangements, "Why Did the Boy Throw the Clock Out the Window," is an airplay track on "progressive" music stations. The quality of their music alone should get Charlie Pickett & the MC3's (Magic City [Miami] 3) al- bum The Wilderness (Safety Net/Fundamental) to the top of every chart, but you won't have to take my word for it once you find out who the famous Southern-Rock-of- the-80s guitar player who produced this is (His initials are PB. Igno- rance is bliss. Just dig the music. End of digressions.). The album fea- tures two Son House covers, killer chicken-bone slide guitar, and awe- some third-helpings-please originals. Edinburgh, Scotland's Swamptrash are a different sort of clan altogether. It Makes No Never Mind (Fast Forward / Fundamental) showcases a bunch of English guys in love with banjos, mandolins, and harmonies. The Pogues do it better, but this excellently titled LP should help you down a case or two any- ways. Fundamental is not the only label to supply fans of distinct American music with new fixes. Alligator has kept blues fires burning for a long time now. Little Charlie and the Nightcats, one of Alligator's many competitors for Hardest Working Band in Show Business, beat the sophomore jinx on Disturbing the Peace , a downright smooth batch of tunes featuring multiple blues stylings. Now if someone would only remind the hordes of trendies that crowd Rick's and the River Rock Cafe when an Alligator act comes to town that these bands are Recording Artists with records in the stores (CDs too!) even if MTV and most radio stations think they don't exist. Alligator has also just released another highly anticipated sopho- more album, this one from the Pal- adins. Years Since Yesterday earns the usual genre busting-mixing de- scriptions with an adjective defying batch of original blues tales and party rock get downs. The Daily's own Fat Al highly recommends it in his liner notes on the back, and if that doesn't convince you, you must have paid attention in class last year.