in music
U. COLLEGE RADIO CHART
on disc this month
SPONSORED BY SONY
1. The Breeders, Last Splash (4-AD)
2. Smashing Pumpkins,
Siamese Dream (Virgin)
3. Nirvana, In Utero (Geffen)
4. Unrest, Perfect Teeth (4-AD)
7. Curve, Cuckoo (Anxious)
5. Archers of Loaf, Icky Mettle (Alias)
8. Juliana Hatfield Three, Become What You Are (Mammoth)
9. Various Artists, Judgment Night Soundtrack (Immortal/Epic)
10. Various Artists, In Defense of Animals (Restless)
6. Cracker, Kerosene Hat (Virgin)
Chart solely on college radio airplay. Contributing radio stations: ACRN, Ohio U.; WIDB, Southern Illinois U.; WTUL, Tulane U.; KUCB, U of Colorado; WVUD, U of Delaware; WUOG, U of Georgia; WRFL, U of Kentucky; WVUM, U of Miami; KRNU, U of Nebraska; WXYC, U of North Carolina; KWVA, U of Oregon; WUSC, U of South Carolina; WUTK, U of Tennessee; WUVT, Virginia Tech
Kev to Ratinas: ★★★★= Janet ★★★★= Michael ★★★= Jermaine ★= LaToya ★= Tito
Various Artists The Rebirth of Cool (Island)
★★★★★
Since the revolutionary advent of new jazz, the genre is no longer confined to staccato samples or gauzy background music. Rebirth of
Cool's 10 infectious tracks are the latest and most exciting samples of jazz-rap fusion.
In the richly textured composition of Freestyle Fellowship's "Inner City Boundaries," everything from scat to Jamaican two-tone rap is spoken over a cool landscape of sax and vibraphone. Jazz Warriors do a mellow cover of the Herbie Hancock standard "Chameleon," and Outlaw flavors traditional hip-hop bravado with a laid-back sax line from jazz great Pharoah Sanders.
With contributions from Tokyo's United Future Organization, the UK's Stereo MCs and French rapper MC Solaar, The Rebirth of Cool celebrates a global renaissance of jazz. It's already a classic of our time. - Yosha Bourgea, The Bradley Scout, Bradley U.
Various Artists No Alternative (Arista)
★★★
The third in the Red Hot + Blue AIDS benefit series, No Alternative just may rival the Singles soundtrack as the definitive grunge compilation.
With bands ranging from Patti Smith to the Goo Goo Dolls, the CD never stays at one speed long enough for the listener to get bored.
Soul Asylum pulls off the biggest feat with a catchy rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing." And Uncle Tupelo's powerful interpretation of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Effigy" takes on a whole new meaning in light of the AIDS epidemic. No Alternative offers this spectrum of music while avoiding the corniness that plagues most compilations.
Also making strong showings are The Breeders, Sonic Youth and Soundgarden. Plus Nirvana, in a secretive mode, snuck in a last-minute mystery song not available at press time. Jim Radosta, The Graphic, Pepperdine U.
★★★★
The Red Shoes (Columbia)
Kate Bush
Kate Bush made a bold statement of vocal and lyrical style with her 1978 debut, The Kick Inside, and remains triumphantly unique eight albums
later. The Red Shoes is more proof that this woman loves her work.
Songs of inspired passion and intimate storytelling will delight long-time Bush fans as the disc flirts with disco, soul, progressive-rock and Caribbean sounds, all of it dramatically colored by Bush's boisterous, gleeful, sometimes painfully expressive voice.
In "Rubberband Girl" and "Eat the Music," Bush sings with youthful abandon and frivolity, then moves defiantly into sophisticated introspection in "Moments of Pleasure" and "Lily." This mixture of open femininity and internal reflection is Bush's specialty, and previously unfamiliar American listeners should find The Red Shoes a good introduction. Erik Lyons, The Daily Vanguard, Portland State U.
Cocteau Twins Four Calendar Cafe (Capitol)
★★★
The Cocteau Twins almost single-handedly founded the dream pop sound in the early '80s. On their latest CD, Four Calendar Cafe, they
attempt to cling to their ethereal origins with mixed results.
Nowadays, jangly guitars and spacey synths aren't enough to qualify as innovative — and on that premise, some of Cafe sinks under trite musical structures
and disposable melodies.
But all is not boring. When they get organic on "Oil of Angels" and "My Truth," time and life get warped into a sensual mix of slow, cool images. These songs prove vocalist Elizabeth Fraser is better off flirting with otherwordly high notes than playing the straight role of pop singer.
For fans, Four Calendar Cafe is a dose of standard Cocteau atmosphere. For newcomers, it's a sonic Quaalude that, unfortunately, buries its best songs in mediocre musical fog. Joe Warminsky, The Daily Collegian, Pennsylvania State U.
Pearl Jam
Vs. (Epic)
★★
Pearl Jam struck a chord last year with the darkly toned bombast of Ten and the CD sold a jillion copies, but this year the masses may think twice and steer clear o
The CD contains a few strong.cuts, like the pounding, fist-pumping "Go," with extra-sharp rhythms and bursts of guitar fury. But tracks like these exceptions to the rule. Other tunes, like "Daughter" and "Dissident," are plain old rock — and ordinary rock at that.
As for Pearl Jam's lyrics, they often sink under their own self-conscious social awareness. "Rats" attempts to address society's ills by comparing rodents with humans ("They don't take what's not theirs/They don't compare"); while "Leash" is a lame call-to-arms for twentysomething youth ("Drop the leash/We are young/Get out of my fucking face.") In the end, these guys just take themselves too seriously to be taken seriously. Rod O'Connor, The Daily Illini, U. of Illinois
in the studio
For your future music-purchasing plans, we have our in the-studio acts conveniently grouped by genre:
- The Angry Hair Genre: Motley Crue is working on their first album since the departure of Vince Neil, titled 'Till Death Do Us Apart, due on Elektra by March. Proving they have friends in low places, KISS is overseeing the produc
tion of their tribute album which includes covers by the likes of Garth Brooks and Dinosaur Jr. They embark on their next CD after the tribute is released on Mercury in January.
The Grie, sans Vince
The Junior High School Dance Genre: Brian Setzer will give fans his own big-band versions of classics and Stray Cats favorites early next year, when he and his 17-piece Brian Setzer Orchestra make their Hollywood Records debut. Other unexpected revivals include a solo album by Huey Lewis, Back in Blue, and a new one from Violent Femmes, both on Elektra.
- The Progressive/Folk/Rock 'n': Roll Genre: After the success of Bang!, World Party will release its latest next spring. The Proclaimers are finishing a third album, coming in January. Timothee Verrecchia, The Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia U.
CDs on parade
More releases we didn't have room to review
BoDeans (Reprise/Slash) 10/12; George Clinton (Paisley Park) 10/12; Eleven (Hollywood) 10/19; Rush (Atlantic) 10/19; Buzzcocks (Caroline) 10/21; KMFDM (Wax Trax) 10/21; Cure (Elektra) 10/22; Bob Dylan (Columbia) 10/26; Zapp (Reprise) 10/26; Boy George & Culture Club (EMI) 11/2; Deafening Divinities with Aural Affinities (Beggars Banquet Collection) 11/2; INXS (Atlantic) 11/2; Frank Sinatra (Capitol) 11/2; Alice in Chains EP (Columbia) 11/9; Cowboy Junkies (RCA) 11/9; Smiths re-issue (Reprise/Sire) 11/9; Michael Bolton (Columbia) 11/16; Brian Eno box set (Virgin) 11/16; Greenpeace Compilation (Hollywood) 11/16; Metallica (Elektra) 11/19; Torn Petty (MCA) 11/19; Elton John (MCA) 11/23; Blur (EMI) 11/30
"Check out my f**king record, because it's really good."
— Iggy Pop on his new Virgin release, American Caesar
NOVEMBER 1983
19 • U. Magazine