Thursday, October 14, 1993
Sweet Relief
provides some
"sweet" sounds
by Scott Moore
Collegian Staff
According to the booklet
included in the new benefit
album Sweet Relief, in spring
1992 folk-rock singer/songwriter
Victoria Williams was diagnosed
as having multiple sclerosis.
She had no health insurance,
so her friends and peers in the
music industry teamed up to
compile this album of covers of
her songs. The artists appearing
on the release have donated all of
their royalties from its sale,
most going directly to Victoria.
The other portion will aid in
setting up the Sweet Relief
Musicians Trust Fund which
would assist future musicians
who find themselves in similar
predicaments.
If you're a fan of good,
heartfelt music, then this
collection is for you. There is a
great variety of artists featured,
from Seattle grunge to Southern
rock to power pop. There's
something for everyone here.
The record kicks off with Soul
Asylum performing "Summer of
Drugs," an anthemic tale of
substance-hazed youth. The
Minneapolis band definitely adds
THE WORLD OF
Treponem Pal:
Express and
Overdrive
i i
DB: Treponem Pal is a
Minisrty rip-off with bad vocals.
Stank: The instrumentals
are OK, but the vocals are
mindless.
DB: But some of it kicks.
This is the type of music I like
to listen to on a cold dark night
when I'm driving from bar to
bar.
Stank: The song "Crimson
Garden" kicks all! It starts off
with a chunking guitar riff and
understandable death metal
vocals that seeps into your
brain.
DB: Huh, that song's cool.
I like the name of the band
better, though. It means
"syphilis" in French. That
really kicks ass.
Stank: The lead vocalist
looks like he actually has
syphilis.
DB: I wonder how he got
that?
Stank: The song "Nowhere
Land" starts off like "Of Wolf
and Man" by Metallic&
DB: The songs drag. It's a
cool tape to listen to once in a
its own flavor to this track
In contrast, Pearl Jam
seemingly assumes another
identity with "Crazy Mary," in
my opinion, the highlight of the
album. Vocalist Eddie Vedder's
performance on this moody
selection is a breakthrough for
him, with his voice taking on an
almost coutry-like feeling.
Other standouts are Matthew
Sweet's reading of "This
Moment," Lemonhead Evan
Dando's "Frying Fan," and
Maria McKee's spirited
"Opelousas (Sweet Relief)."
Unfortunately, not every song
is a winner. Lou Reed's
contribution is currently being
used as an insomnia treatment in
some hospitals, and Great Sand's
"Big Fish" is just plain dull.
However, the good aspects of the
album easily outweigh the
negative ones.
All of the songs featured on
Sweet Relief can be found on
Victoria Williams' two releases,
Swing the Statue and Happy
Come Home. Hopefully this
album will ease her medical
woes, while giving a well
deserved boost to her career.
TO STANK
while but I don't think they will
get very far.
Stank: Speaking of them
not getting too far, the song
"Blow Me Out" blows.
DB: Turn them off, dude.
They're giving me an earache in
my eye. A fatting orchestra
sounds better.
*Treponem Pal get 2
skulls because they have a
sex name. These guys are
living proof that sex
sells.
"Cool Runnings"
is heartwarm
A Jamaican bobsled team?
You, along with many others,
may think it sounds crazy, but it
was real. Based on a true story,
"Cool Runnings" is a movie
about four courageous Jamaicans
who went all the way to the
Olympics in a bobsled.
Durice Bannock (played by
Leon) was a runner who dreamed
of going to the Olympics.
Finally, his chance to tryout for
the games came. Unfortunately,
during the race, one of the
runners fell, tripping Dunce and
another competitor, disqualifying
all three.
Still having his heart set on
the Olympics, Durice decided to
find a man by the name of Irving
(played by John Candy). Irving
was once a bobsledder and had
always wanted to create a
Jamaican bobsled team, that
woud include Dufice's father.
However, Irving never got the
Zeothrope:
Mind Over
Splatter
Stank: This stuff sucks! It is
tree hugging music set to thrash.
The only thing I liked about it
was the artwork on the album
cover.
by Jen Dugan
Collegian Siaff
MUSIC ACCORDING
AND DIRTBAG
chance because he cheated in the
Olympics many years ago and is
now considered a disgrace.
Durice finds Irving in pretty bad
shape in a bar, beating a radio
apart because the horse he had
bet on didn't win. Irving
immediately says no, but Duke
gets him to finally fullfill his
dream: a Jamaican bobsled
team.
Durice already has one
teammate, his close friend Sanka
(played by Doug E. Doug), the
best push-cart racer in all of
Jamaica. Now, what two other
Jamaicans would want to try to
go to the Olympics doing a
sport they know nothing about
except that it involved ice and
snow? None other than, Junior,
the runner who fell and tripped
Dunce and Yule Brehna.
After many difficulties and
some basic training, they make
it to the U.S. However, they are
not greeted with open arms when
they arrive. Their coach is hated
DB: Mind Over Splatter.
Reminds me of last Saturday
night, I was over the porcelain
god. That is where I want to be
every time I hear this tape.
Stank: These guys definitely
can't mix their music. Their
attempt at rap absolutely sucked.
DB: When I think of
Zeothrope, I see Bon Jovi trying
to slam dance. The classical
guitar at the beginning of Guilt
by Association is anything but
original. They attempt to write
commercial thrash and can't do
i t.
Stank: These guys suck so
bad, they don't even list the
Irlfil3 &MULL SCAL,I
eall ft .4, .
• MOTORHEAD
iit
and they are total immature
misfits. With limited finances,
they get a used bobsled and name
it "Cool Runnings," which
means: "Peace Be the Journey."
Now, its time for serious
training. Despite the
skeptisism, the Jamaican
underdogs do prove themselves
and qualify for the Olympics.
If you are familiar with the
story, you know how it ends.
I'm not going to say for the sake
of those who don't. I didn't
know and I figured the movie
would have a predictable ending.
However, the story takes a hard
turn. I believe that real footage
of their Olympic run was used in
this part of the film.
"Cool Runnings" is a movie
for people of all ages. It will
make you laugh, possibly even
make you shed a tear. A very
heartwarming and inspiring story
that makes you leave the theater
with a good feeling. I definitely
recommend it.
names of the band members on
the label because they're too
embarrassed to admit they play
for Zeothrope.
When I heard It's My Life, I
became pissed. I could not
believe that anyone could do
such a hatchet job on a great
classic rock song.
DB: They copy every band
form Megadeath, DKI and
C.0.C., to Nuclear Assault.
They are only a hair better that
Dead Youth. Only a hair.
**Zeothrope salvages 1
1 / 2 skulls**
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