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Dave Matthews
Band: Not a
"Typical" group
by Ryan Bogart
Collegian Staff
If all that you've heard of Dave
Matthews Band are the songs on
the radio, you're cheating yourself
out.
At first they seem to be the
typical pop band you hear on the
radio every time you're in your
car. But listening to them and
reading their lyrics made me
realize that they are actually
sending out messages. The best
way to describe their words would
have to be inspirational.
It seems that this band from
Virginia almost relates to the
folk groups in the sixties with
their messages being played in
coffee shops around America.
They’re the 90’s version of folk
singers. Singing about how we
would all be better off if we were
more friendly towards each other.
"Ants Marching" is about how
all anybody seems to be doing is
conforming. It suggests that we
shouldn't just conform, but be
our own person: there are so
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many rules and laws that we
abide by in our everyday lives.
It's as if Dave Matthews sees
this as society's way of
controlling us and they sing out
their protest.
A line from "Typical
Situation” is "Everybody’s
happy, everybody's free."
This sets the perfect tone for
the band and the album. In this
line is the basis of the lyrics and
how the songs are written.
"Under the Table and
Dreaming" is the third CD that
these Virginians have released.
Their crisp, clean sound is
enjoyable for practically anyone
to listen to. The use of the flute,
sax, and violins generates a mood
that well accompanies their
inspirational lyrics.
The unique sound could just be
the the beginning of the end for
grunge rock. Wouldn't it be great
if instead of hearing about
suicide, drugs, and killings, we
heard about being your own
person, treating each other right,
and to ignore conformity.
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YESTERDA Y's
Entertainment
After many successful albums
and tours, Natalie Merchant left
10,000 Maniacs to pursue a solo
career.
The Maniacs were one of the
first "do-it-your-own-way" bands
in the mid 'Bo's. Merchant left
after two of the most successful
albums in terms of sales for the
Maniacs.
"10,000 Maniaca unplugged"
and "Exit to Eden" pushed the
band to front of the music scene
Sponge soaks up success
With the release of "Rotting
Pinata," Sponge burst onto the
scene in a huge way.
This five-man band out of
Michigan has a sound that
crosses a Seattle grunge (Alice in
Chains, Soundgarden, etc.) with
that of a midwestern alternative
flavor (Smashing Pumpkins and
Secret Goldfish).
The mix of the two styles
creates a very interesting album.
The first single was the sixth
track, "Plowed." With a great
guitar lead intro and Vinnie's
echo of "say a prayer for me,” the
song can't help but make you
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Merchant: not a
by Colette Rethage
Collegian Staff
by Joe Mottillo
Entertainment editor
in Erie
in the 'Bo's and "90's. Both of the
multi-platinum albums marked
the beginning of the end for the
band.
Her first solo album,
"Tigerlily" came out this
summer, and is doing quite well
on the alternative music charts.
It is a melodic, mellow, feel
good album that Maniac fans are
sure to love.
You may have already been
drawn in by the first release,
"Carnival", which has its fair
share of play on the radio and
MTV. But "Carnival" is just a
want to start to mosh. It just gets
you pumped up.
The second single was
"Molly." The song starts out
slow, but picks up with great
lead and accompanying vocals.
The song is about the Molly
Ringwald movie, "16 Candles."
Both of the singles have
received extensive airplay on the
radio and videoplay on MTV.
Some of my other favorite
songs are "Fields,” a slower
track; "Rotting Pinata," a song
with the same intensity as
"Plowed"; and "Neenah
Menasha," a song that puts the
band up at the top of the list with
any grunge act.
All the songs on "Rotting
Thursday, September 21, 1995
Maniac
sample of the different styles of
songwriting by Merchant.
Others include "Seven Years,"
a slow, gripping tune, "Wonder,"
my personal favorite, and
"River,” a song written for and
about the death of River Pheonix.
"Tigerlily" is comparable to
the albums by 10,000 Maniacs,
but only because Merchant was
the strength of the group.
The only difference may be that
"Tigerlily" is a bit more mellow.
Merchant alone draws an audience
by her strong, powerful voice,
killer lyrics, and serious music.
Pinata" were written, arranged,
and produced by Sponge. Sponge
has been opening for various
bands the last few months in
support of the album.
The members of the band are:
lead vocalist, Vinnic; Mike Cross
and Joe Mazzola, guitars; Tim
Cross, bass; and Jimmy Paluzzi,
drums and vocals. Sponge will be
back in the studio in 1996 to
record the follow-up to" Rotting
Pinata."
The album is of very high
quality. The music is great and
refreshing because of the mixture
of heavy guitar and bass.
Sponge is definitely a band that
has made its' mark in the 90's
music scene.
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