Behrend collegian. (Erie, Pa.) 1971-1988, December 08, 1988, Image 5
IE NT IE IRir a\ lIN >4 IE N ¥ REM Cashes in on Green by A. Thomas Mamaux Collegian Staff Writer Rating- £* REM are no longer the young, nubile virgins that they used to be. REM has hit the big time and now they must make albums that appeal to their market share rather than their own taste. Their new album is called "Green". In typical REM fashion, there is not a trace of green on the album sleeve. I am not aware of the word green in any of the contained songs. The album is, however, all about green. REM is now rolling in it since they sold their artistic freedom to Warner Brothers Records. They will also receive more green in the future when they tour and tally up the record sales. However, inside REM there are two different schools of. thought. Michael Stipe (the lead singer) feels that he and the band can be a band of the 80's, play in large arenas, and not compromise their standards. Peter Buck (the lead guitarist) feels’ that REM should regroup, get their heads straight, quit playing pop, and go bar.k to playing clubs and small arenas. Buck wants to keep Soap Opera Update by Nanette Quatchak Entertainment Editor Another World Amanda waited at home for Sam for their night out. Vicki talked Amanda into going out without Sam. At the Pelican Bar Sam, Mitch, and Jamie got drunk and talked about their "women.” Sam missed Amanda so he went to call her but instead found her in the bar. They kissed and made up. Charlene invited John for a night out but he explained that he was going out with Lisa. They went to the Pelican Bar. Lisa saw. Jamie and he was drunk. He told her that he proposed to Vicki and that she turned him down. Lisa got very upset and asked John to take her home. Jamie sobered up and some woman named Coral walked up to him and flaunted herself and asked Jamie if he wanted a ride home. Josie sang "Happy Birthday" to a guy from the fraternity in a very skimpy outfit and was asked to sing another and she accepted the invitation, feeling flattered. Josie then pushed a piece of cake in a boys face because he tried to kiss her so she quickly got her $5O check for singing and left. Meanwhile, Matt was at the Frame's farm waiting for Josie when Rachel showed up to talk to him. She started to talk and Matt said he didn't want to listen but then he gave in. They talked for awhile and he told Rachel that he loved her. REM out of the top 40 and on the college charts. The first song on the album is all about that. It is ironically titled "Pop Song 89". It reflects back to pop song 88 "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)". The song was a mega-hit and made REM a household word. The difference, however, is that "Pop Song 89" will never make the playlist of major radio stations. Do you see the irony? Probably not. The pop song of the album will be "Orange Crush". It is already overplayed on the radio and MTV. This is not without reason, though, it is a good song. "Follow me / Don't follow me /1 got my spine / I got my Orange Crush". "Orange Crush" deals directly with the problems that have arisen since Agent Orange- the effect it has had on the Vets who were there; the predictable response of the government; ignoring and covering up the issue so that they will not have to pay the Vets that were contaminated with the chemical. Amazing as it may seem, REM (for the first time ever) put the lyrics on the album. Luckily, they only did it with one song, "World Leader Pretend". Days of Our Lives Abe realized that Stefano was behind the whole scheme. At Brady’s Fish market, Steve and Kayla told Shawn and Caroline the story about Stefano's island and then they realized that Benji was missing. They find Benji on the docks and Benji tells them that he misses his father even though he is bad. Julio stops by the fish market to see how Carrie is doing and he tells her that his mother died. After they talk for awhile, he remembers that Carrie's dad is a police officer and he leaves feeling upset. Shane encounters Drew on Stefano's island where Drew told him that he wasn't as perfect as Shane. After a long discussion, Drew told Shane that he would help him and Kimberly get off the island but that he was staying there. Guiding Light On her way out of the hospital, Sonny blacked out for a few minutes. Fletcher saw her and called for help. Rick and Meredith rushed over to help. Reva went to Venezuela posing as a distressed sinner seeking sanctuary. So the nuns took her in as long as she promised to live by the rules. Reva convinced them to let her see Mrs. Carrera. A nun walked in and said that her son was there to see her. Josh and Frank went to Ross's office with dental records of Sonny and Solita. They wound up getting Mindy’s records instead, so Wanda went back to the dentist’s office and retrieved the right ones. Josh was One of the best things about, REM is that most of the time you don't know what the hell Stipe is singing about. This serves the listener in two ways. The first is ' you can make up the words you don’t know. The other is no one can bust you for singing the wrong words. "World Leader Pretend" does not take a stab at the government as it’s title would lead you to believe. Rather, it is Stipe doing a self examination. "This is my world / This is my life /1 raised the walls / And I will be the one to pull it down". What Stipe is saying is that he is part responsible for getting REM where they are now and that he can take them anywhere he wants. Now you know about three songs, and you probably want to know more. Go buy the album, yourself. Make sure that you buy the album, not copy it - so you can put a little more green in the pockets of REM. In general, the album is more mellow than "Document". There is no real thrashing about on this album - it's more like wading in warm shallow waters. very eager to compare the two. Alan told Blake that she couldn't make it without him and she threatened to call the hospital security. Santa Barbara Craze and Eden were at home with the results of her sonnagram but Eden didn't need to see the test results because she knew that Craze was the father of her baby. Craze then hugged her. Father Michael viewed the tape that the rapist sent and he realized that Julia was using sign language to let someone know .where she. was being held. 7 While struggling with the rapist, Father Michael busted in and shot the rapist in the back. Victor and Craze came in and Victor found a bottle of medicine that he assumed to be the drugs that the rapist had been giving Julia. Craze called the paramedics for Julia and Father Michael (he had his shoulder grazed by a bullet by the rapist). Mason and Gina were dancing to music on the radio when an emergency broadcast came on saying that Julia had been rescued from the rapist Mason went to see Julia and she asked him to leave. Mason then insulted Julia and she slapped him in the face. He then left Heather and Scott discussed having children of their own. Zach ran into the rapist as he was making his escape and managed to pull the mask from his face but the rapist managed to get away. But not before he had a look of the rapist's face. December 8,1988 R E V I E W S Hard Rock by Paul Polosik Collegian Staff Writer In the era of the sound of top forty music like the Pet Shop Boys and the Information Society, it’s refreshing to see the hard rock bands finally get the recognition as a major force in music today. Bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and L.A. Guns are selling millions of albums (even though they get very little radio time). This shows that if the music is good, people will buy it - 'even if it’s not "top forty". Hard rock is not something that appeared overnight It started in the late 60’s and early 70’s with bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Kiss. These bands set the precedent for all the groups of the 80’s, and are one of the main reasons heavy metal has grown in massive proportions. The music, which is based on the guitar, is hard driving and filled with power; and you have to go to a concert to understand what a great experience it is. These factors explain why hard rock is so popular; and even though parents and Geraldo Rivera don't approve of it, it will continue to increase in popularity in the years to come. Let's hope that all the radio stations will get off their high horse and start playing it. If they did, more people would have the chance to listen to them instead of criticizing them. Robert Cray by David Collegian Friend Staff Writer "Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark" is Robert Cray's seventh album and, arguably, his best. Even though Cray's musical basis is the traditional American blues, he has attempted to extend the genre into a more expansive style. On this album, he has done that by intermingling traditional blues forms with jazz, fusion, rock ’n’ roll, and soul textures and styles. What comes out is an excellent, pleasing to listen to album that cannot be 'beat. Side one starts out with the title track. Reminiscent of Cray's earlier work, the song sounds like it would belong on ’’Strong Persuader," with its weaving of guitar and keyboard melodies. The second track, "Don't You Even Care?," is the only disappointment on the album. The song is a little too slow, and even with an outstanding guitar solo, Cray never seems to raise the song onto a different plane, like he does with the rest of the album. "Your Secret's Safe with Me," and "I Can't Go Home," are both Cray’s attempt to mix blues, jazz, and rock together into an approachable musical style, one thing is for sure, his attempt works. Jane's Addiction by A. Thomas Mamaux being the biggest gang there ever Collegian Staff Writer was. And "Whores" totally Rating - *** degrades women. They also have a yearning to be Jane s Addiction" is a hot and a big rock band. They’ve remade relatively new American band.' the Stones and Lou Reed with a lot Over Thanksgiving I was lucky more energy than the originals, enough to see them in Pittsburgh. "Jane's Addiction" can also write I was so impressed that I went out good, serious songs. A fine and bought their album. "Jane’s example of this is "Jane Says." Addiction does not fall into one The song would have made major class or category, instead they bend radio stations except for the fact several styles together. On the A- that they lack a major record label, side (also known as the ’birdbath’ All of the band members were side) they combine the anger and "bred and spread" in Los Angeles, fire of punks with the peace-loving When they are heard they can easily attitudes of hippies. The pelican be recognized by the voice of Perry side (B-side) was recorded live and Farewell. He is the strength behind contains two cover tunes. They do the band because he writes and * R ,? ed song called arranges almost all of the songs.. Rockn'Roll and "Sympathy for "Jane’s Addiction" can also be the Devil" by the Rolling Stones. . ~ . , _ .. "Jane’s Addiction" is still bythe gmrarof Davrd exploring where they want to go snidied guitar at musically. Take, for example, the “y School of Music.) _ first four songs on the birdbath . as Janes Addiction side; "Trip Away", "Pigs in Zen”, k “ pS club * "Whores", and "1%". "Trip Away" ? ey wl “ seein S is about LSD and "Pigs in Zen” hearing When they move up they clearly states that they would rather wdl probably lose ‘ fire “<• make love than war. Their punk anger ' AJso ’ y °“.,,??? side comes out on "whores" and hearing them on K-104 or JET-FM, "1%". On’T%” they scream, rant, qult listemng and rave about the government jconcert connection: Dec. 7 - Eddie Money Shay's Theater, Buffalo _ ® Dec. 7 - Keith Richards Cleveland Music Hall * ® Dec.ll-Eddie Money Pgh. Syria Mosque ® 0 Dec.l2- Ozzy Osbourne Cleveland Colosseum • 0 Dec. 2- Kenny G. Pgh. Syria Mosque 0 Dec.3o- Harlem Globetrotters Pgh. Civic Arena _ • Jan. 19- Neil Diamond Cleveland Colosseum • Jan. 29- Neil Diamond Pgh. Civic Arena ® 0 Feb.ll-Neil Diamond Memorial Audi, Buffalo • It is approachable, pleasing and lyrically significant. For example, Cray laments on "I Can't Go Home," about his cheating wife, that he'll go home, find the man who is... ah... enjoy... n0,n0,n0... AH! tossing with his wife and ."Blow his ass away.” "Night Patrol," which rounds out the first side, is an enjoyable traditional rock song with serious, socially motivated lyrics. It expounds on the plight of the homeless and the lost individuals that inhabit the streets of our cities. Even though the song is predictable and filled with rock cliches, it uses them effectively. Side two is the real pleasure of this album. The two best songs on the album are on this side. "Acting This Way," on which David Sanborn lends a hand to Cray, and "At Last," a song reflecting on Otis Redding, are the real gems. It's really difficult to exactly put a finger on what makes side two enjoyable. Whatever it is, it works. Why argue with that? I’d simply like to strongly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys good rock 'n* roll. Robert Cray's album "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is essential to any record collection.