Page 8
Entertainment
Is R.E.M. Out of Time?
Restless change marks hand's latest effort
b Robb Frederick
The Collegian
Finally, artistic creativity is
again becoming vogue. Kevin
Costner swept the Oscars
Monday night, proving that films
can succeed even if they deviate
from a preestablished formula. If
a virginal film director like
Costner can make big with a
western, what will it take to save
the music industry, where sales
potential dominates artistic
experimentation?
The members of R.E.M. may
not surpass the profit margins of
Vanilla Ice or New Kids, but they
do offer a fresh diversion from the
"canned" musicians that have
entrenched themselves in the
Billboard charts. On Out of
Time, the band's latest release,
R.E.M. again breaks away from
its past success and steps into
uncharted territory. The release is
more than a collection of
inspired songs; it is a beacon
guiding the way for future
musical innovators.
With 1989's Green, R.E.M.
broke into the land of commercial
success, scoring big with hits
like "Stand" and "Orange Crush."
Most groups would follow
success of that magnitude with a
quick rehash of similar material,
but not these guys.
For the members of R.E.M.
(vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist
Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills
and drummer Bill Berry), the
success of Green was not a big
break, but a continuation of the
band's progressive musical
transition. A transition which is
significantly furthered throughout
the eleven tracks on Out of
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The change is llparent from
the opening notes of "Radio
Song," the release's first cut. The
song begins as a soothing
lullaby, but soon evolves into a
scathing criticism of the radio
industry.
"It's the same sad song / DJ
sucks / makes me sad," Stipe
bitterly sings.
Stipe is accompanied on the
track by rapper KRS-One, whose
Out of Time is a
beacon guiding the
way for future
musical innovators.
restrained vocals delicately
accentuate the track without
overpowering Stipe's lyrics. The
rapper's presence is one of several
guest performances that also
include Kate Peirson of the B
52's and Peter Holsapple of the
dßs. These appearances, however
slight, contribute to the
flexibility of the tracks on Out
of Time.
"Radio Song" is followed by
the disc's first release, "Losing
My Religion." This track
introduces a complex string
arrangement to the group's
repertoire, an extension that
continues throughout the disc.
The single's upbeat, dancable
tempo masks Stipe's despondent
vocals:
"That's me in the corner /
$ Tables $
The Collegian
That's me in the spotlight /
losing my religion / Trying to
keep a view / and I don't know if
I can do it / oh now I've said too
much / I haven't said enough."
Other highlights include the
melancholy "Low," and the
irresistible "Near Wild Heaven."
The former reveals a doomsday
style sobriety, the latter a carefree
euphoria in spite of somber
subject matter.
On "Shiny Happy People,"
Stipe and guest Kate Peirson
contemplate the concept of a
peaceful, unblemished future. The
track would be a ridiculous
failure, if only the harmonies
weren't so damn catchy.
Such harmonizing is
uncharacteristic of Stipe, whose
once-standard mutterings are now
limited to the ballad "Half A
World Away."
The experimental nature of
Out of lime also leads to several
unsuccessful efforts. The spoken
passage on "Belong," for
instance, weighs the poetic value
of Stipe's lyrics too heavily. The
track comes off more as an
Orwellian satire than a sincere
political commentary.
Such failure is inevitable
when a band drastically alters its
style, and in this case the
mistakes are forgivable.
The restless experimentation
throughout Out of Time may
disgust some R.E.M. purists, but
many more will recognize and
appreciate the steps the band has
taken to move ahead and explore
its yet-unrealized artistic
potential. Perhaps more
performers should follow this
lead before the music industry
really does run out of time.
Sale
Side two
Judyßats
b Brad Kane
The Collegian
Hopes were high a few weeks
ago when I dug into my pocket
in an effort to find enough money
to finance my acquisition of the
Judyßats' debut album Native
Son.
Knowing of two songs on the
record previously, and approving
highly of both, I felt that adding
Son to my collection would be a
worthwhile endeavor.
But then, as I listened to the
remaining ten songs on the
album, my good feelings waned
to those of ill repute. "Maybe
this isn't as good as I felt it
would be," I thought. Sigh...
Just a simple case of the uneven
dcbut album.
I've seen this problem before,
especially in previous months.
First issues from such artists as
Daniel Ash, The Charlatans
U.K., and the Inspiral Carpets
had all failed to gain my full
backing, so to speak. Highlights
are present, true, but the
lowlights shine just as brightly
on said releases. Native Son is no
exception.
The title track kicks off the
album on a positive note. Right
away the listener realizes that lead
singer Jeff Heiskell does not
possess the, shall we say,
ordinary singing voice. It's of a
timbre comparable by some with
that of The Wall of Voodoo's
(and now solo act) Stan Ridgway.
Heiskell's slight southern
drawl (the band hails from
Tennessee) blends in perfectly
with the laid-back, lush
atmosphere the title track creates.
It is this voice that carries the
band throughout the record,
ranking as a voice that is a pure
joy to listen to.
The remainder of the first side
comes close to matching the high
standards the first cut sets.
"Convalescing in Spain"
switches on and off between two
totally different sets of rhythms
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ruins
' debut
and melodies that give the
listener the feeling that he or she
is reading a book. The lyrics are
witty enough too, to add an
appreciable extra flavor to the
track.
"Don't Rock the Baby" has a
catchy, pop-resembling chorus
hook that deals with caring for a
newborn. This sort of topic
doesn't always carry over well on
record (Example: The 70's cult
classic "She's Having My Baby"
by Paul Anka), but the Judyßats
do a surprisingly good job at
pulling it off.
Then there's "She Lives (In a
Time of Her Own)," which first
appeared on last year's tribute
compilation to Roky Erikson,
Where the Pyramid Meets the
Eye. It was through this song
that this reviewer's ear was first
hooked on the Judyßats, as the
track is done perfectly.
Heiskell's vocals are in fine
form as the full-throttle acoustic
guitar of Johnny Sughrue and the
farfisa organ of Peggy Hambright
add a special, extra dimension to
the song, making it the standout
track on Native Son.
But then we have that uneven
feeling. It's that darned second
side. It's just too laid back.
Listening to the side practically
put me to sleep. True, the band is
supposed to have a more subtle
sound and a Metallica-inspired rift
here and there would not fit very
well, but let's go for some
moderation, guys.
Nothing off this side is worth
mentioning. I mean, I don't even
listen to the second side anymore.
But in all honesty, that
shouldn't deter one from picking
up Native Son. The first side is
that good. The tracks on side one
have the ability to make one
forget how poor side two really
is. So if you're looking for some
gentle, southern influenced,
slightly psychedelic, guitar
induced music, the Judyßats
could very well be for you.
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