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(04/26/01 4:26am)
One day during a class discussion, I was given a minute to defend rock 'n' roll. \nMy professor, who gives an air of being generally anti-post classical era music, had read the first paragraph or so of a column installment and jovially challenged me on the validity of the genre. Here is my rebuttal, but slightly expanded.\nRock is valid because it developed from the heart of jazz and soul of blues. Many rock musicians had extreme talent, such as Jimi Hendrix or Tom Morello. More importantly, the music speaks. It conveys the story of life during the past few decades with certain rawness. It is cultural.\nLately, music of all forms has been diverse. But following that downbeat, a relentless craze for pop music has infected the honesty of good music. Music purists have been left blue-balled and helpless waiting for it to pass. \nNow take a stern look at American society, and tell me this trend doesn't accurately reflect our money- and media-driven culture. Then wipe the shock out of your eyes and take a look at Bloomington. \nI came to IU for the local music scene. Aside from the school's amazing journalism program and somewhat affordable cost, the music scene is a tremendous part of why I am here. In retrospect, I have not been disappointed.\nWriting this column has been a spectacular experience, and I would like to pass on the wealth. Welcome to my statement of purpose: to inspire the masses of Bloomington to escape their wretched, culturally drained and uninspiring lives and run to the arms of local musicians who are waiting to instill a little soul into their being.\nMusicians have a basic goal to pursue: communication. If a song can talk with you, help you reach a new level of enlightenment or just allow you a few minutes of escape from the doldrums of everyday life, it has done its job and can die happily, off the charts. Daily and locally, musicians are creating art that does just that. \nI guess the point is that no matter how many times I say it, support local music. No matter how unimportant it might seem to drop by that show Friday night, every increased body count shows a demand for original music. Instead of listening to the same radio airplay or buying the next CD featured on MTV, try expanding your mind a bit and picking up a local disc.\nWe are not in a position to run out of music, but locally, music could improve. We are actually on an upswing now, with many bands coming out with sophomore releases and a general influx of talent. But instead of being good, the local scene could be vibrant, and it won't happen without your help.\nMusic is not as worthless as some might think. Even grunge rock, which might not sound important to those too sophisticated to appreciate it, tells a story and educates listeners about the lives and world around them. Unsophisticated music deserves a large page on the cultural picture book with local music being the fire that drives it. Everyone was once a local musician, even Nelly.\nDespite all the feelings of discontent about the role of unsophisticated music in the world, I did feel my life was validated when I watched the shamelessly musically obsessed characters of High Fidelity or my dream life portrayed in Almost Famous. And yes, they were right about music, even rock music, being worthwhile and a necessary part of life. \nTo end the writhing and catcalls, I should say I look forward to next year's scene and trying to catch some shows at home this summer. It is a fight that has to be punched out from Bloomington to Boston.\nDon't ignore the mantra: Support local music.
(04/26/01 4:00am)
One day during a class discussion, I was given a minute to defend rock 'n' roll. \nMy professor, who gives an air of being generally anti-post classical era music, had read the first paragraph or so of a column installment and jovially challenged me on the validity of the genre. Here is my rebuttal, but slightly expanded.\nRock is valid because it developed from the heart of jazz and soul of blues. Many rock musicians had extreme talent, such as Jimi Hendrix or Tom Morello. More importantly, the music speaks. It conveys the story of life during the past few decades with certain rawness. It is cultural.\nLately, music of all forms has been diverse. But following that downbeat, a relentless craze for pop music has infected the honesty of good music. Music purists have been left blue-balled and helpless waiting for it to pass. \nNow take a stern look at American society, and tell me this trend doesn't accurately reflect our money- and media-driven culture. Then wipe the shock out of your eyes and take a look at Bloomington. \nI came to IU for the local music scene. Aside from the school's amazing journalism program and somewhat affordable cost, the music scene is a tremendous part of why I am here. In retrospect, I have not been disappointed.\nWriting this column has been a spectacular experience, and I would like to pass on the wealth. Welcome to my statement of purpose: to inspire the masses of Bloomington to escape their wretched, culturally drained and uninspiring lives and run to the arms of local musicians who are waiting to instill a little soul into their being.\nMusicians have a basic goal to pursue: communication. If a song can talk with you, help you reach a new level of enlightenment or just allow you a few minutes of escape from the doldrums of everyday life, it has done its job and can die happily, off the charts. Daily and locally, musicians are creating art that does just that. \nI guess the point is that no matter how many times I say it, support local music. No matter how unimportant it might seem to drop by that show Friday night, every increased body count shows a demand for original music. Instead of listening to the same radio airplay or buying the next CD featured on MTV, try expanding your mind a bit and picking up a local disc.\nWe are not in a position to run out of music, but locally, music could improve. We are actually on an upswing now, with many bands coming out with sophomore releases and a general influx of talent. But instead of being good, the local scene could be vibrant, and it won't happen without your help.\nMusic is not as worthless as some might think. Even grunge rock, which might not sound important to those too sophisticated to appreciate it, tells a story and educates listeners about the lives and world around them. Unsophisticated music deserves a large page on the cultural picture book with local music being the fire that drives it. Everyone was once a local musician, even Nelly.\nDespite all the feelings of discontent about the role of unsophisticated music in the world, I did feel my life was validated when I watched the shamelessly musically obsessed characters of High Fidelity or my dream life portrayed in Almost Famous. And yes, they were right about music, even rock music, being worthwhile and a necessary part of life. \nTo end the writhing and catcalls, I should say I look forward to next year's scene and trying to catch some shows at home this summer. It is a fight that has to be punched out from Bloomington to Boston.\nDon't ignore the mantra: Support local music.
(04/25/01 5:11am)
She might be missing, but she is definitely not forgotten.\nJill Behrman, a 19-year-old who had just finished her freshman year at IU, was reported missing nearly a year ago. Despite the Bloomington native's absence, Jill's presence can be felt throughout the community. From Run to the Endzone to the First United Methodist Church, many groups are uniting behind this tragedy. \n"Our congregation wanted to do something to honor Jill," said Reverend Howard Bowles of First United Methodist, the church the Behrman family attends. \nThe church is establishing a scholarship in Behrman's honor through donations from congregation members. Bowles said the scholarship offers a chance to tell Behrman's story, one which has had a "powerful impact" on the parish since her disappearance. Every Sunday before services, a candle of remembrance is lit that allows her memory to live on. \nRemembering Behrman is an activity taken seriously by more than one group from the area.\nAround the time of Valentine's Day, the staff of Camp Brosius, where Behrman was going to work this past summer, replaced the fading yellow ribbons around town, Jill's mother, Marilyn, said. She also said her family still receives many words of support from members of the community.\n"I want to reach out and help the family," said senior Nicole Howell, recipient of the first annual Jill Behrman Emerging Leader Scholarship, sponsored by the Division of Recreational Sports. Howell said of meeting Behrman in the past that "her smile never really left her face."\nDirector Kathy Bayless said the scholarship honors a volunteer, employee or participant involved with the Division of Recreational Sports. It was created with funds from the 2000 Run for the Endzone. Bayless said Behrman represents qualities that the community should "recognize and reinforce," such as character and citizenship.\nApplicants for the scholarship face strict requirements, Bayless said. The Behrman family selects the winners, who are recognized in the Division of Recreational Sports Spring Banquet. This year, 48 other awards -- 12 as monetary scholarships -- were handed out.\nAside from these scholarships and two sponsored by the Graduate Women in Business group, many student associations have approached the family asking to help. \nOne of the options for the student groups is to raise money for the Commission for Personal Safety. Personal safety is another issue brought to light by the disappearance, and one project the Commission wants in the future is promoting safety to freshmen during orientation. \n"The personal safety issues are very big for me... I still see so many people, male and female, out walking, jogging, biking alone or with earphones on," Marilyn said. She and her husband, Eric, worry that being distracted makes a person more vulnerable.\n"It's really important that, no matter when or where, you are just more aware of your surroundings," Marilyn said.\nMany members of the community have been touched by the loss of Behrman, including members of the school where her brother Brian now works, Marilyn said.\n"The kindergarten teacher there came to Brian the other day and said that one of her kindergartners, just kind of out of the blue, said something to her like, 'You know that girl that we haven't seen for a long time?... I just wonder if she misses her mommy and daddy."
(04/13/01 1:42am)
Seattle was the holiest of the holy in the early '90s. This northwestern coffee-monger town singlehandedly gave birth to the flannel shirt and ripped blue jean-clad grunge seraphim.\n A seemingly bottomless well of the dark and screeching talent of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains is somewhat ignored by the national eye. Once home to the best of heavy rock and punk fusion for the lonelyhearted, the word "Seattle" still brings stars to my eyes. But why did one city explode with talent and then fade away?\n How could so much talent apparently instantaneously appear in one town that was previously off the charts? What drove these musicians to succeed after starting from a background much like aspiring musicians all around the country? How could Kurt Cobain go from pounding out tunes with a high school friend in a relative's house to becoming the martyr of grunge? Could it happen again?\n While elsewhere aspiring to be a musician is futile, Bloomington has a scene with locally well-established groups, more than one quality venue and some kids to go see the shows. The scene isn't in a position to disappear for quite awhile, as some do.\nThis is not the case for another Indiana town of nearly the same size with a university in the area. Lafayette is more conservative and home to fewer venues, but at one time it boasted a "burgeoning punk scene," says local musician and LafayetteMusic.net Webmaster Jesse Charles.\nCharles got into the scene about four years ago after arriving to study at Purdue. Aside from playing music, Charles started LafayetteMusic.net, an online haven for local musicians with a message board and show calendar. \nLafayette is not lacking in its share of big name locals. Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon fame, Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses and Squirtgun all once called the area home. Now, though, there are few shows to catch on weekends and fewer solid bands to follow.\nWith such comparable stats, the scenes of Lafayette and Bloomington are worlds apart. So what makes a local scene work?\n"I'm going to say communication is key, especially in the form of networking," Charles says. "Bands don't want to do that anymore. It's a 'cooler than you' situation. In the past, bands of different genre and style were very open to working with bands of other styles. So I guess arrogance is the single biggest detractor to local music." Big heads equal small scenes.\nWith a limited amount of venues, money and fans, local scenes face an anti-Darwinesqe situation. To survive, musicians have to support one another instead of compete. To have a show to go to next weekend, it helps if musicians promote and attend the other group's set this weekend, letting venue owners know that original, local music is in demand.\nThis is what I see working in Bloomington. The musicians I talk to here know one another, play together and know when other shows are going on. \nAnother thing to keep the music flowing? "Activity," Charles says. Right on -- when no one else is playing shows, new musicians are subject to a largely uninspiring atmosphere to work in. \n"If nothing is going on, no one will see any point in doing anything. That's the problem here ... With a sharp drop in music-related activities in the area, no one was motivated to do anything about it.," Charles says. \nAlong with communication, motivation is largely working for Bloomington. Stuff is going on here, and people know it. There are people to play with and people to hear it.\nBloomington has not plateaued yet. There is room to grow. At the Live From Bloomington Vertigo show last week, the floor was virtually empty at first, expanding later but still leaving too much room. It turned out to be an amazing show. Some could say it was a good turnout, but for only $2-3 cover and a motivating cause, I was convinced there could be more. \nMany factors develop a scene, but one current runs underneath all of them. Maintaining a music scene takes work.
(04/12/01 4:00am)
Seattle was the holiest of the holy in the early '90s. This northwestern coffee-monger town singlehandedly gave birth to the flannel shirt and ripped blue jean-clad grunge seraphim.\n A seemingly bottomless well of the dark and screeching talent of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains is somewhat ignored by the national eye. Once home to the best of heavy rock and punk fusion for the lonelyhearted, the word "Seattle" still brings stars to my eyes. But why did one city explode with talent and then fade away?\n How could so much talent apparently instantaneously appear in one town that was previously off the charts? What drove these musicians to succeed after starting from a background much like aspiring musicians all around the country? How could Kurt Cobain go from pounding out tunes with a high school friend in a relative's house to becoming the martyr of grunge? Could it happen again?\n While elsewhere aspiring to be a musician is futile, Bloomington has a scene with locally well-established groups, more than one quality venue and some kids to go see the shows. The scene isn't in a position to disappear for quite awhile, as some do.\nThis is not the case for another Indiana town of nearly the same size with a university in the area. Lafayette is more conservative and home to fewer venues, but at one time it boasted a "burgeoning punk scene," says local musician and LafayetteMusic.net Webmaster Jesse Charles.\nCharles got into the scene about four years ago after arriving to study at Purdue. Aside from playing music, Charles started LafayetteMusic.net, an online haven for local musicians with a message board and show calendar. \nLafayette is not lacking in its share of big name locals. Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon fame, Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses and Squirtgun all once called the area home. Now, though, there are few shows to catch on weekends and fewer solid bands to follow.\nWith such comparable stats, the scenes of Lafayette and Bloomington are worlds apart. So what makes a local scene work?\n"I'm going to say communication is key, especially in the form of networking," Charles says. "Bands don't want to do that anymore. It's a 'cooler than you' situation. In the past, bands of different genre and style were very open to working with bands of other styles. So I guess arrogance is the single biggest detractor to local music." Big heads equal small scenes.\nWith a limited amount of venues, money and fans, local scenes face an anti-Darwinesqe situation. To survive, musicians have to support one another instead of compete. To have a show to go to next weekend, it helps if musicians promote and attend the other group's set this weekend, letting venue owners know that original, local music is in demand.\nThis is what I see working in Bloomington. The musicians I talk to here know one another, play together and know when other shows are going on. \nAnother thing to keep the music flowing? "Activity," Charles says. Right on -- when no one else is playing shows, new musicians are subject to a largely uninspiring atmosphere to work in. \n"If nothing is going on, no one will see any point in doing anything. That's the problem here ... With a sharp drop in music-related activities in the area, no one was motivated to do anything about it.," Charles says. \nAlong with communication, motivation is largely working for Bloomington. Stuff is going on here, and people know it. There are people to play with and people to hear it.\nBloomington has not plateaued yet. There is room to grow. At the Live From Bloomington Vertigo show last week, the floor was virtually empty at first, expanding later but still leaving too much room. It turned out to be an amazing show. Some could say it was a good turnout, but for only $2-3 cover and a motivating cause, I was convinced there could be more. \nMany factors develop a scene, but one current runs underneath all of them. Maintaining a music scene takes work.
(04/05/01 4:39am)
Armageddon. Raining fire, the battle between good and evil and the death of comic books. Welcome to the future of illustration and fantasy: When it arrives, there might be nothing left. \nWith the near bankruptcy of Marvel, one of the comic industry's two main superpowers, dropping purchase rates, various time-consuming distractions besides comics and the general buzz of dissatisfaction with spandex-clad superheros, some creators are predicting the end. The elimination of comics as we know them. At the same time, some disagree. \nMarvel comic sales have fallen from $850 million in 1993 to $275 million in 1999, U.S. News and World Report Online reports. The number of comic shops went down from about 10,000 to 3,400. \nCompanies such as Marvel now rely on monthly books for the majority of sales, putting out 20-30 page comics for about $3 a pop. Trade paperbacks, collections of many issues in a single, more sturdy format, are drawing an increased number of buyers.\nDespite Marvel's close downfall, Don Wilds, the guy behind the counter at the Vintage Phoenix comic shop downtown, says the sales and customer stream have been pretty consistent since he opened the store with some friends in 1974. Wilds also testifies to the success of trade paperbacks.\nLike many, Wilds started perusing this particular literary form as a boy and got back into it during college. He says people become enamored with comics for different reasons, especially since the birth of independent publishers. Now, almost every interest can take refuge in inked fantasy worlds.\nWilds can't see his audience changing vastly in the future. The predicted demise has had little or no effect on local business, says the employee of Vintage, 114 E. Sixth St. On Wednesdays, "new comics days," customers still crowd the store.\nThe biggest purchasing change locally involves the diverse array of comics available. Instead of one X-Men title to buy every month, there are several, a factor that drives individual book demand down. The same audience is now spread over multiple books instead of one. \nComics today are vastly different than the pencil and ink of the past in more ways than one. It used to be the only thing available were superhero stories, brought to the newsstand through magazine distributors. Today, although Marvel and DC still fly higher than everyone else, some independent publishers have sprung up to offer everything from subtle satirical commentary to crime stories. Comics are distributed through Diamond, one powerful company that sends books to be sold and bought in special comic shops.\nAlthough people seem to be complaining about the abundance of costumed and caped action, about 90 of Diamond's top 100-selling titles for March are spandex-driven. This overall wallet and purse support of the medium and the availability of independent books can lend some hope to comic book fans for the future.\nReaders sick of the patriotic superhero plot can find comics about futuristic and bitter journalists, sarcastic clergymen who befriend vampires or manga, the wide-eyed and cartoony style flown over from Japan in recent years. These books are aimed at an older audience than the comics of before, with plot lines that deal not only with good versus evil, but also human relationships and politics. \n"It seems to be something everyone has been saying for the last 50 years," graduate student Arne Flaten says about the predicted demise. Flaten taught the class The History of Comic Book Art for five semesters.\nCombine these factors, and "Holy cow, Batman!", the comic world seems more unstable than it used to be, say worldly pros such as Warren Ellis and Steven Grant. Ellis writes various books including "Transmetropolitan" with Darick Robertson and has worked on Marvel books before. Grant does various titles, most recently Marvel's "X-man."\nBoth predict the end of innocence. Comics just aren't for kiddies anymore, and soon they might die of old age.\nMuch of the problem could be in the nature of the work. Most lucrative projects don't require the artist to sell his soul to a corporation that's actual standard industry classification is "Dolls and Stuffed Toys."\n"Most of the writers of my generation have gone to Marvel to write superhero comics," writes Ellis in the Dec. 29 installment of his column, "Come in Alone." The column used to run weekly on ComicBookResources.com.\nNothing is wrong with this, of course, unless the writer-artist is concerned with putting something new into the world or maintaining control over what he or she creates, Ellis says. Marvel hires various people to do the same comic, paying royalties and keeping the credit. And Marvel does superhero comics. Think "X-Men" and "Spiderman." \nEllis goes on to compare the proliferation of superhero comics in the genre as going to a bookstore full of nurse novels. There isn't much selection. \nGrant agrees.\n"Superheros, at least to the American public, are goofy costumes and goofy names and ridiculous fight scenes and, as a layover from pre-post-ironic days, corny speeches about Mom and apple pie." \nSuperheros bore Grant now, despite his work with Marvel. Such a job is often the only way a comic star can earn enough money to make a living, he says. \nGrant calls 2001 "The Year of Blood" in his ComicBookResources.com column "Master of the Obvious." \n"Fact: any publisher could change the course of the industry at this point. But they'd have to have a new idea," Grant continues. \n"This is the worst it's ever been," freshman comic junkie Matt Stevons says. Growing up with "Preacher" and looking for a future in the industry, Stevons blames the loss of interest in superheros and comics' poor business model for the decline he sees as inevitable. \nTo save the genre, Stevons thinks the industry must rely more heavily on trade paperbacks and actually produce more "stuff that doesn't suck."\nAt the moment, non-traditional comics are seemingly being accepted as a viable art form, Flaten says. Maus, a 1980s graphic novel depicting the Holocaust from a personified rodent's viewpoint, won creator Art Spiegelman a Pulitzer and is used in university literature courses. Other graphic novels such as "Sandman" and "The Watchmen" are elbowing their way into chain bookstores such as Barnes & Noble with their increased appeal. Everyone can find a comic they are interested in, Flaten says.\nComics have survived McCarthyism, Flaten says. He compares the superhero genre to that of the Greek gods. Superman is essentially Celtic literary hero Beowulf, Flaten says, and interest in the heroes will never completely die. \n"I know there's a crisis … but comics have withstood a lot worse than this," Flaten says.\nWill Superman fly again? Will Wolverine ever stop scowling? Will Spidey ever learn that full body spandex just isn't attractive? \nTo be continued …
(04/05/01 4:21am)
Don't tell Bob Schneider Texans only listen to country and rockabilly. An Austin songwriter with attitude and spice, Schneider leaves the stereotypes out to dry before climbing onstage. His first major label release as a solo artist, Lonelyland, is a dust storm of acoustic guitars, horns and brief beautiful female operatic vocals.\nAfter various bands and independently released titles, Schneider took on a solo career. This was a good move.\nSchneider does not have a problem with repetition. In fact, he mixes such a complex blend of different musical tactics I was left to wonder just where this guy learned to write. Instead of creating an album of songs that muck together under the same formula, he mixes the best qualities of many free-flowing forms.\nWith his acoustic guitar and smooth vocals, Schneider presents his soul under the guise of talent and style. Opening the disc with a mildly flavored rock type sound complete with keyboards and synchronized vocals, the title track sets the tone of the album. All of the other songs mix interesting techniques and personal lyrics for a hypnotic quality.\n"Bullets" opens with the line I gots to freak, I gots to flow to let the dance begin. Horns fill in the coolness while the rhythm section throws in the groove. Schneider's raspy vocals make the strut-funk mood complete. \nRight after letting out the swagger, Schneider tones it down a notch for "The World Exploded into Love," a quieter discourse on love that's fit for spring. \nThis is the game plan of the Lonelyland album: play song, go in entirely different direction than before, repeat. \nSchneider further eliminates the boredom problem with Latin influences and introspective lyrics. Singer-songwriter has taken on a new meaning with these tracks. \nSometimes the best music is undiscovered. Thankfully, this Lonelyland was.
(04/05/01 4:06am)
All bow before the gods of local music … for 2001 at least. Since 1986, the Union Board has put together a compilation of the best in local music with proceeds going to feed the hungry. 2001 is no exception.\nDanagas starts the disc off with a funk-based track with alien-style samples. "Alien Encounter"'s danceable, cool sounds tell the story of a musician in an "X-Files"-worthy encounter. Blue Moon Revue comes in next to tone down the funk and add a liquid-like groove. Low-key guitars, smooth harmonies and a tight rhythm section dresses up the band's energy on "Streetlight."\n"Hoping" by Ill Capitan opens with a mild growl and crisp percussion and then explodes into a distorted introspection piece. With the fingerprints of youthful angst, this track darkens the brighter sound. The band You brings out the sun again with "Cars." Complete with poppy harmonies, this lighthearted tune completes its bike story with strong keyboard and guitar lines and solid percussion. \n"Conviction Addiction" is a passionate track by Hunting Miles that takes local acoustic music to a new level and offers soulful vocals. Tearing it up on the jazz scene, the Barber Brothers Jazz Quintet rings in with "Song for Stanley T." This tune is amazing, complete with smoking horn solos.\nSwinging the album back into the pop-rock world, Only Infinity plays the growing up story of "Marbles and Stones" with dual vocals and easy-going instrumentation, including piano and auxiliary percussion. Jazzing it up again, Alma Azul brings culture to the scene through its Latin style on "Con el Sol." The beautiful female vocals complement the band perfectly. \nZeb Gould casts the spotlight back on acoustic music with "Coolridge Setting," a short but captivating instrumental. Sidestepping from the previous tracks, Crooked County plays the country blues in "High on the Hog." The track pays tribute to the influence of old country music. \nSally Anthony redeems towheaded female musicians of the past year with "Martyr," a solid song with rhythmic vocals. Mode Street throws in a bit more introspection and happiness with the swinging rock-styled "Bar Scene," also adding harmonies and a strong keyboard backing. Three Minute Mile paints a mellow picture of love with "Groove Me," a song deserving of top 40 fame. \nStrings and bass fuel Utopia Blue's "Breathe," a love song with a unique sound. These women sing with conviction. The Dew Daddies revisit rowdy twang with the rockabilly styled "I've Had It," complete with the right guitars to do the job. Ending with punch and a skank, No Reason Given tops it off with the attitude and intense energy on "OutDo"
(04/05/01 4:00am)
How many indie kids does it take to screw in a light bulb?\nJust ask Little Joe Gould. It has that joke on vinyl. \nIn an art form that attracts oddities and obsessives, kids who would search forever for a specific import, there must be an aura of individuality and cool around an indie band that can make it. It must trade shows with other bands to get by and play behind poles in crowded basements. And the bands have to love it.\nLittle Joe Gould meets all the requirements. Originally formed during the spring of 2000 and then reformed into the present setup at the beginning of the school year, the band's darkly rocking sound came into being from a variety of influences and oddities. The first being duck rock.\nThe band members call themselves the purveyors of duck rock, whatever that means, and carry off this sound with precision and passion. So, from here on out, instead of referring to the band as a blend of anti-emo and musical love, we will refer to Little Joe Gould's oft indescribable sound as duck rock. \nThis duck rock comes from the combined talents of senior Matt Armstrong on bass, freshman Sarah Balliet on cello, sophomore Vincent Edwards on keyboard and samples, sophomore Alex Schrodt on drums and sophomore Adam Turla on guitar and vocals.\nThe quacking roar echoed from the Collins Clubhouse, on Eighth Street next to WIUS, one Thursday night before an interview. Armstrong was kind enough to sacrifice ear plugs to this journalist before diving back into the set. \nThis night, as per usual, the band played all original tunes. "Come Thursday," an eerie yet heartfelt ballad of losing and longing with a very cool keyboard line in the background, topped the set list. "Canyon Inn," "(Como) Panuelos (Blancos de Adios)," "This Song (is brought to you by the letter C and the number 6)," "Those Who Left" and "Those Who Stayed" rounded out this practice and interview time share.\nThese musicians came together like many do— entirely by fate and jam sessions. Edwards, Turla and Schrodt jammed together in the Collins residence halls with some other friends and decided to dive right into the whirlwind life of independent music. Originally, this setup included a violist and a violinist, but the music majors were forced to quit after threats from their professors.\nLater adopting Armstrong and Balliet, the duck rock sound took on that mysterious aspect that pop music misses: originality. It brings something a little different to the ears, with crazy bass playing that sometimes sounds like keyboards, keyboards layering melodies, the cello adding depth and the drums, vocals and guitars just doing their thing. \nThese musicians aren't afraid to try something. Duck rock really is the best way to describe the sound, otherwise the melee of 15 clashing, descriptive words wouldn't do justice to the semblance of balance that Little Joe Gould obtains.\nThis creativity does not stop at the music. Little Joe Gould also has really unique fliers that always get stolen. Edwards is, apparently, a master at the computer and will stop at nothing to take normal pictures and images and transfer them into something unique and somewhat crazy. The fliers usually have interesting pictures with lots of color. The font and writing occasionally resemble a scrawl. \nAfter a short time together, these musicians took to the basement of an independent recorder and put some songs down. The cover of the album is as beautiful and hectic as the music is. It is a mixture of fury and musicianship that meshes to form something good. \nWhile they play, this mixture is even apparent on the faces of the musicians. Edwards is serious, Balliet intense and Schrodt and Armstrong just look as though they are having fun. Turla switches between all three. \nThe music, emotion and quirkiness of the band creates a geeky cool of indie music. It even opens up the door to the indie music ignorant such as I. \nTrading shows with other indie groups such as Nymb from Chicago, the band is looking to set up a May tour. As long as you give him a floor to crash on and a little bit of food, Turla says he is ready to play. This trading and family type atmosphere is one of the definite benefits to being unsigned. \nSo with a quack and a ruffle of feathers. Little Joe Gould is on its way to doing what it likes best. Playing.\nLittle Joe Gould will play Saturday at Culture Shock in Dunn Meadow; April 13 with Das Spooky and Hijla at Rhino's All Age Music Club, 325 1/2 S. Walnut St.; April 21 at Collinsfest at the Collins Residence Hall and April 29 with the Shipping News at Rhino's.
(04/05/01 4:00am)
All bow before the gods of local music … for 2001 at least. Since 1986, the Union Board has put together a compilation of the best in local music with proceeds going to feed the hungry. 2001 is no exception.\nDanagas starts the disc off with a funk-based track with alien-style samples. "Alien Encounter"'s danceable, cool sounds tell the story of a musician in an "X-Files"-worthy encounter. Blue Moon Revue comes in next to tone down the funk and add a liquid-like groove. Low-key guitars, smooth harmonies and a tight rhythm section dresses up the band's energy on "Streetlight."\n"Hoping" by Ill Capitan opens with a mild growl and crisp percussion and then explodes into a distorted introspection piece. With the fingerprints of youthful angst, this track darkens the brighter sound. The band You brings out the sun again with "Cars." Complete with poppy harmonies, this lighthearted tune completes its bike story with strong keyboard and guitar lines and solid percussion. \n"Conviction Addiction" is a passionate track by Hunting Miles that takes local acoustic music to a new level and offers soulful vocals. Tearing it up on the jazz scene, the Barber Brothers Jazz Quintet rings in with "Song for Stanley T." This tune is amazing, complete with smoking horn solos.\nSwinging the album back into the pop-rock world, Only Infinity plays the growing up story of "Marbles and Stones" with dual vocals and easy-going instrumentation, including piano and auxiliary percussion. Jazzing it up again, Alma Azul brings culture to the scene through its Latin style on "Con el Sol." The beautiful female vocals complement the band perfectly. \nZeb Gould casts the spotlight back on acoustic music with "Coolridge Setting," a short but captivating instrumental. Sidestepping from the previous tracks, Crooked County plays the country blues in "High on the Hog." The track pays tribute to the influence of old country music. \nSally Anthony redeems towheaded female musicians of the past year with "Martyr," a solid song with rhythmic vocals. Mode Street throws in a bit more introspection and happiness with the swinging rock-styled "Bar Scene," also adding harmonies and a strong keyboard backing. Three Minute Mile paints a mellow picture of love with "Groove Me," a song deserving of top 40 fame. \nStrings and bass fuel Utopia Blue's "Breathe," a love song with a unique sound. These women sing with conviction. The Dew Daddies revisit rowdy twang with the rockabilly styled "I've Had It," complete with the right guitars to do the job. Ending with punch and a skank, No Reason Given tops it off with the attitude and intense energy on "OutDo"
(04/05/01 4:00am)
Don't tell Bob Schneider Texans only listen to country and rockabilly. An Austin songwriter with attitude and spice, Schneider leaves the stereotypes out to dry before climbing onstage. His first major label release as a solo artist, Lonelyland, is a dust storm of acoustic guitars, horns and brief beautiful female operatic vocals.\nAfter various bands and independently released titles, Schneider took on a solo career. This was a good move.\nSchneider does not have a problem with repetition. In fact, he mixes such a complex blend of different musical tactics I was left to wonder just where this guy learned to write. Instead of creating an album of songs that muck together under the same formula, he mixes the best qualities of many free-flowing forms.\nWith his acoustic guitar and smooth vocals, Schneider presents his soul under the guise of talent and style. Opening the disc with a mildly flavored rock type sound complete with keyboards and synchronized vocals, the title track sets the tone of the album. All of the other songs mix interesting techniques and personal lyrics for a hypnotic quality.\n"Bullets" opens with the line I gots to freak, I gots to flow to let the dance begin. Horns fill in the coolness while the rhythm section throws in the groove. Schneider's raspy vocals make the strut-funk mood complete. \nRight after letting out the swagger, Schneider tones it down a notch for "The World Exploded into Love," a quieter discourse on love that's fit for spring. \nThis is the game plan of the Lonelyland album: play song, go in entirely different direction than before, repeat. \nSchneider further eliminates the boredom problem with Latin influences and introspective lyrics. Singer-songwriter has taken on a new meaning with these tracks. \nSometimes the best music is undiscovered. Thankfully, this Lonelyland was.
(04/05/01 4:00am)
They call themselves the "kings of bluegrass disco." Oddly enough, this description is completely accurate. \nThe Ghettobillies of southeastern Michigan take music and wit where few have dared: to the realm of funkified country. An assault of rockingness on the ears, the Ghettobillies leave nothing to be desired for the music fan with a sense of humor.\nButterface, a sophomore release, jumps off the disco-dancing horse with the punchy, love-inspired "Risking Heaven." The track lilts to the story of a boy with a slight attitude and slighter twang who met the love of his life at a 7-Eleven convenience store. And the energy doesn't stop there. \nAside from the danceable and spirited sound, the Ghettobillies tease the mind with comical and smart lyrics. Consider them smarter, talented and musically adept with the spirit of a guy who likes to take advantage of that.\n"Line Dance Champion" points a laughing man's finger at the country pride world with coordinated hand claps, yeehaws and a beat that is actually line-danceable. With his Stetson, big belt buckle and tight Wranglers, this dude is ready to win. And so on -- he fun doesn't stop with country poking. \nGoing on to sing about the joys of "a little bit of cushion for the pushing" in "Jiggle Low," the beauty of sadomasochism in "My Girl" and the lacking love life of the pipe inclined in "Plumer's Lament," the Ghettobillies definitely have more than one trick in their bag of weird stuff.\nDo not be mistaken, the Billies do have a soft and sensitive side. In "The Gap," a sad string sound gives way to a tale of love and heartbreak in the mall. A young naive Gap employee takes up with the dreamy guy from Banana Republic and is heartbroken when that tall stupid blond bitch/from Abercrombie and Fitch/had stolen her man with a fake and bake tan. Sad, isn't it?\nDo not let the wit take away from the Ghettobillies musical talent. Their strains of all sorts of influences are pulled off without a pause.\nWith insight and the music to get it across, the Ghettobillies have won the crown in their division. \nAll hail the kings of bluegrass disco.
(04/05/01 4:00am)
Armageddon. Raining fire, the battle between good and evil and the death of comic books. Welcome to the future of illustration and fantasy: When it arrives, there might be nothing left. \nWith the near bankruptcy of Marvel, one of the comic industry's two main superpowers, dropping purchase rates, various time-consuming distractions besides comics and the general buzz of dissatisfaction with spandex-clad superheros, some creators are predicting the end. The elimination of comics as we know them. At the same time, some disagree. \nMarvel comic sales have fallen from $850 million in 1993 to $275 million in 1999, U.S. News and World Report Online reports. The number of comic shops went down from about 10,000 to 3,400. \nCompanies such as Marvel now rely on monthly books for the majority of sales, putting out 20-30 page comics for about $3 a pop. Trade paperbacks, collections of many issues in a single, more sturdy format, are drawing an increased number of buyers.\nDespite Marvel's close downfall, Don Wilds, the guy behind the counter at the Vintage Phoenix comic shop downtown, says the sales and customer stream have been pretty consistent since he opened the store with some friends in 1974. Wilds also testifies to the success of trade paperbacks.\nLike many, Wilds started perusing this particular literary form as a boy and got back into it during college. He says people become enamored with comics for different reasons, especially since the birth of independent publishers. Now, almost every interest can take refuge in inked fantasy worlds.\nWilds can't see his audience changing vastly in the future. The predicted demise has had little or no effect on local business, says the employee of Vintage, 114 E. Sixth St. On Wednesdays, "new comics days," customers still crowd the store.\nThe biggest purchasing change locally involves the diverse array of comics available. Instead of one X-Men title to buy every month, there are several, a factor that drives individual book demand down. The same audience is now spread over multiple books instead of one. \nComics today are vastly different than the pencil and ink of the past in more ways than one. It used to be the only thing available were superhero stories, brought to the newsstand through magazine distributors. Today, although Marvel and DC still fly higher than everyone else, some independent publishers have sprung up to offer everything from subtle satirical commentary to crime stories. Comics are distributed through Diamond, one powerful company that sends books to be sold and bought in special comic shops.\nAlthough people seem to be complaining about the abundance of costumed and caped action, about 90 of Diamond's top 100-selling titles for March are spandex-driven. This overall wallet and purse support of the medium and the availability of independent books can lend some hope to comic book fans for the future.\nReaders sick of the patriotic superhero plot can find comics about futuristic and bitter journalists, sarcastic clergymen who befriend vampires or manga, the wide-eyed and cartoony style flown over from Japan in recent years. These books are aimed at an older audience than the comics of before, with plot lines that deal not only with good versus evil, but also human relationships and politics. \n"It seems to be something everyone has been saying for the last 50 years," graduate student Arne Flaten says about the predicted demise. Flaten taught the class The History of Comic Book Art for five semesters.\nCombine these factors, and "Holy cow, Batman!", the comic world seems more unstable than it used to be, say worldly pros such as Warren Ellis and Steven Grant. Ellis writes various books including "Transmetropolitan" with Darick Robertson and has worked on Marvel books before. Grant does various titles, most recently Marvel's "X-man."\nBoth predict the end of innocence. Comics just aren't for kiddies anymore, and soon they might die of old age.\nMuch of the problem could be in the nature of the work. Most lucrative projects don't require the artist to sell his soul to a corporation that's actual standard industry classification is "Dolls and Stuffed Toys."\n"Most of the writers of my generation have gone to Marvel to write superhero comics," writes Ellis in the Dec. 29 installment of his column, "Come in Alone." The column used to run weekly on ComicBookResources.com.\nNothing is wrong with this, of course, unless the writer-artist is concerned with putting something new into the world or maintaining control over what he or she creates, Ellis says. Marvel hires various people to do the same comic, paying royalties and keeping the credit. And Marvel does superhero comics. Think "X-Men" and "Spiderman." \nEllis goes on to compare the proliferation of superhero comics in the genre as going to a bookstore full of nurse novels. There isn't much selection. \nGrant agrees.\n"Superheros, at least to the American public, are goofy costumes and goofy names and ridiculous fight scenes and, as a layover from pre-post-ironic days, corny speeches about Mom and apple pie." \nSuperheros bore Grant now, despite his work with Marvel. Such a job is often the only way a comic star can earn enough money to make a living, he says. \nGrant calls 2001 "The Year of Blood" in his ComicBookResources.com column "Master of the Obvious." \n"Fact: any publisher could change the course of the industry at this point. But they'd have to have a new idea," Grant continues. \n"This is the worst it's ever been," freshman comic junkie Matt Stevons says. Growing up with "Preacher" and looking for a future in the industry, Stevons blames the loss of interest in superheros and comics' poor business model for the decline he sees as inevitable. \nTo save the genre, Stevons thinks the industry must rely more heavily on trade paperbacks and actually produce more "stuff that doesn't suck."\nAt the moment, non-traditional comics are seemingly being accepted as a viable art form, Flaten says. Maus, a 1980s graphic novel depicting the Holocaust from a personified rodent's viewpoint, won creator Art Spiegelman a Pulitzer and is used in university literature courses. Other graphic novels such as "Sandman" and "The Watchmen" are elbowing their way into chain bookstores such as Barnes & Noble with their increased appeal. Everyone can find a comic they are interested in, Flaten says.\nComics have survived McCarthyism, Flaten says. He compares the superhero genre to that of the Greek gods. Superman is essentially Celtic literary hero Beowulf, Flaten says, and interest in the heroes will never completely die. \n"I know there's a crisis … but comics have withstood a lot worse than this," Flaten says.\nWill Superman fly again? Will Wolverine ever stop scowling? Will Spidey ever learn that full body spandex just isn't attractive? \nTo be continued …
(04/05/01 3:51am)
How many indie kids does it take to screw in a light bulb?\nJust ask Little Joe Gould. It has that joke on vinyl. \nIn an art form that attracts oddities and obsessives, kids who would search forever for a specific import, there must be an aura of individuality and cool around an indie band that can make it. It must trade shows with other bands to get by and play behind poles in crowded basements. And the bands have to love it.\nLittle Joe Gould meets all the requirements. Originally formed during the spring of 2000 and then reformed into the present setup at the beginning of the school year, the band's darkly rocking sound came into being from a variety of influences and oddities. The first being duck rock.\nThe band members call themselves the purveyors of duck rock, whatever that means, and carry off this sound with precision and passion. So, from here on out, instead of referring to the band as a blend of anti-emo and musical love, we will refer to Little Joe Gould's oft indescribable sound as duck rock. \nThis duck rock comes from the combined talents of senior Matt Armstrong on bass, freshman Sarah Balliet on cello, sophomore Vincent Edwards on keyboard and samples, sophomore Alex Schrodt on drums and sophomore Adam Turla on guitar and vocals.\nThe quacking roar echoed from the Collins Clubhouse, on Eighth Street next to WIUS, one Thursday night before an interview. Armstrong was kind enough to sacrifice ear plugs to this journalist before diving back into the set. \nThis night, as per usual, the band played all original tunes. "Come Thursday," an eerie yet heartfelt ballad of losing and longing with a very cool keyboard line in the background, topped the set list. "Canyon Inn," "(Como) Panuelos (Blancos de Adios)," "This Song (is brought to you by the letter C and the number 6)," "Those Who Left" and "Those Who Stayed" rounded out this practice and interview time share.\nThese musicians came together like many do— entirely by fate and jam sessions. Edwards, Turla and Schrodt jammed together in the Collins residence halls with some other friends and decided to dive right into the whirlwind life of independent music. Originally, this setup included a violist and a violinist, but the music majors were forced to quit after threats from their professors.\nLater adopting Armstrong and Balliet, the duck rock sound took on that mysterious aspect that pop music misses: originality. It brings something a little different to the ears, with crazy bass playing that sometimes sounds like keyboards, keyboards layering melodies, the cello adding depth and the drums, vocals and guitars just doing their thing. \nThese musicians aren't afraid to try something. Duck rock really is the best way to describe the sound, otherwise the melee of 15 clashing, descriptive words wouldn't do justice to the semblance of balance that Little Joe Gould obtains.\nThis creativity does not stop at the music. Little Joe Gould also has really unique fliers that always get stolen. Edwards is, apparently, a master at the computer and will stop at nothing to take normal pictures and images and transfer them into something unique and somewhat crazy. The fliers usually have interesting pictures with lots of color. The font and writing occasionally resemble a scrawl. \nAfter a short time together, these musicians took to the basement of an independent recorder and put some songs down. The cover of the album is as beautiful and hectic as the music is. It is a mixture of fury and musicianship that meshes to form something good. \nWhile they play, this mixture is even apparent on the faces of the musicians. Edwards is serious, Balliet intense and Schrodt and Armstrong just look as though they are having fun. Turla switches between all three. \nThe music, emotion and quirkiness of the band creates a geeky cool of indie music. It even opens up the door to the indie music ignorant such as I. \nTrading shows with other indie groups such as Nymb from Chicago, the band is looking to set up a May tour. As long as you give him a floor to crash on and a little bit of food, Turla says he is ready to play. This trading and family type atmosphere is one of the definite benefits to being unsigned. \nSo with a quack and a ruffle of feathers. Little Joe Gould is on its way to doing what it likes best. Playing.\nLittle Joe Gould will play Saturday at Culture Shock in Dunn Meadow; April 13 with Das Spooky and Hijla at Rhino's All Age Music Club, 325 1/2 S. Walnut St.; April 21 at Collinsfest at the Collins Residence Hall and April 29 with the Shipping News at Rhino's.
(03/29/01 5:04am)
Welcome to the home of rebellion: Rage Against the Machine in Mexico City.\nAfter hurling its music and muscle behind political causes in Mexico, RATM threw its grenade of sound into Mexico City for the first time. Luckily enough, someone was taping.\nRATM plays to a seething crowd of 5,000, everybody thrashing to create a wave in front of the stage. It is easy to see why RATM is successful. The fans are just as intense.\nAlready raging with the first song, "Testify" from The Battle of Los Angeles, the energy comes in a steady downpour for the next 68 minutes. The only breaker to the rounds of sound-fire are the Zach de la Rocha vocalized commentaries on destitution in Mexico.\nReciting the plight of the Zapatista rebellion, the evils of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the student fight for justice, RATM not only entertains but educates. The sincere concern of the band and the horrifying statistics are enough to make an activist out of anyone. \nWhen the musicians are onstage, they convey the same passion. From the vehement vocals of de la Rocha to the collective trashing of Tom Morello, Tim C. and Brad Wilk, the onstage fire never wavers. With sweat trailing down his brow, de la Rocha's joyless, fevered and passionate expressions show the faces behind the songs.\nMost of the tracks are from The Battle of Los Angeles, but the Zapatista-inspired "People of the Sun" and explosive "Bulls on Parade" and "Killing in the Name" are also included. \nThe only detrimental points to the video have nothing to do with the performance. Jerky and oddly placed stills interfere with the rhythm of the music and frustrated me to the point of cursing. Had the concert not been processed in the hands of technological wizards, it would be much better. \nOtherwise "The Battle of Mexico City" makes the reason behind the roaring of RATM visual. Without letting down, the video is true to the band's most important fans: the politically purged who are fighting for justice.\nJust witness the war with a good set of speakers.
(03/29/01 5:00am)
Admit it. Everyone thought they disappeared. \nSix years after the platinum-selling debut Rubberneck and with many movie soundtrack songs in between, the Texas-based Toadies did it again. They produced an album that just screams "Toadies."\nSome bands just have their own sound. Eddie Vedder and 311 have it. So do Green Day and Cake. It's that impenetrable unique sound that gives the band its personality. The Toadies have it from their energy-driven guitars to their intense vocals.\nRejecting the tendency of many modern rockers to abandon their roots, the Toadies ripped an album of Rubberneck-esque howls, insights and volume. \nOpening with a scream, Hell Below/Stars Above brings the boys and girl back for more of the same with a little added maturity. Although still angst-ridden, some of the hopelessness seems to be gone. More than half a decade can do that to you.\nThroughout 12 tracks, the Toadies put out a heavy-layered sound without losing the ferocity of a live show. \nTodd Lewis, vocalist and guitarist, agrees.\n"With this one, we were open to have more harmonies and overdubs to make it a little more lush and produced, without sacrificing the immediacy of the live thing," says Lewis on the band's Web site. \nAnd lush it is. Trading levels of force, the guitars and vocals share the Toadies necessary insecurity and vengeance.\nLyrics from this album show a bit more resolve than Rubberneck's pitying cries on songs such as "Backslider" and its hit, "Possum Kingdom." Yet they still possess the same honesty and disbelief.\nI guess I left myself wide open, sings Lewis on the album's first single, "Push the Hand." Other songs deal with the Toadie-familiar topics, like sin and women, with cleverness. \nIn a world of mediocrity, here is something new worth listening to. Welcome back Toadies.
(03/29/01 5:00am)
Lotus Fest has sprung again, this time sprouting flowers instead of orange leaves. \nLotus Blossoms is the expansion of the autumnal Lotus Festival, an annual world music extravaganza that was host to 100 musicians from 17 countries in 2000. \nThank you standardized testing. Because of the ISTEP, given during the time of the Lotus Fest, and the earliness in the semester, elementary students are unable to fully participate in the educational benefits of world music. \n"The Lotus Education and Arts Foundation is committed to the idea that arts and music can create a non-threatening environment in which children may begin to embrace cultural diversity and be encouraged to see their own culture(s) in an international context," according to a Lotus Blossoms press release. These arty people are doing it for the kids.\nFour international musical groups, Danu, Matapat, Kevin Locke and Sones de Mexico, will join forces to fight the perpetual battle of cultural enlightenment this weekend. Locke, an award-winning Lakota hoop dancer, storyteller and indigenous flute player, and Matapat, the 2000 Lotus Fest-featured trio from Quebec, will tour a combined total of nine schools. Also, Monroe County fourth-graders will be able to attend a Matapat interactive performance and bazaar of international cultures and community organization.\nAbout 300-500 children should be in attendance at each school performance.\nThat's not all -- Redbud Retirement Home will also host the first Lotus-related retirement home show. \nWhile the Lotus Festival is mostly performance, Lotus Blossoms is about 80 percent educational, says Lotus Festival Executive and Artistic Director Lee Williams. \nWhat a great time spring is.\nIt is imperative for diversity to be accepted and understood, especially with the growing number of multicultural people in the United States. The best way to learn is to start young, and what better way to learn then through music?\nLotus Blossoms 2001 is the first of an annual event, which the organizers hope will grow in the future.\n"It's here to stay," Williams says.\nBringing together international artists is no easy task, Williams says. The Blossoms planning committee has been meeting since early last summer, aside from planning the original Lotus Festival. Kids don't get to have all the fun. There will be several free workshops and events for the Blossoms, including one with Guatemalan basket weaver Juanita Velasco. Friday and Saturday nights, the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., will play host to two dirt-cheap concerts, letting people hear music from around the world for only five bucks.\nAnd the excitement doesn't stop there. Both Danu and Matapat have been greeted by cheers in Bloomington before. Locke has friends in the community, and the leader of Sones de Mexico graduated from IU, Williams says. Local ties are ones that bind.\nArt and music consumers in Bloomington are victorious yet again. Lotus is entirely not for profit, meaning the multiple day stays of these famous musicians are paid for by donations, grants and sponsorships.\nWith a larger amount of funding, Williams hopes to bring future artists to town for about five days each. This year, Danu and Sones de Mexico can only stay for two, with Locke and Matapat staying a little while longer. With any luck, Lotus will attain the funding so even more educational opportunities can be offered.\nThe moral of the story: World music is better two times around.
(03/29/01 5:00am)
With a fresh face and pink packaging, youthful country pop star Jessica Andrews has avoided the sophomore slump by knowing who she is. \nComing right off tours with Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Trisha Yearwood, Andrews' vocal strength testifies to years beyond her age. In 2000, Andrews was named the Academy of Country Music's top new female vocalist.\nThe first single and title track of the 17-year-old's newest endeavor speaks with the summertime sweet country girl charm. Andrews' breezy attitude continues throughout all 12 tracks with more self-aware optimism, innocent love songs and smug "I'm a woman now" ballads. Her simple style hooks the unassuming ear. \nWith truthful and comprehensible lyrics, lightly energized guitars and fiddles in the background, Andrews' songs fit her apparent personality. She doesn't try to sing beyond her years and creates an album of comfortable music. \nWrapped in warmth, Andrews' voice mixes the style of LeAnn Rimes with pureness worthy of Faith Hill's younger sister. And evidently learning from both, Andrews also jumps angel-eyes-first into the ever-expanding country crossover market.\n"Helplessly, Hopelessly," a lyrically mild starry-eyed ballad, and "Now I Know," a fiddle funk-backed version of the girl growing up after a lost relationship song, are lemonade-spiked gems. "Who I Am" and "Karma," meanwhile, leave a little too much lemon in the drink.\nOn her Web site, JessicaAndrews.com, Andrews describes the new album as evidence of the change she has experienced in the past few years.\n"Everything I'm doing now is new, from the types of songs I'm singing, to the musicians I'm working with, to the way I see the world. This album is a reflection of all that change."\nFlowing like a flowered skirt with the rhythm of the feet beneath it, Andrews takes many of the best elements of pop country in for her second album. Let's look past the annoying single and see the music Andrews is truly capable of.
(03/29/01 5:00am)
Welcome to the home of rebellion: Rage Against the Machine in Mexico City.\nAfter hurling its music and muscle behind political causes in Mexico, RATM threw its grenade of sound into Mexico City for the first time. Luckily enough, someone was taping.\nRATM plays to a seething crowd of 5,000, everybody thrashing to create a wave in front of the stage. It is easy to see why RATM is successful. The fans are just as intense.\nAlready raging with the first song, "Testify" from The Battle of Los Angeles, the energy comes in a steady downpour for the next 68 minutes. The only breaker to the rounds of sound-fire are the Zach de la Rocha vocalized commentaries on destitution in Mexico.\nReciting the plight of the Zapatista rebellion, the evils of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the student fight for justice, RATM not only entertains but educates. The sincere concern of the band and the horrifying statistics are enough to make an activist out of anyone. \nWhen the musicians are onstage, they convey the same passion. From the vehement vocals of de la Rocha to the collective trashing of Tom Morello, Tim C. and Brad Wilk, the onstage fire never wavers. With sweat trailing down his brow, de la Rocha's joyless, fevered and passionate expressions show the faces behind the songs.\nMost of the tracks are from The Battle of Los Angeles, but the Zapatista-inspired "People of the Sun" and explosive "Bulls on Parade" and "Killing in the Name" are also included. \nThe only detrimental points to the video have nothing to do with the performance. Jerky and oddly placed stills interfere with the rhythm of the music and frustrated me to the point of cursing. Had the concert not been processed in the hands of technological wizards, it would be much better. \nOtherwise "The Battle of Mexico City" makes the reason behind the roaring of RATM visual. Without letting down, the video is true to the band's most important fans: the politically purged who are fighting for justice.\nJust witness the war with a good set of speakers.
(03/22/01 5:00am)
Janas Hoyt is late. \nIt is evening at the Soma coffeehouse, an eclectic scene of students, coffee-mongers, a variety of fliers and splashes of artwork. Seated across the table is Heather Craig, violinist of the Mary Janes, the local band that Hoyt says plays "American music from the Midwest" and is celebrating the national release of Flame, the band's second CD, this week.\nBefore adding a deep and stringy sound to the Mary Janes, Craig got her start in classical music. Beginning at age 4, she continued until high school at Interlochen Arts Academy, the somewhat famous school in Interlochen, Mich., where she discovered playing classical violin professionally was not for her. It is too competitive for a non-combatant personality. After attending IU for a year, Craig took time off and began to jam with friends and loosen up. Enter mutual friend of Janas Hoyt's and poof -- the two are now one. \nCraig took the place of Cathy Kolata and, later, Carolyn Balfe. After about four years of MJ experience, Craig recorded in the studio for the first time for Flame. The string section, also usually including violinist-violist Megan Weeder, is much of what separates the Mary Janes from other Americana type adventures. Not too many bands have violinists, and they add something unique to the sound, says Craig. \n \nCraig: "I think it depends on the music. I know that some of the definitions that have come up with this band, the strings are somewhere between rhythm and melody. I think they switch back and forth. There are a lot of really rhythmic parts. It's not really flashy. It's not supposed to be real busy and flashy; it's more of a tone and a shape. We don't have lead guitar, as a general rule … To me what's nice about the strings is that it adds depth. Sometimes you can play without bass, you can play without other instruments because of the fullness of the sound. That's interesting."
