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Page 4 Retriever entertainment Marshall Crenshaw's Downtown is not a place you'd wanna visit by Tony Sclafani political Burnett as producer. It's even odder and stage manner, but more significantly, his the Pet Clark oldie, or anything on the disc.) sitar (he plays it himself). Retriever Managing Editor that Burnett would turn in a totally lackluster doctoring of the Warner Brothers record label "Little Wild One (No. 5)" opens the album on While I am all for experiments and odd After my first listen to the new Marshall production job; the albums best cut was so that it looks the label they used in the early a less than celebratory note. Uncluttered echo- instruments within a pop context, they must Crenshaw album Downtown, I was thoroughly produced by Mitch Easter of Let's Active. sixties). So, he would do well to cultivate the less production emphasizes Crenshaw's add to the overall effect of the song to be disappointed and ready to write him off as a two Since Burnett's production is so indifferent, early rockers' attitudes, instincts, and underemphasized songwriting. Burnett's successful. Paul Young's "Everytime You Go album pop wonder—an eighties equivalent to the album rises and falls on Crenshaw's techniques, or his work will soon be compared gimmick here, a Latin Program, adds nothing Away," a summer hit, used an electric sitar to the Association or Gary Puckett and the Union songwriting, which has grown slighter as it has with the likes of Mr. Puckett and his housewife and sounds out of place. The tune rocks, but good effect (this might be the source of Burnett Gap. One week and several listenings later I'm "matured." On the whole, the songs are not as rock or Burton Cummings and his histrionic doesn't quite live up to its title. or Crenshaw's misbegotten inspiration). Some not ready to write him off just yet, (although the good as they were on the last two albums, and pop crescendos. "Yvonne," the second song, is even more of the greatest songs by the Beatles and Beach comparisons still hold) but I am intrigued with the production only emphasizes this. This One thing Holly, Presley, or any one of the problematic. Ostensibly an ode to a girl, it has Boys feature harpsicords, cellos, trumpets, and the album, should not be the case—producers should bring early rockers would never do is record with none of the emotion or character of another other odd sounds, all for the better. out the best in every cut—but unfortunately it's studio musicians, or a band that wasn't their song with a girl's name, "Mary Anne,"from the However, with Crenshaw, it seems more a the reality. Where pop maestro Richard own. Yet that is exactly what Crenshaw does debut album. As I already mentioned, case of embellishing, say, a peanut butter Gotterher enhanced Crenshaw's first album here, acquiring session players sjjch as Tony Spampinato and Ardolino, NRBO's rhythm sandwich with pepperoni, mushrooms, with dozens of studio tricks, and veteran Steve Levin to take the place of his usual band section play here, but are indistinguishable sausages, and black olives. Great things, apart, Lillywhite buried him in a Spectorian Wall of (brother Robert on drums, Chris Donato on from the rest of the session players on the other but put them together and they just don't work Sound on Field Day, Burnett's only discernable bass). This accounts for the homogenity of tracks. The guitar solo by G.E. Smith is buried out. Imagine Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog," SOUND AFFECTS contribution is bringing in some strange sound, but not completely so: the feisty Joey in the mix, and what is audible of it doesn't with an electric sitar. Speculate, if you will, on instruments (electric sitar? Cannon Plug?) Spampinato (bass) and Tom Ardolino (drums) sound very good. Strike two. "Sweet Little Sixteen," the Berry classic, with which do little for Crenshaw and make the of NRBQ play on one track, "Yvonne," and Only on the third cut, the Mitch Easter synthesizer and sequencer embellishments. songs sound silly. make not a bit of difference, a case of T-Bone produced "Blues is King," does Crenshaw give Now maybe you can see the folly in Burnett and Where Gotterher's gimmicks were meshed Burnett asleep in the production booth again. us something of substance to listen to. Here, Crenshaw's shennagins. within the sound of the songs themselves, and But where Burnett is absent- because of jangly guitars crash with jolting drum accents Getting back to the album, the first side's Lillywhite's production took the lead, Burnett's insecurity in his role or indifference to the and a highly emotive vocal. The chord closing track is entitled "Like A Vague My intrigue does not lay in the merits of ideas stick out too obviously—when the make project- Crenshaw is simply lazy. His songs are progressions and vocal whining are a direct Memory," and though it has a nice country— Crenshaw; a dependable songwriter, guitar any difference at all. Crenshaw's tunes are built often long winded (average time: 3:40) and not throwback to the first album, as is the feel of the flavored melody, it fails, alas, due to some player and singer who performs solidly if from early rock progressions, so they depend on as distinct as on previous releases. whole song. (The "blues" here refers to the state awkward, contrived chord changes. Crenshaw's unspectacularly throughout, but in the merits of atmosphere to work, not gimmicks. "Peggy Crenshaw has been categorized as a "minor" of mind, not the musical form). Overall, a great chords used to flow in classic rock patterns. the production by the critically acclaimed T- Sue," for example would not have worked if it rocker, and Downtown does nothing to change song, with a strong riff and chorus, neither of Why the change? Well, over to side two, and we Bone Burnett. It is odd that Crenshaw, a had no echo on the vocals and drums, but that. This is not the kind of record that make which sounds at all slight. ain't exactly batting 1,000 here. talented if somewhat shallow songwriter boasted, say, a xylophone. one a major artist, unless there's a big hit single "Terrifying Love," follows, disappointingly. The songs on the second side are, on the ("Someday Someway," "Whenever You're on Crenshaw himself means to be a throwback in these grooves, which I've overlooked. (By the Though not a bad tune, the song fails because of See Crenshaw, page 6 My Mind") would choose the self righteous, to the classic rockers of yore (note the glasses way the title Downtown has nothing to do with Burnett's inexplicable inclusion of an electric The Innocents present a fresh new sound Robert Manfredi, a sophomore majoring in computer science, and his friend Lisa Schaffer decided to form the band as a part-time project, a project that has steadily grown. Now, the Innocents have moved up and are playing the local nightclub scene. The lineup includes Manfredi on guitar, Schaffer on lead vocals, Ron Zakowski on keyboards, Greg Schroder on drums, and the recently accuired Craig Gilpen on bass guitar. On occasions, however, Manfredi or Zakowski take the lead vocals while the rest of the band sings backup. For some of the members, this is not the first go at a band. Schaffer has previous experience with local top 40 bands, and Zakowski played in Modern Vogue, another local band. Gilpen played with Nouvo Riche until a few months ago, when he joined the Innocents. Interestingly, one of the band's prerequisites was part-time involvement, playing no more than three nights a week. A full-time band would have a better chance of making the night club scene quicker, but this would have The Innocents. interfered with the band's schoplwork. repertoire includes songs by INXS, Psychedelic Ravyns took them under their wing. Schroder According to Manfredi, the youth of the Furs, Missing Persons, Divinyls, Ultravox, already knew the Ravyns' drummer, and band is what gives their performances the Berlin, Simple Minds, and even a Zeppelin subsequently the Innocents became the Ravyns freshness that many other local bands lack. This tune. "It's a good mix of pop tracks and off opening act. naievte is the reason for the name "the tracks, mostly known bands," commented In the long run, the band expects move up to Innocents." Manfredi. At the moment, the band only does the main act, and get an opening band of their Their sound, can be described, as Manfredi covers; however, future plans include originals. own. At the rate the're going, it probably won't Marshall Crenshaw has a new album out. It's pretty terrible puts it, "Not top 40, but new wave dance." Their The Innocents' career took off when the take long. Huge, lovable, pure-bred CALL Great Dane. DOMINO'S Free to good home. Will be PUT TO SLEEP PIZZA TO this week if not token. EARN FREE Call Jon 547-1972 or coll 727-4242. 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