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PAGE 20 THE RETRIEVER FEATURES May 7, 1996 |:/ y»' ^JfHVw i;' Fairweather Brings Out the Best in Hootie and the Blowfish Better Musically and Lyrically, First Week Sales Top 514,000 melody. "Earth Stopped Cold at Dawn" is Dave Carroll One thing I noticed immediately is another highlight of the album, as--: Retriever Editorial Staff the improvement of the band's vo- sisted again by the talents of Griffitlw cals overall. The backup singing of The song gets the most from Rucker" It shouldn't be any surprise that Sonefeld, Bryan and Felber make a and his voice without the need for Hootie and the Blowfish's newest much more positive impact on this him to carry the harmony. album, Fairweather Johnson, sold album. On Cracked Rear View, their Track nine, known as over 514,000 albums in the first week lyrics bordered on a major distrac- "Honeyscrew," is entertaining, and at following its release. Its predecessor, tion. Rucker also sang backup on times as good as any song on the al- Cracked Rear View, has sold in ex- some of the first album most likely bum. Its bridge, or coda, is the high- cess of 13 million albums since its to improve the overall sound of the light of the song, and its strength lies in its chorus. release. The quartet's debut offering backup singing. currently resides as the number two Number 10, "Let It Breathe," is The third song, "Tucker's Town," debut album of all time, behind filler. Pass on it. is average. It isolates the difficulties Boston's first album. At 11 is the song "Silly Little Pop of the band's vocals which detract A lot of people have made fun of Song." Interesting title, and pretty Hootie lovers, especially cool musically. The best part of the Karen Keys, calling the mu- song is the backup vocals on the cho- sic "fraternity boy" anthems. "Fairweather Johnson, despite rus. Yet to those who enjoy the Similar to "Let it breathe," "Fool" j Sadia Ahmed / Retriever Staff rumors to the contrary, is not a quartet's music, the band is is more filler. Pass. Tanisha Hall, Debby Prestige, and Damen Labbe show off the fruits of their work: Books! anything but juvenile. locker room joke about male The next song, "Tootie," is mushy Critics deride the band for genitalia." — the type of song that might grow its wishy-washy lyrical style on you like a rash: you hate to have Half-Empty Libraries in the City and limited music, but the it, but when you scratch it, it feels so foursome from Columbia, South from the overall quality of the song. damn good. Carolina, ignores the critics. Moreover, "She Crawls Away" is the Finally, "When I'm Lonely" is the That Reads Fairweather Johnson, despite ru- second best song on the album. third in the series of weak songs. I mors to the contrary, is not a locker Rucker, singing about his young can't blame them for only eight or room joke about male genitalia. Gui- daughter, maximizes his deep bari- nine good tunes though, since they UMBC Students Pull Together to tarist Mark Bryan explains its mean- tone without the sometimes exces- sang the songs from Cracked Rear Collect Books for City School ing in the eighth song on the album sive screaming he demonstrates on, View for eight years. ~ an amusing diversion in the middle "Tucker's Town." All in all, not a bad follow-up al- appropriate example. What of their album. Karen Keys "So Strange," is helped by the bum from the hottest band on the he found were half-empty So, without further ado ... Retriever Editorial Staff beautiful voice of folk singer Nanci planet. Artists like Snoop Doggy Dog shelves and poor offerings Fairweather Johnson. Griffith and her vocal harmonies. The and the Red Hot Chili Peppers want to choose from. The first song on the album, "Be When I was a young'n and mom song is pretty good, but in this case, a piece of this band, for it seems that "The librarian shook her the One," is standard fare for the and pops would send me off to bed, the addition of Griffith makes a good they can do no wrong. head and looked around band, a kind of fast-paced rock with I'd be really quiet for 20 minutes or song so much better. Their second effort was better and showed me what they heavy emphasis on Rucker's guitar so. After the rooster crowed three That brings us to the best song on overall than the first, but not over- had to offer," stated Labbe strumming. Not the worst song on the times, I'd reach under my bed for a the album, "Old Man and Me," the whelmingly so, due mostly in part who was immediately up- album, but not the traditionally strong flashlight and Little Women. By the first single from Fairweather to the weak songs shoved on the' set by the incident. opener you would expect. dim light and with the blanket over end of the album. I hope the next" For three years there "Sad Caper," co-written with Glen Johnson. Traditionally Hootie, the my head and the door crack con- album is more upbeat than this one. was no library, and now Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket, is song invokes images from Cracked cealed with a sweater, I'd devour all Rear View and its carefree folksy at- I think their niche has been carvedj the beautiful words and journey into the shelves are only half one of the best of the album. The in- titude. Undoubtedly the most ener- in songs like, "I Only Wanna be* a different world. full and most books were fluence of Phillips is readily appar- getic song on the album, it will With You" and "Drowning," not irC Because I was socially inept, I published just after World ent to fans of both bands, and probably be the most requested and the slow soulful mourning of a los£ loved to read. People would approach War I. Rucker's lyrics provide the perfect best-known song from the album. puppy dog. me and try to chat, saying, "So what "They're so old, the in- accompaniment to the excellent ya reading?" I'd glare over the top formation in them is use- for a few seconds and go back to less," said Labbe. Books , more books, tons of books, So he and other UMBC The Happy Horoscope, reading with a grunt. Couldn't they UMBC has lots of books. We're lucky, n», m read the title on the cover? Why students associated with" others are not. the elementary school or- by Andy Hershberger GEMINI (May 21 - June 20) wouldn't they leave me alone? I don't feel like writing a horo- ganized a book drive with Unfortunately, some elementary scope for you. That's right, no horo- school children can't relish in another a drop-off in the curriculum lab in computers and kids. ARIES (March 21-April 19) scope. Don't you feel special? Leo world because their school libraries ACIV. Most publicity for the drive A few years ago AT&T donated The great god Meckron beckons to plays a role, but I don't feel like tell- are inadequate at best. Students at relied on word of mouth and fliers. computers to the same school and you, accept his calling. You have a Jiappy accident with the lawnmower. ing you what it is. UMBC are trying to solve this prob- Additionally, the drive received a they're sitting in a room, wasted and lem and better the education system. donation from the Student Service You new name is Stubby Toes. Scor- ignored. He's looking for some com- CANCER (June 21 - July 22) Darren Labbe, Tanisha Hall, Debby Corps who contributed money from pio has the power of the undead. puter oriented students to help set the Doesn't that song "Supermodel" Prestige and Joy Smith organized a their Quadmania Snowball booth. system up and teach a few seminars sound a bit like "I Kissed a Girl"? book drive supplement a meager col- The book drive ended in April but TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) to faculty. The faculty will then be Anything special going on? "I wish lection at Fort McHenry Elementary. Labbe said, "I'm thinking about con- Nothing cures better than a good able to start passing the knowledge that I was like Tori Spelling with a Darren Labbe, an education major, tinuing this project; this is not an iso- leech. The big white van visits your onto the children. car like her's and a dad like her's," discovered the problem while teach- lated situation with city schools. house. Never a dull moment when don't you? Taurus porous. ing a lesson at the school. He wanted The effort brought in over a thou- Anyone who can help should con- Friends is on. You catch Libra steal- CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan to use a springtime poem and went sand books but Labbe refuses to stop tact the Shriver Center or education ing a fry and you stab them in the LEO (July 23 - Aug 22) to the school library to search for an there. He's pursuing a new project: department. eye. Take a relaxation course. 19) You take a job writing horoscopes Says here that you're supposed to generate extra income. You get to be the intelligent sign BWAH Sunset Park Distinctly Blah And Mundane criticized for writing horoscopes to HA HA HA HA HA HA.

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