The Connells "ring" in new album

Erick GUI Managing Editor

It is finally here. After two The band even meets a happy long years, local legends The medium between their earlier Connells have released their fifth alternative style and their later album, Ring. pop sound. Tracks like “Any Ring, released on TVT Day Now” and “Running Mary” Records, is reminiscent of The fall somewhere in the middle. Connells earlier days. Their music finally has returned to the sounds of Darker Days and It’s obvious that in their two Boylan Heights, years off the band has had time to mature. Ring has regressed from the upbeat, pop songs that The Doug MacMillan’s vocals Connells used in their 1991 combined with ’s release. One Single Word. writing ability is at its best. The

One thing the band has not two have found the sounds’ that lost is that nasty, over polished work best for the band. sound in the studio. Whatever happened to the recordings of that David Connell’s bass and raw, spontaneous combustion? Peele Wimberley’s drums lay

“Slackjawed,” the first single off the. album, is one of the down beats that pick the listener tracks that proves the band’s up and add life to otherwise dead diversity. songs. Special surprises like George Songs like “Carry My Huntley on mandolin and Steve Picture” and “Hey You” carry that later sound The Connells had on Potak on piano and keyboards One Simple Word. also appear on the album. Ring is a compilation of The Connells entire musical career. Now that the band has had time off from the limelight, Cuts like “Disappointed” and maybe they will start moving “Burden” sound a lot like the into the right direction. Ring is dark, lofty songs that once definitely the first step down that appeared on Boylan Heights. road. i File Photo The Connells Solar Circus produces rhythms New & Recommended Chris Munday Juggling Suns and Step Right Up. Both are on the Relix Records Boggiano. Crossing The Danger Water, by Deidre Staff Reporter label. "The band really likes playing Mullane, Ed. (Anchor, $16.00.) Comprehensive The band drew a good crowd, at Elon," lead guitar player Mark collection of three hundred years of African- but it was obvious from their late Diomede said. The tye-dyes, Guatemalan American writing. start that they were hoping for a "Elon was the first place we skirts and dilated pupils were out in larger turnout. drew a really good crowd in the full force when Solar Circus Students had mixed opinions South, and it acted kind of like a performed at The Lighthouse last The Way Things Ought To Be, by Rush about the band’s sound and style. "I spring board for us," he said. Friday. Limbaugh. (Pocket Star, $6.50.) If the issue is left, and when 1 came back, the Solar Circus is close to The band, which describes their controversial, if the topic touches a raw nerve, place was full and the band was signing a new record deal with sound as "cosmic dance music," that's Limbaugh territory - and here, he puts it jamming," student John Bailey Mcgaforce Records and hopes to played about two and a half hours said. have an album out sometime next all in writing. worth of psychcdelic rhythms and Mark Tall said, "The music has spring. twangy guitar licks. good bass but really standard chords As for the band's future, The Silver Hand, by Stephen R. Lawhead. Unlike previous performances and changes." Diomede said, "We want to expand (Avon, $4.99.) Second book in the Song o f at The Lighthouse, Solar Circus "I just don't like this kind of in as many musical directions as played mostly original material I Albion trilogy set in a Celtic Otherworld. m usic. LS^jjcjj iJphn^iilftssiWc wid try loJfppixM-frfiph.".,... time ». n 'i n'.'.J.m b u pV-iuni.j. 2 ?. tlJ 1131