Page 4 Retriever features Blasters exalt the common man by Jorge Barrientos Brother Dave, who wrote the song, plays his However, 'Little Honey'is quite well performed usual licks on his guitar. by the session people and Phil is up to par. The Blasters' first album was a deep rooted The next song, "Just Another Sunday", was Side two opens with a great version of the rock 'n' roll record that sounded like a cross written by Dave and X member John Doe and standard "Samson and Delilah," arranged by between Creedence and early rock 'n' roll is unlike any of the Blasters' previous material. Phil and featuring a gospel back up band called crooners like Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. It's perhaps their attempt at commercial mate- the Jubilee Train Singers. Although they're not They immediately captured the attention of rial and it's almost new wavish. This song's quite as suited for the Blasters as the Jorda- critics everywhere. Their second album, how- lyrical content sets a pattern for the rest of the naires, they are quite impressive behind Phil ever, did not retain the spirit of their first album. It's sort of saying that Dave isn't kid- and almost upstage him (as gospel singers tend record, nor did it do much to boost sales. Now, ding, and that if you listen closely he's got some- to do). after going through some personnel changes thing to say. Next comes something horrible which isn't (they lost their two saxophonists) and being Then you look through the inner sleeve where that bad. The Blasters decided to team up on the determined to increase their sales potential, the lyrics are printed, and you realize that there next track with none other than John Cougar they have released Hard Line. is not one happy song on the album. This is kind Mellencamp, which at first leads one to think that the Blasters' talent in performance, and Mellencamp's lack of it in songwriting would sort of cancel each other out and leave a figura- tive three minute gap between "Samson" and "Help You Dream". But Mellencamp only wrote the song and is nowhere on it (hence it's audibility). Mellencamp's producer, Don Geh- man, produced this song, called "Colored Lights", which somewhat alienates it from the rest of the album, but it's not half bad and it's certainly not going to give Wham any night- Vegetable and fruit people will teach the rudiments of good nutrition at Wellness Day. mares about being knocked off the charts. The next song is the most optimistic on the album and it's a pity that it didn't end the album. Not because the rest is weaker than the Get well at the second first part, but because the rest of the album is kind of bleak. "Help You Dream" is a song about a guy whose trying to pick up this girl, annual Wellness Day and he keeps saying that she's the best looking woman he thinks he's ever seen. Then he gets by Mauricio Ordonez nothing more than remains of a computer pro- philosophical and tells the girl that he hasn-'t grammed personality. lost hope and that if she gives him a chance he You're walking with your friends, and all of But this doesn't have to be you. No, you don't can help this girl, (who's obviously leading a you decide to grab something to eat before you have to be unhealthy, or worse yet, dead, pretty bad life) forget about all her troubles and go to class. You have a hard time deciding what because UMBC's second annual Wellness Day dream about how things could be. The song is it will be; maybe a botulism-burger that you can will be here Wednesday, April 17 at the UC good though, and it kind of does give you hope wash down with a dysentery drink? You finally Ballroom. about life. opt for the good oV putrefaction pizza. Wellness Day is the Student Health Services' The Blasters, one of the premeire roots-rock bands in the country. The next song could be used as a teaching You're failing the class you were going to answer to today's health problems. The main ' This album shows either that the Blasters' of typical for Dave but not the way these songs guide for those bands who were fairly poor in attend so instead, you decide to drop it. Under goal is to make participants aware of alternative roots are so deep that their spirit or sound are. On the first album, there were always the their childhood and now faced with incredible normal circumstances you would take the ele- habits that lead not only to a longer life, but also cannot be hampered by trying to go commer- covers, which usually don't tend to be overly wealth, forget about the neighbourhood they vator to the third floor of the Admin, building, improve its quality by taking a holistic view of cial, or that the Blasters have some delusion sad. grew up in. Phil sings of a man who pretends but today it has broken down like it usually health. According to Will Hignet, Director of that X, the Jordanaires and the Jubilee Train "Hey Girl" is the next song, and it's a gem. It that he is a friend of the people, but does not does. So you take the stairs instead. One slip on Health Education, the benefit of such an event Singers are a commercial force in today's features an uncredited accordion player who share their heritage nor does he actually care the stairs causes you to fall head first, and your is "If younger people adapt healthier lifestyle market. For whatever reason though, this obviously is David Hidalgo from Los Lobos. skull and mind split open leaving a mess on the album is no more likely to become a monster Phil proves himself as a singer while the new See Blasters, page 6 carpet. Computer chips spill out, but they're See Wellness, page 6 seller than a reissue of lost Smiths songs. But and improved Jordanaires sing back-up. It's up Hard Line does not suffer form the Blasters' tempo and has a Los Lobos feel (maybe it's the follies; it is perhaps a better record than their accordion). Then comes "Dark Night," and we debut. can't blame John Doe for getting Dave all The album opens with "Trouble Bound" depressed because he came up with this one all Mask covers up its own message which sounds much like any other Blasters by himself. It tells the story of a 'new kid in song, except for the great backing vocals bril- town' who meets a local girl and they fall in by Greg Ealick Skywalkers lightsabre. content, which, though it cannot be ignored, liantly performed by the Jordanaires. This love. The locals find out and decide to use the What does the disease do? was not intentional. track makes you wonder could these be the young kid as a shooting target. This is probably The bottom line on Mask is that it is not a It makes him different. It presents a hardship All of the acting was much better than com- same Jordanaires that annoyed the hell out of a commentary on race relations. particularly good movie. But the analysis which for him to overcome, and eventually, it kills petent, and all of the major characters were, in people singing on Elvis records (check out The side closes with another John Doe-Dave leads to this conclusion is fairly complex, and him. fact, terrific. Even the bit-part walk-ons were songs like "My Wish Came True" and "Teddy Alvin song which shows both Dave and John besides, they wouldn't print a three word But primarily, the disease is a symbol of dis- great. Camera work, staging, lighting, scenery Bear"). These guys sound great and they almost Doe's versatilities as songwriters. "Little review. tance, of separation, or more accurately of indi- and all of the other technical aspect were text- feel more at home with Phil Alvin than they did Honey" makes "Just Another Sunday" sound First of all, and this is pretty important, the vidualism. Rocky Dennis is not like anyone book perfect. Director Peter Bogdanovich with Elvis. If this album doesn't go down in like heavy-metal. It features Richard Greene on way to decide whether Mask is a good film or else. orchestrated a symphony of movie making history as a major acomplishment for the Blas- violin, David Hidalgo on mandolin, Larry Tay- not is by examining it as a film. That it is a true What then is the point of the film? craft, and it worked. ters, then it should certainly do so for the Jorda- lor on stand up bass, and Stan Lynch doing (or fairly true) story is a matter of almost super- The point is that individualism is to be over- naires. The song itself is quite good and like percussion which leaves little room for the rest natural indifference to me. come, it is critically important for all people to most of their songs, it's instantly catchy. of the Blasters, and I doubt that they're on it. That is not important. The film either stands be accepted by the crowd, to have lots of by itself or it doesn't. I am not Rocky Den- friends, and finally, that specific identity is a