Spring brings deluge of excellent new releases
So many new aiDums coming
out, so little time, so little
money. This past winter was
a bit of a dry spell in terms
of new music, but every time the
pickings get slim, one can rest as
sured that good stuff is on its way.
This time around is no different,
as a veritable avalanche of excel
lent listening material is coming
out. The sheer amount of things to
buy have put me into a bit of
shock, and I’m seriously consider
ing donating some plasma in order
to purchase it all.
This week sees the release of the
new album by the Jon Spencer
Blues Explosion, “Plastic Fang.”
The first collection of new material
from JSBX since 1998’s “Acme” is
a blistering return to rock ’n’ roll
after a couple albums worth of ex
perimentation with electronics
and hip-hop beats. I’m listening to
“Plastic Fang” right now, and I’m
afraid that the computer’s speakers
are going to break apart from the
sheer amount of rock.
An old yet reliable veteran of
the music biz, Neil Young, also
released an album this week.
“Are You Passionate?” marks yet
another stylistic U-turn from the
mercurial Young, as the CD
sounds like an old Stax/Volt soul
record, albeit a record with
jagged electric guitar solos and a
wobbly, frail lead singer.
Nearly every song on “Are You
Passionate?” is top-notch, with
the notable exception of “Let’s
Pulse brief
Book signing focuses
on relationship problems
Divorce and separation have be
come common methods for couples
to deal with relationship problems.
But a new self-help book may give
couples another tool to help keep
their relationship healthy.
Authors Cristi and Tony Cubito
will participate in a book signing
■yniYiHflii
Community
Center lor the
Perionniiy Arts
■ Friday ■
Granola Funk
Express
Hip-Hop-Rock-Funk
$7 advance, $8 door, 9:00 pm
012664;
■ Saturday ■
Front Row Joe,
MGIThe Visionary,
Perfect Attendance
Christian Rock and Rap
$5 door, 8:oo pm
■ Tuesday ■
Glenn Tilbrook
from Squeeze
Singer-Songwriter
$20 advance, $22 door, 8:00 pm
■ Wednesday ■
Firewater,
BioLazy,
Gun Street Girls
Rock
$8 advance, $9 door, 8:00 pm
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Koll, a song detailing the actions
of the heroic Sept. 11 passengers
of Flight 93. “Let’s Roll” is up
there with Paul McCartney’s God
awful “Freedom,” vying for the
top prize in the first annual
“Please Don’t Write Songs About
bept. 11 con
test. “Let’s
Roll” aside,
however, “Are
You Passion
ate?” is a pret
ty terrific little
album.
Next week,
aggressive lis
teners will en
Dcwe
Depper
In Stereo
joy the release
of “Attak,”
which is the
new album by
grumpy Ger
man industrial mavens KMFDM.
Now, KMFDM made a big deal a
couple years ago about the fact
that they were breaking up and
even released an album called
“Adios.”
I have no idea what that whole
situation was about, but I man
aged to get my hands on a copy of
“Attak” last month, and let me
tell you — it’s awesome. KMFDM
is back with a vengeance, creat
ing sheets of unpleasant noise
like “Attak/Reload” and “Urban
Monkey Warfare.” In fact, “At
tak” is way, way better than
“Adios,” and it’s a worthy addi
tion to the KMFDM canon. Here’s
hoping that the guys don’t break
up again anytime soon.
And in two weeks, even more
good stuff will be hitting the
shelves. Most people probably
haven’t heard of Alfie, but they
should really check it out. Alfie is
one of those bands to which the
“Radiohead-ish” cliche would ap
ply, but they are really much better
than that.
Their last album, “If You Hap
py With You Need Do Nothing”
was a muted, gorgeous affair,
with little acoustic ditties backed
with atmospheric walls of key
boards and other such gizmos.
Their new album is called
“World in Your Ear,” and if it’s
half as good as their last then it
will be worth owning, for sure.
Most folks probably know Cor
nershop as being the band respon
sible for “Brimful of Asha,” which
happened to be a great song the
first five or so times that one heard
it, but unfortunately it was played
into the ground. I know people
who still exhibit seizure-like
symptoms whenever “Brimful of
Asha” comes on the radio.
This is unfortunate, because Cor
nershop is in fact a really good band
that has solid albums. Their latest
release is called “Handcream for a
Generation,” and from what I’ve
heard, it’s a hard-rocking, hip-hop
ping cornucopia of styles. Which is
no surprise, really, considering that
one could describe all of their past
releases in a similar manner.
for their recently released self-help
guide, “Couple’s Journey,” at 7 p.m.
today at the University Bookstore.
Cristi Cubito said this book ad
dresses common problems that arise
for couples. She said one of the most
common problems stems from poor
communication between couples.
“When couples try to work
through issues and are not commu
nicating as well as they should be,
they are distancing themselves,”
she said. She said a fear of being
hurt causes people to distance
themselves from their partner.
The book operates as not only a
self-help guide, but it also con
tains a journal for couples to
record their progress using the Cu
bitos’ techniques.
Cristi Cubito said the book applies
to everyone — even single people.
“Everybody’s in a relationship” of
some kind, she said. “We’re here to
learn and grow with one another. ”
—fen West
013845
Hiring for the
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creating tiie best educational and working environment for the
women at the University of Oregon. From public relations and event
planning to visual design and newsletter editing, we offer a variety of
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Application review begins at 10 AM on April 30, 2002.
I’ll be the first person to say that
liking the Pet Shop Boys is dorky.
But damn it, they’re catchy! And
I’m really excited for “Release,”
their first album since 1999’s
“Nightlife!” According to reports,
“Release” is the disco-rific duo’s
attempt at rock ’n’ roll, complete
with real, live and loud guitars and
drums. I don’t know how I feel
about this — my gut tells me that it
will be a complete disaster — but
yet I hold out hope.
And finally, Weezer will drop
“Maladroit” on May 14. Discern
ing listeners may have already
heard the excellent single, “Dope
Nose,” on the radio. Self-pro
duced by Weezer (like their terrif
ic “Pinkerton”), “Maladroit” is
the first Weezer album to include
more than 10 songs, and it arrives
almost exactly one year after
2001’s “Green Album” (which
was released May 15). Now that’s
efficiency.
E-mail columnist Dave Depper
at davedepper@dailyemerald.com.
His opinions do not necessarily represent
the opinions of the Emerald.
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