The Nylons — always In style
The Nylons have been known to appear on stage with a back
ground o f three pink triangles and three lavender triangles.
BY
DR.
T A N T A L U S
ip. Funny. Energtic. Dazzling.
Such superlatives seem common
place when reading reviews of the
Nylons performing on record or on stage.
Turning acerbic critics into slavish
devotees is neither typical nor expected,
but then neither are the Nylons.
Performing a capella with occasional
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percussion accompaniment the Nylons
style variously has been described from
“ cabaret” to “ rockapella.” However,
such labels seem too narrow for the
Nylons, who span such diverse genres as
folk, doo-wop, jazz and rock with con
summate ease. Their intricate harmonies
transcend each of these musical pigeon
holes and transform them into something
unique and original.
Formed in Canada, the Nylons are com
prised of baritone Marc Connors, tenor
Claude Morrison, songwriter Paul Cooper
and bass Arnold Robinson, a former Plat
ters member. However, such meager de
scriptions do not give these members
enough credit. Morrison is not merely a
tenor but a singer with an amazing falsetto
while Robinson's thundering bass anchors
the group firmly on the ground. Although
they have been performing since 1979, the
Nylons remain relatively unknown in the
States, though it is said that their 1982
release, One Size Fits All went platinum
Up North. A 1986 release, Seamless, con
tinues their tradition of harmonic treatment
of divergent material.
The highlight of One Size Fits All (pun
intended) is the original “ That Kind of
Man,” which details one man’s efforts to
retain his integrity in a world where people
“ change their emotions like they change
their clothes.’ ’ It is also the first direct hint
that a particular community is in need of
this particular advice since the location of
the song occurs partly in a “ gay cabaret.”
The Nylons have also been known to ap
pear on stage with a background of three
pink triangles and three lavender triangles.
This makes the Doctor suspect that the
Well-Connected Rumor, otherwise known
as a WCR, that three of the members are
gay is correct. (The lifeblood of the
Doctor’s practice is undoubtedly the WCR.)
The other song of note on Size is “ Up
the Ladder to the Roof,” which is benefit-
ted by a rave-up interpretation and seems
guaranteed to knock your socks off in
concert.
The 1986 release. Seamless, is by far the
more coherent piece of musical work.
Here the boys run the gamut from the
Weavers’ “ The Lion Sleeps Tonight” to
Lennon/McCartney’s “ This Boy” to
Carole King’s “ Up on the R o o f’ to
Eurythmics’ “ Take Me to Your Heart,”
from the obscure “ In the Garden” album.
(Which the Doctor bought as an import
just to be snooty.)
Such a varied diet might leave some
performers with a case of musical
schizophrenia, bu the Nylons seem to pos
sess such a sure sense of style that every
thing seems readily digestible.
Of course, a cappella groups, percus
sion backing or not, may not be to every
one’s taste. A careful selection of material
is a necessity, since such an album can
easily sound like a misguided barbershop
quartet. (Worse yet, they could sound like
the Beastie Boys.) However, given the
range of talent displayed on these two al
bums, that fate seems unlikely. While
weak numbers do appear on each record,
they are more the exception than the rule.
Any so-called “ weakness” is apt to dis
appear in performance, where stage pre
sence, snappy patter and gorgeous vocals
can put across a song. And given the rave
reviews of the Nylons’ recent tour, it
seems likely that such will occur in Port
land, where the Nylons are scheduled to
appear on April 12th at Starry Night. •
SANDRA K. PINCHES, Ph.D.
Counseling and Psychotherapy
Specializing in issues of:
• Lesbian and Gay Couples • Co-dependency
• Intimate Relationships
• Partners of Alcoholics
• Sustaining Relationships • Adult Children of Alcoholics
1809 N.W . Johnson, Ste. 7« Portland, OR 97209« (503) 227-7558
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