European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Jesus and Mary Chain a automatic if done right noise can be cathartic. The Jesus and Mary Chain devotees of the school of distortion feedback and fuzz do it right. But on their fourth album automatic they do it less. The noise element is far reduced from the Days of the chains first single upside Down and first album psycho Candy. When it kicks in on tracks including take it Gimme hell and . Ray there Are explosions of frenzied guitar distortion. The sound is oddly listenable compared to tunes by sonic youth that test ones aural endurance. Using noise for a self cleansing release of Energy the band is reminiscent of Husker do circa their mid 80s cover of eight Miles High and of the velvet underground especially on heroin. While the Jesus and Mary Chain has been called Quot progressive Quot and has numerous fervent disciples in College radio it should be noted that the velvets were doing this stuff More than 20 years ago. Nevertheless the Jesus and Mary Chain stands out. Brothers William and Jim Reid add distinctiveness with their almost Monotone singing complementing Forward chugging guitar lines. The muted intensity of their vocals belies the often desperate dark lyrics. If the Guys were wearing mood rings they d probably be purple Black. Quot crazy i m Halfway to crazy suicide could save me Quot Jim Reid sings on Halfway to crazy. There Are what seem to be references to drug use on Here comes Alice coast to coast and other tracks. And religion despite their name the Chain does t have any rhymes for the Rosary. Quot i got the junk gun fever sinking to my brain feels like god in heavens gone insane Quot goes coast to coast sounds like a big Bummer huh yet automatic is an energetic album. It s even danceable a though its not exactly disco. Chain fans might do the self indulgent melancholy dance in a kind of Cool Poser Way. A Giselle Price a digital underground a sex packets the latest rap sensation to come out of Oakland calif., digital underground wants to be the parliament Funk Adelic of rap. Backed by the thick Funk fuzz of parliament tracks Shock a and Crew put together a debut album full of the Standard rap collection of sexual boasts put Downs of other rappers and celebrations of the mean streets. Named after a make believe sexual stimulant the group claims is sold on the Oakland streets the album is sometimes stupid and often offensive although compared to controversial albums by such hard Core rap groups As Nwa and Public enemy the jokes about fat girls Are fairly tame. The music is anything but mild however using hard Funk beats and Quick rhymes to create some very Catchy songs particularly the humpty dance and . The Success of the humpty dance on Bay area radio got the group a gig at the recent annual Bay area music awards joining such local celebrities As Carlos Santana Todd Rundgren and Bonnie Raitt. So digital underground May be the next big rap act to stir controversy in the mainstream music world. With a non Stop Funk beat and rappers that hardly Lack for modesty look for the group to blast out of a Boom Box near you. A Brian Rooney up the who a join together it s Candy coated and its trite but what the Heck. The who celebrated their 25th birthday last year and follow up now with a live recording from the 1989 tour. Titled join together the who s theme remains the same Quot Long live Rock Quot As told by Roger Daltrey John Entwistle Pete Townsend and posthumously by drummer Keith Moon. The 34-track project like most live recordings is the ultimate in Memorabilia for fans who caught the tour. And for Renaissance Rock fans join together otters a thorough look at 25 years of Rock hard endurance. Stalwart fans will want to own this compilation because it completes a Tommy trilogy. First came the concept album 1969then the motion picture soundtrack 1975 and now 21 live cuts from the Rock opera the most Ever put on one of the bands sanctioned live albums. \ Well orchestrated we re talking 16 musicians Here the who bring the overture to Tommy and other cuts like Sparks and pinball wizard to musical Heights which garnered much Praise from fans who packed stadiums and Arenas during the 89 tour. The clarity of the recording captures the intensity that dominated the Tommy sets at each show. As for the remaining 13 cuts join together becomes a partial wish list of the who s greatest hits with Many conspicuous omissions. A Kenneth r. Bazinet up Venice a Venice like the City in California for which it is named the band Venice is extraordinary. The group a which boasts two alternating Lead vocalists two Brothers two cousins and three close friends a Hopes to create its own legend starting with its self titled debut Venice. Both sides carry a consistent sound and Harmony reminiscent of that of steely Dan and the eagles. Gimmicks Are out and reality in for Venice. The record touches the Side effects of relationships and candidly addresses such topics As aids the environment and racism. People laugh is a reaction to the trend of people joking about serious issues like aids. Ocean relates about pollution a warning listeners to Quot Wake up there s an Ocean  honest emotions Are addressed in such relationship songs As pushed her too far and Kaylee. Venice keyboardist Monroe Jones put it just right when he described his band s sound As Quot gut level  a Bob Tripi up Fleetwood Mac a behind the mask what gives a band its sense of identity9 the most obvious answer would be its sound a the Way its rhythm Section finds a Groove for instance or the Way certain specific voices blend in Harmony yet Fleetwood macs behind the mask the group s first new album since guitarist Lindsey Buckingham left the band seems to argue otherwise. Though the Overall outlines of the band s sound remain a the easy Gallop of Mick Fleetwood s drumming say or the Way Stevie Nicks husky Alto sneaks under Christine Mcvie s jaded Soprano a its magic seems gone entirely its spark utterly extinguished. As a result the new band is unable to do any better than such listless imitations As love is dangerous or save me. A . Considine Baltimore Sun Salt a Pepa a Blacks magic it s hard to argue with Salt a Pepas attitude starting with the a am somebody sentiments of express yourself and proceeding through the dont mess witly me message of negro wit an ego. This rap Trio has filled its latest album Blacks magic with a Strong sense of african american Pride. Likewise it s a pleasure to hear them flesh out their raps with a Little bit of soul singing whether through Jacci Mcghee s Chaka Khan impression in express yourself or Sybil s Sweet soulful chorus to Independent. What a pity then that these three can to find a fresher set of beats to Back up their ideas from the Bob James Sample in the first track to the Drums in the last which recapitulate the pattern from showstopper Salt a Pepas first single there s Little in these grooves we Haven t heard before. �?.Csocial distortion a social distortion some Rock bands feel obliged to dress up their material sometimes adding a Cushion of keyboard behind a vocal line other times fleshing out an arrangement with strings. Social distortion needs none of those Fri Peries As social distortion shows the straightforward guitar based melodies manage to stand on their own. Yet As lean As these arrangements Are they never seem lacking in variety or vitality a there s plenty of stylistic Range Between the Burly melodic ism of so far away the Gruff insistence of sick boys and the soldering passion of ring of fire. No frills Rock n Roll does t get any better than this. We at s wha record a review stars and stripes bookstores stars and stripes bookstores it Luck o i it it o o cd co i q. A a Quot cod z it cock it a top 10 paperback discount Star trek rules of engagement is a stars and stripes top 10 paperback selection for May now available at the discounted Price of $4.05 regular Price $4.50 at a stars and stripes Bookstore near you. Each month we offer customers 10 popular paperback titles at 10 percent off from the regular cover Price. Stop in and save on a top 10 paperback today. A sudden revolution on the planet de Kanar brings Captain Kirk and the Enterprise running to evacuate federation personnel trapped there. But their orders from Sta Fleet Are quite Clear the Enterprise is to assist in the evacuation and nothing else. No weapons Are to be deployed no Shields raised no shots fired. Meanwhile Halfway across the Galaxy an experimental klingon warship sets Forth on a Mission of its own a warship with hidden and heretofore undreamed of a capabilities commanded by a Warrior who will Stop at nothing to bring glory to his Empire a and restore his own lost Honor. The klingon ship s destination the planet de Kanar. You can save every Day at stars and stripes bookstores with numerous paperbacks magazines and hardcover titles we be discounted for you. Customers have already saved More than $900, in fiscal 1990. Stars and stripes bookstores serving those serving Over Here. Stars and stripes bookstores stars and stripes bookstores Quot a Quot at a Sqq co monday. April 30, 1990 the stars and stripes