page 8
Wednesday, february 22, 1978
daily nebraskan
o arts and
Warren Zevon's second album lacks spirit of first
By Jeff Taebel
It's been a year and a half since Warren Zevon came
out with his highly acclaimed, self-titled debut album. At
the time of its release, many music writers around the
countiy were buzzing about this young man from Los
Angeles.
Zevon's stoty was chronicled in Village Voice, Rolling
Stone and Time magazine, and there were those who were
calling him "the Bruce Springsteen of the West."
While that comparison might be somewhat less than
valid, Zevon gave those writers good reason to buzz.
"Discovered" by his friend, Jackson Browne, he had a
style quite unlike any of the other famous male vocalists
from L.A. His voice, his refreshing lyrical appioach and
his excellent sense of humor set him apart from most
artists of the day.
Although his first album was not a big commercial
success, it did contain one song, "Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me,"
that got some airplay and brought Zevon some exposure.
Ironically, another L.A. fixture, Linda Ronstadt, recorded
a popular cover version of the song which obscured
Zevon's vastly superior original.
album
Nevertheless, Zevon handled his first album with miv.Ii
mastery that many expected his subsequent work to be
first-rate as well.
However, some artists who have phenomenal debut
albums do so because they filled them with the best of
their material from the years before they landed their
recording contract. Due to the importance of initial
success in the recording industry, there can't be any song
stockpiling for follow-up albums; if the first one doesn't
sell, there won't be a second.
This could be the reason that Zevon's second release,
Excitable Boy, doesn't seem to be as spirited or as satis
fying as his first effort. The freshness exhibited in his
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earlier songs seems to be lacking here, perhaps because
he has an image to live up to now. Whereas his humor
used to take the listener by surprise, now it often seems
forced and obvious. His melodies are rather stale as well,
with some of them sounding like they were borrowed
from songs on his first LP.
Lven though Zevon is off the mark on this record, his
all-star back-up unit is not. Zevon employs the talents of
L.A. session giant Waddy Watchel on guitar as well as a
variety of other musicians, including members of Jackson
Browne's band and a guest appearance on one number by
Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac.
Background vocals, are added by such iuminaries as
Browne, John David Souther. Linda Ronstadt and Karla
Bonoff
among others.
The band really shines on the first cut on. side one,
called "Johnny Strikes Up The Band." Zevon delivers a
stionu vocal on this song, although the lyrics are quite
repetitious. Watclicl sandwiches some beautiful guitar
work into the breaks.
The second number on the side is rather bizarre, to say
the least. Fntitled, "Roland The Headless Thompson
Gunner," the song tells the story of a Norwegian mer
cenary soldier who is killed "by the CIA.
He wanders across the land without a head, wreaking
vengeance on those who did him in. Kventually, his ser
vices are commissioned by Patty Hearst. The lyrics keep
the song interesting, if not morbid, but the melody is
virtually a direct copy of his earlier "Frank and Jesse
James."
The side's third cut. "Lxcitable Boy," shows Zevon's
deft comic skills reduced to just plain bad taste. Trying
to be outrageous, Zevon winds up with a set of lyrics
that could offend anyone.
Luckily, "Lxcitable Boy" is followed by a real gem,
called "Werewolves of London." Zevon is joined by
McVie and Fleetwood on this song, which tells the hilar
ious story of a modern-day werewolf.
Zevon howls. He's the hairy-handed gent who ran
amuck in Kentlately he's been overheard in May fair
Belter stay away from himhe 'II rip your lungs out Jim
I'd like to meet his tailor, and later observes, " saw a
werewolf drinkin ' a Pina Colada in Trader Vic 'shis hair
was perfect ," It's too much.
Sheldon Art Gallery,
12th &R
FILM-MAKERS' SHOWCASE
THE FILMS OF LES BLANK
Blank is a great sociologist as well as a fine film-maker.
Because he shoots from the inside of a social group,' his
camera is never an intruder: people react to it like a
friend. We trust his images because the people in this film
trust him.
Blank 's films typically combine striking cinematography,
brilliant editing, and lots of glorious music. In fact, al
though music is ostensibly the "subject" of his films, its
real function is as a metaphor-a Taoist center around
which everything else flows.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
February 22, 23, 24, & 25
A complete retrospective thirteen films-eight
een hours on the screen the film-maker in
person-all admmion free (donations encour
aged)! Complete schedules available at the
Sheldon Gallery (phone 472 2461.
30QO t'H 1 1 Gldby QQQC
j Lincoln's Quality Adult Theatre jr"
Pi
GExpectation
Starring Suzette Holland - Delana Rattino
Jack Wright - Joey Ctvera - Desiree West
Plus 2nd XXX Rated Feature
THE RESURRECTION OF EVE
Starring Marilyn Chambers
continuous shows from 1 1 am
Late shows Fri - Sat.
Must be 18 and have I. O.
Side one is closed by an obligatory love and pain song,
or so it sounds, called "Accidentally, Like A Martyr."
Side two goes downhill from there. It opens with
"Nighttime In The Switching Yard," a seemingly point
less "train song" which slugs along to a lame garage-band
disco beat. Not even another fine guitar solo by Watchel
can save it.
"Veracruz," the side's second offering, also fails
despite its interesting lyrics, because of its tired and
redundant melody.' It is followed by a song Zevon
co-authored with Jackson Browne, called "Tenderness
On The Block." This number sounds like it would be a
find vehicle for Browne, but it seems strikingly out of
place on this album.
The side's closing cut, "Lawyers, Guns and Money." is
overblown instrumentally and once again shows Zevon
forcing himself lyrically.
While Excitable Boy is not a total failure and.contains
enough bright spots to be considered a satisfactory album
for many artists, for someone gifted with Zevon's talents,
it certainly is disappointing.
Recitals to feature
strings, french horn
"The UNL School of Music will sponsor three student
recitals today. All start at 3:30 p.m. and are free to the
public.
Stuart Furman, a scni r violin student, has a two
part program. His selections are Sonata In G (Devils Trill)
by Giuseppe Tartini and Sonata No. 1 in I ' Minor, Op. W
by Sergei Prokofiev.
Two junior instrumentalists will perform in the Choral
Room of Westbrook Music Building. Debra Stchr will
play two compositions on the string bass: Sonata for
Double Bass and Harjysicord by Benadetto Marcello and
Konzert in i-Dur for Dour' ' s and Piano by J.B.
Vanttal. IXh Dillon will be keyboard accompanist.
Larry Ahokas will follow Stelir's performance. Mis
french horn selections are Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70
by Robert Schumann and Quintet in I', flat for Horn,
Violin, Two Violas and Bass, K407 by Wolfgang Mozart.
TRAINING
472-2200
If you care about people and
want to helptconsider Outreach
Apply Now, Deadline is March 3, 1978
Stop in Rm. 104 Health Center
for Applications
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I Il2th p t. 477-1954 J I
The
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EMANUEL I WOLF
LAURENCE OLIVIER
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JANE ALEXANDER .HAROLD ROBBINS' THE BETSY
LESLEY-ANNE DOWN JOSEPH WISEMAN EDWARD HERRMANN
PAUL RUDD KATHLEEN 6ELLER
Screenplay by WILLIAM BAST and WALTER BERNSTEIN
Music JOHN BARRY Produced by ROBERT R. WESTON
Directed by DANIEL PETRIE
An AflMKj A'Ms HaroW Robrjms
14th & "O"
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