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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1998)
imufMi Marilyn Manson “Mechanical Animals” Nothing Records Grade: D I should’ve known what to expect when I opened the new Marilyn Manson album and the disc was deco rated to look like a pill with the word “coma” on it. “Mechanical Animals” is the lat est offering from the always freshly androgynous Manson camp, and it has ail the makings of another hit record. If I know kids these days - and I think I do - they love reefer-smoking aliens, so the spaced-out drug themes of “Mechanical Animals” ought to make the kids go crazy. However, for those who don’t shop at Gadzooks, this album will probably come off just as it did for me - boring and repetitive. The song structures are largely the same throughout the entire album as almost every tune has a low-key moody verse section that crescendos into an aggressively violent chorus. While the structure works for some of the tunes, it completely fails with others, u.aiv» uunnuiv.iy tiiv^ aiuuiii wuuiu uavw been more interesting had it been cut in half. Though Manson attempts to rein vent himself as a breasted space prophet on “Mechanical Animals,” most of the lyrics are still based on his woeful feelings of inadequacy and resentment toward society and God. “Mechanical Animals” splutters to a start with the Ziggy Stardust-like sounds of “Great Big White World” and has the feel of a floating space man going out of control, shunned by earth and crying for a world to belong to. Poor spaceman. The second track, “The Dope Show” is also the album’s first release, and it combines a slow groovy rhythm with — surprise -- more space noises. The lyrics are about Manson’s inability to handle his love-hate relationship with the media and his feelings of alienation toward society. The lyrics offer nothing new to the subject and come off incredibly shallow and whiny. “They love you when you’re on all the covers - when you’re not then they love another,” cries Manson. Poor spaceman. Most of the musical characteris tics aren’t as aggressive as Manson’s previous work, with the exception of a few tunes. “Rock is Dead” is a pound ing ride through screams, sex and television. It sounds incredibly simi lar to one of Manson’s previous smashes, “Beautiful People” ... a little too familiar, if you ask me. “Posthuman” is another upbeat stomper that injects a furious dose of drumming into a catchy “hey, hey, hey” chorus about God, heroin and Jackie O. Manson seems to have taken a new glam-rock approach to making music on some sections of “Mechanical Animals,” as songs like “User Friendly” and “I Don’t Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)” combine funky grooves reminiscent of the guy we used to call Prince with a hair-metal chorus reminiscent of Slaughter (which for some reason stuck with its name). “I Don’t Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)” has a fist-jabbing chorus with all the hessian elements of Slaughter’s “Up All Night, Sleep All Day,” and even has some funky - soul divas classing up the background vocals. “User Friendly” is another funk hessian combo with lyrics that prove even Marilyn Manson has girl prob Please see MARILYN on 9 lL. jam ! i 1 1 he Big bix swing into town for second visit By Sarah Baker Senior staff writer Swingers usually can be identified by pinstriped pants, derby hats and the flash of dangling wallet chains. But The Big Six aren’t your run of-the-mill swingers. Imported straight from England’s swing scene, the rockabilly-swing band plans to morph the Zoo Bar into a rolling dance club tonight. And they plan to wear baggy, not to mention tacky, plaid suits while they do it. Ricky Brawn, the founding mem ber and drummer for the sextet, said the trademark attire, which members have donned since the onset, does more than just make the band look stylish. “The swing kids dress up, so why shouldn’t the band?” Brawn asked. “We wanted to add a visual element to our shows and look exciting on stage. We want to seem larger than life.” Brawn said the band’s first visit to Lincoln was surprisingly successful. “It was packed,” he said. “We did n’t know what to expect, but it was exceptionally good.” Tonight’s show marks The Big Six’s second visit, and Brawn said he hopes the band can claim success this time around as well. “We had a great time in Lincoln,” Brawn said. “Our show is going to be as wild as possible. We like to enter tain and get some good dancing going.” The Big Six are in the midst of a 55-date tour of the United States, after which they will go on tour with the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, another product of the recent swing revival. Brawn said the band was excited about having the chance to tour the United States, especially with the newfound popularity of the big band sound. “I think (the swing revival) is great,” he said. “In the UK it’s hard to get gigs because the scene is so bogged down, but here it’s wonderful. We are working hard and playing loads of gigs.” The band credits some of its inspi ration to music greats such as James Brown, Bill Haley and the Comets as well as the Skatellites. The group’s new album “We the Boys Will Rock Ya” is its first on a major label - Hepcat Records, based out of Los Angeles. Brawn attributed the group’s pop ularity to more than just its outrageous look. “The music connects with the fans,” he said. “It’s not about religion or politics. It’s escapism, and it lets them have a good time.” He said the band doesn’t like being on the road, but the end product makes the suffering worthwhile. “We love the gigs,” he said. “It’s definitely worth it, and we really don’t know what else to do with ourselves if not this.” The Big Six plays at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14l" St., at 9 tonight. Tickets for the show are $5. For more information, call the Zoo Bar at (402) 435-8754. i I
