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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 1999)
Robbie Williams “The Ego has Landed” Capitol Records Grade: B+ Britpop is preparing to make another landing in the states, and this time it’s candy coated. Robbie Williams, the bedroom eyed, pop-crooning former boy-band superstar, is coming across the pond. If you’ve never heard of him - which is probable unless you hail from England or are an incredibly savvy teen-age girl - wait about a week, and you’ll know who he is. Williams, who is a household name in England with two No. 1 albums, “Life through a Lens” and “I’ve Been Expecting You,” regularly rules the British Top 10. MTV Europe crowned him Best Male Performer last year. And all this just since Williams began his solo career. Williams left Take That - a Backstreet Boy-esque group of teen heartthrobs that sold more than two million albums and tallied eight NO. 1 hits in 1995. His departure marked the loss of one of Britain’s most celebrated pop band mega-hit makers. But Robbie hasn’t faltered since his solo move, and now with “The Ego has Landed,” he’s taking a gam ble that his trippy, happy songs will be just as popular with follow-the crowd American teen-age girls. Watch out. He’s probably right. “The Ego has Landed” touches down in the United States on May 14. It is made up entirely of songs token from William’s previous two British hit albums. The recording is composed of the traditional pop mix of guitar-laden fast tunes against the swoony, croony slow songs bound to make the girls weak in the knees. Williams has an interesting mix of sound, sometimes a little of an Oasis whine, sometimes a bit of a Freddy Mercury glide, all mixed in with a baseline pumping groove that’s enough to make the listener feel ashamed for liking something so trite. Each tune is full of relatively corny lyrics - one song is titled “Jesus in a Camper Van” and in one song Williams wishes an ex would “choke on her Bacardi and Coke.” But Williams manages to throw in some phrases that are relatively risky when compared to American pop music - he sings about the pope smoking crack and his fantasies of easy lays - both topics most cheesy American bands probably wouldn’t touch. The love songs are fairly generic, with themes of regret, of his angel completing his life and of his suffer ing, repeatedly broken heart. The fast songs outnumber the slow ones, which is a good thing, and the catchy tunes mixed with Williams’ remarkable voice make for songs that are bound to be stuck in the listener’s head for days upon end. The album makes for one that can definitely be added to those embar rassing albums that you love to listen to when nobody you know is around to hear. And even if you don’t like the music, Robbie is cute enough to make up for it. - Sarah Baker Wilco “Summerteeth” Reprise Grade: A Wilco is the kind of band that hard-core fans love to hate. Over the course of three albums, the former alt-country trailblazers have evolved beyond recognition, turning their backwoods twang into urbane ballads and unapologetic pop. On “Being There,” Wilco’s sprawling two-disc second album, there were hints that singer/chief songwriter Jeff Tweedy was begin ning to abandon the country brand he had helped to forge while in Uncle Tupelo. But on “Summerteeth,” Wilco’s third and best effort to date, not one shred of Willie, Johnny or Hank remains, and Tweedy seems to be tak ing cues from artists more in the vein of Brian Wilson, Alex Chilton and Paul Westerberg. And a quick answer to the ques tion of whether one will like this album is held in that list of refer ences. Vocal harmonies, elaborate back ing tracks and alternately somber and desire-filled lyrics fill this album, making it a latter-day equivalent of “Pet Sounds.” “She’s a Jar,” the album’s second track, is a slowly moving ballad that sounds like a desperate love letter written by someone with heavily tainted sensibilities. “Yia Chicago” comes across like a mix of Nick Cave psychosis and a Paul Simon road song, complete with a screeching feedback wail that cries throughout the song’s background. An album filled with sentiments along these lines could easily come across as stereotypical, tired, Generation-X whining. But Wilco manage to counter their yearning with a healthy sense of hope, even if it is the compromised sort. “A Shot in the Arm” winds up with a chorus that repeats the song’s title over and over again, promising that someday things will change for the better. And “When You Wake Up Feeling Old” has a sing-song quality reminiscent of the nursery songs that Wilco contributed to last year’s Woody Guthrie tribute, “Mermaid Avenue.” And by the time the hidden tracks have all wound down, “Summerteeth” is much more than typical indie depression or mindless Courtesy Photo WILCO HAS CUT its “Summerteetir with a smart collection of indie rock tracks. pop that wear sits influences on its sleeve. And it is more than Wilco’s best album, it is the year’s best album to date. - Jeff Randall ART from page 12 To help smaller organizations ded icated to multiculturalism, the NAC established the Multicultural Assistance Program. The program gives grants to cul turally specific arts organizations, arts programs of community organizations of color or incorporated culturally spe cific performing groups. Organizations that have received grants include the Great Plains Black History Museum, El Museo Latino in Omaha and the Indian Center in Lincoln. To receive most of the NAC’s grants, an organization must match the amount of NAC dollars donated. Smaller organizations have a hard time meeting this requirement. “Many time, small organizations function on a very subsistent level,” Murray said. “There is usually one strong individual who holds every thing together.” The Multicultural Assistance Program gives organizations the basic resources for survival, freeing their other resources for new programming. 1 The NAC’s other multicultural program provides mentors for artists. This program pairs established artists with burgeoning talent, allow ing for an exchange of techniques, knowledge and opinions. Deborah Taylor, an Omaha painter, graphic designer and sketch artist, has participated in the program twice. Taylor’s work centers on leaders in black history and the personal expe riences of people of color. Under her last mentor, Taylor learned how to scan her work on to the computer and compile a portfolio. Taylor then sent this portfolio out to local computer graphics businesses with the hope of finding works as a freelance artist. “I’ve been able to learn things I didn’t in college,” Taylor said. “It’s given me an extra edge.” In the future, the freshly trained graphic artist and the Malone Center director said they would like to see this program expand. “I would like to see more dollars going to local artists,” Godfrey said. “We need to train and teach artists things like the marketing aspect of the arts. Artists are so poor.” All three programs have added to the artistic climate of the state, diversi fying the offerings and opportunities. “It’s a small amount of money, but the impact has been really, really sig nificant,” Murray said. “Being an artist is very difficult, regardless of what color you are. Some artists do make it big, but the majority have to work very hard for their pro fession. It’s truly a labor of love.” Money has also flowed to Nebraska public schools, helping them meet their multicultural educa tion requirements. With NAC grants, the schools can bring in artists of color to work with students through seminars, workshops and classes. These grants have been particular ly useful to the Norfolk community, where a recent influx of Hispanic immigrants heightened racial ten sions. Through the Norfolk Arts Center and the NAC, Norfolk Public School made a concerted effort to get Hispanic artists into the classroom. “The programs can make people more tolerant,” said Georgia Wyatt, director of arts education and pro gramming at the Norfolk Arts Center. “Through the arts, you do not have to have words to be able to communi cate.” Wayne Newton brings Vegas to heartland NEWTON from page 12 long hit list of other gaming tables. Ameristar is a Las Vegas corpo ration that operates five gaming facilities in Nevada, Mississippi and Iowa. An Ameristar press release pro moting the concert reads: “This is Ameristar’s first endeavor with the Symphony and we feel it will be the beginning of a successful relationship. It furthers our commitment to help bring Las Vegas-style entertainment to the area and an opportunity to show case our AAA Four-Diamond property to symphony goers.” Gambling is taking on a more normal and formal face in the Midwest, and it’s Newton’s turn to lead the parade of Nebraskans heading to Council Bluffs this weekend. More than the Rat Pack or Howard Hughes, Newton is the face of Las Vegas. Newton’s personal christening of the regional casino scene with his King of Las Vegas status sym bolizes the aspirations of the gam bling-house industry. A child star who sang for President Truman as a six-year old while in the Grand Ole Opry, he has a voice good enough to make us forget most any problem. Renditions of “Loving You” and his classic “Danke Schoen” in his smooth voice would relax any apprehensive gambler. As casino America weaves hell’s hand basket, at least it gives us seasoned ballroom performers like Newton to sweep us away before the poker dealer takes the shirt off our backs. Pamela and Tommy rock the cradle of love ■ The infamous Lees are back together, and they’re hoping to spend more time with their sons. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Nothing, it seems, not even divorce, can keep Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee away from each other. Anderson, the former “Baywatch” star, and her rocker husband, whom she accused of beating her, said Thursday that they’re a couple again. “It’s been a long, hard year, full of lessons and insights,” they said in a statement released by publicist Marleah Leslie. “We went through a lot of pain while we were separated. r-:—— And we both learned a lot about what’s really important.” They have two children, 3-year old Brandon and 1-year-old Dylan. “The boys are really happy to be spending more time with their dad. I’m really happy to see Tommy with his sons,” Anderson said. Anderson and Lee were divorced last year, when Lee was arrested for hitting her while on probation for attacking a photographer. Lee pleaded no contest, was given three years of probation and was ordered to stay 100 yards away from Anderson. Now they’re living together in Malibu and plan on “moving slowly and carefully” to rebuild their relation ship and “create a new, safe platform for their family,” Leslie said. ---—I ■ A 8er>ec You check out, L06 on to Have Your POWER WAITIM6 FOR YOU IN YOUR NEW PUCE OR TO HAVE IT SHUT OFF IN YOUR OLt? ONE. www. ie$.|incoln.ne.v$