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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2000)
Albums' maturity show these bands here to stay I FASTBALL FILLS IT'S OWN SHOES AND FINDS MIDDLE GROUND WITH IT'S THIRD ALBUM ANDREW SHAW Fastball has enormous shoes to fill: its own. “All the Pain Money Can Buy,” its sophomore album, pro pelled the group into the big time with two Grammy nomi nations and an MTV Music Award nomina tion. The songs "The Way,” “Fire Escape” and “Out of My Mind” were stuck in the minds of all radio listeners and MTV viewers in 1998. The group toured with Everclear, Goo Goo Dolls, Sugar Ray, Marcy Playground and the 1998 H.O.R.D.E. tour. Now Fastball faces the music with “The Harsh Light of Day.” The album following a huge success is always full of pressure. The band doesn’t want to lose its personal sound, nor lose fans who think the group is stuck in a rut Fastball finds the middle ground on its third album. It contains soft grooves that make you want to roll down the windows and feel the sun beat on your skin, but the music is going toward a further destina tion. The first single, “You’re an Ocean,” has a traveling rock beat and Fastball’s recognizable vocal har monies and guitar background, but is overpowered by Billy Preston playing a piano reminiscent of vaudeville. The song is the epitome of potato-chip pop; you can’t listen to it just once. The lyrics aren’t profound, but they are fun to sing along to: “You’re an ocean, you’re an ocean. Settle down, settle down, what’s the commotion?” Another great track is the mariachi hit, "Love is Expensive and Free.” Built upon a medium Mexican gait, Bennett Salvay adds sweeping string arrange ments and a fitting trumpet track. Again, Fastball exhibits its harmonious qualities as well as the gui tarists’ playful rhythms and solos. Fastball is a band that can endure fame. "The Harsh Light of Day,” though it may not lend itself to extensive radio play like the previous release, is a statement of Fastball’s permanence in the music industry. RADIOHEAD'S FOURTH ALBUM SHOWS SIGNS OF A GROWTH SPURT, SHEER INNOVATION DANEST1CKNEY On first listen, Radiohead’s fourth album, “Kid A,” seems to be a grouping of fuzzy spaceship noises hanging in limbo. But after a few listens, it becomes clear that everything is in its right place. The new album is Radiohead’s first in more than three years, since the release of “OK Computer,” which garnered a Grammy nom ination for best album. The band, best known for its 1994 hit “Creep” off the “Pablo Honey” album, has grown on each of its albums, producing beautiful albums in “The Bends” and “OK Computer.” Another growth spurt is obvious on “Kid A,” which is more like “OK Computer” than “The Bends.” Actually, it sounds like the band was listen ing to a lot of Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Brian Eno while it was recording the album. “Kid A” is noticeably lacking the squealing, hec tic, unusual guitar playing of Jonny Greenwood. Instead, it is replaced with solid drum beats and many variations of keyboards, with songs like “The National Anthem” and“Idioteque” bordering on techno. One thing that is a bit bother some is the vocal contribution of lead singer and songwriter Thom Yorke. Yorke has been known for bel lowing painful, heartfelt lyrics with a squealing, yet eloquent, voice. There’s almost none of that on “Kid A,” where Yorke's voice is hid den and filtered by voice distor tion. On “Everything In Its Right Place,” Yorke sings the chorus, then it is played again backwards. One verse is comprised of Yorke singing the line “Yesterday I woke up sucking on a lemon” four times, then it goes back to the looped chorus. That type of activity is com mon throughout the album. The listener never gets a clear listen to Yorke’s voice until the end of the aiDum. - The song “Kid A” feels like a disjointed fairy tale, with light drips of sound filling the background. Yorke's voice, which is heavily fil tered and sounds like a computer, is unintelligible banter. Nothing can be understood. One song that seems unusual on the album is “Motion Picture Soundtrack,” which was written during the “Pablo Honey” era. The song differs greatly from the computerized fuzz that fills most of the album. The song consists of Yorke’s vocals, an organ with harps and a chorus toward the end of the song. It sounds like a funeral procession. “The National Anthem” is an incredible song that begins with rigid, fuzzy bass and a techno beat that eventually paves the way for a full brass section. “Idioteque” is a pure dance song that is an inter esting endeavor for a guitar rock band. Yorke’s voice is exceptional on this song, combining confusion and elegance. This album is totally different from anything Radiohead has ever released, and it is done well. The type of music the band presents is truly unusual and innovative. It is reminiscent of the change the Beatles took when they recorded “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.” t Fans of Radiohead songs like “Fake Plastic Tiees,” “Creep” and “Paranoid Android” may be turned off by “Kid A,” but they need not wait long. Rumor has it that Radiohead’s fifth album is already recorded, and they are set to record their sixth album in the spring. But until then, Radiohead fans will have then hands full with the sheer innovation that “Kid A” pro vides. Restaurant s Cajun fare spices up city dining scene BYJJ. HARDER It all started with a little win dow in the back of Knickerbockers, 901 O St. Now there are two George’s Red Pepper Grills, 1317 N. 10th and 3223 Cornhusker Highway, and a brand new Cajun place called Crawdaddy’s. I think George is systematically trying to take over Lincoln. I say if he sticks to food, then he can go right ahead. The 25-cent tacos many of you have probably eaten at Knickerbockers on Thursdays or the Red Pepper Grill on Sundays come from George’s kitchen. They may not be culinary creations of vitality, but they started George on the path to some great food. George’s newest endeavor, Crawdaddy’s, 700 O St., moved out of its tight quarters in Knickerbockers and relocated to the Haymarket. Kerry O'Ryan’s, another Cajun and Creole restau rant, closed its doors and Crawdaddy’s moved in. I didn’t review Crawdaddy’s when it was in Knickerbockers because of the legitimacy factor. I figured it was basically a few of the dishes from the Red Pepper Grill with a Cajun theme. After Crawdaddy’s got its own place, I was hoping this was going to be different than George’s other places. There is no doubt that the environment is different George’s has a cafeteria style walk-through; Crawdaddy's has servers. George’s is painted in wild, bright colors; Crawdaddy’s has blacks and whites. George’s is basically a sauna with food; Crawdaddy's has air-conditioning. As for the food, George leaves the Mexican-style cuisine at the other store. Crawdaddy’s is strictly Cajun. Crawfish rolls (crawfish tails fried in dough) and Cajun fries (traditional favorites kicked up a notch) lead the appetizer list. George’s Gator Balls, a blend of alligator and pork in BBQ sauce, were very unimpressive. The meat was dry and lacked flavor. However, the fried sweet potatoes were excellent. The bite-sized pieces of sweet potatoes were sprinkled with sugar and cinna mon and were served with a tasty dipping sauce. They were so sweet, I probably would order them for dessert next time. Of course, George does the big Cajun three: jambalaya, red beans and rice and gumbo. The jamba laya blends a nice combination of spices, peppers and Andbuille sausage with Cajun rice. The por tion was small, and it was a bit cold, but the ingredients were right on the money. The red beans and rice and gumbo didn’t meas ure up to what I had in Memphis the weekend before, but the por tions were very filling. Trio incorporates culture into roots reggae music MEDITATIONS from page 8 “Scratch was regarded as one of the most creative forces in reggae,” Van Pelt said. Reggae legend Bob Marley invited The Meditations to sing backup vocals on several of his songs, including “Blackman Redemption,” and asked the band to open the historic One Love Peace Concert. The Meditations became popular for its dance hall music; a danceable beat under the har monies of the trio’s voices. The Meditations’ sound is influenced by Curtis Mayfield, who has been nicknamed “the Godfather of Reggae.” Van Pelt described the shift of music genres in Jamaica that contributed to the full-bodied sound of reggae. “In Jamaica there was a shift from R&B boogie woogie to ska that contributed to reggae music. The Meditations’ sound has outlasted many other Jamaican trios with a unique kind of music isolated in Jamaica,” Van Pelt said. Despite a group split during the '80s, the band is back together and began touring the United States last April. The band’s current release, “Ghetto Knowledge,” is evi dence of the roots reggae that still pulses in the group’s music. The second track of the album, “Ghetto is a College,” sums up the realities of learning the most from living life’s experiences to the fullest—the life that springs from The Meditations’ mind in motion. ---, DAILY NEB.CO M Seven different Po’ Boys (Louisiana hoagie sandwiches) and seven more dinner specials (including fried catfish, spiced island shrimp and sea bass) fill the menu. There are burgers and ' BBQ sandwiches for those of you who can’t manage to try anything new. Crawdaddy’s is better than Kerry O’Ryan’s, but it doesn’t measure up to George’s. After get ting used to the soaked-shirt heat and no-frills mentality of George’s, it’s difficult to wait for one’s meal and be served at Crawdaddy’s. But it gives George a chance to try new things and experiment with the clientele in town, on his way to controlling Lincoln's restaurant business. Next up: Georges of Fun, the Cajun theme park. For All Your Party Needs! 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