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Show 4 P twitch JjM a cSES (3an305Of HONEST ENGINE Combustion (Cypher Productions) HONEST ENGINE redj flag" Combustion (Cypher Productions) r i $ The Oxford American Dictionary defines "honest" as: "adj. 1 Truthful, trustworthy." It defines "engine" as: "n. - a mechanical contrivance consisting of several parts working together, especially as a source of power." In combination, one can say that Honest Engine is a truthful, trustworthy source of power which created Combustion. Exploding with "Sky," the progression of Combustion is a windy road that avoids speed limit or hazzard signs. As one drives this road, the truthful, trustworthy source of power takes him on and off ten exits all worth stopping for. It's a slow drive through exit four, "Funk Displacement" but a rhythmic race through exit ten, "Turn out the 4? 1- "A I Pack A lypse" Now the year blow-oon blems, 2nds, last years ut stuff. ' err Given the year it took to build, worth existed the drive. Ten exits that only live are now paved and allow the driver to rest in the comfort of his own Honest Engine plays all over town. They're one of the tightest, most technically proficient local rock bands. Why two frogs Tight and proficient doesn't necessarily mean good in the world of rock music. Winger was a tight band. Yngwie Malmstein is techni cally proficient. Would Beggar's Banquet era Stones be considered tight How about Nirvana? Honest Engine's problem is that they've hung out at the guitar shop and learned music according to Guitar World magazine. They vocals-by-number- play percussion-by-jiumber- inspired, Combustion proves to be a road o home speeding, swerving, and never taking his foot off the gas pedal. Packs The Best Snow Board Pack in Shane Massey s, and The s. teetering-on-the-edg- e moments that make rock vital are missing from their performances and from Combustion. o In all fairness, Combustion isn't without merit. Track four, "Funk Displacement" includes a horn section and some good solo sax Satriani-meetSeattle sound also lays off work. The Joe d for a little moody a bit on "Seldon's Plan," Combustion features pretentiously funk. Overall though, "Free Your Mind's Cram written (e.g., lyrics by poor music. Eye.") and The uninitiated listener won't think Honest Engine is a Utah band at all, but a Los Angeles session band making Coors Light commercials. Christian Arial s- jazz-style- the industry. countless kids Technical Internal Frames PRODUCT rr)l Sun." End of Day TT'i X into the garage with cheap guitars. A few imitators gain suc- cess nationally; gain many overly-choreograph- ed success locally. Our local imita- Come and buy your equipment straight from the source. tors-turned- Obvious. The Obvious moved to L.A., signed to Grindstone and VORTEX FACTORY STORE (801) 978-220- 7. 1414 South 700 West S.L.C., Utah 84104 SAT. 10:00 M ON. -- FRI. 8:00-6:0- 0 -- THE OBVIOUS Detached 4:00 (Grindstone) It's 1991. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is everywhere, feed Jam is alive and YOU WILL WANT TDMAXE A PILGRIMAGE TO Soundgarden can't be outshined. Someone calls it grunge. Commercial music is turned on its ear. It is good. It's now 1995. Grunge has become Even Pearl Jam is less hip. a Still, record producers drool for another Nirvana. HI by-wor-d. A PLACE FOR ALL The success of grunge sends U. OF U. STUDENTS! A RESTAURANT THAT WONT GOBBLE UP YOUR SAVINGS! IliM SCRAMBLE CP rilttilJITS & CDAVEY CONTINENTAL S1.C S 364-3520364-28- 10 the Dog and the artsy industrial photos mimmick Ministry. All this accessibility makes The Obvious the "alter-- annoying. The instrumental end of American Studies sounds unforced and divergent "Sentimental Career Decisions" and "Thunder Psyche of Moab" vac- illate between heavy, ZJv YZj fc 8:255 EAST 400 SOUTH & or album art looks familiar. The handwritten lyrics equal Temple of mid-perio- FALL CCEFEE SALE H LATTE ESPPESSC CAPPUCCINO opened for Blind Melon's short-live- d Fall tour. Now, following the death of Blind Melon's Shannon Hoon, The Obvious is on the road headlining their own tour. See our calendar. The Obvious started as a cover band. Listening to Detached is proof enough. "Righteous Indignation" is Primus and "Spin" sounds like Pearl Jam's "Evenflow." The band sounds stale, unoriginal. Their lyrics are full of large words to cover up a lack of sincerity or meaning. Even the interi- objective criticism. Caught somewhere between d King Crimson and Gwar, Thirsty Alley can be alternately inventive and LUNCHDINNED SPECIALS 2 national are The "Four Horseman of the Bayou." Ersatz country disappears into n jazz pop on "The Significance of the Frontier." "Rat's Ass Frying on a Coleman Stove" cranks twenty-eigseconds of amphetamine k before segueing into the jazz funk of "Big Boote'." Moody jazz with keyboard vibes smoothes through "The Risk Pool." horn-drive- THIRSTY ALLEY American Studies (Dick Dark Enterprises) 88 DISCOUNT TO ALL STUDENTS J jazz-roc- k fusion and metal. Camp country-wester- n and reggae pops up in ht jazz-pun- intro-specti- Thirsty Alley is one of the few local bands that can stand up to ve flavor of the month. Don't be suckered into buying the The Grindstone "enhanced" capabilities of the disc don't work. I tried an IBM and a Macintosh. All I could run was poorly produced live footage of last year's Mayfest. My inability to retrieve the "band interviews, lyrics, and more" was a let down. The last thing Salt Lake's local scene needs is for mediocre, grunge e" CD-RO- M bands to get national attention. carbon-copie- s When get imitators clog the scene, press, while original acts get driven into de obscurity. Don't be fooled by propaganda. Bands like The Obvious are a dime a dozen. Alex Beckstead There's even a ska song on the album in "No Hideous Belief." The music is good. It's David Hoehner's vocals and lyrics that ruin the album. Hoehner's vocals combine the quirkiness of Primus's Les Qaypool and the deep, monotone Satan voice of several million metal bands. Too bad Hoehner doesn't use his voice as an instrument with all its attendant range, instead of grating into predictable monotony. Hoehner's lyrics aren't bad, just a little clever and consciously funny for their own good, but his phrasing is inventive and rhythmic. In all, as good as local recorded music gets. Copies are available at Salt City CDs, Raspberry Records, Raunch and The Heavy Metal Shop. 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