OCR Text |
Show ---------------------••=WWGHAij•~fl~-------------------THEIBUNDERBIRD • SOUTHERNUTAHUNIVERSITY • THURSDAY,SEPTEMBERZJ, 1993 • PAGE 15 Live gets air play after sleeper awakens REVIEW BY BRANDON R. SCHRAND Thunderbird Aru Editor Uve Mental Jewelry MCI records, 1991 Produced by Jerry Harrison Not since The Who in the early days of British rock has there been a not-so-mainstream band that contained uch a notable amount of difference in means of style, chaTaCtl."r and inregrity of its particular musical scene or era. However, the foot prints that were laid by our rode 'n' roll forefathers have apparently been followed and lent a fresh insight ro a band from Easton, Pa., who call themselves Live. The qaurtet released its debut album, Mental')ewelry in 1991 and it has see.med to be sleeping in fine print on the charts and resting on the back shdves in record shops abroad. Now, two.and-a-half years later, Llve is gaining a second glance from the college scene and late night air play as well as re-run Buu- Clips on MlV. After a good listen to MPain Lies on tl1e Riverside~ (the first tune on the disc) it is evident mat this is a band that clearly deserves the recognition that will highlight its posrponed success. The line-up for the band is Edward Kowalczyk. lead singer and acoustic guitarist; Chad Taylor, electric guitar and vocals; Patrick Dahlheimer, bas ist; and Chad Gracey who provides the drums and percussion for the dynamic group. Patrick DahU1eimer exemplifies a bass style that will ignite a genuine adrenaline energy and yet, one second later will break into a walking bass line containing a rawness that is as danceable as danceable can be. The acoustic guitar work complements each song and is as Local band Stampede looking to cour on the State Fair Curcuit while waiting for a budget to land a 1econ.d. studio session in Los Angeles. Fr"am left to right: T1 Isham, L,nn Den~tt, Scott Symond, Todd Isham and Arthur Kaufman. Local band is full speed ahead REVIEW BY JASON C. HENRY Thunderbird Staff W,ire,- perfecdy essential as the acoustic guicar on U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name.~ Meanwhile, the vocals simply show splendor and the seriousness devotoo to the qua~'s decorative intrgrity. Mental Jewelry's voice is that of a strong, true and a specacular dispo ition and one that is defutltely unique in delivery as well. Not forgett:Ulg the most important ingredient-die foundation, sttucture and essentially th.e marrow of the group-the drums and percussion tracks of Gracey. lbis is quire apparent in "Operation Spirit," the second song on the album. The snare beat offers a different rhythm progression that is most commonly unexpected. The first thought is that your disc is skipping and it's brand new- do not be alarmed, it is merely the product of a stylistically alternative drummer. Hot tracks include: "Pain Ues on the Riverside", "Take My Anthem", "You are the Wodd", "10,000 years', "The Beauty of Gray", "Mother Earth", "Good Pain" and others. It seems that the face of new music has become increasingly more classified with the indigenous sound of a band's hometown. The idea that there could ever be a Garth Brooks from Seattle or a Nirvana from Memphis seems bizarre at best Yet it is just this son of stereotypical limitation that gives Cedar City's very own Stampede the sort of musical freedom that its broad base of musical influences and mlents demand. It would be next to impossible for anyone to try to define just what th.e sound of southern Utah is, a handful of bands playing a handful of lazy bars and garage gigs. Yet the local talent should never be underestimated, and that is definirely the case when it comes ID Stampede. MO( course one of our strengths is our ability to play almost anything you can think of... anything from, you know, George Jones to Nirvana." admits Arthur Kaufman, lead 5inger for the southern Utah·based band. Stampede was formed back in the spring of '88 when, like most new bands, a group of friends decided to take their casual jam sessions out of the living room and into the limelight It wasn't long before the band had created a reputation for itself based upon the members' ability to really come together on their vocal hannonies. Through a series of face lifts that included the deparn.ire of founding members-singer/guitarist Gale Davis and drummer Bruce Atwood-the band persisted with ax wielding Lynn Dennett and Todd Isham on the keyboard, and his brother Ty on bass. It was not long until the band recruited the vocal stylings and song writing talents of Kaufman, as well as Scott Symond on skins to complete Stampede's current lineup. It was at this point that the band really began to catch fire and started to define its own sound. With influences ranging from Kaufman's traditional opera training to Denneu!s early Metal dabblings, the band created a melting pot of styles and flavors that led to th.eir own version of country-rock. The band's reputation for tight sets as well as blues improvisations and vocal harmonies created soung following of fans as well as some local radio play of their debut album Full St,red Ah.ead. It was not long until Stampede had become one of Utah's hardest working bands. Gigs rolled in, including the slot as opening band for such acts as country's Don Williams in the Centrum in 1992. When asked about goals for the next two to five years, front-man Kaufman said, wWell, eve.ryone has their own ideas about the band, me- I just Like to have a good time playing music... but who kn™'s what will happen!n Currently the band can be seen every Wednesday night at the Sportsmen's Club where they play from their stable of more than 35 original songs-as well as a great variety of coven. Stampede is also hard at work on the completion of their new demo tape, with which they hope to buck themselves into a recording contract with a mapr record company. The road ahead looks bright for the young hometown band as they run wildly into the future hoping to put Cedar on the musical map. |