The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 09, 1981, Page Page 11, Image 11
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By MIKE ROMATOWSKI
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BLUE AND GRAY, the new album by
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r novative albums to come along in months.
Songwriters Rusty Young and Paul Cotton
have made a unique attempt at expanding
upon the usual album format; the entire
collection of songs is inspired by the
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Rather than pen a series of historical
narratives, they decided to take a broader,
more evocative approach. Thus, the album
offers musical vignettes which they hoped
would capture the feel and spirit of the
United States at war in the 1860s. If the Civil
War was as drab and boring as this record,
f , however, I feel more sorry for those who
lived through it than those who died in it.
Young explains this new effort as follows:
"We wanted to take a few chances this time.
You can get burned out making the same old
album of pop tunes. It's like a fiction writer
who's only done short stories wanting to
write a ir.aior novel."
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Franken and Davis, writers and perfoi
for two shows in the Russel House Ball
^ students; and $5.00 for the public. 1
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H?H Tuesday,September 8t\
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THE SONGS are a direct contradiction to
that statement, however, for Young and the
' band never take any chances at all; it's as if
they merely sleepwalked through the
recording sessions. Young and Cotton would
have done better had they actually made
this a novel instead of a record, for the lvrics
are impressive if one reads them without
hearing the music. They conjure up images
of soldiers off to war ('Blue and Grey'), and
toasts to lovely Southern belles ('Here
Comes That Girl Again').
The problem is twofold: Young ana uouon
drone their way through the vocals with an
incredible lack of spark or enthusiasm, and
the instrumentation is so bland it might
just as well not be there at all. Although the
group's past nils HKe urazy l^ove anu
'Heart of the Night' were certainly no
monuments of excitement, they actually
surpass the material on Blue and Gray.
Both Young and Cotton sing in very
similar styles: neither one ever conveys any
sense of urgency or emotion. It's a shame,
because their lyrics deserve much better
treatment. Cotton's best effort is called
'Streets of Paradise,' a bluesy number
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rmers on Saturday Night Live^will appear
troom on Sept. 18. Tickets will be $3.50 for
rickets go on sale Sept. 14 at the Travel
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about a wounded soldier:
For too many years now
I've been the devil's own
In a midnight rage
I take the streets alone
'Streets of Paradise' is followed by
Young's best song, 'The Writing on the
Wall.' It is a lyrical masterpiece that
deserves to be sung by someone who can at
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least give a reansuc impression 01 uie quitit
determination the song evokes.
Last night I dreamed as I lay sleeping
I saw a thousand angels cross the sky...
They left a trail of love and glory
Rusty Young and P
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WHO:
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As they crossed the Southern Sky
I saw the writing on the wall
Though we may stumble, we can't fall
me war is a naiurai ineme lor
Cotton and Young, considering their mutual
interest in the South and the fact that they
appeal mostly to a Southern audience. They
certainly cannot be faulted for the ambitiousness
of this project; they should in
fact be admired for it. However, the best
thing to do regarding Blue and Gray is to let
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jacket and read the lyrics. You'll get a
romantic view of the Civil War without
having to snooze through the music and
vocals.
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aut Cotton of Poco
SAYS
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vices ? 8, 9:15, 11:30 \
Sunday ^