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Features I Monday, April 18, 1988 THE GAMECOCK 5 Drag the River with Miche Columbians By CHUCK DEAN ^ Staff writer W The crowd was abnormally small at Rockafellas' Friday night. The band performing was Drag the River, whose nucleus is Atlanta resident Michelle Malonc. Malone has developed a loyal Columbia following and is one of the most respected and talented musicians to perform in the city. Friday, Malonc took the stage with her three-man band, who anementpd hrr nou'crhnmc tnlpntc What was a night of first-rate music that left the appreciative audience completely satisfied. To describe Malonc's music is as challenging as administering the Rorschach test. Her voice is pleasingly calm at one moment yet ready to shift into a high-geared, charged plea at the next. . .her hand complying with a thrashing guitar riff. Malone is a petite woman who, on Friday, sported a Mafia-like hat with turned down bill ? allowing the audience to catch only flashes of the face churning out one mesmerizing song after anoiner. snc strikingly resembled I'atti Smith. Watching the band prepare for their show, one could tell ? from the strict attention given their instruments, sound and lighting equipment ? that Drag the River is a band of perfectionists. The concert that followed simply reinforced this observation. Although Drag the River performed some cover tunes, including songs by the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, the forte of their music rests in original songs penned by Malone. Her songs are highly personal and emotionally written in such a manner that their vitality relies on her acoustic accompani mcnt. When in top form, Malone's lyrics intertwine with her manic guitar playing which are then boosted by her well attuned band. The results are astonishing. One of the highlights from Drag the River's conSccrt was their interpretation of "Mother" from the album The Wall. Former Floyd songwriter Roger Waters would be highly proud of this rendition. Malone's voice, when she sings, "Mama's gonna put all of her fear into you/ Mama's gonna keep you right here under her wing/ She won't let you flv tint chp mioht l#?t vnn cino " Qorms to twist deep from her insides as if indeed she's speaking of her mother. I This is one of the factors contributing to Drag the River's popularity: they have mastered the talent of conveying emotion to the audience through their music. Their sets are well planned with no lulls, and they involve the audience in a strange, surrealistic manner. Some other of Drag the River's staple songs are "New Experience," "Big Black Bag" and "Under Memphis Sky." "New Experience" is a Dylan-like, rollercoasterish frolic about the limits of love. Malone \ cuddles to the microphone and proclaims, "I'll H|HnSRHSS8SBBHn^HH f RBI I t f--? I ! iron : . I I I j j BUICK I l ll ESI S ' In i ? Oldsmobiie j , I LiiMfe7! *1 j CHEVROLET j die Malone treated to firsl give you anything for a new experience/ I'll give you my left wing for a new experience/ I'll give fifteen bucks for a new experience/ I'll give you all my lust for a new experience. . Then, Malonc's incredibly strong voice trails off into her trademark wail. These wails are captivating, unspoken words left to the audience for interpretation. "Big Black Bag" is another Malone original and a credit to her songwriting ability. Her strong points in lyricism are humor and creating striking images with a few simple words. In "Big Black Bag" she sings, "His eyes were the color of his JM "Bp J jjjr " tti wBkv* * Michelle Malone, lead singer for Drag the Riv Malone and her band make frequent appearanc SPRING GRADUATES: nrr Once again, we're proud to ofl GMAC College Graduate Fins Plan. GMAC wants to help us you the credit you deserve, ar keys to a new GM car or light For this special GMAC finar all you need is your diploma, | a ir?h p low Hnwn navmpnt th to meet monthly payments an GMAC represer this Friday fron See the new li * Urate rorirert ^ JL. *0^ 8/ J*. -M~ Jk % car/I'm doing cartwheels in my yard/Today I'm gonna go too far/Because I got a hand in Big Black Bag. . ." In concert, the delivery of this song is unique. A sarcastic grin slowly skirts across her face as her eyes lift to the ceiling, then the whole audience. The song about love peaks when she con"Wrll I leavp von mv nhone bonk/ So von could try to find mc at all my friends' houses/ But, 1 make up their names/ and I make up their numbers/ Yeah, and I even make up their addresses. . ." The band is Drag the River. The lead singer is Michelle Malonc. They make regular stops at their favorite bar, Rockafcllas'; so the next time they're in town, treat yourself to one of the most entertain ing and talented bands to hit Columbia's music scene in a while. You will not be disappointed. ?5^ - - - I - fi I ^ ^ CHUCK DEAN/The Gamec er, Sana her heart out Friday night at Rockafellas'. es in Columbia. Per the derogatory credit refer tnce You'll get $400 off the give or a 90-day deferral on id the as a graduation preser : truck. After all, graduating icing, is no small achieveme proof of to offer you one of yoi ie ability GMAC is an Equal Cre id no Company Come in and see us today. ltatives will be on Green n 10:00-4:00 to explain tl ine of GM cars and light HI By Michae The Smithereens, Green Thoughts, I Enigma/Capitol Records c With the demise of the Smiths, the a British band that redefined the term t "angst," the Smithereens are prov- t ing to be worthy successors. Where 5 singer Morrissey and guitarist t Johnny Marr left off with the 1 Smiths, I'at DiNizio and Jim Babjak z pick up respectfully. I Green Thoughts, their second r album, continues where their promis- 1 ing debut Especially for You left us. DiNizio has a knack for writing lyrics I that soulfully express his hurt over 1 broken relationships and missing out on love. On the first single, "Only a Memory," DiNizio speaks of a finished relationship that has become truly painful with poignant lyrics: "Broken bits of you and me/ Only a memory. . . In a world of pain/ I have no peer." This is not to say that the Smithereens are just a Smiths clone. I ITo r- f rr\m it Thn niiirtnf nut i Greenwich Village, produce a bardedge guitar sound reminiscent of fellow Villagers, the Brandos. Guitarist Jim Babjak's biting licks are similar to those of Brando David Kinkaid and both share a common intensity. With superb rhythmic force generated by bassist Mike Mesaros and a crunching drum beat from Dennis Diken, the band does not allow themselves to wallow in DiNizio's misery. ^ Produced by Don Dixon (R.E.M., Marshall Crenshaw), Green Thoughts is more than a study on fm i ? _ i_ _ : u i _ i.. ii\\r u \i i ^ |gj now iu uc mibciuuic. in wuiiu wt; Know" and "Drown In My Own ! All Gamecock from Fall '87 n< *> their negatives i the Russell Hoi ences. ) purchase price, your payments, it from GMAC. from college nt. We're proud jr first rewards. tdit Opportunity e btreet he plan. trucks. I y Tuned [ ill 1 Clezie I "cars" there is instead an acceptance [J t hn n'?in t a ctnrt /^\/*?r nd experience new love. Somewhere i etween DiNi/.io's misery and the at- j ack brought by Babjak's guitai, the pv:i Jmithereens prove capable of shif- Fg ing from mournful ballads to hardlitting guitar rock. The music proves jpti ible to rise above the gloominess that DiNizio in some strange way seems to } elish, although he is constantly at Ns jattle with. ! " With this healthy mix of augst and hope, the Smithereens are surely pi [leaded in the right direction. p4; R.E.M., "Finest Worksong", pi l.R.S. Records p:i For the third single from their [p platinum album Document, R.E.M. pi decided to return to the studio. The | result: a remix dance version of |3 "Finest Worksong." Now, with p tongue firmly in check, I would sup- p3 pose, R.E.M. has somewhat sue- [p cessfully gone where they dared not fej step before. With blaring horns, sud- H den cuts and extended jams, "Finest Worksong" ushers in a new era for |p the band: dance club acceptance. p Kidding aside, the true gem of the p three-song compilation is a live vcr- m sion melody of "Time After Time" m and "So. Central Rain." With Peter |g Buck accompanying on acoustic p guitar, Michael Stipe's voice clearly p floats over the audience and is gripp- I ing in the passionate rendering of the h lyrics. p While not for the casual R.E.M. j. fan, this compilation is a true must b for the serious followers of the band. I ohotoaraohers ii I > CI > jed to pick up in room 321 of | _____ | PaNTIA^ | | :