The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 09, 1996, Page 4, Image 4
I
Pearl Jan
SOUND ABfflS
MARCUS AMAKER Stall Writer
NO CODE Pearl Jam
kkk (out ot four stars)
Listening to Pearl Jam's newest
record, you quickly realize they have
pown tremendously since thpir debut
in 1991. Since that time they have
released three stellar albums, and
continue that trend with "No Code"
Though this is the group's most
inaccessible album to date, "No Code"
is Pearl Jam's deepest record both
musically and lyrically. While it may
not be a total departure from their
112 meets
promise t<
M,
sound mm ;
DEREK SCOn Staff Writer
112112
(out of four stars)
Michael, Marvin, Daron and Q make
up 112, a quartet from Atlanta which
have combined to produce a soulful
expression helping to rejuvenate the
new rhythm and blues movement, where
the artist are becoming more than just
85 percent digitized.
Making radio stations hot with their
summertime debut single, "Only You,"
featuring the Notorious B.I.G, many in
the R&B community had high
expectations for the "112" CD.
Well guess what? Not only did they
deliver, "112", blows up the spot!
The most relaxing aspect of this selftitled
CD, is the fact that Sean "Puffy"
Combs allowed other producer's to come
in and work their magic.
In addition to "Puff Daddy,"Tim
and Bob (Boyz II Men's "Vibin"), Arnold
Hennings, Stevie J., A1 B. Sure and
n
9mi
iiii
i i i . A
m
I T&S
| *
? A?
1
i explores
trademark sound, this record will further that
alienate those wanting to hear another from
radio-friendly album like Ten". On o
"No Code" is the least structured of "In IV
their four albums. Evident from the asth?
title, there is no common thread to fei
connecting each of the thirteen songs, tradi
Instead, the bulk of the album is loosely to all
tied together by subtle themes of me"]
frustration and loneliness. song
As nlwnvs. the sDotlicrht is on Eddie pull
Vedder. He has been able to make an J\
average song sound great with his voice "Vit;
alone. The blues inspired "Smile" would reje<
sound incredibly simplistic if not for succ
Vedder's indistinguishable vocals. him
"Habit" and "Lukin" rock in a way gene
expectation
) R&B comr
Kyle West all add their vibe which has can t
become the best R&B album by a group song
thus far in '96. Fait!
Mid-tempo grooves such as "I Will A
Be There," "Cupid" and "Come See Me," Puffy
featuring Mr.
Cheeks of Lost
Boyz. fame, are ? m
doses of great 1 I /
music that can- * I
either bring lib] ;
lovers together, A
or just calm the
average w
stressed out 6Tc
collie student V*
after a full day *4
rS lnrtnra
T h e t w o ^
minor flaws
about this CD, j
occur as Puffy ; M?jdi
uses samples
that can be found on the CD's of other gem
Bad Boy artists. youi
"Call My Name," contains a sample or ji
of Issac Haye's hit 'Walk on By," which It's <
mamHi
I
F EtftfRL TilE
5E.C JJ^ME
PAY. 6EPTE.M&E
4
Lb5ELL iJflUiE
:AL PLAN 4.S
cam cm
W W1 # mww
Bimt
ET<
darker I
is reminiscent of the song "Blood" Co
the group's second album, "Vs." on
ne of the best tunes, the haunting an
ly Tree," Vedder's intensity builds
e song progresses. He allows himself his
- ? i . fun l i
el the isolation ot tne lyrics i i m uk
ng stories with the leaves ... wave sh
my friends/ they don't seem to notice vu
while the band roars through a wl
that not many other groups could gr
off. wl
lost of the subject matter on 1994's
alogy" dealt with Eddie Vedder's th
:tion of his group's overwhelming th
ess. He has often disassociated th
self with those who call him our th
ration's premier rock icon. On "No ba
^ "1-% /AnrTO I
S, M1UWS
nunity
>e found in the Notorious B.I.G.'s
"Warning," and on R&B vocalist
l's single "No Other Love."
nd in the song, "In Love With You,"
r uses a sample from "Blind Alley,"
perfoimed by The
Emotions, that
can be found on
fellow Bad Boy
artist Craig
Mack's "Funk Wit
%h Da Style."
One
thing's for sure,
though, what
Puffy lacks in
j originality, he
definitely gains in
finding, grooming
^fi and marketing
new talent.
If you
enjuy iccii cuiu nut
irated music, I suggest you i*ush to
r nearest Blockbuster Music store,
ist dub a friend's version of "112".
definitely a great buy!
9i
m
MM
i
LfR6T ?
L^AML ?
J2.12TJJ ^
4-9PM Tr
: PAW f
? g
I
I i
mw%
c.
ma
;hemes in
de", this subject matter is revisited an equal
the tracks "Sometimes," "I'm open," Its tribal
d "Red Mosquito." most orij
In "Sometimes", Vedder minimizes recorded
; popularity by singing "my small self/ Stone
e a book amongst the many on the trades in
elf." "I'm open" deals with the As good?
lnerability of being in the public eye, the song
lile "Red Mosquito" ends with the resemble
oup chanting "If I had known then/ left off o
lat I know now." seems ou
Even with Vedder taking center stage, off as a I
is album is much more of a group effort Whet
an any of their previous releases. On He Goes
e catchy first single "Who You Are," example
e lead vocal doesn't overpower the a stoiy ff
ickground vocals. Each member plays this tech
Outkast's se<
more matun
SOUND iS ,/& drink!
DEREK SCOTT Staff Writer Th
-rzr: "Eleva
ATLiens Outcast . ,
2 (out of four stars)
Thf
The sophomore jinx has left the e<
building! This statement must have 1PJM1
been made as Outkast, the Atlanta- I
based rap duo were recording their I
second album entitled, "ATLiens".
After their 1994 debut CD, gQI
"Southemplayerlisticadillacfunkymusic", ii
which featured the number one single I
"Player's Ball," the burden to create and I
not duplicate another successful and I
innovative project definitely weighed H I
heavily on the backs of Dre, Big Boi and I H
the production team.
In "ATLiens", Outkast continues to I
shine by generating more polished and
mature lyrics with "meaning." This is defi
"vocal adulthood," provides an alternative lyrics
sound in rap music today where many as the
"gimmick" artists such as AZ, Foxxy style.
Brown, Lil' Kim and Tupac who focus F <
on materialistic issues such as how they (Extr;
ol/?nV?nllf? VlPVPT^CTPC: tVlPV 1H cl S'
Uicoo aiiu nut uiwuviiv wv? -a?vj
An alternative
University oft
St
H
Ins
Coverage that complemen
University-sponsored covi
and Illness coverage.
$1,000,000 in maximum
Premiums are payable i
It's portable - you keep
(most student health pi,
You decide how long y<
/ I M 1 _
nexiDie coverage penut
For more
Health Bencfi
StudentInsu
lj|
The University of South C
Mo
newest
part in bringing the song to life, big
influence makes it one of the "B<
jinal that Pearl Jam has ever
wh
Gossard wrote "Mankind" and foe
i his guitar for the lead vocal. th<
tbis idea sounds is as bad as mc
turned out to be. "Mankind" be<
3 a song Dave Grohl would have wi
f the Foo Fighters album. It
t of place on the CD, and comes wi
aughable experiment. Ja
e "Mankind" fails is where "Off "N
;" triumphs. This song is an ele
of Pearl Jam at their best: telling bu
irough music. They've mastered hit
nique to an art form, as in their ge
:ond albn
e, polishe
c
e first single off the album, ti
tors (Me and You) has already a
the charts by storm. s
i question, "who's the better mc?"' t
m Die and Big Boi) is raised. Dre a
unssa
s
f
B^pVH El
H3 IvPfip^ 1
ftdEil*B3l j^Ml a
1 1 i
nitely the better mc because his
contain social awareness as well 1
! traditional metaphorical b-boy
or examiile, on "E.T. (
aterrestrial)," Dre says ... "cause j
ense/ see we all be kinda fly/ just ,
health insurance pit
South Carolin
udeni
lealth
u ram
ts Student Health Centej
erage, such as Emergence
benefits,
nonthly.
this plan as long as you
ans terminate upon grad
>u want your coverage. 1
Is.
information, coi
t Concepts, Inc. (800) 46
ranee Division (800) 30c
Underwritten by
_(rr*] BlucCrossBlueShicId
W South Carolina
* All Independent Lunurr nf the Blue Cross
toil llliir Shield Aswk laimn
Carolina docs not endorse or spouse
nday, September 9, 1996
release
gest hits "Jeremy," "Daughter," and
stterman."
The lyrics to the song describe a man
0 doesn't take time out for himself or
those who love him. Vedder brings
1 character to life with some if the
?st earnest lyrics of his career: (He's
en taking/ too much on/ off he goes/
th his perfectly unkept clothes").
Considering the pressure associated
th success, it is amazing that Pearl
m are still able to release good albums,
o Code" combines all of the best
ments of their three previous records,
t it probably won;t garner as many
t singles. It may take you a while to
t used to "No Code", but you won't be
im shows
id lyrics
*-r\ r-rv>??v-irl \rni\aincrc/hp n rl
ill I I UC SCUJ CXI K.KJ V,C*VA JWWI ? Li 1D^ . .
3 better things/maybe the mockingbii-d
nd nightingale, they want to
ing/keeping this thing alive/ to the
able's what we biing/we like hailstoims
nd blizzaids in the middle of the spring"
Regardless of who's the better mc,
hough, real hip hop heads must agree
hat Big Boi and Dre, are nice on the
uic.
The down side to "ATLiens", is that
iome tracks did not have to make the
inished product.
Unfortunately they did, and as a
esult, hurt the overall obesity of the
^D. "Mainstream" featuring Khujo and
T-Bu of Goodie Mob and "Decatur Psalm"
featuring Big Gipp and Cool Bi'eeze, are
:wo of the less-heralded tracks which
vill undoubtedly disappoint the listener
ike attending a USC-DJ B Lord paity.
But overall, the finished product is
aanging!
And with more creative ideas such
as video concepts and the "ATLiens"
:omic book which accompanies the CD
jacket, the world should enjoy this close
encounter of the "ATLien" kind!
an for the
a Students
t
ce
11 __
r services as wen as
/ Care, Accident
pay the premiums
uation).
'his plan offers
itact:
3-2317
{-3815
>r this health plan.