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CD REVIEW Mehldau not just a cover artist thing of a jazz purist’s wet dream. Mostly live, the series allows all the instrumentalists the chance to explore their own instrument, in what seems the perfect jazz envi ronment. ' • Mehldau’s solo albums are a different story. While they are most certainly led by Mehldau’s post-bop piano, Mehldau revels in using all manner of instru ments to weave incredible tapestries of sound that seem to take you somewhere. This idea was completely realized in his last solo effort “Places,” in which each song named for a different city he visited during his last tour. The album was certainly a highlight in recent modern jazz. “Largo” finds Mehldau taking more risks than on any of his pre vious albums. Producer Jon Brion, who is better known for having produced artists such as Fiona Apple, Orbital, Rufus Wainwright and Aimee Mann, added his own touch to the album, resulting in a sonic jazz sound that lies somewhere beyond jazz fu sion. Mehldau seems to take to this new environment like a fish takes to water, creating arrangements that use his trademark piano play ing as a means of cementing an al ready well-established jazz or chestra. “Largo” is filled with the mournful cries of horns, some of the most low-key bass playing ever and over excited drums. It isn’t done, though, until Mehldau weaves some of his own personal brand of magic. His work always appears sim ple and straightforward at first, but he manages to subtly build it until it has completely taken hold of the listener. For those who are wondering, yes, there are some lovely covers on the album. Mehldau revisits Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android,” looking at the song in an entirely new light and showing how dif ferent this album is from his other works. Instead of recreating the “hard-rocking” parts of the song on the lower end of his piano, he gives it to the drums^ somehow creating a flawless recreation of Johnny Greenwood’s guitar with only percussion instruments. Mehldau also treats fans with new renditions of the Beatles clas sics “Dear Prudence” and “Mother Nature’s Son.” Not wanting to be know only for his fascinating covers, Mehldau shines brightest on this release. Whether hearing a typi cal Mehldau track such as the lovely opener, “When It Rains,” or the distorted piano with a wham my pedal of “Sabbath,” listeners will be entranced by this intelli gent experiment. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com and twinkling piano arpeggios. Of course, the album is best known for its singles; everyone knows “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” and “Rock the Casbah.” It’s good to know that even in the ‘80s, a punk band could be so innovative. On “Combat Rock,” The Clash j; shows that, even 20 years ago, it was more advanced than most punk bands have been in the years to follow. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com all about: not streaking or fawn ing over a first date, but deliver ing an often-caustic social com mentary. “Overpowered By Funk” is a kitschy way of poking fun at a mu sical trend. Allen Ginsburg reads his poetry over the dance hall reggae in “Ghetto Defendant.” The Clash explores almost Carribean textures on “Sean Flynn,” using a saxophone, a flute and even a marimba. “Death Is a Star” is the most radical depar ture, with brushes, spoken word To kick-start “Combat Rock,” Joe Strummer sums up The Clash’s mission statement with this disclaimer: “This is a public service announcement... with gui tar!” The Clash injected sarcastic po litical critiques into its catchy punk tunes. On the album opener, “Know Your Rights,” Strummer sings, “You have the right/to free speech/as long as you’re not dumb enough to actually try it!” The band even dips into Asian politics on “Straight to Hell.” That, friends, is what punk is BY CHARLES TOMLINSON THE GAMECOCK The most ambitious and groundbreaking music from the ‘80s tends to be hidden by synthe sizers, drum machines and bad neon clothes. The Clash is one of the bands that didn’t submit to ‘80s overpro duction. On its self-produced 1982 album, “Combat Rock,” it incor porated different styles, dynamics and textures into its sound while continuing to cut into the songs with a jagged punk edge. ‘Combat’ rocks the Casbah 20 years later theYEABS music 1QQO_ 1 QQ7 EricB. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 tion includes the fast-paced “I. Know You Got Soul,” and two in strumental showcases of his dee jaying abilities with “Eric B. is on the Cut” and “Chinese Arithmetic.” "Paid in Full,” is a must in any serious music fan’s record collec tion; it displays the evolution of hip-hop and the foreshadowing of a family of more lyrically minded emcees. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor&ihotmail. com tirely different game. Character customization is “NEVERWINTER NIGHTS” “Neverwinter Nights” takes well-done with seven races to BioWare Software place in a medieval setting with choose from — human to dwarf out of knights, warriors, wizards and to half-ore. You can also choose epic mon- --—- one of BY ANTHONY EVANS sters. The Don’t let this game frighten eleven class THE gamecock storyline for y0u. It appeals tO any type es - from the single- ' rr * holy cleric Video games tend to repeat player mode OT player, new OT Veteran. to divine themselves. Video game compa- is just that — ' paladin to nies take an aspect of a compet- —epic. stealthy rogije to an arcane wiz ing video game, then try to make The brilliant storyline makes ard. The single-player game is it a little bit better. you wonder why you don’t see made of three chapters and is, on It’s only every now and then novels like this in your English average, 60 hours long. ^ that one game emerges and com- classes. In the multi player game, you pletely blows away the can create your own competition. I’ve been world, storyline, mon fortunate enough re- sters quests. to a such a game. battle arena and hold The folks over at ■ Player v. Player tour BioWare. along v. ith fTf^Z^SS^iJvMlSglB in them Atari, have totally re- BB|^^H|^KaK2Pre^KjBpMBBj|||^H The possibilities are vamped what endless as to what you to be a role-playing can do with the multi Nights" was released to the stores, only for to the game, gamers to find The game is off out at most locations. the latest Dungeons and "Neverwinter Nights" Dragons rule set has taken the genre However, don't let that one step further by This game appeals to a eran to the but the %°%™fntsori th!SStory? multi player option can ^ByS|g2>^^mBBBliii^^^^^^^^^ gamecockmixeditor be considered an en- ^ @hotmail.com VIDEO GAME REVIEW ‘Nights ’ offers gaming twist “LARGO” Brad Mehldau out of ☆☆☆☆☆ BY TUG BAKER THE GAMECOCK Many people -know Brad Mehldau as the jazz pianist who likes to cover Radiohead songs. While he does indulge in unlike ly jazz renditions of modem-rock geniuses such as Radiohead and the Beatles, there is much more to the man than a clever cover gim mick. “Largo” marks Mehldau’s fifth solo album, nQt counting the five volume “Art of the Trio” series he released with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy. Mehldau is probably best known for this series in which he and his fellow musicians manage to live up to the pretentious title of their series. Their observation of the world of the trio is some Q*s4 ° »o^' _ Cict!f Pizza <5 it n M-You-Gf-ff*?' Assert. Kids 3 and salad under eat free! a COLUMBIA 6120 St. Andrews Rd. (803) 750-5900 6084 Gamers Ferry Road Next to Target /'"store hours \ CSf Sun.-Thurs. 11:00 am-10:00PM Fri.-Sat. 11:00am-11:00pm* /j ^ ^*Buffet Hours May Vary By Location ^ * Prices may vary by location. Valid at participating locations only. CMB8/26 ^PIZZA^ • One large round pizza with ; • One giant round pizza with cheese and one topping ! cheese and one topping * Prices may vary by location. j * Prices may vary by location. Valid at participating locations only. j Valid at participating locations only. I (0)CicJV.Pi«A Prcih Taste at a Great Price PEPPERONI PIZZA RGE SUPER DELUXE PIZZA _ . . ... I • One large round pizza with • One large round pizza with cheese and 8 toppings! . cheese and double pepperom! i . Rr|ces may vary g |0acation. Prices may vary by location. j Valid at participating locations only. Valid at participating locations only. | r r 3 $Q99 I Martial Arts, Tai Chi, a More *&&& Chinese Culture Center offers the following classes in the fall. Class registration fee is due by the end of the first class. You are welcome to the first class without any obligation. For more info, please visit our website: www.ChineseCultureCenter.org or call Lea (803)695-2993, or email:lwalker@ChineseCultureCenter.org Class location for Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Qi Song and Mulan Quan: TBA. 4i’ Class location for Chinese Language Classes: USC Humanities Classroom Building. Saturday Classes: Basic Colloquial Mandarin Chinese Class: September 7 - November 23, Saturdays 3-5 pm, $220. Textbook and 2 cassette tapes included. Room 201. Basic Integrated Mandarin Chinese Class: September 7 - November 23, Saturdays 3-5 pm, $200. Room 202. Tai Chi Class: September 7 - November 9, Saturdays 2-2:50 pm, $100. Qi Song Class: September 7 - November 9, Saturdays 3-3:50 pm, $100. Martial Arts Class: September 7 - November 9, Saturdays 4-4:50 pm, $100. Sunday Classes: Mulan Quan: September 8 - November 10, Sundays 2-2:50 pm, $100. Tai Chi: September 8 - November 10, Sundays 3-3450 pm, $100. Martial Arts: September 8 - November 10, Sundays 4-4:50 pm, $100. Children and Parents Play and Learn Chinese Classes, Free for Parents: Age 0-2 and parents, September 8 - November 24, Sundays 2-3:50 pm, $100, room 202. k Age 3-5 and parents, September 8 - November 24, Sundays 2-3:50 pm, $100, room 201. *6 Age 6-12 and parents, September 8 - November 24, Sundays 2-3:50 pm, $100, room 206. CANTERBURY OF COLUMBIA An Episcopal Ministry with Young Adults (18-29) The Episcopal Church Welcomes You! FREE FOOD - FREE FUN. Holy Communion, Dinner & Program Tuesdays 6:30 pm at St. John's Episcopal Church, 2827 Wheat Street. f) All are welcome, Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians For information regarding Canterbury contact Margaret Lumpkin (803) 256-8602 or email malumpkin@hotmail.com