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Western Carolinian Volume 65 (66) Number 07

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  • October 04, 2000 GET A LIFE 13 Music Reviews Electro Screens of Light and Poppy-Colored Brights: Hooverphonic's The Magnificent Tree by Hannah Crane Staff Writer This week, Hooverphonic, the Belgian electronic pop group released its third album. The Magnificent Tree. The trio, made up of Raymond Gecrts (founding member and guitarist), Alex Callier (bass player and chief songwriter) and Geike Arnacrt (lead vocals) combines orchestral instrumentation with synthesized music to create haunting, spiritual songs that are about everything from lovers to pink fluffy dinosaurs. The group considers bands like Portishcad, Massive Attack, and groups from the psychedelic movement of the sixties as their musical influences. There are many moods on this album; the group has a playful side as seen i n songs like "Fluffy Pink Dinosaurs", but also reaches into a deep place in the human imagination with songs like "Vinegar and Salt". The title track "The Magnificent Tree" tells the story of a treethat comes into the thoughts of an artist and inspires them with divine strength. The lyrics are reminiscent of Beatles's songs during their Sergeant Pepper's phase. The best part of this song, however, is not the lyrics, but the haunting instrumentation. A Celtic-sounding flute comes in the background and creates the feeling of the branches of the tree blowing in a gentle breeze. Arnaert's delivery in this song is also mysterious because of a forced fragility it blends with the flute nicely. In contrast to "The Magnificent Tree" is the song "Out of Sight". It definitely has a pop beat, despite the strings carrying a light, flowing counter-melody. Arnaert displays her vocal diversity in this song as she is lighter and sounds more like a pop singer than a meditative wood sprite as she did in "Tree". The song is about friends who have been through difficult times, but find that their paths will no longer cross; though they are out of sight, they will remain true to each other, because there is something to be said for longevity in friendship. Other songs highlight instruments that are not typically represented on mainstream music, such as the bassoon in "Frosted Flake Wood". One of the strongest songs on the album, however, is "Mad About You" which has Film Noir sentiments. Arnaert's voice is seductive, one critic called it a "midnight hour voice" and that is an apt description. Once again, the strings back up her frustrations over loving someone so desperately that she fears it is unjustifiable,Hie lyrics are powerful: "Feci the vibe, feel the terror, feci the pain/ It's driving me insane/ I can't fake/ For God's sake why am I driving in the wrong lane...Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be so mad about you" Hooverphonic has had their songs used in popular American films, \ikel Know What You Did Last Summer and / 5/(7/ Know What You Did Last Summer. Their music is unusual and if The Magnificent Tree is any indication, their diversity and creativity should see them well into the future. 98°'s Revelation: They're Only Eye Candy, Baby by Hannah Crane Staff Writer With the changing of the leaves, announcing the arrival of the fall season, Universal Records has released a new album from 98 Degrees to keep us warm on the approaching chilly October nights. Revelation, the follow-up album to 98 Degrees and Rising is a great case study for *e boy band formula. We have here four guys who are photogenic and who, through the grace of God, have also been blessed with pleasant singing voices. Their album consists of thirteen songs that fit so neatly mto the pop music genre, it is scary. Here is a basic breakdown of the album - please forgive brutal honesty. First we have "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)", essentially, the boys are jumping into the whole Latin music wave, but it is too much too late. However, just to contradict, this song is climbing the charts and it does appeal to the crazed dancing side of the listener. Similarly, the album closes with a Latin feel in the song "Never Giving Up". Both songs sound pretty much the same and the basic premise of both numbers is that this guy really wants this girl and she should give him just one night, but even if she does not, he is never giving up because she is too wonder- apes Other Cool Stuff *!!*w sylw • 586-6404 mon-sat 11 -1 *.4^ upcoming releases October 10, 2000 Cherry Poppin Daddies Flesh n' Bone Bette Midler Orgy The Wallflowers Underworld ful to forget about. At least they are consistent, right? Then we have songs representative of the other elements of boy band angst. "The Way You Want Me To" and "You Should Be Mine" are the I'm-better-than- your-ex-boyfriend- give-me-a-try songs. We all know the kind; the guy sees the beautiful girl who is miserable with her current love and knows in the deepest recesses of his heart that he would treat her like a queen and they could ride off into the sunset together. Sure. "He'll Never Be...(What I used to be to you) is the flipside emotion.; rather than the sweet guy who wants to make the girl feel better, this song is from the perspective of the bitter ex-boyfriend who will probably laugh when her current boyfriend dumps her. Such is life. Finally, (and yes that is not all thirteen songs, but there has to be something left to the imagination) there are the Let's-get-it- on-because-we're-beautiful-people songs, like "Stay the Night" and "Dizzy". This is proof that this album was designed and produced for dreamy schoolgirls to listen to during their Friday night slumber parties because it should make anyone else feel rather nauseous. The lyrics for "Dizzy" are just too much: "I get next you and I get dizzy/ You make me think of things to come/ I'm dreamin' day and night of making love/... Your sex appeal can't be denied/ Got just one chance to make it right/And girl you know tonight's the night"; it goes on to suggest that booties shake and we go up and down. Yowsers. So, any revelations from Revelation! Quite frankly, no. A huge red flag goes up when the album booklet consists mainly of pictures of the performers, rather than lyrics or pearls of wisdom, as is the case with this album. Revelation is light, easy, and makes for a good vomit inducer if you should happen to be out of ipecac.
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