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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
The Clash covers album is not up to snuff
By Bobby Moore
Staff Writer
rmoo re 7 @ my. west go. edit
While tribute albums
are typically not up to snuff.
I couldn’t help hut check out
The Sandinista! Project when
it came out last May.
The album is a
compilation of covers from
various artists that were
influenced by Sandinista!,
The Clash's 19X0 triple
album that is a classic to
some younger fans and a
travesty to punk nxk purists.
The original album is
known for two things. First,
the b;uid ensured that it
would sell at the price of a
single LP. so they lost a lot
of money for themselves and
CBS Records just like they
did then the better known
London Calling album was
released in 1979 as a double
album for the price of a
regular LP.
While we're on this
subject, do feel free to point
out this and other factors that
kept the band from turning a
profit until 19X2toany hipster
in a Led Zeppelin shin that
feels the need to knock “the
only band that makers”.
Anyhow, back to
Sandinista!, the other thing
that makes this album
brilliant to some and
loathsome to others is the
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mix of styles and influences.
This album features reggae,
dub, rockabilly and even
early hip hop.
On The Sandinista!
Project, bands that were
seemingly recruited at a
county music festival fail to
capture the eclectic feel of
the original album, but there
are a few bright spots.
The opening track, “The
Magnificent Seven", goes
from being The Clash's take
on Kurds Blow era hip hop to
being a far less urgent indie
rock song by Joe Grusheeky
and the Houserockers.
Other tracks that lose
their charm include Jason
Ringenberg and Kristi
Rose's take on “Ivan Meets
G.l. Joe", which goes from
playing out the Cold War
under a disco ball to having
the Americans and Soviets
battle it out during square
dancing lessons, and Rudy
on the Vine’s version of
"Rebel Wall/", which is far
less haunting and effective
without Joe Strummer’s
unique vocals.
One straight up
head-scratcher is Haale’s
uninspiring version of “One
More Time". And there's a
dub version by Haale, too.
And an equally unnecessary
second cover by Ted Harris
that sounds like a tornado tore
through a bad indie song.
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Disc two travesties
include The Lothar's version
of "The Call Up", which
take the anti-draft classic into
outer space, “Charlie Don’t
Surf’ by The Crunchies,
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which comes across as
being a really awful Bay
City Rollers song, and some
poor sap singing the lyrics to
“Something About England"
in reverse order during a
cover of “Mensforth Hill".
On the positive side, my
personal favorites from the
original album come out of
tliis project unscathed.
For example, Ann
Rigby's take on "The
Leader" isn't half bad. while
"Up in Heaven (Not Only
Here)" is done justice by
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The Smithereens. Also. The
Equalizer" goes from being
passable dub to being good
rock music thanks to Sunset
Heroes.
There are also a handful
of familiar names on this
album.
"Tlie Crooked Beat"
is covered and turned into
a much more experimental
tune by 1977 original
Wreckless Laic. Camper van
Beethoven, an underrated
group that are not strangers
to recording cover songs,
also do a good job with
“Kingston Advice".
Two songs by lesser
know n acts feature men who
appeared on the original
album, as Soul f ood's cover
Gossip Girl aims to replace
iconic TV show The O.C.
( Free \
Uvi-Fi!/
By Grant Wallace
Staff Writer
gnu u u itS7 ( xnhao.com
Alter The O.C.’s
demise early this year. lans
were either extremely upset
or saw that it was a much
needed move due to season
four's fall in viewer ship.
Despite the linal
episodes lacking in what the
show originally had (RIP
Marissa), I was distraught
and immediately went to
the boards to see what was
going to happen next.
Director Josh Schwartz
had signed on to do anew
show. Gossip Girl. Based
off the popular book series
by Cecily von Ziegesar, the
show follows the life of the
upper class angst ridden
teenagers bent on. you
guessed it. the latest gossip.
For those of you who
are shaking your heads now.
1 ask you put this down,
because you’re not about to
like w hat 1 have to say.
Despite the shows
offsetting premise, it won't
take but an episode for you
M MI9 .W 4 t JBBU fljfr--.
m yyi!?
Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org
Photo courtt \\ of doodle < om
of “Midnight Dig” features
former Clash keyboardist
Mickey Gallagher and The
Blizzard of 78 brought
reggae legend Mi key Dread
on board for “Silicone on
Sapphire". On the original
album. Dread both produced
and preformed on several
tracks.
With six sides of vinyl
and 36 tracks, Sandinista!
suffered from filler, regardless
of which I an or band member
you ask about this massive
collection of songs.
The bad songs remain
bad for the most pail. “Laxik
Here" (a cover of a Mose
Allison cover) and “Junkie
Slip" aren't even worth a
listen as Clash songs if you
ask my ears.
However, a parody
version of the dole que
rock classic "Career
Opportunities", which
featured downright creepy
vocals from Gallagher’s
children on Sandinista!,
sounds much better when
covered by the Sex Clark
Five.
I loathe "Hitsville UK."
to the point that I like to tack
another "S" onto the song's
title, but the replacing of
Mick J( mcs' ex-girlfriend
Ellen Foley with Katrina
Leskanich on vocals and
using swirling keyboards
as the song's backdrop
to get over it. Three episodes
in. fm quite positive this
will replace the weekly
Wednesday night O.C.
parties I use to have with
my friends. And although
the show won't be as good
as its predecessor (let's face
it, Adam Brody can never be
replaced), all of The O.C.'s
best aspects are here.
The witty humor, the
selection of music (Cold
War Kids and Feist have
been featured), and of
course, the girls. Leighton
Meester is a knockout, and
for the ladies, new up and
comer Penn Badgley steals
the spotlight.
The plot bases around
Serena van der Woodsen
and her mysterious return
to the Big City. Serena's
return has caused much
controversy among the
gossip lovers as they report
all their latest drama online
for everyone to gawk over.
The narrator of the
show reports the latest news,
which at first started to get on
my nerves, but 1 soon gave
in as it made good leeway
instead of riffs hijacked from
Motown create a much better
tune.
Both versions of
"Hitsville” feature the best
line in a Clash song—" The
band went in and knocked
them dead in two minutes
59". That phrase sums punk
ethics better than anything
I’d ever be able to come up
with.
Also, the unpopular
"Sheperd’s Delight” closes
out this covers album with
some surprisingly gixxJ
dub mixed with a little
freestyle jazz c< >urtesy of The
Hyphens.
Regardless of if you
view Sandinista! as a mish
mash of songs that do not
belong together or as a
vital musical and political
document, you can surely
find a few good songs on The
Clash's triple album.
The Sandinista! Project,
however, has far less than a
lew gixtd cover songs and
they are mixed in with some
awful country and indie
music.
While this album may
not hit the mark forthisClash
f an. I can at least know that
the band that turned me on to
punk nxk inspired all kinds
of different artists.
RATING:
3 out of 10
for ending a scene in time
for commercials. Outside
of that minor problem, the
only other notable issue
is the lack of authenticity
from the books. I was told
that the books were quite
different then some of the
scenes portrayed in the
show, which for any avid
reader might come as a turn
off.
If you’re still a little
uncertain if this show may
be too girly or childish for
you. I can safely say this
show is for a much more
mature audience then your
average Degrassi viewer.
It's a grittier 0.C.. built
on jealousy and revenge,
instead of love and scandal.
Bottom line, if you’re a
girl, chances are you like to
gossip, and well, this show
is for you.
And if you’re a guy like
myself, well., unless you’re
comfortable getting a few
demasculating remarks
from your guy friends. I’d
probably pass on this. Catch
Gossip Girl Wednesday
nights at 9 p.m. on the CW.