Newspaper Page Text
THE CLUSTER, ARPEL 20, 1WO-PAGE 5
-Entertainment
Record Review: “Maniac Nirvana, a Buddhist Nightmare”
By RHETT THOMAS
Since I am an ardent Robert Plant
fan, my editor tried to keep me
from reviewing his new album.
Manic Nirvana. He thought it
would be best if someone less bias
ed would review it. Well, I told
him I was perfectly capable of mak
ing an objective analysis on the
album and if he stopped me from
doing so I would climb to the top
of the administration building and
scream “Censorship!** (Maybe
Willingham would be better; the
administration building seems to
keep sinking lower and lower into
the ground as the days pass by.)
Just because this album is a work
of pure genius and is a must-have
in every true American's record
collection doesn't negate the fact
that this review is a totally rational
and lucid account of what one can
expect from Manic Nirvana. 1 just
wanted you, the loyal Cluster
reader, to know that.
Anyway, about the album. This
is Robert Plant's fifth solo effort,
and an excellent progression from
1988's Now and Zen. He has
distinguished himself with a fine
career after twelve years of being
the lead singer for-anyone?
anyone?-Led Zeppelin.
In 1980, Led Zeppelin drummer
John Bonham died, thereby
dissolving the group. Guitarist Jim
my Page went into seclusion for a
few years afterwards, but Plant
bounced back with his 1982 album
Pictures at Eleven. The follow-up
to ohis debut was the critically ac
claimed The Principle of Moments,
which contained the hits, “Big
Leg" and “In the Mood.’*
The pressure of living up to the
legend of Led Zeppelin was high,
and Plant toned down his music as
a way of doing something different.
There is no comparison to be made
with Led Zeppelin on his first three
albums, but with the advent of Now
and Zen, however. Plant returned
to the realm of hard and heavy
music.
While Now and Zen itself wasn’t
a particularly heavy album, the tour
was, as Plant dug up Zeppelin
treasures likg^*In the Evening,"
'’s Fault But Mine," and
“Misty Mountain Top.” His
young band of new talent perform
ed well, and now that their maturity
has been given a chance to develop,
one can expect big things from the
tour.
Manic Nirvana is a heavy album.
Very heavy. As heavy as hard rock
can get. As opposed to Now and
Zen. where Phil Johnstone’s
keyboards were prominent and
Doug Boyle’s guitar played a sup
porting role, the emphasis is on
guitar. Very loud guitar.
Plant's lyrical
based primarily
B.B. King say^
say, it's how
the lyrics to
Kind'' simple
understatement (“I
the East/Another part in the west/
You better jump back. baby/You’rc
the girl I love the best.*’), but so
* what? It's a rocking song that
doesn't need high-minded lyrics.
After all, this is the same guy who
wrote "Stairway to Heaven."
The album’s strong points are
tracks where guitarist Boyle gets to
show his stuff. "SSS and Q,"
"Nirvana," and "Liar’s Dance"
all show different sides of Boyle.
"SSS and Q" continues Plant's
string of unusual song titles, and
betray’s Boyle's love of Jimi Hen
drix. One can hear elements of
* Purple Haze" working its way in
to this song. A beautiful chorus
compliments a cool neo-rap lyrical
arrangement by Plant.
"Nirvana" sets off Boyle's ring
ing guitar, somewhat similar to the
Continued on page 6
Dead Poet’s Society
Didn’t Have A Chance
concerns
you
By MARK H. ROSEN
I am not one to say I told you
so... but I told you so. As
predicted. Driving Miss Daisy took
the top honor as this year's
Academy Award winner for Best
Picture. I suffered through three
and a half hours of pure boredom
Nmly to be extremely disappointed.
The more I thought about it, the
more angered I got that Do the
Right Thing received no recogni
tion by Spike Lee’s peers. Rather
than dwell on that shameful
disregard. I would rather take this
time to discuss one film that has
recently hit video. It was the big
underdog this year at the Oscars.
Its audience was reportedly 18 to
30. It was in the top five grossing
films of the summer (against. Bat
man, Lethal Weapon 2, etc) even
though it was a drama (a big minus
for the summer crowds). Many
critics panned its lack of originali
ty even though it took its only
Oscar for Tom Schulman’s original
screenplay. Audiences literally
stood and cheered. Lastly, and this
y is just a guess, collections of Walt
Whitman must have sold millions.
By now you have deuuced the film
I am examining »s Dead Poet's
Society.
I consider myself one of Robin
Williams’ biggest fans. Perhaps I
was biased when I travelled to
Continued on page 6
MERCER UNIVERSITY SPRING CONCERT
APRIL 21. 1990
SHOW BEGINS AT 5:30 P.M. FEATURING
LET’S ACT VE
SPELLBOUND ‘ HOLLYFAITH
PORTER STADIUM
University Attendance Policy
Will Be Enforced
Non-Mercer Students will be admitted only if
accompanied by Mercer Student with current I.D.
I.D.’s will be checked at the gate.
Cups will be given to the first 200 students admitted