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TUfNkgT: Behind the ft/e/inez
T rinket seems to be getting a lot of flak
these days from certain factions of the
testosterone-fueled Athens music scene.
The pervading fashion sense of the band, a
target of local critics as of late, is a presence
both on and off stage: for this interview, singer
Brian Youmans and guitarist Chris Arrison arrive
clad in nearly identical turtleneck sweaters
straight from the pages of the latest J. Crew cat
alog, both joking that they had no idea it was
turtleneck night. In a town teeming with
wannabe rock stars for whom Potter's House is a
fashion emporium. Trinket has adopted a glitter-
dusted image that makes them stick
out like a handful
of rhinestones in a
bucket of dirty
beans and rice.
"We've been
hearing the glam
band thing a lot
lately and I think
that has more to do
with what's going
on in the media and
pop culture right
now," explains
Arrison. "I don't
think of ourselves as
a glam band; I don't
think the album sup
ports that."
Well then what's
with the makeup,
boys? Arrison continues:
"On the other hand, we re having fun with
image. I more than anyone went kicking and
screaming into the you should dress up a little
for the shows' thing. It went little by little, and
now I find myself gleefully applying eyeliner and
stuff that I would never, ever have done in the
past. The me of 1994 would be kicking my ass
right now."
The Arrison of 1994 might not have ever
guessed that by 1999 the band's days of living
out of an Econoline van and packing the entire
band into single rooms at the Motel 6 would
appear to be behind them.
Trinket has now found spots on fancier, cor
porate-sponsored tours — last summer's ESPN X
Games Xpenence Tour, and presently with the
Visa/Foottocker/Tommy Hilhger Music Madness
PHOlO BV BOB BIRO
tour with Babe The Blue Ox and The Interpreters.
Their new self-titled album's not doing so bad
either — in its first week, Trinket was the fourth
most added record on college radio. It's undeni
able that the band appears to be actually making
it, albeit by deliberately corporate means.
"It's the record company's job to sell the
record; we just have to concentrate on going out
and selling ourselves live," singer Brian Youmans
says. Arrison adds. "I can live with all the corpo
rate sponsorship given that the proceeds go
towards a good cause." In the current tour's case,
the proceeds go to RAINN, Ton Amos' Rape,
Abuse and Incest
National Network.
Trinket has no
problem selling. It's
no secret that
Youmans feels des
tined to be a rock
star: after all, he left
his hometown of
itty-bitty Sanderson,
Ga.. for Athens at
the tender age of 15
with all intentions
of breaking into the
music biz. Seven
years later, a few
— inches taller, and
with a voice an
octave or two
lower, those rock and roll
dreams are crossing over into reality.
Arrison sums it all up: "The work has only
just begun. It's like we re holding a lottery ticket
and we've got five of the numbers and we re just
waiting for the Powerball. We're so much closer
than a lot of bands have ever gotten — and we
are completely grateful for that. Now we re just
waiting for the Powerball."
Melissa Link and Mary Jessica Hammes
WHO: Trinket, Babe The Blue
Ox, The Interpreters
WHERE: 40 Watt Club
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 24
HOW MUCH: $7 *
TRINKET
Trinket
RCA
almost sound too wta .v** 1 - • n
js ;■ jp ; wx* The dual-gu-tar
[ iiy sometimes seems a iiltie
i r i to t>e arming n I tie drowsy
as arranged on trie spot "i
Trinket's mai r-latr; kt .r
glossy sell-out sr many j^i
ties would tiavr yon beiu.,<-
song collection is a sm' !• ’ r
cep! album gleaming wit: a \
budget production and a.* -em
deprecating sense uf nun r '•
musical elements trotn the ••art>
• ! ft-- 1- BOs alternative canon <U2.
REM x t c addmg some mo lei r *
y i liotk.nl Too F.gote's Casisi this
o • ans t/g an 1 t-utUv soar*' drum t • ,
, texture
laia'i; r
; Wtl It t
;na< (Kirns m f(v 0! }ndie-
$?«*: Pie nr a wave-joth
reveals a band not yet on * :r ib«>
with the idea of c ' tru' : • i
and sate radio bait m the nan •• u*
success Their pretty-guy glamour
shots on ttie sleeve artwork ft me
them out as eager player-, t ••.
contemporary pop-cij'tum pom
the songs however, suggest
Trmket isn’t jus! posing a f ! aid i
ally has something to say
Of course, singer Brian
Youmans often pronounces what
they're trying to say with an
exaggerated Bribsh accent
However annoying the affected
persona is consistent with the
album's preoccupation with the
superficiality and emotional hoi
lowness of modern celebrity
lyrically. Youmans and songwnting
partner-bassist Tommy Salmon seem
obsessed with the idea of fame, the finer
things that come with it and the
inevitable disillusionment that surely
follows Youmans mentions ‘fresh hair
cuts and big city scenery* and a
ass intro Hove that reverb and
chorus'; m Draw Tlie Urn. the
falsetto background vo ai on
'Haunt PaHenbery (inspired by
tr.e Stones ‘hoo hoos" horn
‘Sympathy lor ihe Devc*). and
a manqled guitar bnrd mtrn fol
lowed by A*iat almost becomes a
distorted rap about personal
. identity by Youmans on
'Deceiver *
The best song is tbj last
song a simple slfummy, mid-
tempo number with ? high-
pitched. descending e bow guitar,
mellolron and brushes titled A
Million Years ‘ Youmans lays ott
the accent and the volume level and
delivers his best performance ot the
album The opening verse, ‘Never saw
this coming, not in a million years,
without reservations we at! learn 10
adhere." is a closing sentiment that
pretty well sums up the story both on
the album and tor Ihe band personally
Ballard Lesemann
driving eighth note bass lines, big-amp
guitar chords and single-note melodies
steeped in chorus pedal effects
Guitarists Christopher Amson and
Jeffrey Fischer sneak in some tasteful
keyboard and e-bow tucks, (most
noticeable in the opening track
‘Unbehaved’) and a few flashy guitar
■ >
FEBRUARY 24, 1999 FLAGPOLE IB