RE views Bad Religion gests. Their explosive, hard-core instrumentals 7 blended beautifully with their ripping vocal variety. Coffin Break Coffin Break had a style that pummelled your nerves Chrome Dog until your body ached. However, the aching could Commodore Ballroom very easily have come from the insta-mosh that friday, Jan 15, 1993 sprang into action as the band struck their first chord. They showered the crowd with just enough attitude and originality to keep us all screeching for more. They played a healthy set, but if these four guys had kept playing all night I would have been more than pleased. For anyone into the thrash-’ til- you’re-trash scene, coffin break is a must see. These boys will drive your momma to her grave. by Nikki Senger The show sold out, but the headliners have not. It has been a while since Bad Religion last played Vancouver and the aura of anticipation radiated from the plaid-clad crowd like an overheated amp. It was obvious that the opening acts were going to have a tough time pleasing the sea of die-hard Bad Religion fans. The half hour break that ensued gave everyone just enough time to rest and fuel up for the onslaught of punk power that is Bad Religion. If you have never heard of them before, Bad Religion is a group that has been around for nearly thirteen years. Their appeal springs mostly from their numbing aural assaults delivered at break-neck speeds. They combine ear splitting tunes with rapid-fire lyrics to produce a classic sound.. Unfortunately, it is the same sound throughout every song. I may be slightly exagerating but bad religion has a reputation for repetition. Chrome Dog was up first. This local group is a regular at the Cruel Elephant. Their metal- edged rock was tempting enough to lure a small group of gig-goers onto the floor. The band has an L7 feel to them which is due mostly to the female singer’s “I’ m-a-chick-and-I-can-rock- harder-than-any-guy” vocals. She sang harsh and scratchy, yet I was still itching. There was image, but little substance. Next came Coffin Break. This is a band with more power and energy than their name sug- NEIL YOUNG by Toby Barratt Harvest Moon is a departure for Neil Young from his past few albums. His screaming electric guitars have stayed locked in the closet for this outing. Instead Young reverts back to his country-folk roots. This is an intimate, predominantly acoustic record that is quiet and honest (aj): ne and highlights Young’s quirky vocals and simple melodies. Somehow it | : reminds me of Leonard Cohen at his best. Their set at the Commodore was derived mostly The tunes are all quiet long with the with the exception of “Old King” which is a humorous, country, foot-tapper of a requiem for his departed dog Elvis. Elsewhere Young takes his time to explore such well worn themes as love, relationships and nature, but the result is far from long- winded or boring. Rather each track seems to havea simple directness that attests to Young’s unique talent as a songwriter. This is an album to savour like a good cup of coffee in the comfort of your favorite chair. It’s not likely to jump out at you on first listening. Like most good albums Harvest Moon takes a while to become familiar but given half a chance it will likely capture your imagination and a regular spot on your CD player. THE SUNDAYS by Toby Barrat The Sundays’ 1989 debut album’’Reading, Writing and Arithmetic” was a revelation. This British bands second effort “Blind” is somewhat less celestial but doubtless a welcome alternative to the rivers of grunge and post-Manchester muck that are clogging CD players on both sides of the Atlantic. The Sundays’ appeal is due largely to the unique vocals of lead singer Harriet Wheeler. There is something mischievous and impetuous in the way she delivers the lyrics which charges the tunes with energy. Buoying Wheeler’s vocals are the clear, crisp (Johnny Marr-esque) melodies of guitarist Dave Gavurin. The combination is fantastic. The SUNDAYS _ blind Where “Blind” falls short of the Sundays’ first album is in its’ lyrical content. There are fewer exceptional songs lyrically on this album. It lacks some of the whimsy and irony of their debut. Nonetheless Wheeler is able to carry the tunes off in her own inimitable style. Even with its faults “Blind” is a damn fine album. Give it a listen. And word has it that the Sundays will be playing at the Commodore with Luna 2 on March 3rd. from their new album “Generator” and 1990's “Against The Grain” including “Modern Man”, “Operation Rescue”, “Faith Alone”, and the crowd pleasing “2I st Century (Digital Boy)”. Lead singer Greg Graffin pounced onto stage sporting an S.N.F.U. t-shirt and various facial contortions. His high enthusiasm and constant stream of sweat kept the death- mosh violently writhing throughout the evening. It seemed as if Jay Bentley wanted to show us that not only could he play a mean bass, but had convincing back-up vocals as well. Unfortunately he constantly missed the mike, but he wowed us with his lip-syncing abilities. The other three band members did their part to round out the onstage intensity of Bad Religion.. The band gave an encore that sent the audience into frenzied convulsions of musical passion. The floor was a bowl of panting slammers, whipping about the pit like gremlins in a blender. It was all quite a sight. For fourteen dollars the show was very satifying as everyone left either drained, sprained , or in some sort of pain. Chrome Dog was adequate opening act and Bad Religion gave us what we came for but in my opinion Coffin Break was the highlight of the night. At the beginning of their set, Coffin Break labelled this show as a “test” run, due to lack of audience response in the past. Well boys, I believe you passed this test with flying colours. These guys are going somewhere good. See you at the next £18. emily carr college of art and design 1399 johnston street concourse gallery opening reception february 4 7-9 p.m. sarah curry janice kerbel nancy lalicon rhiannon morgan celine rich jacqueline robins barbara sobon amy swartz MUSIC RE views Bad Religion Coffin Break Chrome Dog Commodore Ballroom ftiday, Jan 15, 1993 by Nikki Senger ‘The show sold out, but the headliners have ‘not. Ithas been a while since Bad Religion last played Vancouver and the aura of anticipation radiated from the plaid-lad crowed like an overheated amp. It was obvious thatthe ‘opening acts were going to have a tough time pleasing the sea of die-hard Bad Religion fas. Crome Dog wasup first. This local group is. aregular atthe Cruel Elephant. Their metal- ‘edged rock was tempting enough to lure a small, sr0up of gig-goers onto the floor. The band bas sn L7 feel fo them which i due mostly tothe female singer's “T'm-a-chick-and-Lean-rock- harder-than-any-guy" vocals. She sang harsh and scratchy, yet Iwas stl tebing. There was mage, but itl substance. Next came Coffin Break. This is aband with ‘more power and energy than their name sug gests. Their explosive, bard-core instrumentals blended beautifully with their ripping vocal variety. (Coffin Break had a siyle that pammelled your nerves until your body ached. However, the aching could very easily have come from the insta-mosh that sprang into action as te band struck ther frst. chord. They showered the crowd with just enough tude and originality to keep us all screeching for sore. They played a healthy set, bu if these four ‘guys ad kept playing all night I would have been, sore than pleased. For anyone into the thras'ti- you're-trash scene, coffin break is a must see. These boys will drive your momma o her grave. “The half hour break that ensued gave everyone Just enough time to rest and fuel up for the onslaught ‘of punk power that is Bad Religion. Ifyou have never heard of them before, Bad Religion is group that hs been around for nearly thirteen years. Their sppeal springs mosty from their numbing sural assaults delivered at break-neck speeds. They combine ear spliting tunes with rapid-fire lyrics to produce a classic ound.. Unfortunately, itis the Same sound throughout every song. Imay be slightly exagerting but bad religion has a reputation for repetition. ‘Their set at the Commodore was derived mostly NEIL YOUNG by Toby Barat, Harvest Moon is departure fr Nel Young from his pas few albums. His screaming eletric guitars have stayed locked in the closet for this outing. Instead Young reverts back to his country-folk roots. ‘This isan intimate, predominantly acousticrecod that is quiet and honest and highlights Young's quirky vocals and simple melodies. Somehow it ht Ai reminds me of Leonard Coben at his best ‘The tunes are all quiet long with the with the exception of “Old King” Which isa humorous, county, foottapper of a requiem for his departed og Elvis. Elsewhere Young takes his tie to explore such well worn themes as love, relationships and nature, but the results fa from long: winded orboring. Rather eachtrack seems tohavea simple directness hat attests to Young's unique talent as a songwriter. ‘This isan album to savour ikea good cup of coffee inthe comfort of your favorite cir. It's not likely to jump out at you on frst istening. Like most good albums Harvest Moon takes a while to ‘become familiar but given alfa chance it wll ikely capture your imagination and a regular spot on your CD player THE SUNDAYS by Toby Barat ‘The Sundays’ 1989 debut album"Reading, Writing and Arithmetic” was a revelation. This British ‘bands second effort “Blind” is somewhat les celestial but doubtless awelcomealtemativetotherivers of grange and post Manchester muck that are clogging CD players on both sides ofthe Aantic. ‘The Sundays’ appeal is due largely tothe unique vocals of lead singer ‘Harriet Wheeler. ‘There is something mischievous and impetuous inthe -way she delivers tbelyrics which charges the tunes with energy. Buoying ‘Wheeler's vocals are the clear, crisp Jonny Mar-esque) melodies of ‘guitarist Dave Gavurin. The combination is fantastic ‘Where “Blind” falls short ofthe Sundays’ frst album isin its’ lyrical content. ‘There are fewer exceptional songs lyrically on this album. It lacks some ofthe whimsy and irony of their debut. Nonetheless Wheeler is able to cary the tunes off inher own inimitable style Even with its faults “Blind” is a damn fine album. Give ita listen. And word bas it thatthe Sundays will be playing atthe Commodore with Luna 2 on March 3rd from thei new album “Generator” and 1990's “Against ‘The Grain” including "Moder Man’, “Operation Rescue”, “Faith Alone”, and th crowd pleasing "2 st Century (Digital Boy)", [Lead singer Greg Graffin pounced onto stage sporting an SNF, tshirt and various facial contrtons. His bigh ‘enthusiasm and constant stream of sweat kept the death ‘mosh violently writhing throughout the evening. It seemed aif Jay Bentley wanted to show us that nt oly could he ‘play a mean bass, but had convincing back-up vocals 28 well. Unfortunately he constantly missed the mike, but he ‘wowed us with his lip-syncing abilities. The other three band members did their pat to round out the onstage Intensity of Bad Relgion.. The band gave an encore that sent the audience into frenzied convulsions of musical passion. The floor was a bow! of panting slammer, ‘Whipping about the pit ike gremlins ina blender. It was all quite sight. For fourteen dollars the show was very satifying at everyone left either drained, sprained , or in ome sor of pin. Chrome Dog was adequate opening act and Bad Religion gave us what we came for but in my opinion (Coffin Break was the highlight of the night. AC the ‘beginning oftheir set, Coffin Break labelled this show as a “est” run, due to lack of audience response in the pat. ‘Well boys, believe you passed tis test with flying colours. ‘These guys ae going somewhere good. See you atthe next ie. February 4-12, 1993 emily carr college of art and design 1399 johnston street concourse gallery opening reception. february 4 7-9 p.m. sarah curry janice kerbel nancy lalicon. rhiannon morgan celine rich jacqueline robins barbara sobon amy swartz