|
King Konga
Plays at Murphy's Sunday
Kara Hodge
- Entertainment Beat
There is nothing
worse than a college circuit band that's trying to go pro and failing.
King Konga, who's attempting to follow in the footsteps of bands
like Sister Hazel, Dave Matthews and Hootie and the Blowfish, is
the band falling desperately behind. Based out of the University
of Southern Mississippi, the three-man band combines the sounds
of funk, world beat and plain ol' rock to make their trademark.
Unfortunately, most college bands have done the same, making King
Konga an amateur at the art of filling bars and having groupies.
Their first
CD, "Last Laugh," features the best of their talent, the sound still
pure and inspired by the devotion to good guitar rifts and hard
percussion and their second release "monkey see. monkey groove."
still holds that genius of playing for the love of the music. But
their latest release "Halo," a seven song CD, blends those old flames
(good music) with new sounds, snuffing out their talent and credibility
as a progressive band.
"Halo" features
the song "Dancing Girls," which is their one radio hit, and is a
soft-rock/pop tune reminiscent of Weekend ExcursionÕs style and
groove. It has a good vibe, a catchy beat and a good subject matter--a
man who's fed up with women. Yet, it sounds like the rest of their
songs, which talk about the same things and have the same resonance.
Some of the songs pick up the tempo, others slow it down, keys change
and cool guest vocalists sing backup but the story stays the same.
King Konga pulls a fast one on its' listeners; the first time this
critic listened to the CD, I thought it was Edwin McCain singing
as a guest vocalist. In fact, two of Edwin's band members, Larry
Chaney and Dave Harrison, sing backup on a few tracks.
The songwriting
is pretty good. Some of the lyrics are poetic, "Open a window, put
a dog at the end of my bed, sleep to the music of ice cream in my
head," and some are reflective, "With every mile passing I believe,
I think that something from this life has got to last."
The CD is a
step back from the intent of the band, which said recently in RussellTrunks
Backstage magazine interview, "We're extremely positive about the
music and our sound. We're starting to move in the right direction
and see the fruits of out labor." On a positive note, King Konga
has a fairly good live show. They performed on the Emerging Artists
stage at Woodstock 99' in front of a crowd of over 250,000 people.
They also have quite a following for some of their songs that have
gotten airplay in their home state and other stations across the
southeastern U.S.
Their energy
and excitement for what they do is infectious, causing crowds to
sway as they sing of broken hearts over and over again. King Konga
redeems itselves in their performances, after all they started out
as a jam band.
King Konga will
play at Murphy's Restaurant and Pub Sunday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m.
There is a cover charge of $3 and you have to be 21 or over with
a valid ID.
For more information
about the band or about the gig call Murphy's at 264-5117 or visit
the band's web site at www.kingkonga.com.
Christian
band 'Jars of Clay' to make a statement of faith in Boone Saturday
Ian Hutchinson
- Entertainment Beat
In a world
where the latest pop star looks virtually indentical to the next,
it is a good thing to know that there are artists that can still
be themselves. Even
when it comes to matters of the Christian faith, there are countless
hollow groups that sugarcoat their message.
In both realms,
the band Jars of Clay is a rarity. Their
music is unlike any other band out there and they approach the issues
of their faith honestly.
"Being a Christian
isn't one side of my life, it involves everything," said lead vocalist
Dan Haseltine. Guitarist
Steve Mason added, "It's a hard line (for us) to walk."
When Jars of
Clay hit the mainsteam with their single "Flood," they were met
with praise and criticism. One Rolling Stone writer referred to
them as "choirboys," others were just frightened of any allusion
to spiritual matters, but overall the band was embraced by the public.
"We took the
brunt of the blow," commented Haseltine. "(Now) we're seeing a new
side of Christianity (in music)." Since
their debut in 1995, the members of Jars of Clay have broken new
ground for Christian artists.
Since the single
"Flood" hit the mainstream airwaves, other artists like Sixpence
None the Richer and P.O.D. have made their presence known in the
charts.
"To me, it's
just a testimony," said Haseltine. "P.O.D. has music that is exceptional."
Mason added, "We respect their desire to make great art and express
their faith."
The most recent
effort from Jars of Clay, "If I Left the Zoo," is a slight departure
from their two previous albums. Their
self-titled album cemented their acoustically-based sound, "Much
Afraid" expanded on that sound and added more rock; "Zoo" is the
best of both worlds.
Songs like "Goodbye,
Goodnight,"
"No One Loves Me Like You" and "Famous Last Words" maintain their
acoustic base while "Unforgetful You," "Collide" and "Can't Erase
It" successfully venture into new pop/rock territory.
What is a surprise
on this album is the new ground it covers. Dennis Herring, who had
just produced "This Desert Life" for the Counting Crows prior to
"Zoo," pushed Jars of Clay to explore thier musical personalities.
"He made us
give our best," expressed Mason. "I think we were able to tap into
what Jars of Clay is," added Haseltine.
The rock tracks
are more aggressive than those found on "Much Afraid." "Unforgetful
You" is the funkiest song they have penned and one that doesn't
pull its punches lyrically. Haseltine pegs the issue of selfishness
when singing "You painted me a picture/You show me how to see/ But
I just won't behold it, unless it pertains to me."
This Saturday,
Jars of Clay will perform in Kidd-Brewer Stadium at 7 p.m. as part
of the Franklin Graham High Country Festival. After that, they will
tour with Jennifer Knapp on the "3 O'Clock Parade" tour.
What lies ahead
for the band? In
January, they will return to studios to work on a Christmas album
which will be released later in 2001. In March, they will reunite
with Dennis Herring to work on their fourth album.
The band doesn't
plan to take the easy way out anytime soon; they will continue to
explore themselves musically.
"There's too
much emphasis on making a hit," expressed Mason. "I think we're
learning what it means to put friendship before business, because
that's where our music comes from."
ŌLiftÕ and
ŌShiverÕ give students an alternative to Graham Festival
Ian Hutchinson
- Entertainment Beat
Need a lift?
Tired of the humidity? Then catch a ride, grab a sweater and a friend,
and come to Legends this Friday to check out the edgy pop/rock stylings
of The Lift and Shiver.
While Lift
may be virtually unknown to the High Country, this all-female, Atlanta-based
group certainly has what it takes to break through in the music
business: great pop melodies, thumping bass lines and strong vocals.
Since 1995,
The Lift has had three independent releases, "September EP", "Lifelike"
and "Stellar," played frequent shows and has opened for acts such
as the Indigo Girls.
Shiver recently
made their Legends debut last Friday by opening for Collapsis. A
recent twist of fate left the Switzerland band marooned in North
Carolina. Undeterred, the band is presently making the best of the
situation by finding new shows to play.
The result
may be one of the most interesting shows to come to Legends in recent
memory.
It is a seldom
occurance for an all-female band to perform in Boone and a rarity
to get a European band. In fact, it's almost too good to be true.
Rest assured
that it is a reality. Those who are fans of bands like Radiohead,
Our Lady Peace, Catherine Wheel, Crowded House, Sarah McLachlan
and Kitchens of Distinction will certainly be pleased with this
unique pairing of bands.
Quite possibly
the only snag the bands are facing is the Franklin Graham High Country
Festival and Michael W. Smith, which will be in Kidd-Brewer Stadium
the same evening. However,
if you 're "looking for a reason, roaming through the night to find"
some bands in this town, The Lift and Shiver are a excellent alternative.
The Lift and
Shiver are being presented by A.P.P.S. Club
Shows. Tickets for the show are $4 and can be purchased at the information
desk of Plemmons Student Union or at Legends the night of the show.
The show is BYOB and a valid ID is required. Doors for the show
open at 9:30 p.m.
|
