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f a group of 5 a little less joy the ride, cirdled the if lyrically but I would were a little | your next .‘ You‘ve is pretty ith a lot of e had just pommons onrrieeetinipnrenn rmmensmmmssss i mean e $16.50 jam a little ding effort, “"‘V‘ d Fish) we kind of you‘re and RHMIGO e .. ZBMABHEONAUUUHITK UA anmnemeanmecmmea o tan Yes, if nothing else, 1996 proved once again that we‘re creatures of habit when it comes to our listening preferences. Play it safe. Follow mudwmmmhm mnuammum charts. If it‘s being played three times an hour "Heemimarehamabet, Progress? top conâ€" cert acts were the Eagles, Kiss and Garth Brooks, and there‘s already an Alanis tribute band. So you be the judge. if one looked and listened hard enough, however, there were some interesting releases to be found. Here, in no particular order, are a few that caught this listener‘s fancy. Wilco, Being There: in a year when the pathetic, moneyâ€"grabbing Eagles were the top grossing concert act, it was reassuring to know that at least a few other artists were making inspired countryâ€"rock. And none did it better than Wilco. Their second album evokes fond nmdUndedeo.fiwm Tweedy‘s former band, and one against which all country rockers can be measured. With Being There, Wiko more than measure up. RL Burnside, A Ass Pocket Of Whiskey: Even at 69, this inâ€"law of Muddy Waters plays a ferocious brand of Delta blues with more Another year, another zillion Alanis Moris sette, Celine Dion and Shania Twain albums sold. But what about Norma Waterson, Gillian Welch and Iris DeMent? You won‘t find mammm.. ond album finds them treading that fine line between art and pretension. Chamber music about the final days of a ship logt at sea will do that. Still, questionable motiviy aside, this was some of the year‘s most music. mmmsausvm rock has been distilled, refined and reworked to the point that much of what now carries its as it does the Stones. But make no mistake: this is Burnside‘s show, and without his bloodâ€" curdling vocals and slashing guitar, A Ass Pocket of Whiskey would be just another bluesâ€"rock record. Rachel‘s, The Sea And The Belis When Nna!oddmmuyou make the switch to neodassicist, peopie are Mtodmttyowmmg“ conviction and tenacity than pretenders halt his age. Some of the credit here goes to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, whose down ‘n‘ dirty rock and roll owes as much to Burnside mmuomn- is jazz for both purists and anyone who norâ€" maily wouldn‘t buy a jazz album. That‘s mnw‘mmmm to forsake virtuosity for frivolity. Their brilliant improvisation has plenty of the latter, and the fact they cover Lennon and Bacharach showrs they‘re not slaves to tradition either. GREAT STEAK SALE violin â€" Dirty Three‘s expressiveness is wideâ€" At the centre of the storm is violinist Warren Ellis. Seidom has the instrument and its player so defined a band‘s sound. Rasputina, Thanks For The Ether Gothic chamber music, courtesy of three cellists and a drummer who bring the 19th century into a modern rock setting. in the right hands, as it is here, the cello can be a wondrous source of beauty and melancholy. Both abound here, and when you add Melora Creager‘s eerie vocak, Thanks For The Ether is indeed a name sounds hackneyed and insincere. The one saving grace has been this Ohio band, selt described geeks who get it right on the surâ€" prisingly polished Scared Straight. This is tast, furious, blistering rock, probably as dose to what the early punks envisioned as anything since., Dirty Three, Horse Stories The second album from this Australian trio is more of BEwIns JANUARY 13, 1997 Reservations Recommended 893â€"6570 at the Charcoa! Steak tiouse mmmurmm Kitchener "IT‘S UNBELIEVABLE" NOT EVERYONE‘S EXCITED ABOUT IT! RIB STEAK 12 oz. of NEW YORK STRIP 10 oz With baked potato and fresh vegetables Watch for our ... »12.95 TBE WID EN a ns uve "soundtrack*; but Adamsor‘s geree enc i ing compositions evoke all sorts of images on tainly not definable, Oedipus Schmoedipus is 3 nonetheles compelling. And where ce can i you find lounge jazz, blues, cabaret, hip hop, gospel and art rock all rolled into one. $ Tortoise, Millions Now Living Will Never _ * ntmmmmma-«. though Kraftwerk, Brian Eng and anyone whoever picked up a syntheuzer come to & mind. This anything but siowâ€"moving Chicago 7z W“Mthm & tion with a heady mix of studio wizardry and £ Mmmmmmq twists and turns. Gillian Welch, Revival Welch may have been brought up by Hollywoodâ€"types, but the mmuummm * a background much dose to country‘s heart Nfl.Wllfi,m‘. sure from a singer who, along with iris DeMent, represents a welcome alternative to all the hair, hats and hakters in Nashvilie. Shaâ€" nia would do well to listen to this Honorable mention: Vernor: Reid, Mis taken identity; Syd Stram, War and Peace; Squirrel Nut Zippers, Hot Lambchip, How i Quit Smoking, Norma Waterson, Norme Waterson; Karl Hendricks Trio, For A While, it Was Funny. There‘s no movie to accompany this provoce