18 - Friday, September 30, 1988 - North Shore News New artist feeds SHOCKED IS sharp; Van looks into his heart and sees green; Seigen Ono toys with musical form. Michelle Shocked -— Short Sharp Shocked, Mercury 1988 The talent, sufficient even in raw form to convince record bigwigs to release earlier this year a collec- tion of songs recorded by a camp- fire on a Sony Walkman, shines on Shocked's first studio recording. The styles are varied and well presented. The lyrics are precocious. Perhaps it’s a condi- tion of her upbringing as an army brat. More likely it’s because she’s lived on the edge (pirate radio in Amsterdam, European squatters movements) most of us have only flirted with, Shocked is sharpest on An- chorage, a song chronicling cor- respondence between two old friends, one settled and domesticated in Alaska, the other running free-spirited in New York. When | Grow Up, stands out with a deliciously outrageous fantasy of a woman aspiring to be an old woman with 120 babies raised and fed on tiger's milk and green bananas. Just over a year ago, she wowed the Vancouver Folk Music Festival crowds as a relatively unknown going-to-be. This release consolidates her position as one of the bright new lights in a popular music scene increasingly receptive once again to artists who have something to say and know how to feed the soul in the process. Van Morrison & The Chief- tains — Irish Heartbeat, Mer- cury 1988 While some Celtic purists wrinkle noses in disdain, this MICHAEL BECKER music reviewer release, by virtue of the crossover . marriage of Belfast-born soul bard Van Morrison to the legendary Chieftains, can only help but draw new fans into exploring traditional! Irish music. Morrison's well-worn voice put to work on standards like Car- rickfergus and She Moved Through The Fair (also covered on the Ail About Eve debut) is tailor-made to express the wistful melodrama inherent in these lov- ingly-polished chestnuts. The Morrison-penned title tune Irish Heartbeat, sharing in Dorothy's revelation on her return trip from Oz that there is reaily no place like home, is steeped in roots sentiment: “This old world is so cold. Don’t care nothin’ for your soul you share with your own ones,” The Celtic soulman, backed by the Chieftains’ playful flutes, tin whistles. bones, fiddles and drums, brings it alf home with a stirring round of song. Seigen Ono — The Green Chinese Table, Virgin Re- cords 1988 One of Japan’s top engineer/ producers, Ono has been credited as responsible for advances in sampling and programming tech- niques in the studio. From his Vitamin Studios in Tokyo, Ono has worked with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Robert Fripp, The Lounge Lizards and Bill Laswell. the soul This release, his second solo ef- fort, showcases Ono boldly stret- ching musical form while incor- porating snippets from both western and eastern influences. Oblique and evocative titles, like Seon In Macau and The Pink Room, are worked out in a framework of evolving instrumen- tal themes. The opening cut, Seon in Macau, builds on a western foun- dation of marching violas and swirling oriental harps. The initial section gives way to a repeating three-note viola run. The dreamlike mood established, is shattered briefly by an anarchic burst of chattering violins and is returned in the end to be resolved in the calm of a harp. Ono really hits Dada stride in The Pink Room where he matches up funky acoustic guitar rhythms with a woman speaking French. A great record if you feel yourself in the mood for a little aural exploration, xe eK THE ghost of Mott The Hoople returns to Vancouver tonight with the fan Hunter-Mick Ronson Band at the 86 Street Music Hall; Nett- werk recording artists Skinny Pup- py are up 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 for an all ages gig at the New York Theatre; raw power pop blows the It will take you to the edge... to the limit of vour imagination. Produced by Jon Long & Jomes Angrove ceive 2 re Day Pass MICHELLE SHOCKED’S first stu- dio release is shockingly sharp. lid off the Expo Theatre Oct. 3 with Iggy Pop; Canadian folk superstar Murray McLauchlan hits the Vancouver East Cultural Cen- tre stage 8:30 p.m., Oct. 4 to Oct. 8; Richard Thompson Band with guests Clive Gregson & Christine Collister, Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 at the Town Pump; Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts are at the Commodore Oct. 7; American folklorists Ramblin’ Jack Elliott & Utah Phillips are at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, 8 p.m. , Oct. 11; smooth South African singers Ladysmith Black Mambazo per- form at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Oct. 13; Nettwerk/Capitol recording artists The Grapes of Wrath are at the Town Pump Oct. 13; Vancouver jazz fusionists Skywalk are at the Commodore 10 “An arobyd the nite . skiing, yatdsy with < Se east of world ‘ampion skiers, Special guest cinematographer ~ DICK BARRYMORE We each hae purchased receive a free wax-job from HAAWNS SKI ~~ OCTOBER 6 6 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm QUEEN ELIZABETH ‘ame TICKETS AVAILABLE AT VTC-TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS CHARGELINE 280-4444 AND AT PRECISION SKI - 1848 WEST BROADWAY 732-4368 | sass ACTKN, reer, IOLGEML CAMTEL Cans idian SiBird | Photo submilted p.m., Oct. 13; Toronto artist Colin Linden showcases his excellent rew release When The Spirit Comes, Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 at the Town Pump; Australian powerhouse Midnight Oil returns to Vancouver Oct. 29 at the Pacific Coliseum; country heavyweights Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn and George Jones are at the Pacific Coliseum, Nov. 1. The Fall Family Festival Axis Mime Theaire in BODYWORKS Sun., Oct. 2, 1988 2:00 pm A girl, a problem, a top secret mission — a fantasy adventure. After mysteriously shrinking to microscopic size, a child ts conscripted by scientists to aid in the diagnosis of an ailing Foe Star. With giant props, pup ets, Mime and music, ime spins this magical is ale of make believe. Norman Foote Sun., Oct. 16, 1988 2:00 pm Kim & Jerry Brodey in Concert Sunday, November 6, 1988 2:00 pm Bruce W. Hunt and Georgina Sun., Nov. 20 2:00 pm Festival Packages now on sale until September 30, 1988 ~/See all four shows for jst ; $12.00 ‘and. sava 40%: of co single ticket: price.” Single tickets $B (flat. rate) Tickets! In person at recCentre Lonsdale, by phone 987-PLAY. VISA or Mastercard accepted. 2300 Lonsdale Ave., North Van 984-4484