The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 71

Tripping Daisy grows after getting a girl By KYLE MUNSON Register Music Critic Once upon a time, (insert mod KyleMunsoi Pre-judging a few jams jiff fii'tiUjimiinnmip 'feX' 'mimtwatimimrthnrid full-time fifth member. And Ben Curtis replaced Bryan Wakeland on drums. (Guitarist Wes Berggren and bassist Mark Pirro round out the current lineup.) And Daisy started recording "Atom Bomb" at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, N.Y., with a less-than-definite road map. In speaking to Delaughter it's evident that the familiarity of his Dallas-based and Daisy-centered musical friends is a comfort. But so is finding ways to take his pals into strange, new musical realms.

Kicked out of bands in high school for being a bad drummer, Delaughter began singing and taught himself to play guitar. Living in the small town of Duncanville, Texas, he used radio for all the musical inspiration it could provide, moving from 70s rock (Yes, Queen) to heavy metal (Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne) and finally to early alternative (the Cure, the Pixies). He still dates the girlfriend he grew up with. Even the man (Michael Allen) who assembles the trippy 16mm film show that accompanies Daisy's live concerts is a longtime friend. "It's a nice little family that's always been together," Delaughter said.

"We set up shop and go for it every night." Tripping Daisy has re-entered the rock scene after two full years out of the spotlight. The band plays tonight in Ames. ern rock band) ivas frustrated trying to follow up the success of its one big hit single, "(insert song). It was as if the song came to completely define the band in radio listeners' minds, and the band couldn't break free. If the above scenario happens all the time, Dallas' own psychedelia-dipped modern rock crew, Tripping Daisy, could be one of the fortunate few to recover.

'I've Got A Girl' kind of screwed things up for us," singer-guitarist Tim Delaughter admitted during a phone interview from Philadelphia. "We were so in touch with our audience before that, built that audience from staying out on the road. When that song came it really kind of knocked the wind out of it a bit. It was fun, but it gave us a false reality." In 1995, the rest of Daisy's "I Am An Elastic Firecracker" album didn't get nearly as much attention as Delaughter's one song about the quirkier characteristics of one girl. But the band's new, spacier and more expansive album, "Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb," begs to be heard as a complete, cohesive work.

If "Firecracker" was more "With the Beatles," then "Atom Bomb" is more "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." And despite the new album's conspicuous lack of radio play, a good word-of-mouth buzz is circulating. "We've got all of our old fans, and we kept a few from the 'I Got A Girl' episode," Delaughter said. "It's all about the music as a whole, and not about one song." Second coming Exactly how did Daisy build up the courage to re-enter the modern rock world after two full years out of the spotlight? By doing notliing. "Taking time off was the best tiling this band ever did," Delaughter said.

And guitarist and longtime friend Philip Karnats was added as a Books: Food Kyle Munson can be reached at munsonkianews.dmreg.com or (515) 284-8124. What: Tripping Daisy When and where: 8 tonight at the Maintenance Shop in Ames Tickets: $10 for students, $12 for unstudious types. Call the M-Shop hotline at (515 294-2969; check the banas trippy Web site at www.daisynews.com; or call the band's hotline at (972) 61 4-4547 to hear the latest news from on the road. music critic usually operates by A) digesting a given album and then B) critiquing said al bum. But this week I'm going to make it easier by predicting a couple of albums that are likely to be great and a couple that will be grueling among the crop of new releases for the rest of the year.

Great: R.E.M., "Up" (Oct. 27) Despite the departure of drummer Bill Berry, these Georgia boys haven't misfired since that unfortunate "Shiny Happy People" ditty. Aerosmith, "A Little South of Sanity" (Oct. 20) Steven Tyler bunged up his knee while on tour this year, but that's only because his band has been rocking so hard. Tliis live album should deliver what 10 new Aerosmith studio albums wouldn't be able to: grit and guts.

Grueling: John Mellencamp, "John Mellencamp" (Tuesday) I hope I'm wrong, because I love most of tlus Indiana troubadour's catalog. But his recent anti-record company rants could be signaling artistic blockage. Cypress Hill, "IV" (Oct. 6) Two landmark rap albums (1991's self-titled debut and the 1993 follow-up, "Black may be all this L.A. crew can muster this decade.

Rack 'n' romance And finally, from the Cutest Press Release I've Received In A While department: Roadrun-ner Records and TVT Records have jointly announced the engagement of Coal Chamber bassist Rayna Foss and Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose. The couple met while their bands were on tour together and made their metal match official on Aug. 16. A private marriage ceremony is planned for Feb. 1 1 amid the glitz of Las Vegas.

Kyle Munson can be reached at munsonfc news dmreg.com or (515) 284 8124. WEDNESDAY FIESTA NIGHT s1.00 Prima Margaritas. 500 Bud Lite or Miller Lite Draft. 750 Tacos 3-7 pm Restaurant-Wide Not good with any other offer No Take Out Please 15 MINUTES OR ITS A FREE LUNCH 11.1 Whpn Orrlprino- Fmm for the Brain. JLijaaiillUHOSLUJlHiVq a i a m.

a axu mm The Lunch Menu liv a a vivt a a a. a ill r- Parties of 6 or Less Your brain is starving. Slide the hunger at the 38th Annual Planned Parenthood E02X SAlf.We have Cl8BS22dS of new, used and antique "It Tastes Better Our Way" CUCOS MEKICAN CAFE 11407 FOREST AVENUE, CLIVE267-1300 plus records, games, puzzles Sept. 25 from 5 p.m. to Midnight, SSpL 25 to Sunday, CCL4, we'll be tfSlC8 IS fTSS.

We'll be in the Sta8 FasrSrCUnSS. So come out Greater Iowa. Your brain will thank (515) 280-7000. t.O and posters. The Grand Opening is admission is $7.

From Saturday, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Agriculture Building at the l3V.a and help Planned Parenthood of you for it..