The News and Observer from Raleigh, North Carolina • 81

SEMEN WHAT'S UP 9 Friday September 16 1994 1 11 MUSIC Triangle's top 10 albums I 1i mini a Illiisui 1 Illt ell UM I milmor- itit: 4 ay 4 I a almo air'? 'f' 1 1 F4 a lit-- irevi ----c q0 4 f7: I ii I 1 A I t'I i- -fp 1 -4 i 4 IL': 't 1 -'1(''' 7 I -7- 0 Ilij- -r Nt VI 1'71-: f'i 1 N2- -')- 7' li 1 It rl "i'irclitO tf- 'Iii A ''47it 1'1' '9 't' 7'777i Ilk 'V A -III I 141 4' i'- UY1' 4 1 L1--s 1-2-: (4 ti '-f eTe: li iA fr- -f': rt 4:4 f'ipf ti I Cf '-tV ml Al --ft ::1 ii r-4 (7- Lt- i ts 1 litIN2' l'lir4 At 711: It' 41 I jt 'I 0t- -A Nk Dag takes 'play that funky music' to heart Ct 161Pr EIMillreSSIN -----P LI 1-f Grt li II PSI( When I first moved to the Triangle in early 1991 Dillon Fence was a band I had difficulty working up much excitement for Not that I actively disliked them Dillon Fence's guitar pop has always been undeniably listenable earning the group numerous admirers among collegiate circles But my first take on Dillon Fence was that they were well fine and absolutely ON THE BEAT nothing more ling ly manDavij menconi nered likable Easy to listen to even easier to forget about Which only goes to show how wrong first impressions can be because Dillon Fence has confounded my expectations ever since Dillon Fence's full-length debut 1992's "Rosemary" was a fine pop record and a better one than I thought they had in them They surprised me again with an even better follow-up 1993's "Outside In" which toughened up theguitars with a well-placed layer of grit Now Dillon Fence is up to album No 3 "Living Room Scene" which will be the band's first to come out with a major-label push (as part of Mammoth Records' distribution deal with Atlantic Records) It's also their third album in a row with a big-time producer behind the board Mark Freegard (whose credits include the Breeders and Madder Rose) following Lou Giordano (Sugar Pixies) on "Outside In" and Ron St Germaine (Living Colour Soundgarden) on "Rosemary" "Living Room Scene" is another sharp pop record a collection of moody ruminations on the remote unapproachable Her Greg Humphreys and company come across as frustrated guys who are too nice for their own good so they play out their Wonderbabe obsessions in song Kent Mphin's "Unnoticed" is a near-perfect evocation of the horrible awkwardness of making a bad first impression Even better is Humphreys' "Day After Tomorrow" a monster rave-up with a tremendous hook and great vocal harmonies: If "Living Room Scene" isn't quite as start-to-finish strong as "Outside In" there's an honorable reason for it in that the band occa- sionally tries to oven-each (espe- daily on "High School Sap" a meandering instrumental mood piece) That said the high points are terrific and better than any of the peaks on Dillon Fence's previ7v ous records "Living Room Scene" will be released Tuesday Dillon Fence plays a free show Monday at It pm at The Record Exchange in Chapel Hill The CD goes on sale at midnight at the store There will be pizza pncipthu 7 1 i On tuesdwDillsa? Vmee ploys i with the Veldt at the Cat 'i Cradle V011 SS 11 110 Wk 10 IN THE IN THE TITLE TRIANGLE NATION ARTIST 1 1 II BOYZ II MEN 2 2 SOUNDTRACK LION KING SOUNDTRACK FORREST GUMP 4 18 GROOVE OU GERALD LEVERT 5 14 VOODOO LOUNGE ROLLING STONES 6 12 REGULATE G-FUNK ERA WARREN DOOKIE GREEN DAY AUGUST EVERYTHING AFTER COUNTING CROWS 9 85 AIN'T LIFE GRAND WIDESPREAD PANIC 10 5 PURPLE STONE TEMPLE PILOTS 1994 BY SOUNDSCAN INC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED New CDs To be released Tuesday: LIZ PHAIR Whip Smart (Matador) THE PET SHOP BOYS Disco 2 (EMI) BRYAN FERRY Mamouna DADA American Highway Flower ROBERT PALMER Honey GRANT LEE BUFFALO Muddy Joe Monn LUTHER VANDROSS Songs THE GINGER BAKER TRIO Going Back Home TONY BENNETT Snowfall MARIAH CAREY Merry Christmas NEIL DIAMOND Christmas Album Number Two To be released Saturday: SLAYER Divine Intervention i I Ir i I 0 00 4 4 4' a -17 bs ri -2-' 1 fir i I it Pao- ip 41 lki 1114 -1 1 1 kit A -1111 4 ly convincing funk How convincing? Well the editors at Vibe magazine were so convinced that they reportedly didn't realize Dag's members weren't black until they sent a photographer to shoot the band for a story Questions of authenticity aside "Righteous" does wear its influences well If you like old Earth Wind Fire P-Funk or Sly and the Family Stone you should like Dag as well "Righteous" put me in mind of World Party's Karl Wallinger a studio obsessive who spends his spare time painstakingly duplicating Beatles songs note for note in his home studio Dag could no doubt do the same thing with some of its sources '-Even So" is practically a remake of Earth Wind Fire's "Shining Star" (one of the first records producer Custer says he ever bought) and bassistvocalist Bobby Patterson's Sly Stone falsetto mannerisms on "Candy" are almost eerie You could kill hours playing Spot The Influence and it would be time pleasurably spent So is the world ready for a white funk band like this? I have no idea It's impossible to predict how "Righteous" will go over with the general public could be huge could be a bomb but it should be fascinating to watch NEW BOYS: One record you can already buy is "New Boy" ('rVT Records) a six-song mini-album of the latest single from the Connells' 1993 "Ring" album Along with studio and live versions of "New Boy" it also has two out- takes from the "Ring" sessions and a live version of the 1989 song "Fun and Gimes" But the real drawing card is an 1 ace cover of Jethro Tull's hoary 1972 chestnut "Living in the Past" The band plays it absolutely straight to highly amusing effect The result is a genuinely funny 1 artifact from a group not exactly known for levity Definitely one for the box set I CITYLINE 1 To hear samples ot the Connellst Dillon Fence and Dag dial 549- 1 5100 on a touch-tone phone and thfe? tategbry762'5Ihts-is elves pall fxcgpit where long-distance apOy can (WI albui Corn Alon of "IS take! and 'Tur Bul ace( 1972 The strai The artifi knov De 131 To Dino 510( thfe Tees aPPIY Dillon Fence's 'Living Room Admission is free with a receipt from AIonday's Record Exchange midnight sale Call 967-9053 On Wednesday the band plays a free show at 5 pm at Schoolkids Records 2516 Hillsborough St in Raleigh The band plays another show Thursday at Lake Boone Country Club 2442 Wycliff Road in Raleigh Call 5714093 DIG ALL NIGHT: Finally hitting the stores on Sept 27 is (Sony Records) the long-awaited debut album from Raleigh all-star funk-rockers Dag Dag is three-quarters of cover band extraordinaire Mr Potatohead augmented by Nantucket drummer Kenny Soule and Cry of Love producer John Custer Even though "Righteous" iis the band's first album Dag has already been the subject emit ous debate incallv and natiniiinv Ilion! debate locally and natinhany NOUS debate locally and nntinhiing Scene' is a sharp pop record The band has gone through a series of names including Dig Junebug and Mothershine been castigated locally for supposedly not "paying their dues" (Dag got its deal on the strength of a demo tape without playing endless live shows) and endured all manner of pointy-headed criticism over the cultural ethics of thirtysomething white guys having the nerve to play black funk That last criticism overlooks how much of rock histoty has been predicated on cultural inauthenticity In the mid-'50s when he was 4 still looking for Elvis Presley pro- ducer Sam Phillips is said to have declared he could make a million bucks if he could only find a white man with a black sound If he was still in the business wolittlibviroolieg all overil lit- 1 11 'MYNA-ITUTit 300 Ntain St in Can-bro' riaV illwh148sa1-01ttafplays- unite!) VI 1 13a0' tat Nays unite' I Mat playa unfit' 1) I et1INT5i11-! etletsMiS11114.