Daily Staff Writer

“Still Life”

The Connells

For those of you who haven’t been following alternative music since before it was CALLED alternative, The Connells are in the category of bands that you might dismiss as too country-ish if you didn’t know what the hell you were talking about.

During the 1980s, this band was setting the standard by which other alternative acts measured themselves with its own variety of folk rock.

Strangely enough, the group had its greatest commercial success during the “grunge” period when “Ring,” their fifth album, was the best-selling independent album of 1993 and in the top 20 in 13 different countries.

But without lasting commercial success, cult followings have to be enough to keep some bands alive. The Connells, once cherished by college radio, now seem to get little play in favor of more current trends. But these things flip-flop every couple of years anyway.

“Dull, Brown and Gray” opens things up. It’s a rousing little anthem to set the mood for the album.

“Curly’s Train” sounds like a tribute to either Woody Guthrie or Boxcar Willie. It recalls older “riding the rails” tunes — the kind these guys undoubtedly grew up listening to in North Carolina.

It is always interesting to see what bands like this do with their country roots. Social Distortion, R.E.M. and Talking Heads are all good examples of bands with strong country influences that take it in a completely different direction and vary widely from each other as well.

If you are looking for a short history lesson in alternative music icons, The Connells “Still Life” will fit the bill. If you are an old-school type who remembers when alternative was called progressive, or if you just need a reminder of what guitars and drums sound like without computers attached to them, then buy “Still Life.”

4 stars out of five

—Greg Jerrett

“Voices From The Sky”

Dadawa

Every once in a while, in an Enya sort of way, a new artist comes along that really impresses me with the unique, new sound they have created. Dadawa is one of those wild, new artists who offers something completely new and different for an audience which becomes routinely jaded after years of inundation by popular tripe.

Dadawa is a popular Chinese vocalist from Shanghai who has teamed together with renowned composer He Xuntian, a professor of music in Shanghai who is internationally recognized for his symphonies and chamber music.

Together with He Xuntian, Dadawa explored Tibet and it’s music to create her first album, Sister Drum, by combining elements of Tibetan folk music with contemporary and classical Western music. Her original style of fusion is imbued with an earthy quality that creates musical magic both strange and beautiful to the western ear.

Dadawa’s latest album is entitled “Voices From the Sky,” and in it she continues to draw from the spiritual roots of Tibet for her inspiration.

In Tibet, a beautiful singer like Dadawa is often said to be possessed by the Melodious Goddess, and so no better title could be chosen for the opening track in which Dadawa demonstrates her considerable talents backed by the chimes and drums of China and Tibet.

While there is a lot of drumming on “Voices From the Sky,” it isn’t a world beat album. The drumming acts to connect the music to the earth and acts as a baseline from which Dadawa soars.

All of the lyrics are in Chinese, but translations are provided in the cover book. And just as Enya communicates effectively in Gaelic and Latin, Dadawa’s native tongue blends with the music to tell us stories of far off places. What she says is less important than the way she sings.

Exotic may be an understatement, but it definitely applies to this magnificent vocalist. If you are an Enya fan or if you are the kind of person that likes to sample other cultures through their music, then “Voices From the Sky” is definitely for you.

4 1/2 stars out of 5

—Greg Jerrett