Arizona Daily Star from Tucson, Arizona • Page 61

Tucson, Friday, June 19, 1998 Section Page Thirteen Several CD releases are tied in with 'X-Files' movie Mum mm By Gene Armstrong The Arizona Daily Star "TheX-Files: The Album, various artists. Elektra Records. Several high-concept Revolutions vFjB Uii I )j: i Jill iJ r-i I Mark Snow has released a new CD, "The X-Files: The Score" of David Bowie's "Heroes" on the soundtrack album. The punk band virtually swings through the Doors' spooky "Crystal Ship," and the reggae band Aswad joins Sting for a new recording of his Police classic "Invisible Sun" that is not unpleasant. The album's best track, though, is its opener.

At the suggestion of "X-Files" creator Chris Carter, the alternative-rock band Filter took on the Three Dog Night hit VOne," which is mentioned in the movie's dialogue. Harry Nilsson wrote the song almost 30 years ago as a sad paean to desperation, but it always sounded a little too breezy and casual as performed by Three Dog Night. Filter alternates between quiet, burbling electronic tension on the verses and full-tilt guitar aggression on the choruses to draw out the compositions's latent creepiness. As howled here by Filter's Richard Patrick, "One" is all itchy paranoia, white-noise alienation and restless danger. Kinda like "The X-Files." "The X-Files: The Score," Mark Snow.

Elektra Records. Not much in the way of pop songs here. For those, you'll have to listen to the preceding recording. But movie-music nuts yes, there are such fans could well be delighted with the manner in which -composer Mark Snow (who also has written music for such TV shows as "Millennium" and "Nowhere combines the styles of some of the top talents in the genre. The score predictably features the usual incidental music and quick sound cues, obvious background for dialogue and chase scenes, and the occasional handful of bars for tension-enhancing suspense.

regularly employed in compiling a movie soundtrack album, and the new collection of songs inspired by and featured in "The X-Files: Fight the Future" successfully uses most of them. The album ends with a high-tech reinterpretation of Mark Snow's distinctive TV-show theme by the Dust Brothers, the pioneering hip-hop production team. These fellows have worked with artists as diverse as the Beastie Boys, Beck, the Rolling Stones and Hanson. There also are new songs by acts who've had but a single hit (Tonic, Better Than Ezra, the Cardigans) and are desperate for another to continue their 15 minutes of fame; a solo number by the member of a massively popular, but on-hiatus, band (Noel Gallagher of Oasis); forgettable tracks by alternative-rock icons (The Cure, Bjork); interesting tunes by critical darlings (Ween, Soul Coughing); and a couple of out-of-character songs by familiar chart-toppers (Foo Fighters' relatively restrained remake of "Walking After You" and the coldly techno-style "Black" by Sarah McLachlan). Also included, of course, are cover versions, which constitute a pret(y common phenomenon in these postmodern times.

Fortunately, the covers here are far more thoughtful than the Wallflowers' note-by-note re-creation Snow has learned his lessons well. Here and there he shows off the influence of such greats as Bernard Herrmann and Ennio Morricone, even touches of Jerry Goldsmith and Lalo Schiffrin. The material hardly sounds original. But that doesn't necessarily make a bad movie score. "The A Files: Alien Songs," Alvin the Chipmunks.

ChipmunkSony Wonder Records. Speaking of novelties, the Chipmunks are back. Masters of marketing, producers Ross Bagdasarian and Janice Karman have timed the release of the recording to the "X-Files" movie, despite its only connections being an on the cover art and a silly skit behind which plays the show's theme. The rest of the album consists of pop hits about space and aliens performed in that inimitable Chipmunks style: the Doors' "People Are Strange," Elton John's "Rocket Man," Shocking Blue's "Venus" and the Byrds' "Mr. Spaceman." Most are what you'd expect: headache-inducing one-joke annoyances.

The real masterpiece is "The Time Warp" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Hundreds of buzzing, multi-tracked Chipmunks chirp the dance song a decadent meeting of drag show, '50s rock 'n roll and Busby Berkeley musical number as if it were a sacred hymn. Call the Star's Summer Fun Line, at 573-4333, to hear Alvin the Chipmunks' version of "The X- Files Theme," followed by Filter's cover of "One." a CbtawlunnrithilajKiiniita sew forget. 11 I 4 LESSONS UN Center June through August For lunch, combine selected 3 IU1 13 sandwiches or salads with a cool drink, I tar anrl tin far rmlv I Call Today! 327-7895 1 Lunch Dinner Daily St Philip's Plaza River Rd. and The big re-inventory sale is continuing at the International Shop of the UN Center at discounts of 20-50. There is still a great variety of items: many earrings, quality amber necklaces, vests accented with silk from Japanese kimono, many summer dresses separates, and nusual textile and wall hangings from India and Poland.

AND MUCH MORE. Decor atof So, Grant Rd. at Country Club. Weekdays 10-6; Sat. 10-5.

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