CRITICS' PICKS.Music Walk on the wild side: Since the 1987 release of his first solo album, Dave Alvin has developed his craft as a singer-songwriter of note. Even earlier, though, Alvin was known for his dry wit and hard-hitting delivery in the Blasters, the much-heralded Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. roots-rock band he formed with his brother, Phil, in the late '70s. Alvin's latest record, ``Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land,'' is an exploration of the roots of folk music folk music: see folk song. folk music Music held to be typical of a nation or ethnic group, known to all segments of its society, and preserved usually by oral tradition. Knowledge of the history and development of folk music is largely conjectural. , completing a trilogy that included the well-received ``Blackjack blackjack, one of the world's most widely played gambling card games; also known as twenty-one or vingt-et-un. Despite contesting claims between the French and Italians, its origins are unknown. David'' and ``King of California.'' Alvin and his band, the Guilty Men, appear tonight at the Roxy in West Hollywood West Hollywood A community of southern California northeast of Beverly Hills. It is mainly residential. Population: 36,600. . The bill also includes the costumed surf-rock band Los Straitjackets and Nashville singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks. Known as a master storyteller, Alvin paints arresting portraits of life, love, promise and cold reality, weaving elements of traditional folk, blues, rock and country into a remarkably contemporary sound. The Roxy is at 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Show time is 8 p.m. and tickets are $12.50. Information: (310) 278-9457. - Fred Shuster Film The art of dating: ``The Tao of Steve'' is something every guy should learn. Thoroughly. And the only way to do that is by watching Jenniphr Goodman's literate, funny and observant comedy. Donal Logue embodies the title philosophy to, well, the max. He plays a chubby New Mexico slacker, on the far side of 30 but still living like a frat boy, whose hefty frame belies a certain irresistible charm. He's the ladies man of Santa Fe, which seems unaccountable until he explains his secret seduction method of channeling Steve McQueen's cool through zen posturing. Of course, when the possibility of true love appears in the form of smart, independent Greer Goodman (the director's sister and co-writer), some growing up may finally be in order. Logue's stealthily stealth·y adj. stealth·i·er, stealth·i·est Marked by or acting with quiet, caution, and secrecy intended to avoid notice. See Synonyms at secret. charismatic performance and the film's commitment to its characters' (and, by extension, audiences') intelligence place ``The Tao of Steve'' on a plane that transcends your average romantic comedy. - Bob Strauss Television Careful tooning: Here's as close an opportunity as any of us will ever get to run a TV network: Cartoon Network is giving viewers a chance to vote for a new series out of three hopefuls. During a weekend marathon of CN's original programs - you know, ``The Power Puff Girls,'' ``Courage the Cowardly Dog Courage the Cowardly Dog is an award-winning American animated television series, created by John R. Dilworth, who directed each episode, about a dog named Courage and his owners Muriel Bagge, a kindly old Scottish woman, and Eustace Bagge, a grumpy old farmer, living ,'' ``Cow and Chicken,'' ``Dexter's Laboratory,'' ``Johnny Bravo'' and so on - the cable station will present the pilots of three new shows four times: at 9 tonight, at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, and at 9 a.m. Sunday. And how's this for quick - the winner will be announced at 9 p.m. Sunday. One can easily imagine any of the three on TV, but here's a bit of handicapping: --``Longhair longhair Generic term for any member of breeds of domestic cats noted for their long, soft, flowing coat. Longhair breeds include Balinese, Birman, Cymric, Himalayan, Javanese, Norwegian forest cat, Maine coon cat, Persian, Ragdoll, Somali, and Turkish Angora. and Doubledome'' is a deadpan piece about Cro-Magnon cavemen coping with Neanderthal neighbors. It gets a lot of its wit from variations on the old Road Runner and Coyote cartoons. --``Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?'' concerns a genius little robot who becomes an outcast at junior high school, until he finds love in an unlikely place. It's a good premise that could pick up the pace a bit. --My favorite by a mile, however, is ``The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy,'' a wonderfully stylized styl·ize tr.v. styl·ized, styl·iz·ing, styl·iz·es 1. To restrict or make conform to a particular style. 2. To represent conventionally; conventionalize. and eccentrically funny show. In the pilot, the Grim Reaper has come to relieve the two of Billy's hamster hamster, Old World rodent, related to the voles, lemmings, and New World mice. There are many hamster species, classified in several genera. All are solitary, burrowing, nocturnal animals, with chunky bodies, short tails, soft, thick fur, and large external cheek , Mr. Snuggles; they challenge him to a duel a la ``The Seventh Seal,'' only here, it's a limbo contest. It's easily the most unique of the bunch - but that could work against it with the voting public. Fortunately, Cartoon Network won't keep us in suspense for long. - David Kronke Stage News from Lake Wobegon: Does low-key humor play to the cheap seats? That's what Hollywood Bowl audiences will determine when Minnesota-born humorist hu·mor·ist n. 1. A person with a good sense of humor. 2. A performer or writer of humorous material. humorist Noun a person who speaks or writes in a humorous way Garrison Keillor tells ``Tall Tales From the Bowl'' at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The event will be the fourth in the Bowl's Sunday Sunset Performances series. The creator and host of ``A Prairie Home Companion'' on National Public Radio and the author of ``Lake Wobegon Days Lake Wobegon Days, is a novel written by Garrison Keillor, first published in hardcover by Viking in 1985. Based on material first used in his radio show A Prairie Home Companion, it brought his work to a much wider audience, and achieved international success. ,'' Keillor will be joined by guest conductor Philip Brunelle, pianist Rich Dworsky and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Keillor frequently performs with orchestras and in one-man shows. He last appeared at the Bowl in 1996. Sunday's program will include selections from Bach, Mendelssohn, Stein and Milhaud. Tickets are $3 to $75. Call (213) 480-3232 or visit www.hollywoodbowl.com. - Evan Henerson CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1 -- 2) Cartoon Network's ``Longhair and Doubledome Longhair and Doubledome was one of the cartoon shorts to lose in Cartoon Network's Big Pick segment, about two cavemen discovering science that shaped the world. It had two shorts, Longhair and Doubledome (short) and When There's Smoke There's Bob. ,'' right; and ``The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy,'' below. (3) no caption (Dave Alvin) (4) no caption (Garrison Keillor) |
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