`Songs for 'Drella' weave velvet elegy to Warhol's genius

Lou Reed and John Cale. "Songs for 'Drella: A Fiction" (Sire)(STAR) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)

Andy Warhol the conceptualist is dead, but Warhol as catalystlives on. There's a feeling of unfinished business underlying thiscollaboration by Lou Reed and John Cale, this ambivalent tribute totheir late mentor 25 years after Warhol managed the two in the VelvetUnderground.

" 'Drella" (a contraction of Cinderella into Dracula that Warholreportedly didn't much like as his nickname) makes no attempt at aVelvet revival, a return to the sound that inspired a thousandimitators. Instead, these duets function more like a musicalconversation marked by an intimacy and a creative tension thatdistinguishes this collaboration from the solo music of either Reedor Cale.

Though no one is likely to confuse young Andy - "bad skin, badeyes, gay and fatty" - with J. C. Superstar or that deaf, dumb andblind kid, the results are more complex, compelling and operatic thanany rock opera. "Your diaries are not a worthy epitaph," sings Reed.This is.

Public Enemy. "Fear of a Black Planet" (Def Jam/Columbia) (STAR)(STAR) (STAR)

If only the music were as revolutionary as the messages. Thekey tracks on Public Enemy's third album - the opening "BrothersGonna Work It Out," the closing "Fight the Power," the surprisinglyfunny title cut and the "Welcome to the Terrordome" single - have theurgency, the propulsiveness and the textural audacity that fulfillall the promise that its adherents claim for rap.

As for much of the rest, well, don't believe the hype. Toomuch filler, too many pick-a-topic position papers, too much musicreduced to a lyric sheet with a beat can make for numbinglyrepetitive listening. Rap needs an artistic revolutionary - a JimiHendrix, a Sly Stone, a George Clinton, a Prince - and Public Enemyisn't there yet.

FOLK BEYOND FOLK: In addition to being one of the strongesttriple bills in recent memory, Friday's concert at the Vic featuringMichelle Shocked, Poi Dog Pondering and John Wesley Harding showedthat folk music just ain't what it used to be. Though there's a folkbase to the music of all three, each is proceeding from tradition toexplore fresh directions, and all are committed to offering new musicfor the '90s rather than a revival of the '60s or '70s.

While Shocked remains the closest of the three to folktraditionalism, her current music represents a radicaltransformation. Explaining to the sold-out Vic that "politicalcorrectness is a serious social disease" and that she was tired of"preaching to the converted," she tempered some of her politicalstridency with the swing of a six-man band, including two horns.

At its least effective, the musical mix made Shocked sound likeher time machine was straddling two traditions, as if Woody Guthriesomehow found himself fronting Count Basie's band. The closer shecame to classic swing or big-band blues, the more she invitedcomparison with better singers than she.

With "On the Greener Side," however, she sidesteppedconstrictions of musical convention to offer a fresh sound that isall her own. Though her set with the band showed less playfulintimacy than her previous solo performances, Shocked continues tocombine intelligence, conviction and good humor in a way that makesher worth hearing whatever the context.

As for Poi Dog, this musical mutt from Hawaii by way of Austin,Texas, defies categorization. The songs and sentiments of frontmanFrank Orrall show a folkish idealism, but the band that surrounds himis a multitextured, world beat powerhouse.

While instrumentation including violin, mandolin and trumpetopens the music to a world of possibilities, Poi Dog wouldn't be halfthe band it is if it didn't have a terrific rhythm section - if, infact, practically the whole band didn't function as a terrific rhythmsection. (Already a Chicago favorite, Poi Dog made an unbilledheadlining appearance the next night at Lounge Ax.)

Opening the show was Britain's John Wesley Harding, who claimsthe likes of Phil Ochs and John Prine as influences, who sounds morelike Elvis Costello or Nick Lowe, and who plays his acoustic guitarwith enough aggression to power a half dozen punk bands. Howeverderivative he may sound on albums, the bite of his live performanceshows that he is something special. He'll be returning to Chicagowith his band in July.

SUMMER'S COMING: While the weather has barely turnedspringlike, summer concert bookings are heating up. Those makingearly plans for the Fourth of July can include a free show featuringthe Smithereens, Los Lobos and the Kinsey Report at Grant Park'sPetrillo Music Shell. Sponsored by WXRT-93.1 FM, the concert willmark the last day of Taste of Chicago and will be broadcast live bythe station.

Highlights of the summer schedule at Poplar Creek includeMidnight Oil (June 8), Rickie Lee Jones and Lyle Lovett (June 26),Little Feat (Aug. 4), Linda Ronstadt with the Neville Brothers (Aug.22) and Frank Sinatra (Sept. 1). Tickets are now available only bymulti-show subscription series, through the May 2 deadline. Singleconcert tickets will then be sold.

Squeeze has been added to open the Fleetwood Mac concert on June27 at the new World Music Theatre in Tinley Park.

After last year's success, the Midwest Music Conference willreturn to North Pier for four days of workshops, seminars andshowcases beginning Aug. 23.

CLUB CALENDAR: The city will lose one of its friendliest musicrooms on Sunday with the closing of Orphans, 2462 N. Lincoln(929-2677). Long a fixture on the Lincoln Avenue strip and afavorite among musicians and music fans alike, the corner bar willmake its last stand with many of the most popular local artists whohave served as almost house acts for the club.

Beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dick Holliday and the Bamboo Gang,Big Shoulders, the Bilko Band, Chicago Catz, Folk Gods of the '90s,Scott Bennett and the Obvious, Stump the Host and the Way Moves willhelp Orphans say goodbye.

The Cramps will bring the "real junk" Wednesday to CabaretMetro, 3730 N. Clark (549-0203), putting to rest all those "Lux isdead" rumors that were sweeping Los Angeles a few years back. (Andwhich gave Cramps singer Lux Interior more in common with PaulMcCartney then anyone would have expected.)

A three-day tribute to Otis Spann, the late, great blues pianistand stalwart in the Muddy Waters band, will be held Friday throughSunday at Rosa's, 3420 W. Armitage (342-0452). Among the virtuososfingering the ivories in Spann's memory will be Sunnyland Slim, JimmyWalker, Erwin Helfer and others.