VIDEO MUSIC JOURNAL

NOVEMBER 15, 1 993

IDAHO

“God’s Green Earth”

(Caroline, 114 W. 26th St., New York,

NY 10001/212-989-2929)

Everyday seems to be a grey and cloudy day for the two members of Idaho. On its recent debut album, Year After Year, the L.A.-based duo lays down cold slabs of morose, quiet rock that sounds tired and defeated, but is still eloquent rather than sullen. “God’s Green Earth” is a strong introduction to the band’s distinctively plaintive sound; an expanse of acoustic guitar strums, stacatto snare drums, and brooding vocals is crisscrossed by a penetrating guitar line that sounds like it wants to soar but is in too much pain to.