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(08/27/14 5:06pm)
It was a summer of waiting: waiting for the hot sun to go down, relieving us of its unapologetic rays; waiting for noon, only after which is it socially appropriate to start drinking. But most of all, it was a summer of waiting for Kanye West’s new album to come out. Every bit of Yeezy-related news and every .5 second snippet of a new song that leaked only further stoked the burning desire for the return of Lord Yeezus, plunging our hearts into despair despite the wonderful weather of the summertime. Still, we found ways to stem our anguish with the many incredible new music releases that were part of an amazing summer.
(03/31/14 4:00pm)
Since the release of “Mastermind” — Rick Ross’ sixth studio album — there has been a renewed focus in the media surrounding the rapper’s personal life and, more specifically, his history as a Florida correctional officer. Since this fact was revealed in 2008, both listeners and critics have repeatedly evaluated Ross’ output in light of his past, often using the argument that Ross’ lyrics, which deal with his exploits as a sort of drug kingpin, are made aesthetically corrupt by his lack of life experiences to back them up.
(03/25/14 1:33pm)
Last May, third-year College student Alex Rafala started writing a screenplay about suicide. Just a month later, the topic became all too real: one of his co-workers took his own life.
(02/23/14 9:48pm)
Dear Billy Ray Cyrus,
(01/19/14 9:03pm)
When you go to see a Coen Brothers’ film, you usually know roughly what you are getting into. You can expect the movie to be somewhat funny and somewhat dark, with the respective levels of each varying from time to time. You can be sure that there will be top-notch witty dialogue and that the film will be character-driven — centered not on the often twisted and confusing plot, but rather on the eccentric individuals who inhabit the Coen universe. You can also bet that John Goodman will show up somewhere.
(12/04/13 10:06pm)
Remember the days when musicians used to keep to themselves and genre-lines were always clear cut? Yeah, me neither, but it seems like these days especially, genres, labels and categories in contemporary music are in their most nebulous state; previously segregated styles are being mixed like never before. Although weird fusions and sub-genres have always existed, these niches are producing some of the most interesting music around. Let’s take a look at a few good releases these scenes have thrown out there in the past few months.
(11/26/13 2:14am)
The dingy basement of a frat house may not be the venue of choice for a nice Saturday night concert, but given the nature of this particular concert, the low ceiling and tightly packed quarters served as a suitable setting for what was about to transpire.
(10/18/13 12:54am)
It’s amazing what credentials can do. Last Tuesday, credentials proved the only way to differentiate between a lengthy diatribe on pop culture from a man on the street and a thought-provoking discussion led by famed media critic Tom Breihan at Open Grounds. Needless to say, it was a good thing they read Breihan’s resume before he started talking.
(10/10/13 12:50am)
Rappers these days can be put into a few different camps: the holdovers from the golden age of hip-hop — emcees who emphasize lyricism, storytelling, technical dexterity and often some sort of message — and, on the opposite spectrum, energetic rappers who rely on adrenaline and sonic bombast, rather than lyricism, to make loud, instantly gratifying music. And then, there’s Danny Brown.
(09/09/13 12:03pm)
Excited fingers glide over the cardboard sleeves. Eager eyes are glued to the crates for hours at a time. Finally there is a satisfied grin as some classic record, some cult hit, is pulled from the deteriorating cardboard box, dusted off and examined intently. To anyone who frequents record sales, this is no uncommon scene, and anyone who went to the WTJU’s LP and CD sale on Saturday knows how thrilling this moment of discovery can be.
(08/30/13 2:22pm)
It seems like every three months is the “best three months of music,” but these past Summer months have certainly been the greatest “best three months of music” in recent memory, for both mainstream and lesser known artists. Huge releases like Jay-Z’s “Magna Carta Holy Grail” or Kanye’s “Yeezus” have rocked the socks off even those who aren’t typical music junkies, but if you are looking to expand your musical repertoire, here are a few records from the summer that didn’t get such widespread airplay, but are still worth checking out.
(08/26/13 9:35pm)
Looking to get a little taste of the music festival experience, but missed out the big names like Bonnaroo, Coachella and Lollapalooza? Don’t fret. The Charlottesville area will play host to its own smaller festivals this fall which promise to offer stellar music and local food.
(04/17/13 4:19pm)
Odd Future has always seemed like a pack of neighborhood friends who got together to see how many ridiculously offensive lyrics they could throw into one song. The Los Angeles rap collective has entrenched themselves in the hip-hop community with their adolescent shenanigans, intentionally overblown shock-rap lyrics and bizarre sense of humor.
(03/27/13 3:04pm)
When The Strokes released their first album, everyone said that this was it — that these guys were the saviors of rock ‘n’ roll music. With the album’s melodic take on ’70s garage rock, 2001’s Is This It generated the template for 21st century guitar music and engendered a surge of interest in “indie” rock as a sound, rather than a designation of contra-mainstream status. Because of this hype, the general populace has held its tongue about the steadily decreasing quality of The Strokes’ records in the hopes that the next record will herald a return to their classic form. Sadly, now with their most recent Comedown Machine, it seems clear that all hope for a comeback is lost.
(03/20/13 5:15pm)
War has always been a favorite subject of filmmakers, not only because it supplies such great stories, but also because it sells. From the patriotic films of the ‘50s to the heroic epics of the ‘60s, war films often double as Hollywood shoot-em-ups, attracting audiences with their stylized portrayals of violence and an overly aggrandized attitude toward the fight. Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s 1998 World War II film is easy to lump in with these epic war blockbusters, but its shining qualities come from its subtle sensitivity to issues commonly dealt with by the war film’s sister genre — the anti-war film.
(02/28/13 2:41am)
The word “meme” is tossed around quite a bit these days, but most people are unaware that the term, meaning an idea that spreads from individual to individual, was originally coined as an analogy to biological units like genes that self-replicate, mutate and spread. Although many innocent memes have become part of our everyday lives, including catchy goat remixes and “lolcats,” one sinister virus of a meme has recently infected the brains and dignity of millions — the “Harlem Shake.”
(02/21/13 2:53am)
Slopping through the trash-heap that is action cinema, 1988‘s Die Hard is one of the very few precious jewels that can be found. The film’s absurd levels of violence and Bruce Willis’ unrealistically brilliant one-liners — characteristics that have easily ruined films of similar caliber — actually brought the film the popular acclaim it still enjoys to this day.
(01/31/13 1:58am)
You’ve probably heard of Yo La Tengo. From the early ‘90s to the mid-2000s, the band’s name, if brought up by one of your Bohemian musicophile acquaintances, was always followed by the hackneyed hipster-ism “You’ve probably never heard of them.” You probably truly haven’t heard, however, that during the height of the band’s career, Yo La Tengo’s blend of noise-rock, lo-fi production, sensitively structured songs and occasional forays into whimsical pop repeatedly earned it the moniker of “quintessential critics band.”
(11/19/12 4:44am)
It’s the end of the second quarter at Scott Stadium. The energy of the game momentarily subsides as fans talk among themselves, go for refreshments and check their phones; they don’t notice the assembly congregating on the sidelines in front of section 104, clothed in blue and white, orange capes fluttering in the breeze. An arresting thunder of instruments draws all heads to center field and — after nine minutes of expertly performed music and movements — the field is once again empty and the fans have turned their attention back to the game. The halftime show is over, but for the 320 members of the Cavalier Marching Band, another period of hard work, focus and determination has just begun.
(09/24/12 5:56am)
Pushing your way through the crowd, you pass people of every sort imaginable, assorted faces of all shapes, colors and temperaments. There’s dancing, drinking, shouting — and then, through the humming ambience, you hear music, roaring trombones, swinging drums and a multitude of voices joined together in song. It fills the air and gives the place an unmistakable aura, but you aren’t on Bourbon street. You aren’t on Basin street, Canal street or Frenchman street either. Not even close. You’re in Charlottesville, Va. at the Jefferson Theater last Tuesday, and at center stage is an impeccable group of musicians: New Orleans’ own Galactic.