THE LAST MIMS,HOPEFULLY
Mims-Music Is My Savior
4/10
by Daniele Hauptman
If you haven’t heard “This Is Why I’m Hot” by Mims, you probably haven’t been hitting the clubs. Now, though it’s more played-out than Akon’s “Smack That,” it’s still got a hot beat. Pop-hop fans everywhere were waiting for Mims’ album, Music Is My Savior, to drop, hoping to find something else to bang on a Friday night.
Mims turns out to be just another sellout—he’s on the same level as any other mediocre cookie-cutter rapper on the scene. All he’s got to his name are some half-decent rhyming skills, reprocessed crap from the bling-rap lyric pool, plenty of production, and an ego that could fill the Atlantic. Granted, almost every rapper has some song dedicated to how they are “hot” at whatever they do—it’s tradition. Mims just can’t talk about anything but how great he thinks he is. “This Is Why I’m Hot” was only the beginning. In “Superman,” Mims runs game to some girl, telling her he’ll ice her neck and drape her in Juicy Couture velour jumpsuits. Yeah…because those are seriously fashionable.
Mims takes time to stop talking about how hot he is for about four minutes. In “Where I Belong,” Mims describes his utopia, saying “Is there a place where women don’t trade money for sex / Or cops harass you in front of your steps / …No alcohol so drunk niggas don’t crash they whips.” This may be the one song on the album where he mixes decent, though not groundbreaking, beats and samples with lyrics that aren’t egotistical or superficial. He’s trying to be deep but ends up sounding naïve, not to mention hypocritical. Throughout the rest of the album, he prides himself on his pimpery. Maybe if he could get real, someone would take him seriously.
In continuing with his generic act, he recruits some Alvin and the Chipmunks vocals for the hook of “I Did You Wrong.” This song is an apology to all the women he’s ever played, and an advance apology for continuing to disrespect women and “do them wrong.” If Mims really is sorry, he wouldn’t continue his ways. Why bother apologizing for something if you’re not really sorry?
In “Cop It,” he samples some British chick rapping with nursery-rhyme styled menace, which would have worked really well if halfway through the song Mims hadn’t said, “I don’t know what she sayin’!” Yeah, right. He’d better be joking, because if he really has no idea, that’s an irresponsible action from anyone with pretenses of real artistry.
Rappers like Mims are exactly the reason real rappers claim hip-hop is dead. Mims does actually do one thing that I would call groundbreaking—his album gives new meaning to the expression “broken record.” Mims, please stop saying you represent New York. You may be from NY, but there are plenty of more talented rappers to personify it.
HE’S HERE TO WORK YOUR BODY
Timbaland- Shock Value
8/10
by Tori Burhans
When listening to Timbaland Presents: Shock Value, it’s hard to find the shocking aspects of it. Filled to the brim with amazing back tracks, plenty of blazing collaborations, and the typical self-deprecating lyrics popular these days, the album is pure Top-40. And you can’t help but love it.
Opening the album, his only solo track “Oh Timbaland” is filled with funky guitars, driving snare drums, and Timb’s signature rapping style. Sounding more like a southern blues song than a rap track, the producer proves that he can do it solo, then proceeds to partner up for the rest of the album. The rest of the songs feature his protégés, whom are young, hot, and talented. Following with a totally different sound is the single “Give it to Me” (featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake). With a deep bass, tribal drumbeat, and the typical synthesized sound of all Timbaland productions, this is the quintessential club song.
In contrast to the dance songs on the album, there are a few offbeat tracks. “Bounce” featuring Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, and Justin Timberlake, is the most industrial sounding song on the entire album, with booming beats and low vocals. Though it sounds serious, in reality it begins as an ode to women’s breasts and morphs its meaning to address a ménage-a-trois that I wouldn’t mind getting in on.
On the more somber side of Shock Value is “Kill Yourself.” Church hymns, a synthesized snare drum, and the faint sound of a piano create the sound that supplements the lyrics, “Kill Yourself / If I was you I wouldn’t feel myself.” We all can agree that haters can be annoying at times, but encouraging suicide is a bit much, especially on a club record.
Timbaland ends the album with a few less conventional pairings which culminate in some very lackluster creations. Tracks with The Hives, She Wants Revenge, and Fall Out Boy produce songs that are impossible to get through. The album does end on a high note, however, with “2 Man Show.” The song might be considered his greatest collaboration simply because he lands Sir Elton John to play piano. The song is basically Sir Elton doing what he does best, a choir “ooo’ing,” and Timb directing everyone to “turn it up” and “kill ’em” with their sick skills.
After listening to Timbaland’s solo album, it became easy to understand why everyone wants to work with him. His sound is fully thought out and intricate, when most producers can’t make songs half as good. On his new album, Timbaland does what he does best—produces some phat club anthems and spits some dope rhymes alongside today’s hottest entertainers.
POINT BLANK
Shooter
9/10
by Adam Silkworth
If you’re a fan of the TV show 24 you’ll certainly like Shooter. Based on Stephen Hunter’s 1993 novel, Point of Impact, this film is 24 expanded for the big screen. A season of 24 consists of many episodes, leaving room for sub-plots throughout, but Shooter only has two hours and doesn’t deviate from the plot for even one of its 120 minutes—it’s a straight shot all the way to the end.
Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is an ex-special operations sharpshooter who has been retired since finishing a tour of duty in Ethiopia. He’s living in the middle of nowhere when Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) and Jack Payne (Elias Koteas), arrive on his doorstep asking for help. According to their inside intelligence, someone is planning to assassinate the president in the next two weeks. They would like Swagger to do some spy work and figure out how best to foil the attack. He agrees, and soon finds himself in Philadelphia trying to save the president’s life, only to have the tables turned when the feds frame him for the assassination attempt. With two bullets in him, he’s on the run from thousands of law enforcement officials.
This film never crosses the line of absurdity, and is a story that could feasibly take place. The action scenes are well put together with an even mix of alternating mayhem and drama. This one will go down as a classic assassination movie. Shooter does what any good action thriller should accomplish—it thrills. It is fast-paced and energetic, and certainly does not lack in the killing department.
Bob Lee Swagger is the modern day Rambo, fighting to turn what seems impossible into reality—one man against everyone else. With everyone after him, Swagger will stop at nothing to uncover the conspiracy that he has been thrown into. It follows your basic Hollywood premise, that one man can save the world all by himself. Swagger is your standard-issue hero/outlaw attempting to save himself from the corruption of Big Brother story.
Still, Shooter is in good company, being a 2007 action film. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found it to be exciting, thrilling, and fun. It’s not a movie to think too deeply about. If you do, the logic begins to unwind, and the film will collapse upon itself. It’s better to just get a big tub of popcorn, a massive soda, and sit in the front row. In this respect, it’s a big-screen event film that features one of the greatest explosions ever recorded on film. Trust me, you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it.
Sonic: Suddenly Screeching to a Stop
Sonic and the Secret Rings - Wii
6/10
by Jack Niejadlik
A large part of the reason Nintendo has remained successful for so many years is because the company continually focuses on putting out products that are simple and engaging. Rather than mimicking the competition, Nintendo strives to improve the part of the market of which it has become the innovator: fun, easy to play games. Likewise, many of the old favorites and classic games that hooked fans on previous Nintendo systems are being ported over to the Wii. Zelda, Wario and now Sonic have made the transition to the virtually-controlled Wii-verse. Sonic and the Secret Rings helps usher in the new generation of games, bringing our beloved blue hedgehog to the screen like never before.
The premise for the game: Sonic is rewriting history. Pages from the classic story of “Arabian Nights” have gone missing, and it is up to Sonic to get to the bottom of the mystery. Players who are looking for a story will be more than satisfied. Each level looks and feels different from the next, which is a significant leap from the monotonous spring-board, loop-de-loop, and spike trap recipe of past Sonic games.
Fans of the old Sonic titles on the Sega systems may be disappointed when they grab the Wii-mote controlled reigns of the heroic hedgehog. Much of the appeal of previous Sonic titles came from the simple, yet fast-paced mad dashing and side scrolling in the old, two-dimensional world of games. Now, having Sonic plopped into a fully-navigable 3D environment makes mastering his movements more difficult than just “stop, jump, go, and go faster.” The Wii remote is held horizontally as you guide Sonic left and right by tilting side to side, like a steering wheel. Like driving a car, it takes some time to perfect. Also, the game employs a role-playing system in which players can earn skill points that can be cashed in for additional powers, abilities, and so forth. So, instead of grabbing for the controller and diving headfirst into a world of lighting fast speed, players must slowly unlock skills and build Sonic’s strengths through mission progression.
While the game is fun at times, and the skill system offers players something to work toward, a lot of the game’s mechanics are annoying to learn and tedious to master. By today’s standards, it is difficult to say whether or not good outweighs the bad in this game, but if nothing else, a dichotomy of fun and frustration certainly exists. Although better than Dreamcast’s 3D Sonic rendition, Sonic and the Secret Rings on the Nintendo Wii falls short in boosting our fast friend up to a status comparable to that of his Sega Genesis reputation.
TOTALLY TRAVIS
Piebald - Icon 3-17
8/10
by Jason Bauers
While most of the population of Buffalo spent the day getting liquored up, all the cool kids headed over to the Buffalo Icon on St. Patrick’s Day to catch a performance by quirky post-hardcore pop-rock quartet Piebald. The show was, in fact, the first of the band’s tour in support of their new album, Accidental Gentlemen, and what better place to kick it off than a Saturday night in the Nickel City?
Attendance was surprisingly low, considering that Piebald kicks major ass by all accounts. Despite the low head count, there was plenty of energy in the room and much fun to be had. Though starting off slow, the die-hard Piebald fans brought their enthusiasm along with them.
It took some prodding on the part of lead vocalist/guitarist Travis Shettel, who initially accused the fans of looking bored, to get the crowd going. Many took this accusation as a challenge, and soon enough the foot tapping became more aggressive, and a good portion of the crowd was belting out the lyrics to old favorites.
Surprisingly, the band played few cuts off their latest record and stuck mostly to material from their most popular, and arguably best album, We Are the Only Friends That We Have. Set list highlights included “David Lee Rock,” an ode to rock and roll’s one-time premier front man, and Shettel’s acceptance of a special request from the crowd for “If Marcus Garvey Dies, Marcus Garvey Lives,” an obscure track off their first record. It appeared that the band’s drummer had some doubt as to whether he could pull off the impromptu performance of the aforementioned song, but some encouraging words from Shettel seemed to be enough to procure a more-or- less perfect rendition.
The band’s set as a whole was extremely tight. They shifted cleanly between time signatures while maintaining a healthy amount of groove throughout. Even the odd rhythms had natural flow, allowing the crowd to dance comfortably and enthusiastically to even the most syncopated of beats. Playing these rhythms was a challenge indeed, one well met by the four lads of Piebald. Shettel’s inter-song banter was witty and clever, much like his lyrics, and filled the gaps between songs well. Also noteworthy, was his ripping guitar solo, performed as he was perched high atop his piano stool at center stage. It was clear that Piebald is indeed Shettel’s band, characterized by his charisma, songwriting, and stage presence.
The band “closed” the show with the handclap laden “The Stalker,” and then “unexpectedly” returned to the stage for an encore comprised of “Grace Kelly With Wings” and “Karate Chops for Everyone but Us.” The entire room rocked out to the final chorus, reciting the phrase “we are the only friends that we have” along with Shettel. Although the numbers were small at the Icon, the reception was warm, and the show satisfying.
modesty not exactly boring
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
7/10
by Katie Young
Isaac Brock has one of those voices that you either love or hate. Wailing and throaty, he doesn’t have what one would refer to as a superb voice, but it fits the sounds of Modest Mouse perfectly. With their lively single “Float On,” reaching the top of the charts in 2004, there were expectations for Modest Mouse to become a hit band. Although they’ve remained hidden from the spotlight of mainstream rock, with their new album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, they’ve proven that they’re neither calm, nor quiet.
The first time I breezed through the new offering, the tracks blurred together, with each song indistinguishable from the next. But, I gave it another chance, and it won me over. “Dashboard,” the album’s first single, isn’t their best song. It is horribly catchy, however, and definitely has potential to do well on the airwaves. Modest Mouse has chosen to tweak their sound slightly from former albums, most noticeably choosing driving beats instead of ethereal sounds. Even though they’ve recruited former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, it’s disappointing that he doesn’t really bring the heat. For fans of The Shins, James Mercer also makes an appearance as he performs back-up vocals on “We’ve Got Everything.” The new songs are more polished than former ones, but Brock still hasn’t lost the rawness in his voice.
It’s often difficult to understand what Brock is singing about; his pronunciation is slightly muffled by what sounds like an unfortunate case of “say it, don’t spray it.” In one of the album’s prominent songs, “Missed the Boat,” he whispers “Everyone’s unhappy / Everyone’s ashamed / Well we all just got caught / Looking at someone’s else’s page.” Although the lyrics hover around tragic topics, his singing and whispering always carry an air of confident swagger.
Modest Mouse proves on this album that they’re adept at creating forceful songs with aggressive hooks, as evidenced by the final track on the album, “Invisible.” And, they can still win people over with their straightforward acoustic-based songs. The reason? It’s not that the lyrics are breathtaking or that they’ve created something new instrumentally, rather, they excel at building tension and deconstructing it. Their songs reach a climax at exactly the right moment or, in the case of songs like “Spitting Venom,” at multiple peaks.
The results are almost melancholy. Brock’s vocals mimic, exchange, and compete with the swells of the music. Certainly, the album could never be as well received as their older CD The Moon & Antarctica, but this release has an undeniable bite. After carefully listening to Modest Mouse, you might be left wanting more.
WARNING: CONTAINS LOW BROW COMEDY
Blades of Glory
10/10
by Daniele Hauptman
I’ll admit it; I was nervous going into Blades of Glory. I thought it looked hilarious, but wondered whether it would really deliver, or if it was all a bunch of hype, with the funniest parts already shown in the commercials.
Thank you Blades of Glory for proving me wrong. Will Ferrell and Jon Heder play world-class figure skating competitors who tie for the Olympic gold, and get into an embarrassingly silly-looking fight during the awards ceremony. During the squabble, they accidentally topple a giant torch, setting fire to a mascot and disqualifying both skaters from competing in the men’s division. Creepy, homicidal stalker-fan Hector (Terry in Reno 911!) obsesses like no other, and breaks his restraining order to deliver a glimmer of hope: the nemeses can still compete in pairs skating.
Teaming up to defeat the scheming Van Waldenberg siblings, played by Amy Poehler (Upright Citizens Brigade, SNL) and Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Heder and Ferrell are victorious in comedy. Their antics range from the expected uncomfortable sexual undertones, to over-the-top hilarious melodrama. If you think Jon Heder is a giant douche, you will laugh your ass off watching him drag a long piece of toilet paper across the men’s bathroom—with his mouth. If Rene Zellweger gaining weight for Bridget Jones is dedication, Heder eating TP is marriage.
Heder’s main career challenge is becoming more than just Napoleon Dynamite, and he nails it in Blades of Glory. Though there are still a few Napoleonesque moments, one being the most wonderfully awkward first kiss ever staged, Heder is nowhere near as annoying this time around. Sometimes he’s even downright endearing and, at one point (dare I say it?), sexy.
As for Will Ferrell, everyone either loves him, or says he’s overrated and no longer tries to push the humor envelope. Some may call him lazy, others, “so last year.” Call him whatever you want—the man has comedic talent, not to mention the biggest pair of metaphorical balls in the business. In Blades of Glory, he proves to his audience that he’s still got a pair…of skates.
Honestly, the only reason I paid for that ticket is my love of professional figure skating. I didn’t think the previews were funny—the “lady humps” Black Eyed Peas joke wasn’t even that hilarious to begin with, and just got more annoying every time the commercial played. I feared the entire movie would be like that.
I walked in expecting disappointment, thinking it would just be some Napoleon Dynamite-type, half-funny and half-annoying humor—a sub-par film all around. What I got was 93 minutes full of melodramatic skating, tons of funny jokes, and the best chase scene in comedic history. I recommend going in prepared for a couple of laughs and some skating, armed with a strategically concealed flask and a copy of Generation to read while you hide in the bathroom. You’ll want to stay and sneak back in for the next show.
HAUNTINGLY GOOD
Haunted Screens - CFA Art Gallery
10/10
by Elina Vaysbeyn
Today, more and more artists are emerging with fabulous avant-garde creations. The human mind is restless and unpredictable and art doesn’t have to be “oil on canvas” anymore. It can be interactive, tactile, loud, soft, and in 3D. The fabulous works of Michael Bosworth, Zoe Beloff, Siebren Versteeg, Simon Penny, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Kara Walker, Ed Pien, and Diane Landry have traipsed into the Center for the Arts gallery with an exhibit called Haunted Screens, running until May 19. I looked these artists up on Google and it turns out they are all pretty famous and accomplished, so I was elated they had decided to put their works on display at UB’s own art gallery.
The gallery is a fairly small space, the size of an average classroom, so all the exhibits were separated by white partitions. It was dimly lit and the separated displays jutted out at you, like they were alive, blown into animation by the fans whizzing behind them. Siebren Versteeg’s work, “Neither There Nor There,” featured two Proview LCD screens (mirror images of each other) placed on the walls adjacent to one another, and displayed two almost identical figures sitting down on air, using what seemed to be a palm pilot. They were made up of distinct particles that disintegrated and flowed through a conveyer belt back and forth between the two screens. As one figure became more defined, the other faded.
Diane Landry’s creation, Le décline bleu,” was created from water and Perrier bottles, a hamper, a blue oval, a light bulb, and a motor. Three different stations featured a water bottle ring around either the blue oval, the hamper, or the hamper top and a light bulb attached to a wooden contraption powered by a motor that moved the bulb closer and then farther away from the center of the ring. The effect this produced was stunning. All around me the water bottles projected gigantic flowers that bloomed and wilted.
All by itself in a phony “separate room,” was Ed Pien’s exhibit, “Garden of Earthly Delights.” Three layers of something called “glassine” hung before me. The first layer of glassine was about ten feet tall from the floor, the second, four or five feet long, hung above my head, and the innermost layer, was approximately seven feet from the floor up.
The first two glassines were painted many shades of green, like a rainforest. This rainforest was home to many different forms of the human body. They were mutilated, deformed, monster-like, but I tend to think that most of these are just gross exaggerations of what already exists inside of us. The innermost core of glassine was painted with dehumanized forms as well, but it had holes you could peek through that led to the same type of moving images.
Unfortunately, there is not room in this entire magazine to describe in full detail all of the exhibits these talented folks have brought to our home gallery. Go see “Metal Fucking Rats” by Noble and Webster, the animated films of Zoe Beloff, “Ceci n’est pas un oiseau,” by Simon Penny. It’ll really stretch your mind, money back guarantee (it’s free).
ART MEETS ROCK
Derek Hess Art Show - Fuse Gallery , NYC
8/10
by Tara Sullivan
On a gorgeous, warm Wednesday evening this past break, I traversed the busy streets of New York into the heart of the East Village in search of Fuse Gallery. I was surprised to find a dingy club at its address, whose steel door, rife with graffiti, was still securely shut. The haggard man unlocking the establishment noticed my confusion and remarked, “It’s in the back.”
Sure enough, after walking through the dusty, stale beer-scented dive bar, there was Fuse Gallery, bright and cheery, with small pictures of crucifixions, blood stains, and dismal industrial scenes hanging on the white-washed walls. This is Derek Hess’ work at its finest—simple, yet astonishingly dramatic.
Cleveland-based artist Derek Hess’ pen and ink drawings have been a cult favorite in the music world for quite a few years now. He has done album covers and posters for bands like Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, and Pink Floyd back in the mid 90s, and more recently, The Deftones, Chimaira, Converge, and yes—even Fall Out Boy. His often tumultuous images of tortured angels and scenes of war invoke emotions similarly experienced when listening to your favorite bands. It is a deep-seeded feeling that thrives on your own hardships or experiences in life. His art combined with the music scene is a match made in twisted, badass heaven.
This current exhibit, entitled Good Enough for the Girl I Go Out With, which runs at the gallery until April 7, is a collection of about three dozen original pieces. Many of them stray from Hess’ primary mediums of pen and ink. The mixed media pieces are done using traditional materials like acrylic paint, but utilize more unique ones as well, such as clippings of Christian propaganda, lake charts, 70s comic books, and even crayons.
Some standout works include “Pushing Up Daisies,” a tiny picture of a harshly scribbled man trapped six feet under in a coffin. The ground above is covered by crayon daisies that look like they should be displayed on the fridge, not in an art gallery. “Jihad” features an arsenal of heavily armed pen and ink angels swooping down upon an alarmed infantry of soldiers snipped from a vintage comic book. A bold take on America’s position in the Iraq War perhaps? As for pricing, they ran a tad high for a student-aged art enthusiast—from $275 upwards to $1,200.
Aside from illustrating posters for numerous bands, and producing originals for sale in galleries and on his website, derekhess.com, Hess started a clothing company, Strhess, so his younger fans could purchase his art without breaking the bank. Sthress features the same shadowy figures and gripping scenes, but are displayed on tee shirts and hoodies, not the walls of the Louvre. You read correctly. Hess’ work is part of the world famous museum’s permanent collection.
Whether you’re a fan of music, art enthusiast, or even if you don’t care much for either, Derek Hess’ illustrations are impressive. If you can’t make it to NYC by April 7, browse the show on fusegallerynyc.com. There are even a few pieces that aren’t sold yet so if you have $300 to burn why don’t you splurge on a work of rock and roll artistry?
Diva-ish Soul Cuddling Up Next to Hip-Hop:
Joss Stone- Introducing Joss Stone
9/10
by Elizabeth Appel
After more than three years of recording music, Joss Stone has finally come into her own with her new hit album, Introducing Joss Stone, released in the U.S. on March 20. The Brit’s fifteen-track set is packed with eclectic beats from various influences ranging from soul, to jazz, to hip-hop. Stone’s voice resonates loudly just as we expect, from former recordings, satisfying her audience’s ears with sounds powerful enough to skyrocket anyone’s mood.
At the age of 15, Stone recorded her first album. Now at 19 she has matured into an individual artist. She proves to be a one of a kind diva we haven’t seen in years. Stone escaped to the tropical island of Barbados to write all of her lyrics, as she wanted to truly represent herself in the new album. She certainly reached her goal, touching on her different passions through her musical talent, even devoting an entire song, “Music,” to her love of music and how it has changed her life. In “Music,” Stone reveals that “nothin’ in this world” receives more devotion than music itself. She is truly in love with it and the way it keeps her “movin.”
“Tell Me What We’re Gonna Do Now,” featuring Common, is one of the album’s singles. This hip-hop from the heart is truly genuine as Stone serenades her love and her audience “bout the look in your eyes” and how it makes her “feel so right.” Stone evokes in the audience the same feeling she gets from her loved ones when they make her happy. “Girl They Won’t Believe It,” “Put Your Hands On Me,” and “Arms of My Baby” incorporate a sassy attitude as soulful as Patti LaBelle, or even Diana Ross and The Supremes. Occasionally her lyrics seem repetitive, but the repetition blends with her songs’ unique character, never leaving the listener bored.
Stone has arrived, ready to take on the world with her powerful new lyrics. She once again sets herself apart from her teenybopper peers by writing her music with a personal style. However, she isn’t selling her image, rather, she exhibits her voice and talent—a rare gem among young musicians of today’s world. Stone’s lyrics flow through her smooth beats, mixing together to create soulful, deep music uncharacteristic of someone so young. Various beats, background singers, harmonies, an array of drumming, Stone’s own vocal range, and some slow but upbeat sounds, come together to make Stone’s new album fun and interesting, and always pleasing to the ear.
