Wii War Two
Medal of Honor: Vanguard - Wii
8/10
by Ryan “Moss” Yaeger
The Medal of Honor series of video games has seen numerous successes in the first person shooter, World War II gaming niche over the years. Their latest title, Vanguard, available on both PS2 and the Nintendo Wii, proves to be yet another enjoyable redeployment into the simulated battlefields of the Second World War.
Storyline is generally one of the most important aspects of any video game. However, in this instance, there’s not a lot to be aware of. The short and long of the game is simple; you’re a paratrooper with the U.S. 82nd Airborne division and you need to kill Nazis to ensure an allied victory. Pretty straightforward. Besides, who doesn’t like the opportunity to go to town on a squad of Nazis?
First and foremost comes the question of gameplay. Having also played Call of Duty 3 for the Wii, I couldn’t be more impressed with the improved abilities and sensitivity controls you have. For starters, you can lean around objects or assume a half-standing position to shoot over walls, allowing you to maintain your cover while landing kill shots on the advancing Krauts. The Nunchuck’s gesture-based controls also afford you a quick about-face with left twist for the times that Jerry sneaks up behind you. You actually go through the motions of tossing grenades now, adding yet another level of realism to your leisurely retreats. Just hit right on the directional pad, tap A to pull the pin, and while holding down B, toss the Wiimote like a live grenade. Make sure you’ve got the wrist strap on, though; there’s no need to add another smashed television to the tally of damaged goods on WiiHaveAProblem.com.
Then there’s graphics. Everyone knows that the Wii is far from being a visual powerhouse, packing only a little more punch than its cube-shaped predecessor. Nevertheless, the visuals have noticeably improved from the time CoD3 launched. The way bodies fly when a grenade or mine explodes, or the stunned expression on your foe’s face when you shoot off his helmet is neat, though still obviously simulated. You won’t get the near-photo-realism that you would from the PS3 or the Xbox 360, but the novelties of the game play far outweigh the less-than-stellar graphics. And besides, the graphics on the Wii are still better than those on the PS2.
None of this is to mention the biggest bonus—multiplayer. While still lacking an online element, MoH: Vanguard does include an option for split-screen play for up to four players. This can prove to be rather difficult on a smaller television, but nonetheless, this is a vast improvement over CoD3, which offered no multiplayer at all.
Enhanced gameplay with the Wii’s innovative control system, various improvements from motion sensitivity tweaking options, and better graphics make this the best World War II game yet for the Wii. Pick it up, parachute into battle, and, from the comfort of your living room, remind the AI Nazi’s why their real life counterparts lost the war.
Whoever Has The Money Has The Star-Power
The Lookout
8/10
by Brad Deck
Fortunately, a mediocre movie can be elevated by the good fortune of an outstanding performance. Films like Ray and Monster were held in high regard due to the stellar performances from screen stars Jamie Fox and Charlize Theron, respectively. Now there’s another film to add to this list: The Lookout, a strong debut feature from first-time director Scott Frank, whose resumé includes films such as The Interpreter and Minority Report.
The Lookout is the story of Chris Pratt (Gordon-Levitt), a high school hockey star whose life takes a turn for the worse after a tragic car accident leaves him struggling to gain his memory and his life back. After taking a job as a janitor in a bank, Pratt ultimately finds himself in the depths of a planned heist. After Pratt tries to stop the bank robbery, chaos ensues as the lead character and his cohorts find themselves in a bind that must be undone.
While comparisons to Christopher Nolan’s similarly themed Memento are inevitable, those concerned with the nature of Frank’s main character can rest easy; the two forgetful felons have little in common. Levitt plays our protagonist with such painful timidity that you can see the frustration of a young man who wants nothing more than to be “normal.” Jeff Daniels, who plays Chris’ closest friend and confidant, is nothing short of surprising, turning in a performance that is as funny and charming as it is heartbreaking—easily his best work since the criminally underrated Fly Away Home. (Just kidding. A movie about geese? No, thank you).
A majority of the supporting cast, which includes Wedding Crashers’ Isla Fisher as a stripper named Luvlee Lemons, appear little more than one-dimensional in comparison to the performances of the film’s lead actors. The screen time that does not feature Gordon-Levitt’s or Daniels’ characters is a bit dry. Luckily for the audience, however, that time is sparse.
With a plot that is far from airtight (Chris drives, but how the hell does he remember where he’s going?), The Lookout is a thriller not nearly as taut or entertaining as Brick, Gordon-Levitt’s penultimate release. It is a lot better, however, than a majority of the heist movies Hollywood tends to shove down our throats on a frequent basis. Fortunately for us, there is at least one young actor who insists on making good pictures. Thus, we are given a reason to go to the Cineplex and fork over the week’s paycheck it now costs for admission.
The Lookout isn’t exactly on par with a classic heist movie like Dog Day Afternoon, but remember: even Al Pacino had to start somewhere.
Too Much sunshine
Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation
6/10
by Guy M. Scrivo
I’m of the opinion that Talib Kweli is one of the most overrated emcees in hip-hop. While he is quite talented, and I will give credit where credit is due, it seems that people treat him as though he’s some sort of hip-hop prophet, dropping knowledge left and right and enlightening all those around him, making hip-hop a more positive environment. Thankfully for jerks like me, this new album justifies complaining about Talib Kweli, and lots of second-rate poetry that just so happens to rhyme.
Liberation opens up with Talib letting his audience know what time it is, saying, “It’s five-something in the morning, going on six, it’s daylight / Sunrise time / Time to free yourself: free your soul, free your mind / Ladies free that ass, yeah.” I wouldn’t mind lyrics like that if Talib Kweli didn’t put on the front of a sensitive, enlightened artist. If your musical goal is to appeal to the lowest common denominator, at least admit it rather than pretending you’re not a sell-out. Perhaps we’ll soon see him in a commercial for The Gap, rapping “Peace, love, and Gap” like Common, who is himself currently not doing hip-hop any favors.
Madlib shines on the beats as always, but this album doesn’t necessarily sound like Madlib’s typical style. It reminds me of the Ninth Wonder/Kanye West/J Dilla school of Motown loops, and while I’m a sucker for both sample-based production and Madlib’s previous work, I’m a little disappointed by how cliché it sounds, especially compared to previous masterpieces like Madvillainy. None of the beats are “bad,” per se, but usually Madlib’s beats are mouthwatering like fancy chocolate, and in this album they just fill up the background while Talib Kweli takes the spotlight.
It pains me to have to talk poorly about Madlib and Talib, as they are both great and powerful names in hip-hop, but I’m afraid this album isn’t going to make the history books. Your best bet is to get the collaboration between Talib and Ninth Wonder from a few years back, and Madvillainy, the collaboration between Madlib and MF Doom, when both of the artists in question were at their respective creative peaks. People, don’t get on Talib Kweli’s dick just because everyone else does.
Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun
Grindhouse
9/10
by Shane Frasier
That Doublemint gum slogan resounded through my head the entire time I watched Grindhouse. This movie is the reason why you go to see a film: pure entertainment. I can’t remember being more entertained at the movies. Grindhouse is a double-feature film fest of sorts by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) and Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Spy Kids). What they deliver is exactly what they promised—two sleazy, action-packed films that are a throwback to the gratuitous violence and sex-fuelled B-movies of the ‘70s.
The entire film is an experience, aptly weaving in a multitude of recognizable features from most cinematic forms to make us feel familiar with its actions, yet different with its approach. The dominating feature here is the fake trailers that are scattered throughout the film. The movie opens up with a Rodriguez-shot trailer called “Machete.” I won’t give away any more here, considering the title kind of says it all. During the intermission, don’t leave your seat. Three more trailers await you, all by different directors. Eli Roth (Hostel), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and Rob Zombie (The Devil’s Rejects) all provide ads for fake movies, which are funny, yet sickening (Roth’s in particular). The trailers are so fun that you’ll almost want to call the studios and demand for them to really have them made.
The two features of Grindhouse are similarily brilliant. Rodriguez goes first with his zombie flick, Planet Terror. A good portion of his typical over-the-top action is in here, but it works for a zombie flim. The characters are great (Bruce Willis shows up for a cameo) and the story is the right tone for a flick like this—a chemical spill that turns people into zombies. This is more of an action-oriented film than Tarantino’s, but that doesn’t mean old Quentin doesn’t deliver. Oh no, the case is just the opposite.
Death Proof is Tarantino’s segment, which brings us back to the heyday of car-induced mayhem and sexploitation; think 1975’s Death Race 2000, but without the race element. The story revolves around a group of women who meet a stuntman, played amazingly by Kurt Russell. Tense, hilarious, and fast-paced, Death Proof proves to be a better film than Planet Terror, but isn’t as action-packed.
This is fun rolled into a three-hour package. The length might scare some people, but the entire film is not only worth the ten bucks you’re going to pay to go see it, but the three hours you’re going to invest in it.
DO THE EVOLUTION
Poison The Well - Versions
10/10
by Jason Bauers
Once in a great while, a record defies expectation, obliterates convention, and dares to steer a worn-out genre in a new direction. Poison The Well’s Versions is such a record.
The Poison The Well camp has been fairly quiet since the release of their major label debut You Come Before You in 2003, but that is not to say that the past four years have been uneventful for the band. In addition to parting ways with Atlantic Records after releasing only one album for the label, Poison The Well has also been reduced to a three-piece, parting ways with two integral members. With such drastic changes in circumstance, it comes as no surprise that their sound has undergone some transformations as well.
The band, however, has not completely changed their sound. On the contrary, the new record sounds very much like the Poison The Well many have come to know and love. One of the band’s greatest achievements on Tie Records is that they manage to fluidly integrate new concepts into their music while maintaining their trademark characteristics.
So what are these groundbreaking musical innovations, you ask? Well for starters, the incorporation of country music into hardcore. Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, I am well aware that on paper it sounds like an abomination. But believe me, it works very well.
To clarify, when I say country, I’m not talking about Southern rock riffs like those of Norma Jean and Every Time I Die. I’m talking knee slappin’, moonshine guzzlin’, back porch sittin’ country. When the first of many slide guitar solos comes one minute into the record, it is apparent that something altogether different is occurring. Add to that a banjo, a car-chase style guitar lead on “Naive Monarch,” the bluesy shuffle of tracks like “Nagaina” and “Slow Good Morning,” and “Riverside,” which sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a spaghetti western, and you’ve got innovation comin’ out of every seam. This country infusion is done very tastefully, and does not come across as cheesy. It somehow maintains a high degree of hardcore integrity.
The innovations do not stop there. The lack of breakdowns is refreshing, as it has become the most overused of hardcore/metal conventions. The instrumentation on the record is incredibly varied, including the aforementioned banjo, mandolin, synth, Wurlitzer piano, trumpet, and trombone, in addition to the obligatory guitar, bass, and drums. The production team of Pelle Henricsson and Eskil Lovstrom creates an incredibly full and multi-faceted wall of sound. It is certainly worth listening to this record on a good sound system to catch the tiniest musical nuances. Versions is already drawing comparisons to Refused’s groundbreaking record, The Shape Of Punk to Come, which redefined hardcore in 1998, and was also produced by Henricsson and Lovstrom. Versions is the next step in the evolution of hardcore, and will hopefully give it the kick in the ass that it sorely needs.
Digitally rocking
UB Computer Music - CFA
7/10
by Francisco Baiocchi
There is a place on campus where, if you listen carefully, you can hear the phrases “avant-garde” and “computer programmer” used in the same sentence. Presented April 3 in the Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre, UB Computer Music was a multimedia showcase that focused on the dialogue between artists and computers.
The choice of University at Buffalo’s perennially spooky CFA basement/art venue was perfect for this intensely psychoacoustic experience. Those arriving in the theatre were met by the sounds of eerie music being plucked on invisible strings—I would later discover that this was algorithmic music, as in created by a computer. The show’s 11 pieces were a mix of traditional chamber instruments, synthesized tones, recorded compilations, and the use of intuitive sound-modulating software. If it sounds like a trip, it was. Trippier still, many pieces featured computer software that could “listen” to the musicians play, and then “improvise” back with acoustical responses. Of the entire night, some results were intensely sublime, while others were a violent diarrhea of noises that refused to leave my head. I’m now convinced that when computers sleep at night, this is what their dreams must sound like.
The concert featured projects by graduate students working through the Hiller Music Studios (the UB Music Department’s program for electronic music). It was officially the strangest recital I’ve ever been to. Directed by the eccentric and luminary Cort Lippe—a professor/composer who works under the name “Convolution Brother #1”—the Hiller Studios are devoted to forwarding research in computer-interactive music, algorithmic composition, and multimedia art that involves special computer equipment.
Of the evening’s selections, there were many highlights. “Doors,” by Andrew Babcock, was a piece made entirely of the sounds of car doors opening and closing. “Wild Fruits 2,” by visiting professor James Harley, was an invigorating compilation of synthesizers and digital recordings. And of course, there was the honestly titled “A Few Noises,” by G. Douglas Barrett. What these pieces share is a spirit of playful inventiveness, an approach to music that starts with an appreciation for the phenomenon of sound.
“The computer is a very strange machine,” said James Soares, a Brazilian-born composer whose piece “Persistence of Memory” featured both his interactive sound software and accompaniment by Soares himself on the guitar. “It lets you do whatever you want [with sound], and that’s actually very difficult,” said Soares, “Things like notes and measures are limitations, but they allow you the structure you need to get started.” Working as they are without a net, the Hiller Music Studios are certainly on the cutting edge of both art and technology.
AMEN TO THE KINGS
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
9/10
by Katie Young
Americans are pretty fickle. We tend to overlook certain trends that resonate with the rest of the world, like Nutella, cricket, and the ever-so-sensible metric system. Hailing from Tennessee, Kings of Leon has discovered success overseas, but has failed to effectively capture audiences in the States. Now, the Followill brothers—Caleb, Jared, and Nathan, along with cousin Matthew—are hoping that we’ll notice them on their third time around.
With their latest CD, Because of the Times, it’s hard not to notice Kings of Leon. Even before this album, they refused to be defined by a single genre. Their foundation is retro garage-rock, with evidence of strong Southern-rock influences in their guitar melodies. In this new offering, it’s distinctly noticeable that Kings of Leon has chosen more laid-back tempos instead of the aggressive rock beats found in their previous albums. As a result, they swagger less; sounds and echoes are more sustained, and their transitions are usually smoother and usually (but not always) less abrupt. But, they still maintain a raw sound in their tracks and lyrics, as they create a bittersweet story with every song.
The Followill brothers’ father was a former traveling preacher for the United Pentecostal Church, and the title of the CD is a direct reference to a conference that they often attended. With the opening track “Knocked Up,” lead singer Caleb croons a daring, seven-minute defense on having a baby with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, the next song fails in comparison. Their experimentation with screaming in between riffs made listening to “Charmer” grating. Kings of Leon manages to find success with later experimentation, as they spit out a reggae/ska hook with the guitar during “Ragoo,” and chanting during “Fans.”
“Black Thumbnail” holds a steady, yet lackadaisical beat. The slower paces of this song allow Caleb to truly wail with conviction. He sings, “My cold, cold, sailor heart says get on your way / I ain’t proud to say but that’s how I’m made / I’ll be that person ‘til my dying day / I try so awful hard, but I can’t change.” There’s a quiet intensity in the subject matter of their songs. Unlike Brandon Flowers, front man of The Killers, Caleb is fortunate to have a voice that can really display pain and emotion.
Although it’s not the best evidence of just how much potential the band has, Because of the Times still proves Kings of Leon’s willingness to explore and push their limits. It’s refreshing to see a band that can give homage to some classic Southern rock bands, while simultaneously carving out a unique identity of their own. Because of the Times maintains the inherent grittiness that Kings of Leon is known for. Hopefully, they will get the credit they deserve. Otherwise, American music lovers will be missing out on a great thing.
