TEEN IDOLATRY
Chris Brown - Exclusive
7/10
by Tori Burhans
In a time when talent isn’t synonymous with fame, we find ourselves idolizing much less than the “triple threat.” Not in Chris Brown’s case. Have you seen this kid dance, act, and sing his way to the top of the charts? Not only is he fine as hell, but he also has skills. His new album, Exclusive, may not be a genre-busting endeavor, but it is enough of an effort for the Virginia native to keep on blowing up in all his respective fields.
Starting the album off with a bang, he lays out the infectious tune, “Throwed,” that sets up a wave of songs about one thing—meeting a shorty and the many wondrous things that can ensue. With a great beat that resembles a drum line, Brown rocks out from the beginning. Without interruption, he spits out another hit with “Kiss Kiss,” featuring T-Pain. This is an dance ditty with Chris crooning about how girls want him and how he’s more than willing to oblige. T-pain interrupts to spit some dope rhymes, and personifies the southern gentleman with his suggestion, “Let’s hit up McDonalds.” “Wall to Wall” was the Top-40 hit of the summer that put me under this hip-hop artist’s spell.
It seems the only problem with being Chris Brown is the girls who are “packed up in here wall to wall / and I don’t hear nothin’ but ladies callin’,” but he can deal with that by producing fast-paced, body-moving, and forceful songs that flaunt his musical chops. Collaborating with Lil’ Wayne, the clutch rapper for hire to create a hit, “Gimme What You Got” is another swift-paced jam, dedicated to the fine ladies in the world and how great they look next to sweet whips.
In contrast to the booty-shaking harmonies that are all over Exclusive, Brown also slows the pace down for quite a few R&B anthems. “Take You Down” is the best example of the slow, “let’s get down and dirty song.” The 18-year-old dreamboat is more than just a Tiger Beat cover. He croons, seductively, “It isn’t my first time but baby girl we can pretend / Hey lets bump and grind girl tonight we’ll never end.” Oh Chris, please be gentle. On “Help Me,” the unhurried beat juxtaposed with the urgency in his dreamy voice creates an interesting production. “You have been lucky / I wanna have you screamin’/ Love me roughly,” he pleads, and all I can think is “Yes, please!”
Chris Brown may not break the mold with his new release, but he does show off his forté in being a hit-maker. The second coming of Usher is nothing short of fun and easy listening, and you can’t help but love it.
WORTHY OF AN ENCORE
Guitar Hero III
8/10
by Jason Polansky
Guitar Hero III is the third major entry in the now annual series and proves that, though the formula has remained unchanged over the years, rocking out with a fake guitar can still be fun as all hell. Like most games that have a new yearly installment, however, what you get here is largely more of the same, so if you haven’t enjoyed previous entries in the series, this one won’t change your mind.
For those unfamiliar with the Guitar Hero games, here’s a quick rundown. Similar to rhythm games like Dance Dance Revolution or Amplitude, each level is a different song that gives you the task of holding the correct fret buttons on your plastic replica guitar (which is finally wireless!), while strumming to the rhythm designated by symbols scrolling down the screen. New developer, Neversoft (of Tony Hawk Pro Skater fame), has managed to keep the gameplay intact, while at the same time adding some new flair and features to the already proven formula. The most noticeable addition to career mode includes face-offs against Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), and Slash (Guns and Roses), which play solos recorded by each respective artist exclusively for the game.
Other brand new features will throw off your opponent with obstacles like forcing lefty flip, or doubling the notes. These can boost the overall competitiveness of the game in multiplayer (now online). On the other hand, in career mode, they could hamper the skill involved, dissolving the rock battles into nailing the four-note string for the pickup and then unleashing it for the win. The rest of the career mode is what you have come to expect from Guitar Hero and though it lacks originality, the solid track list and the new cartoon cut scenes elevate it above previous entries in the series.
The biggest issue is that we’ve been playing this same game for the past two years. Guitar Hero invented the game and Guitar Hero II tuned the concept to near perfection. Neversoft put in the effort to add new features but none go as far as to improve the established fundamentals. The item pick-ups are a nice thought, but can make songs in multiplayer mode end way too quickly. The new solos are cool in career mode, but are limited to just that. Even the last battle, where the player tries to out-riff a demon to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” isn’t playable in quick play or competitive play—a disappointment. On the technical side of things, the game will randomly experience some stutters which can throw off the rhythm at the worst time.
Overall, Guitar Hero III manages to keep the legacy going, while still being held back by some odd design choices and a sense of déjà vu. Though the charm that was present in the first two entries is still luring players, it is clearly starting to wane quickly. All I could really ask for is that this time around they provide downloadable songs more often, and hold off a bit before releasing Guitar Hero IV.
True fans, rejoice! Newcomers (PS3 and Wii owners), start rocking out. Those looking for something new in their rhythm games, wait for Rock Band.
A BLOODY GOOD TIME
Horse the Band, GWAR @ The Town Ballroom, 11.7.07
8.5/10
by Jon Davenport
Wild eyes stared back at me from behind green and blue stained faces as I surveyed the crowd at the Town Ballroom last Wednesday night. I felt like I had just stepped onto the set of a bad 1980s zombie movie. Bright teeth shone through wide smiles as I gazed at the blood-splattered crowd. This was no lame post-Halloween bash; these people had just gotten their nuts kicked in by one of the most infamous metal bands of all time—GWAR.
But, as they say, let’s start from the very beginning.
The band that kicked off the Wednesday night fright fest was Toronto hardcore rockers The End. They performed on a crowded stage full of shrouded props and a pre-constructed drum kit placed on a pedestal in the back. Utilizing what little space they had, The End played your average up-and-coming hardcore set, chock full of breakdowns and ear-piercing screeches. The performance proceeded rather routinely until their final song when the lead singer brought out a low- lying tom-tom drum and began beating on it like a feral savage. The driving drum kick led into their best song of the night, involving some voice-overs by the singer and a megaphone.
Next up was Horse the Band from Los Angeles, a five-piece hardcore outfit made complete with a keyboardist. Imagine the cheesy musical opening to Zelda or Contra on your ancient Nintendo system, speed it up, and plug in some cutthroat hardcore riffs. They played a well-diversified set including “Birdo” off of The Mechanical Hand, a few off of their newest release A Natural Death, and closed with their classic Megaman tribute, “Cutsman.” They incited the meanest thrash pits of the night by far, but the real show was yet to come.
As Horse the Band cleared the stage, the black tarps were pulled off of the bulging stage props, revealing a colorful montage of torture scenes and aborted fetuses. The pit area quickly filled with metal-heads sporting plain white T-shirts, eagerly awaiting to be tie-died by the various excrements GWAR is famous for spraying on their loyal fans. The lights dimmed and the fog machines began pumping smoke into the crowd while the band took the stage and ripped headlong into their relentless set.
Dressed in enormous shoulder pads, massive head dresses and black thongs, GWAR whipped the crowd into a frenzy as the first of a long line of characters came stumbling onto the stage. A pope-like figure covered in swastikas was quickly struck by the lead singer Oderus Urungus’s huge sword, spraying fake blood all over the front row. Soon thereafter, a huge penis-like cannon was wheeled onto the stage by one of the many “slaves” GWAR employs to help with their stage show, sending streams of multi-colored liquid over the entire crowd.
As the show continued, a long list of infamous characters including Hitler, George W. Bush and Don Vito (who gave birth to a mini Bam Margera, which donned a piss-spraying little dick) were decapitated, slashed, and mutilated. Their set ended when Osama Bin Laden tottered onto the stage with a bomb wrapped in his turban. Oderus promptly ripped the beard off of the cackling Bin Laden, who predictably sent blood raining down on the crowd as they tore into the final song of the night.
When the smoke cleared and the house lights came back on, I realized how soaking wet I was, and looked down at my pruny, turquoise-stained hands. I carefully navigated the slippery floors to the exit and out into the frosty November night feeling slightly humiliated, yet strangely satisfied. For those of you not easily offended, I recommend you buy a ticket to the next GWAR show, wear the whitest tee you own and stand directly in front of the giant dick-cannon; it’ll be an eye-opening experience you won’t soon forget.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
The Darjeeling Limited
9/10
by Emily de Beer
Wes Anderson, director and co-writer of popular films such as The Life Aquatic and The Royal Tenenbaums, has embarked on a new cinematic adventure with his beloved actors who appear in almost every film: Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and new member of the crew, Adrien Brody. A short film entitled Hotel Chevalier, starring Jason Schwartzman and actress Natalie Portman, is screened before the main feature in order to provide insight into Schwartzman’s character, Jack.
The film opens with Bill Murray’s brief appearance as a businessman rushing to a train station in India to board a departing train called “The Darjeeling Limited.” He is outrun by Peter (Adrien Brody), who then jumps onto the train and enters a quaint train car, which he is to share with his brothers, Jack and Francis (Owen Wilson). The three brothers have been estranged since the death of their father and, as a result of a disfiguring vehicular accident, Francis has summoned his siblings to share in a “spiritual quest” in India. Little do Jack and Peter know, Francis has tracked down, and hopes to visit, their mother (Anjelica Huston), who has since joined a convent.
Throughout the movie there are endearing elements of comedy that ultimately outline the quirks of a troubled, but loveable family. Much like Anderson’s other work, the film can be dark and sardonic at times, if only by artistically displaying some of the more ironic and painful aspects of life. Each of the brothers has some sort of inner conflict that is brought to light by their awkward interactions with one another. By performing ridiculous rituals using peacock feathers, following laminated itineraries made by Francis’ assistant Brendan (who is afflicted with alopecia, a disease which renders him pathetically hairless), and repeatedly getting high off stolen prescription drugs and cough syrup, the brothers develop a better understanding of one another’s woes.
The many pauses in dialogue, particularly in the beginning of the film, seemed rather unnecessary and indicated a slow-paced plot. The whimsical turns that take place during their adventure and the ongoing jokes, however, make the movie thoroughly entertaining. The soundtrack is primarily music that was previously composed by Indian filmmakers, but they also throw in some more familiar sounds of The Kinks and The Rolling Stones. One of my favorite features of the movie was the cinematography. There were beautiful scenes such as a lovely hotel overlooking Paris, an Indian marketplace, and a convent high in the mountains. Also, each of the cast members’ performances allowed moviegoers to become invested in the lives of his/her character.
The Darjeeling Limited was worth the price of admission. If you enjoy Wes Anderson’s unique style of filmmaking, chances are this movie will easily win you over. The Darjeeling Limited is yet another example of Anderson’s cinematic success and we are lucky that it finally came to the Buffalo area.
Hip-Hop’s Kingpin
Jay-Z - American Gangster
10/10
by Abel Germosen
Unfortunately, comebacks rarely work out, but occasionally former superstars have their brilliant moments. What was the ailment that afflicted Jay-Z’s first comeback album, Kingdom Come? It just wasn’t the same ol’ Jigga. But now, Jay-Z has taken the film American Gangster and used it as a muse in order to create a masterpiece of an album under the same title. Not only are his lyrics razor sharp, but he’s got his swagger back. So maybe Kingdom Come went over our heads, or maybe it just wasn’t that good, but he definitely used that as a stepping stone. American Gangster officially marks Jay-Z’s grand re-entrance into the game as hip-hop’s Superman, or better yet, its Kingpin.
A couple of songs on the album have a ‘70s feel to them. “American Dreamin’” actually features a Marvin Gaye sample. Jay-Z pulls the sound off seamlessly, as it’s integrated into the album’s storyline. American Gangster tells the legend of Jay-Z, had he not become the lyrical monster we’ve come to know, but ran the streets instead. “American Dreamin’” is one of the best tracks on this filler-less album.
Always wanting recognition for not being a “party rapper,” Jay comes off as sincere on this tale of a drug dealer’s frustrations—but remember, Jay-Z is the cockiest rapper out there, so there’s a lot of gloating here, too. On “Party Life” he boasts, “I’m in another league / niggas never catch me / and I sport fly shit / I should win an ESPY [ESPN awards].” If that’s not enough, he later quips, “Please, there’s no equal / Ya boy’s off the wall, these other niggas is Tito.” Referencing himself as the young Michael Jackson, while comparing other rappers to Tito “Who” Jackson—now tell me if that’s not classic Jay-Z.
Mix the sound with the vivid images that Jay-Z provides and we get the full movie experience. On “Pray” he talks about the ills of the dope game. He raps, “Mind state of a gangster from the ‘40s / Meets the business mind of Motown’s Berry Gordy,” and we know exactly who this character is, street smart and business savvy—a dynamite combination. Beyoncé even makes a guest appearance; she voices the prayer sequences on the song. How sweet, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, the modern day Marvin and Tammy. Well, not exactly.
Jay-Z in all his majesty is something hard to ignore and this album features him at his best. Clever wordplay has been what sets Jay-Z apart from other mainstream artists. Excellent production from the likes of the Neptunes, Jay-Z, and sharp direction make this album superb. I guess last year’s Kingdom Come was a fluke and inspired Jay-Z to confirm that he is still the best rapper alive.
Soon to be broke
Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable
4/10
by Elina Vaysbeyn
I’m going to admit it for each and every one of us that now hides behind a veil of shame—I was once a teenybopper. When I was 11, I religiously listened to the Backstreet Boys and watched their videos with a pillow tightly pressed between my spindly arms, but that was 1996. The Boys have been MIA for quite a few years, and to be frank, we didn’t miss them much. Their new album, Unbreakable, released on October 30, certainly didn’t proclaim “the boys are back in town,” with any sort of respect.
Their “comeback” has proven beyond every doubt that mid-‘90s pop is outdated. Unbreakable was barely listenable. Its primitive over-production did not hold a candle to the horribly baroque, but undeniably flashy and charismatic modern radio pop. At first listen, I thought maybe they just weren’t ashamed to show their true selves. “Intro” was a Backstreet ballad with the signature “Backstreet’s back, all right” hook, which whizzed straight into “Everything But Mine.” “Everything” featured a synth backbeat and lacked originality. They continued with “Inconsolable,” a fitting adjective for my state of mind after I sat through an excruciating three minutes of this so-called song. Their mildly urgent vocals, and light, easy-listening musical backing, personified the truest form of tedium. Their melodramatic serenading no longer cast a spell over my heart. “Any Other Way” had a faster beat. Nick Carter’s sinuous vocals and a complete lack of any musical character singled out this track as a possible radio single.
If it hasn’t been obvious, all these songs are about former liaisons and out-of-reach beautiful ladies. Lyrics like, “Tell me why you’re everything but mine,” “How would you feel if you were in my shoes, being used?” and “You got me twisted” surprisingly did not add more dimension to their music. I got the impression they wrote these songs at sleepovers, eating Ritz crackers and talking about their favorite celeb crushes. Thanks guys, but I’d rather not “taste the sweet divine” upon your recommendation in “Love Will Keep You Up All Night.” “Unmistakable” is about yet another dream girl that slipped through Nick Carter’s grubby little fingers (Paris Hilton!). I think this album is a call for help. The Backstreet Boys are sending us a desperate SOS—they need some flesh-lights. Maybe we can hold a fundraiser. Unbreakable is more pathetic and lonelier than MJ’s Neverland Ranch.
Their musical genre the Backstreet Boys once ruled doesn’t even exist anymore. If we’re going to listen to sappy lyrics about prodigal females, we’re going to do it in a club setting, to a Justin Timberlake and Timbaland sizzling single. Granted, it’s a soulless embezzlement of the music industry, but at least it doesn’t remind me of Mandy Moore movies.
SEX IN A NEW CITY
Nip/Tuck
10/10
by Lisa Strand
The fifth season of Nip/Tuck promises more scandals, sex, and bare bottoms. Launching their new practice in Los Angeles, Christian Troy (Julian McDonald) and Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) feel the tight squeeze of their thinning bank accounts. If you thought the depravity was bad enough in their native Miami, you’ll be surprised to hear that even the powerful duo gets swept up in the sick materialism and shallow facades of their new practice in L.A. Confused and vulnerable, they begin to lose their fierce confidence. Plastic surgeons in the city of lost angels are a dime a dozen and without some high status clients, the success of McNamara/Troy hangs in the balance.
For any knowledgeable Nip/Tuck fan , this season should unravel the convoluted relationships that have developed over the past four seasons. Julia (Joely Richardson), Sean’s ex-wife, left for New York last Fall, taking with her their children, Conner and Annie. This time around, she reveals to Christian and Sean that she is involved in a serious romantic relationship that she must discuss in person. Portia DeRossi steps into the role of Julia’s lesbian lover Olivia. You can always count on a solid hour of the most interesting and explosive human interaction while watching Nip/Tuck.
Troy and McNamara’s first surgery is requested by a well-to-do Chairman/CEO of a production company. Bob Easton has to look perfect for a vacation in Maui, and has to get rid of the sadistic bite marks he suffered from his dominatrix Mistress Miranda. “Once a week, Mistress takes away my power and makes me feel like the scum I really am,” he admits. Repairing the marks to the song “Love Hurts” by the Everly Brothers, Christian and Sean get in touch with their Miami state of mind as we plunge into another obscene and suspenseful surgery sequence.
Fiona McNeil, a well-known publicist hired by the desperate Christian and Sean, sets up a TV part for them in the cheesy fictitious soap opera, Hearts ‘n’ Scalpels. Their job is to bring a sense of professionalism to the silly daytime drama, due to their medical experience. The ruthlessness of Hollywood sends Christian reeling. He succumbs to his old conniving, promiscuous ways, seducing and manipulating a beautiful actress. Using his shameless sexual bravado, he destroys her self-image and draws her under the knife for profit. Their second business venture was the breast augmentation of two street performers, both acting as the late great Marilyn Monroe. Predictably, this sets two new sexy targets for Christian to pursue. Dr. Troy in a threesome is nothing new to us. Anyone remember the mother and daughter team from last season?
The peculiar and unexpected role reversal for Christian, quickly plummeting out of the spotlight, and Sean, whose TV career is a hit, launches a seductive new season full of secrets and lies. A number of new, viciously entertaining characters kick off the premiere with a snarl. The previews for this new season look insane, with guest stars such as Oliver Platt and Ms. New York herself. Intriguing and always controversial, it’ll be an epic season.
