$23 Lapdance
N.E.R.D. at the Town Ballroom 3/4
by Dana Rosenwasser
This Tuesday March 4, music production tycoons Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes will join forces with best friend Sheldon “Shay” Haley, to perform as alternative rap/rock group, N.E.R.D, at the Town Ballroom. Primarily known for front man Pharrell Williams’ fame, N.E.R.D is not just another product of the Neptunes; it’s a passion all three members share. Standing for “No one ever really dies,” their commonly misconstrued name is based on the first law of thermodynamics. It states that energy can be changed from one form to another, but not created or destroyed.
The members of the Neptunes got off to a nerdy start when they met each other in the jazz band of a summer camp for overachievers. They took their act to a local talent show and famous singer and producer Teddy Riley gave them a real shot at stardom. While in high school, Williams and Hugo produced the 1992 hip-hop sensation “Rump Shaker” by Wreckx-n-Effect. In the meantime, their childhood friend Shay had attempted his own shot at musical celebrity. In 1997 he released the album Rompeti Pompeti, which didn’t fare too well. As the Neptunes continued to produce tracks for other artists, they finally decided to take center stage and team up with Shay, letting their creativity run wild with N.E.R.D.
In 2001, the trio released their debut album In Search of… throughout Europe. The mediocre response N.E.R.D received compelled them to collaborate with rock band Spymob to revamp the album utilizing live instrumentation. It was then re-released in the states. The album brought a new style incorporating low-key R&B with electronic keyboards, and rock instrumentals. The group was also known for the explicit lyrics and raunchy music video for “Lap Dance,” as well as the in-your-face persona of “Rock star poser.” In 2002, N.E.R.D. won the Shortlist Music Prize, an award given to albums with sales of less than five hundred thousand.
For their next album, N.E.R.D embraced a new sound. The classic rock-infused album Fly Or Die came out in 2004. This time they opted to take pointers from Shay’s muse, The Beatles, and produced singles like the soft rock ballad “Maybe,” and spicy club anthem “She Wants to Move.” Paying homage to their inspiration, N.E.R.D played their instruments live without editing the sound further, and ended up debuting at number six on the Billboard charts.
After disagreements with their label Virgin Records in 2005 they are now signed to Interscope and will drop a third album in the spring called N.3.R.D. In an interview with MTV, Pharrell described it as “Red Bull with growth hormones in it.” For $23 in advance, or $25 at the door, N.E.R.D will no doubt deliver an energetic performance to those who favor diversity in their music.
Attention - Dance Party!
MSTRKRFT at the Tralf - 3/9
by Tara Sullivan
In recent years, a deluge of sample-slinging DJs have hit the dance halls, rocked major music events, and remixed everything they could get their hands on, heralding a second coming of the dance scene. Forget having to schlep to a big city like L.A. or New York to experience dance parties at their finest—Toronto duo Jesse F. Keeler and Alex Puodziukas (Al-P) of MSTRKRFT (pronounced master craft) are on their way to the Queen City to perform on March 9 at The Tralf ($17 pre-sale/ $20 at the door). They’ll most likely be spinning tracks off their album The Looks, while throwing in some head spinning mash-ups from artists like Kylie Minogue, Bloc Party, Justice, and Metric. Get ready to sweat.
Keeler, formally of rock duo Death From Above 1979 (DFA), began focusing on his DJ outlet MSTRKRFT full time when things went sour with former bandmate Sebastien Grainger. Despite the wide-spread popularity of DFA’s brash rock, Keeler was quoted saying, “Sebastien and I had grown apart to such an extent that the only real time we spoke was just before we would play and during interviews.”
After that, Keeler went to work on MSTRKFRT’s first album of originals, The Looks, with DFA producer Al-P; it was released in July, 2006. Previously, MSTRKRFT had remixed several tracks on DFA’s album Romance Bloody Romance.
From the first electrified claps of “She’s Good for Business,” followed by high-pitched singing, “I gotta shake it to the one…” there is no doubt that MSTRKRFT has one goal—to leave no one in the room standing still.
The song “Street Justice” begins as almost a siren that dissolves into a heavy series of beats. As the lyrics ring out, “It’s just a killing on the dance floor / Another killing on the dance floor,” electro-synths and violin-like hums coalesce in a heightened frenzy just as a sci-fi keyboard melody kicks in.
Aside from their originals, MSTRKRFT takes on club hits like Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” but slows it down, interjecting guttural drums and erasing the childlike-feel of the chorus, which gives it a much grittier tone. MSTRKRFT manages to convert Wolfmother’s strictly rock and roll “Woman” by replacing standard guitar chords for an arsenal of techno beats, claps, reverb, and bleeps.
If you’re curious to see how efficiently the group gets the crowd moving (and screaming), just pull up a clip of MSTRKRFT on YouTube. Looks like goddamn Van Halen.
Modern Love
Aidan John Moffat - I Can Hear Your Heart
10/10
by Elina Vaysbeyn
After listening to Aidan John Moffat’s new release, I Can Hear Your Heart, all I can really say is, Scotland is one hell of a drug. If you’ve never read the Kama Sutra, or even if you have, Moffat’s lyrics will not only open your eyes, but they’ll also unzip your fly and give you a blow job on the dance floor. Scottish singer/songwriter Aidan John Moffat, formerly part of the duo Arab Strap, is on his fourth solo project and it’s drawing international success.
I Can Hear Your Heart is a fucked up, pornographic fairy tale, and Moffat is its prince, stumbling around with a dick in one hand and a whisky in the other. It’s like a talking penis has stolen the microphone. Not one of the 20 songs on his album exceeds two minutes, probably the length of Moffat’s longest erection—I mean that in the nicest way possible. He is a capable lyricist and his voice, a soft, apathetic banter, preceded by a thick and sexy Scottish accent, narrates through some pretty obscene and gratifying sexual encounters. Moffat meets women in bars and at parties, he fucks them indiscriminately, and then he talks about their cunts like he’s describing the pasta salad he had for lunch.
“Super Sexxxy Real Live!” plays a segment of old, romance cinema music, while Moffat sings a nursery rhyme about a vaginal piercing, and “I Will Walk” is just another sloppy drunken one night stand, musing, “My legs are numb / And I’ve just thrown up / But I will come to you / I will lie with you tonight.” Moffat is a bearded desperado on crack, or maybe a male version of the raunchy, electro singer Peaches. “Good Morning,” and “Party at Your Boyfriend’s” don’t even bother with dinner and drinks; they go straight to the bare-assed fucking, “…We started kissing again and I moved your top up / But you wouldn’t let me take it off / And then I tried to slip my fingers under your panty / You pushed them away and you put your own hand down there.”
“Fuck It” is audio from a home sex tape against the background of charming piano music—hot. This Scottish Jack Black is perpetually lost in a mess of fucking and love-making. Whether it’s to vintage, black and white movie piano crooning, or something resembling the Twilight Zone theme, Moffat’s poetic vagina ramblings are hypnotic.
What is it about a Scottish accent and an unbelievably dirty mouth that makes this album arguably the greatest thing I’ve heard in a long time? I don’t have a clue, but Moffat’s adulterous tales from the crypt are hysterically funny, honest, and hit me harder than a brick wall. Maybe you should give him a try—don’t forget to wear a condom.
Follow Your Leader
Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
9/10
by Lou Battaglia
Atlas Sound is the provocative side project of Bradford Cox, lead singer of the Atlanta-based, psychedelic garage-rock band Deerhunter. Cox uses his “other band” to explore the fringes of lo-fi, psychedelia, noise, and laptop electronic music. He walks away with an album that should rival the universal “holy shit!” response that TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain elicited in 2006, or Panda Bear’s Person Pitch in 2007. Although some may already be familiar with Deerhunter’s uncanny ability to juxtapose abrasive noise and textured music, none will be prepared for the even more volatile, yet heavenly experience that is Atlas Sound’s Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel. Their entire album sounds like the spontaneous outtakes from the futuristic recording session of a fanatical choir in a temple not yet built, trying to reach gods not yet thought of.
Atlas Sound’s tremendous sound alters any conception of how a melody, a rhythm, an instrument, or even a human voice should or could sound. On Let the Blind Lead, Cox and crew make drums quake, strings shimmer, keys jangle, and voices glow. “Small Horror” is nothing but a distant hum, shimmering through a backdrop of static sound. “Ready Set Glow” and “Bite Marks” build on this bare-boned but overwhelming approach, while tracks like “On Guard” and “Winter Vacation” utterly drench the listener in wave after wave of sound.
One must beware when listening to Let the Blind Lead for the first time, because the sonic dimensions of this album do not pump smoothly through speakers like most music. Instead, Let the Blind Lead alternates between scurrying, clawing, and scraping its way out, and thus snagging the peripheral edges of our audible range. At times, the speakers may sound as if they are crackling. In actuality, Atlas Sound is simply exploring parts of the speakers that no one ever knew existed and ways to use them that no one has ever tried.
On the negative side, there are some tracks like “River Card” and “Avitan,” when the self-indulgent sonic baggage of The Velvet Underground or Suicide comes spilling through. Branford Cox is indeed emerging into a distinct and powerful voice within the realm of twisted, experimental, indie music. So much so, that it is hard to believe he was delivering pizzas in the suburbs of Atlanta barely a year ago. While some might find Atlas Sound’s music to be a bit off the technological and experimental deep end, Let the Blind Lead is a rewarding and enlightening listen for those who have the patience.
A-
N+ (XBox 360)
9/10
by Jason Polansky
Do not go off to your local game shop and try to find N+ on store shelves. N+ is an original, downloadable game through the Xbox Live Arcade service, costing only 800 Microsoft Points ($10). But what is N+? Quite simply, it’s challenging, frustrating, and one of the best titles to be released this year.
The premise is as straightforward as any game can get; for each two dimensional level, you play as a polygonal ninja that has to hit a switch that opens a door, which allows you to move to the next level. From a gameplay perspective, N+ is part Mario Bros. and part Prince of Persia with a hint of Portal. There’s no plot and no characters other than your easily-destructible, pixilated friend that needs to escape each room of peril. Every progressive stage increases in difficulty as more obstacles like mines, missiles, lasers, and various electrified objects appear to prevent you from reaching the goal. Since your “move set” doesn’t go beyond the ability to run, jump, and wall jump, the key to tackling the hardest levels relies on nothing short of perfection and mastery of these moves. The beauty of N+ is that it never makes you feel cheated; if you fail a level, it’s because you’re not good enough—plain and simple. Like most things, practice makes perfect and this is no exception; the more you play, the better you will get, which will result in more levels, higher rankings in worldwide leaderboards, and the satisfaction of being able to do the seemingly impossible.
Though simple in concept, N+ is in no way lacking in content. There are over 300 puzzles to tackle in the single player mode alone (and that doesn’t include the ones that you can custom create, download from the community, or future downloadable content). Each new level will deliver a challenge unlike the one before it. This brings me to my biggest point; N+ is tough. Forget Ninja Gaiden (Xbox), and Ikaruga (Gamecube), this is easily the hardest game you’re likely to ever play. At the beginning it will woo you with its simple mechanics and interesting style, but as you go on, you’ll be lucky to make it through a level on your tenth try. N+ likes to toy with the player to see how much suffering they can endure until controllers get thrown across the room…and that only adds to its charm.
In all honesty, it’s tough to say why I enjoy N+ so much. Maybe it’s the fact that it stands out among the waves of dual analogue shooters (Geometry War, Assault Heroes, etc.) that flood the Xbox Live Arcade, or maybe it’s because the goal is always just out of reach and the desire to “finish what you started” comes into play. Whatever it is, N+ serves to be an addictive gem that will satisfy the needs of those looking for a challenge in the form of a unique puzzle platformer.
Murder, Wince, Repeat...
Murder by Death - Red of Tooth and Claw
9/10
by Ryan Mallette
In a near-perfect world, where the music industry isn’t chock full of American Idols, pop-princesses, and mediocre “bands,” Murder By Death’s newest offering, Red of Tooth and Claw, would be crowned a defining album in the genre of “country.” Before sprinting off into the sunset at the word “country,” know that Murder By Death is on Johnny Cash’s poetic dark side of the fence—not the side where Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood are making love in their giant in-ground pool of money.
Bloomington, Indiana’s Murder By Death is a quartet made up of vocalist/guitarist Adam Turla, cellist/keyboardist Sarah Balliet, bassist Matt Armstrong, and drummer Dagan Thogerson. Red of Tooth and Claw, released March 4, is the band’s fourth full-length album. Veteran fans of the band who know that many of their previous releases were concept albums, will be pleased to find that their newest release is a prequel to 2003’s Who Will Survive and What Will be Left of Them?, which was the tale of the devil waging war on a small town.
The opening track “Comin’ Home,” charges in as Turla channels the late Johnny Cash. He delivers a booming intro for the tale he is about to weave. Balliet’s cello-playing is exemplary throughout and offers one of the most stylistic angles you will ever hear in a modern rock band. Armstrong understands the perfect balance between playing a high-pitched, driving melody, and the true art of successfully beating the listener into a pulp. New member Thogerson is a welcome addition to the band, as his technique brings an entirely new dimension. The percussion on this album is much more progressive than previous efforts.
The new album’s storyline is described by Turla as “Homer’s Odyssey of revenge, only without the honorable character at the center.” A tale of lust, betrayal, and good vs. evil—the album is a cinematic endeavor worthy of Sergio Leone’s direction, and Clint Eastwood’s acting. The band shoots for the imagery of the grand ole’ West in “Theme,” where they pay homage to the great film composer Ennio Morricone. “Fuego” leaves a tale of lust and regret in the dust trail, as Turla belts out “I want you baby / It’s been so long that even the rose’s hips are turning me on.” The band builds up the anticipation in the song “Steal Away” while the main character begins to expedite his journey and moves without a flinch into “Ash.” Betrayal rears its ugly head in “The Black Spot,” which carries you into the epic climax of the character’s disastrous loss through an intrepid blast of all four pieces of the band. The album ends its part of the journey with “Spring Break 1899,” an antithesis to the cynical nature of the rest of the album because of its optimistic tone.
In Red of Tooth and Claw, Murder By Death lure you in with their fantastic imagery, ingenious blend of guitar-driven rock and country-western storytelling, only to leave you lusting for more.
Third One's A Charm
Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
8.5/10
by James Ghazarian
British singer/songwriter Kate Nash has drawn many comparisons to fellow Brits Amy Winehouse, and Lily Allen. Some may be quick to write her off as just another clone of the aforementioned artists. Her songwriting and lyrical style are very similar to the comedic tone which Allen uses; a sarcastic and foul-mouthed, self-confessional brand of pop. Kate Nash, however, takes that same formula established by Allen and greatly improves on it. On her debut album Made of Bricks, Nash has managed to craft a much more consistent album than either of her peers.
While Lily Allen will primarily be remembered for her song “Smile,” and Winehouse for “Rehab,” Nash’s equivalent would be her number one UK hit song “Foundations.” The track is the most upbeat and catchy tale about a relationship gone sour since Outkast released “Hey Ya!” five years ago. It starts with Nash reciting an almost spoken word, retelling an argument with her boyfriend, “Then you’ll call me a bitch and everyone we’re with will be embarrassed, and I won’t give a shit.” By the time the chorus hits with its swirling, piano melody, you’re instantly hooked.
A quirky piano is used as the backdrop for the next song “Mouthwash.” It builds slowly with the piano flowing into the next segment with drums, and finally guitar is added to the mix. It might be considered a serious tune until Nash sings, “I use mouthwash, sometimes I floss.” It serves as yet another catchy pop song on the album. On “Dickhead” Nash monotonously repeats “Why you being a dickhead for? Stop being a dickhead,” in a cockney accent over a strumming guitar.
“Pumpkin Soup” is another of Nash’s memorable and catchy pop tunes. She combines synthesized beats with her piano playing with great success. She sings, “I’m not in love / I just wanna be touched.” The album’s closing track “Merry Happy” is perhaps the best song featured on the entire debut. It uses a slow building, infectious beats, and simple piano backing.
Nash can take a negative subject matter like a failed relationship or an abusive boyfriend, and turn it into light and fluffy pop music. While many may pass up her album and consider her to simply be riding the wave of brash female, British singers, I urge you to give Made of Bricks a listen. Her work is by far a more consistent and pleasurable album in comparison to her peers. The album takes the best of both of her competitors and offers a truly unique listening experience, which should not be missed.
A Different Point of View
Vantage Point
8/10
by Matthew Hirschel
From an action-junkie’s perspective, Vantage Point delivers the fix a hardcore addict would need. The plot is standard action flick fare; terrorists are once again at odds with America, and they want to take their frustrations out on our beloved president. Eight people see the president get shot, and they each have a different story to tell. Every one of their perspectives adds a new piece to this increasingly intricate puzzle, which is only solved in the closing minutes. Overall it makes for a good cinematic adventure. It keeps the audience intrigued until the final scene through its time-lapsed storytelling and unpredictable twists. While relatively simple characters and dialogue probably won’t win any awards, the non-stop excitement and mystery make it a pleasure for suspense and action fiends alike.
Dennis Quaid stars as a disillusioned Secret Service Agent Thomas Barnes, on duty for an anti-terrorism summit in Spain. Even after taking a bullet for the president a year prior, he remains loyal to the job he knows and loves. Besides Quaid, Forest Whitaker delivers a solid performance as an aloof out-of-towner with a handy camcorder. His dumbfounded expression throughout the film is priceless. Apart from these two, the acting is nothing special, due in large part to the mediocre script. Nevertheless, Vantage Point can fulfill your mêlée jonesin’ with some badass explosions, and an extremely improbable, yet exhilarating, car chase that makes The Italian Job look like Cars.
With an array of backstabbing, amazing cinematography, and a dramatic soundtrack, Vantage Point was a sensory experience. It was so fast-paced that the schizophrenic camera angles left me a little dazed and confused at times, but a quick explosion snapped me right out of it.
While not a cerebral drama like There Will Be Blood, Vantage Point still makes for a good rush. It is one of the top action-thrillers to hit theatres in a while, and its unique camera work and storytelling stylings make it stand out from other mediocre action flicks. This film brings more heat than a pizza oven in the summer time, and you’ll be rooting for Agent Barnes to uncover the distorted truth that could be closer to him than he thought.
