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(11/16/06 5:00am)
Throughout an epic career, people have labeled The Rolling Stones "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" or to a lesser extent "England's Greatest Rock and Roll Band." Indeed, Mick and the boys have proven themselves time and again by outlasting their peers for the last four decades. And they don't show any signs of weakness from indulging in the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. \nI am not here to argue for or against The Stones' heavyweight status. I am here to try to answer the question that leaves us restless at night: Who is America's greatest rock 'n' roll band? If England and all of planet Earth can praise a band like The Stones, why can't we? After all, America gave birth to rock 'n' roll! I don't know about you folks, but I am sick and tired of being the underdog. \nSo why have The Stones never been challenged, you ask? The answer lies in the fact that very few American bands have risen to such juggernaut stardom. When I say other English bands, I refer to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Who. They're the only viable competitors who have protested The Stones' claim to the throne. But alas, The Stones have weathered the test of time. And now it's time to discuss key players in America's rich rock 'n' roll history to send to this international cage match. \nIn order to keep this selection process sane, I will maintain a list of criteria. For instance, the title in question is "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," not artist. If individual artists were allowed to compete to become "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," The Rolling Stones would be lucky to finish in the Top 10. In that scenario, someone like Ray Charles or Eric Clapton might take the cake, or maybe Meatloaf. So having established that rule, I must throw a whole gaggle of choices out the window: Elvis, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, John Mellencamp (sorry Hoosiers) and Prince. The concept of a band dictates that all members or at least most members contribute to the music. This camaraderie influences a band's performance and image, defining it as a democracy. At the end of a concert, fans want to see Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts take a final bow. Fans don't care to see Mick pull a T.O. and pretend to fall asleep on the microphone after performing "Brown Sugar" while the rest of his bandmates awkwardly watch with embarrassment. You get the point.\nLet's move on to the next precedent. In the music industry today, staying power is rare. A great rock 'n' roll band despises the immediate gratification of a "one-hit wonder." On the contrary, it rises to fame through years of grueling life on the road and endless hours negotiating with managers and record execs. An impressive catalogue of music is a must to attain the coveted title of "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band." Additionally, the music itself must be written using a delicate combination of style, art, attitude and sound. Therefore, let me cast away the next round of applicants: Kiss, Van Halen, The Beach Boys and The Eagles. Sure, this eclectic group of bands produced some good tunes, but they basically wrote about one topic. Kiss and Van Halen love the groupies; The Beach Boys love the waves and the girls; and The Eagles, well, I think The Dude speaks for all of us: "I fucking hate The Eagles, man." \nNow I would like to dispense of a few bands which, however well-loved they might be, are too marginal to be embraced by America as a whole. The Band is too folkie; The Grateful Dead is too jammy; and Fleetwood Mac is too married or involved with each other. \nFinally, I have narrowed the list of nominees to nine. These bands can rock your socks off during one song, and they can turn around and compel you to hold a lighter to the air during another. In no particular order, we have Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, R.E.M., Nirvana, The Doors, Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam. \nImmediately, however, I must eliminate Nirvana, Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam. Yes, all three bridged the gap between old and new generations of rock, but for a band to carry the torch for America, our parents and elders must accept and support its music. \nTo keep this argument rolling, let's get rid of Lynyrd Skynyrd because Confederate flags still fly at their concerts, and frankly, it's the 21st century, not 1865. The Doors were probably the first true great American rock 'n' roll band, but let's be honest, Jim Morrison was a nut job. He mesmerized audiences, but he couldn't charm them with wit like Mick Jagger. Aerosmith's tendency to sell out weakens its chances. And although R.E.M. continues to release reliable albums today, they spent the better part of a decade trying to gain that mass following. \nAnd then there were two. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers vs. Talking Heads. Although Tom Petty is an easy favorite, I'm going to go with the upset and choose Talking Heads. It's not so much what Tom Petty and his gang don't offer; it's what David Byrne and his gang bring to the table. Talking Heads proved to be a dynamic quartet, constantly rethinking the way they made music. They stitched together forms of punk, funk, blues and even world to create a diverse rock tapestry. Ever--important in America, as a symbol of independence, Byrne took over as producer after Brian Eno left in 1983 and demonstrated creativity and integrity. Furthermore, Talking Heads' depth is rarely acknowledged. Eight albums in 11 years plus breakthrough concert performances (see Stop Making Sense) made for a very innovative band. \nWell there ya have it, folks. Bring on The Stones. Who will prevail? It's gonna be a barnburner. In the end, I believe "Psycho Killer" will triumph over "Street Fighting Man"
(11/16/06 5:00am)
The Electric Kiss. The Music Kiss. The Perfume Kiss. The Underwater Kiss. The Prostitute and Customer Kiss.\nMichael Christian has done them all. Now he wants to kiss and tell.\nChristian, who is giving a presentation on kissing at 7 p.m. today in Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union, is a full-time writer and speaker on the topic of kissing. He has authored several books on the subject, including "The Art of Kissing," which has been published in 19 countries and 17 languages, according to his Web site, www.kissing.com. \nHe began his career as a "kissing expert" while he was a professor of English at Boston College in the 1990s.\n"I always had a romantic streak, I was always interested in kissing," he says. "Then a young woman told me I should keep my eyes closed while kissing, and I thought, 'Is that true? Do you really have to keep your eyes closed while kissing?'"\nPondering that question led him to create a 218-question survey to find out what else people knew, or didn't know, about kissing.\nAfter he wrote the book, he was invited by the school to talk about "The Art of Kissing," and that led to other schools asking him to talk about the book, he says.\n"But I never just talked about the book; I had people demonstrate. People found it very funny, seeing people they knew onstage demonstrating these kisses."\nChristian's presentation is being brought to campus by the Union Board. Michal Jander, a Union Board director in charge of the event, says he is excited because it's interactive.\n"Mr. Christian's presentation is very, very involvement-intensive. Usually, he just has a mic and walks around," Jander says. "He's got a lot of music, a lot of film slides, and it's all really fast-paced and fun. He really keeps students motivated and interested."\nEmma Cullen, who is in charge of public relations at the Union Board, says the student group wanted to bring Christian to IU because he has a reputation of being highly entertaining. \n"It's an interesting topic to be an expert on," Cullen says. "It's something you don't hear about very often, so I think the students will be interested in seeing it."\nIf students come, they can expect a variety of visual demonstrations.\n"They will see 30 different romantic kisses demonstrated," Christian says. "They will find out what men and women prefer, what their differences are, (and) how to make themselves more kissable. They'll find out how to please their partner.\n"But the most important thing is they'll be entertained by seeing 30 different romantic kisses. Yeah, they'll learn things. But it's funny."\nJander says that in Christian's books, he is good at not only being entertaining but at making his audience feel comfortable with easily embarrassing content. \n"It's not cheesy or creepy or anything like that," Jander says. "Like a really good textbook. Not a textbook you wouldn't want to read, but very informative; not just someone's made up advice."\nChristian says the type of kiss he offers the most advice on is the French kiss.\n"The number one question I'm asked is, 'How do I do a French kiss? Do I really have to use my tongue?' And the answer of course is 'yes,'" he says.\nBut too much tongue can be as much of a problem as not knowing whether to use it at all, he says.\n"The number one mistake people make when it comes to kissing is triggering the gag reflex in their partner by using their tongue too much and too far in their partner's throat," Christian says. "The number one mistake girls make is not initiating enough French kisses. According to men, they want women to initiate more French kisses and be more active with their tongues."\nChristian has been asked so often about French kisses that he has also turned "The Art of Kissing" into a DVD. \n"I got so many questions from people asking me how to do a French kiss, every day three or four times, and I thought, 'Don't people read the chapter on the French kiss?' Our society is becoming so illiterate, unfortunately. So I said, 'I'll just show them.'"\nChristian then gathered several actors and shot the film in Boston and New York. The film spends a full 40 minutes on the French kiss but also covers the other kisses he talks about in his book.\nBut even those who think they have the French kiss down will find interesting and exotic kisses to learn from Christian's presentation. \nAmong these are kisses like the biting kiss, "lip-o-suction," and one called the Trobriand Island kiss, a kiss from the South Pacific.\n"One of the most unusual kisses is the vacuum kiss," Christian says. "You can actually see a vacuum kiss in the movie 'Coneheads.' The vacuum kiss occurs when you suck the air out of your partner's mouth and lungs. And if it's done properly, it's a great intimate experience."\nLip-o-suction is his personal favorite kiss.\n"That occurs where you kiss your partner's top or bottom lip as your partner does the other, then you reverse."\nBut Jander also pointed out that Christian's presentation is not exclusively on advice.\n"He talks not only about techniques and different kinds of kissing, but he also talks about different kisses across different cultures," Jander says. "It's educational in an unconventional sort of way."\nJander hopes that bringing Christian to IU will show the student body that the Union Board is thinking creatively about programming.\n"We're not just here to bring concerts like Ben Folds, or serious 'academic-minded' lectures, like Ehud Barak ," Jander says. "We're just here to represent student interest. As students, we strongly identify with the student body and we thought we should bring this since we're one of the few student organizations with the money to do it."\nHe also stresses that student participation is key for the event to be a success.\n"If students get involved, this could be the best program of the year," he says. "If the students are a little more reserved, the program will be reserved. But trust me, we'll have great volunteers."\nChristian says as long as students get a good seat, they'll have a great time and learn a lot.\n"Kissing is a very subtle action of the lips. The closer you get to see, the more you'll get out of it," he says. "But you may want to bring binoculars if you sit in the back."\nSee coverage of the event in the Indiana Daily Student's Campus section Nov. 17.
(11/16/06 5:00am)
Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is a daunting prospect. \nMost of my friends' mothers didn't even attempt to on Thanksgiving. Their families packed their things, drove over the hills and through the woods to grandmother's house and let her do all the work. This has left me to wonder if when this generation of grandmothers dies, Thanksgiving dinner as we know it will fade away, only to be replaced by TV dinners and Hamburger Helper.\nMy mother, who began her day in the kitchen at 9 a.m. and didn't end it until the last dish was on the table at 5 p.m., quite literally waged war against the meal. Between balancing squash, corn, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberry sherbet, pumpkin pie, two kinds of stuffing, gravy and of course the damned turkey, she looked physically drained by the time the family sat down to dinner.\nAt the annual Thanksgiving get-together of Indiana Daily Student staffers, the job of cooking the turkey always falls, to much complaining and protest, on the most mature and oldest staffers, in the hopes that along with the ability to hold their tongues and manage their time well, these people have also somehow picked up the ability to effectively cook a 25-pound monstrosity of a turkey in a dinky college apartment oven.\nAnd feeding that many people is expensive. For eight adults, a relatively standard gathering by American standards, the Butterball Turkey Web site (www.butterball.com) recommends serving 12 pounds of turkey. At $1.29 or more per pound, that can really add up. Tack on sides and dessert, and a student who is looking to treat his friends to a home-cooked holiday meal could end up spending beer money for the next semester-and-a-half.\nBut it's not nearly as hard or as costly as it seems. By cutting a few barely perceptible corners and penny pinching, I cobbled together a Thanksgiving dinner for eight starved college students with just more than $25 and five hours of labor.\nAnd, save the pair of grease fires and some longer-than-expected cook times, it all went off without a hitch, which is remarkable since the last time I cooked for guests, my hamburgers were nigh inedible and two hours late. \nWhat was the secret to my success? Love. No, really. Using a lot of garlic to mask the cheap canned vegetables helped. Closely following my trusty cookbook was essential. The sage culinary advice of Mamma Zennie came in handy, too. But it was really just love that made my meal work. None of the dishes were particularly complex, I just had to take the time and overcome the daunting mountain of Thanksgiving dinner. \nA trailer park Thanksgiving\nI grew up in a household that valued good food. Most of my mother's pantry is filled with organic goods. Vegetables were always fresh and chemical free. Thanksgiving dinner cost about as much as a semester's worth of tuition, too.\nI can shop frugally at Marsh or Kroger, but to feed eight people on a shoestring budget, I needed help. So, I employed the help of my roommate, who has the proud distinction of having grown up in a trailer park.\nWhen I told him of my project, he answered ominously with a single word: Aldi.\nThat's right, to cook this cheaply, even Kroger brand is too pricey.\nSo cheap it's a Wonder\nTo cut prices even further, we went waaaay across town to the day-old bread store, at 3301 Indiana 37, for the bread stuffing. \nThe shop, which is officially called Wonder/Hostess, is an absolute haven for all the things that make American children obese. But it also has really cheap bread.\nTwo 2-pound loaves of industrial-size restaurant and hotel white bread and a dozen instant dinner rolls rang up at $3.28. \nCheap food, expensive shopping carts\nThe first thing to know about Aldi is that they charge a deposit of one quarter to take a shopping cart, and they don't have bags or baggers. These are all things that help save money, apparently. \nThe second thing to know about Aldi is that there is a lot of really cheap food. Canned vegetables: 34 cents each. Potatoes: 10 pounds for $5. \nAfter comparing prices, we realized that it would be far cheaper to roast two chickens than one turkey -- it would probably cook faster, too.\nPlus, Thanksgiving isn't just about turkey. A roasted and stuffed chicken can taste very similar.\nSo, for 45 cents per pound, I bought two approximately 5-and-a-half-pound chickens. \nAldi even had an aluminum roaster pan for about $2.50. \nIn the end, I bought everything I needed (minus some evaporated milk for the pie) for $21.74. \nThe Joy of Cooking\nI am no chef. I have done my share of experimenting in the kitchen, but only recently have I been able to turn an even remotely edible result.\nMy only guide in this endeavor was the 915-page 1975 edition of "The Joy of Cooking," which I only recently bought for about $30. It has descriptions of how to do just about anything and everything, from cooking road kill to setting a table for a seven-course meal. It is so all-encompassing that most chefs use it only as a reference. Referring to "The Joy of Cooking" for step-by-step instructions and recipes for cooking a basic staple like Thanksgiving dinner is about like using a hand ax to open a peanut -- it works but it's not as precise as you'd like it to be.
(11/16/06 4:47am)
Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is a daunting prospect. \nMost of my friends' mothers didn't even attempt to on Thanksgiving. Their families packed their things, drove over the hills and through the woods to grandmother's house and let her do all the work. This has left me to wonder if when this generation of grandmothers dies, Thanksgiving dinner as we know it will fade away, only to be replaced by TV dinners and Hamburger Helper.\nMy mother, who began her day in the kitchen at 9 a.m. and didn't end it until the last dish was on the table at 5 p.m., quite literally waged war against the meal. Between balancing squash, corn, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberry sherbet, pumpkin pie, two kinds of stuffing, gravy and of course the damned turkey, she looked physically drained by the time the family sat down to dinner.\nAt the annual Thanksgiving get-together of Indiana Daily Student staffers, the job of cooking the turkey always falls, to much complaining and protest, on the most mature and oldest staffers, in the hopes that along with the ability to hold their tongues and manage their time well, these people have also somehow picked up the ability to effectively cook a 25-pound monstrosity of a turkey in a dinky college apartment oven.\nAnd feeding that many people is expensive. For eight adults, a relatively standard gathering by American standards, the Butterball Turkey Web site (www.butterball.com) recommends serving 12 pounds of turkey. At $1.29 or more per pound, that can really add up. Tack on sides and dessert, and a student who is looking to treat his friends to a home-cooked holiday meal could end up spending beer money for the next semester-and-a-half.\nBut it's not nearly as hard or as costly as it seems. By cutting a few barely perceptible corners and penny pinching, I cobbled together a Thanksgiving dinner for eight starved college students with just more than $25 and five hours of labor.\nAnd, save the pair of grease fires and some longer-than-expected cook times, it all went off without a hitch, which is remarkable since the last time I cooked for guests, my hamburgers were nigh inedible and two hours late. \nWhat was the secret to my success? Love. No, really. Using a lot of garlic to mask the cheap canned vegetables helped. Closely following my trusty cookbook was essential. The sage culinary advice of Mamma Zennie came in handy, too. But it was really just love that made my meal work. None of the dishes were particularly complex, I just had to take the time and overcome the daunting mountain of Thanksgiving dinner. \nA trailer park Thanksgiving\nI grew up in a household that valued good food. Most of my mother's pantry is filled with organic goods. Vegetables were always fresh and chemical free. Thanksgiving dinner cost about as much as a semester's worth of tuition, too.\nI can shop frugally at Marsh or Kroger, but to feed eight people on a shoestring budget, I needed help. So, I employed the help of my roommate, who has the proud distinction of having grown up in a trailer park.\nWhen I told him of my project, he answered ominously with a single word: Aldi.\nThat's right, to cook this cheaply, even Kroger brand is too pricey.\nSo cheap it's a Wonder\nTo cut prices even further, we went waaaay across town to the day-old bread store, at 3301 Indiana 37, for the bread stuffing. \nThe shop, which is officially called Wonder/Hostess, is an absolute haven for all the things that make American children obese. But it also has really cheap bread.\nTwo 2-pound loaves of industrial-size restaurant and hotel white bread and a dozen instant dinner rolls rang up at $3.28. \nCheap food, expensive shopping carts\nThe first thing to know about Aldi is that they charge a deposit of one quarter to take a shopping cart, and they don't have bags or baggers. These are all things that help save money, apparently. \nThe second thing to know about Aldi is that there is a lot of really cheap food. Canned vegetables: 34 cents each. Potatoes: 10 pounds for $5. \nAfter comparing prices, we realized that it would be far cheaper to roast two chickens than one turkey -- it would probably cook faster, too.\nPlus, Thanksgiving isn't just about turkey. A roasted and stuffed chicken can taste very similar.\nSo, for 45 cents per pound, I bought two approximately 5-and-a-half-pound chickens. \nAldi even had an aluminum roaster pan for about $2.50. \nIn the end, I bought everything I needed (minus some evaporated milk for the pie) for $21.74. \nThe Joy of Cooking\nI am no chef. I have done my share of experimenting in the kitchen, but only recently have I been able to turn an even remotely edible result.\nMy only guide in this endeavor was the 915-page 1975 edition of "The Joy of Cooking," which I only recently bought for about $30. It has descriptions of how to do just about anything and everything, from cooking road kill to setting a table for a seven-course meal. It is so all-encompassing that most chefs use it only as a reference. Referring to "The Joy of Cooking" for step-by-step instructions and recipes for cooking a basic staple like Thanksgiving dinner is about like using a hand ax to open a peanut -- it works but it's not as precise as you'd like it to be.
(11/16/06 4:33am)
The Electric Kiss. The Music Kiss. The Perfume Kiss. The Underwater Kiss. The Prostitute and Customer Kiss.\nMichael Christian has done them all. Now he wants to kiss and tell.\nChristian, who is giving a presentation on kissing at 7 p.m. today in Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union, is a full-time writer and speaker on the topic of kissing. He has authored several books on the subject, including "The Art of Kissing," which has been published in 19 countries and 17 languages, according to his Web site, www.kissing.com. \nHe began his career as a "kissing expert" while he was a professor of English at Boston College in the 1990s.\n"I always had a romantic streak, I was always interested in kissing," he says. "Then a young woman told me I should keep my eyes closed while kissing, and I thought, 'Is that true? Do you really have to keep your eyes closed while kissing?'"\nPondering that question led him to create a 218-question survey to find out what else people knew, or didn't know, about kissing.\nAfter he wrote the book, he was invited by the school to talk about "The Art of Kissing," and that led to other schools asking him to talk about the book, he says.\n"But I never just talked about the book; I had people demonstrate. People found it very funny, seeing people they knew onstage demonstrating these kisses."\nChristian's presentation is being brought to campus by the Union Board. Michal Jander, a Union Board director in charge of the event, says he is excited because it's interactive.\n"Mr. Christian's presentation is very, very involvement-intensive. Usually, he just has a mic and walks around," Jander says. "He's got a lot of music, a lot of film slides, and it's all really fast-paced and fun. He really keeps students motivated and interested."\nEmma Cullen, who is in charge of public relations at the Union Board, says the student group wanted to bring Christian to IU because he has a reputation of being highly entertaining. \n"It's an interesting topic to be an expert on," Cullen says. "It's something you don't hear about very often, so I think the students will be interested in seeing it."\nIf students come, they can expect a variety of visual demonstrations.\n"They will see 30 different romantic kisses demonstrated," Christian says. "They will find out what men and women prefer, what their differences are, (and) how to make themselves more kissable. They'll find out how to please their partner.\n"But the most important thing is they'll be entertained by seeing 30 different romantic kisses. Yeah, they'll learn things. But it's funny."\nJander says that in Christian's books, he is good at not only being entertaining but at making his audience feel comfortable with easily embarrassing content. \n"It's not cheesy or creepy or anything like that," Jander says. "Like a really good textbook. Not a textbook you wouldn't want to read, but very informative; not just someone's made up advice."\nChristian says the type of kiss he offers the most advice on is the French kiss.\n"The number one question I'm asked is, 'How do I do a French kiss? Do I really have to use my tongue?' And the answer of course is 'yes,'" he says.\nBut too much tongue can be as much of a problem as not knowing whether to use it at all, he says.\n"The number one mistake people make when it comes to kissing is triggering the gag reflex in their partner by using their tongue too much and too far in their partner's throat," Christian says. "The number one mistake girls make is not initiating enough French kisses. According to men, they want women to initiate more French kisses and be more active with their tongues."\nChristian has been asked so often about French kisses that he has also turned "The Art of Kissing" into a DVD. \n"I got so many questions from people asking me how to do a French kiss, every day three or four times, and I thought, 'Don't people read the chapter on the French kiss?' Our society is becoming so illiterate, unfortunately. So I said, 'I'll just show them.'"\nChristian then gathered several actors and shot the film in Boston and New York. The film spends a full 40 minutes on the French kiss but also covers the other kisses he talks about in his book.\nBut even those who think they have the French kiss down will find interesting and exotic kisses to learn from Christian's presentation. \nAmong these are kisses like the biting kiss, "lip-o-suction," and one called the Trobriand Island kiss, a kiss from the South Pacific.\n"One of the most unusual kisses is the vacuum kiss," Christian says. "You can actually see a vacuum kiss in the movie 'Coneheads.' The vacuum kiss occurs when you suck the air out of your partner's mouth and lungs. And if it's done properly, it's a great intimate experience."\nLip-o-suction is his personal favorite kiss.\n"That occurs where you kiss your partner's top or bottom lip as your partner does the other, then you reverse."\nBut Jander also pointed out that Christian's presentation is not exclusively on advice.\n"He talks not only about techniques and different kinds of kissing, but he also talks about different kisses across different cultures," Jander says. "It's educational in an unconventional sort of way."\nJander hopes that bringing Christian to IU will show the student body that the Union Board is thinking creatively about programming.\n"We're not just here to bring concerts like Ben Folds, or serious 'academic-minded' lectures, like Ehud Barak ," Jander says. "We're just here to represent student interest. As students, we strongly identify with the student body and we thought we should bring this since we're one of the few student organizations with the money to do it."\nHe also stresses that student participation is key for the event to be a success.\n"If students get involved, this could be the best program of the year," he says. "If the students are a little more reserved, the program will be reserved. But trust me, we'll have great volunteers."\nChristian says as long as students get a good seat, they'll have a great time and learn a lot.\n"Kissing is a very subtle action of the lips. The closer you get to see, the more you'll get out of it," he says. "But you may want to bring binoculars if you sit in the back."\nSee coverage of the event in the Indiana Daily Student's Campus section Nov. 17.
(11/16/06 4:30am)
Throughout an epic career, people have labeled The Rolling Stones "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" or to a lesser extent "England's Greatest Rock and Roll Band." Indeed, Mick and the boys have proven themselves time and again by outlasting their peers for the last four decades. And they don't show any signs of weakness from indulging in the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. \nI am not here to argue for or against The Stones' heavyweight status. I am here to try to answer the question that leaves us restless at night: Who is America's greatest rock 'n' roll band? If England and all of planet Earth can praise a band like The Stones, why can't we? After all, America gave birth to rock 'n' roll! I don't know about you folks, but I am sick and tired of being the underdog. \nSo why have The Stones never been challenged, you ask? The answer lies in the fact that very few American bands have risen to such juggernaut stardom. When I say other English bands, I refer to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Who. They're the only viable competitors who have protested The Stones' claim to the throne. But alas, The Stones have weathered the test of time. And now it's time to discuss key players in America's rich rock 'n' roll history to send to this international cage match. \nIn order to keep this selection process sane, I will maintain a list of criteria. For instance, the title in question is "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," not artist. If individual artists were allowed to compete to become "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," The Rolling Stones would be lucky to finish in the Top 10. In that scenario, someone like Ray Charles or Eric Clapton might take the cake, or maybe Meatloaf. So having established that rule, I must throw a whole gaggle of choices out the window: Elvis, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, John Mellencamp (sorry Hoosiers) and Prince. The concept of a band dictates that all members or at least most members contribute to the music. This camaraderie influences a band's performance and image, defining it as a democracy. At the end of a concert, fans want to see Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts take a final bow. Fans don't care to see Mick pull a T.O. and pretend to fall asleep on the microphone after performing "Brown Sugar" while the rest of his bandmates awkwardly watch with embarrassment. You get the point.\nLet's move on to the next precedent. In the music industry today, staying power is rare. A great rock 'n' roll band despises the immediate gratification of a "one-hit wonder." On the contrary, it rises to fame through years of grueling life on the road and endless hours negotiating with managers and record execs. An impressive catalogue of music is a must to attain the coveted title of "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band." Additionally, the music itself must be written using a delicate combination of style, art, attitude and sound. Therefore, let me cast away the next round of applicants: Kiss, Van Halen, The Beach Boys and The Eagles. Sure, this eclectic group of bands produced some good tunes, but they basically wrote about one topic. Kiss and Van Halen love the groupies; The Beach Boys love the waves and the girls; and The Eagles, well, I think The Dude speaks for all of us: "I fucking hate The Eagles, man." \nNow I would like to dispense of a few bands which, however well-loved they might be, are too marginal to be embraced by America as a whole. The Band is too folkie; The Grateful Dead is too jammy; and Fleetwood Mac is too married or involved with each other. \nFinally, I have narrowed the list of nominees to nine. These bands can rock your socks off during one song, and they can turn around and compel you to hold a lighter to the air during another. In no particular order, we have Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, R.E.M., Nirvana, The Doors, Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam. \nImmediately, however, I must eliminate Nirvana, Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam. Yes, all three bridged the gap between old and new generations of rock, but for a band to carry the torch for America, our parents and elders must accept and support its music. \nTo keep this argument rolling, let's get rid of Lynyrd Skynyrd because Confederate flags still fly at their concerts, and frankly, it's the 21st century, not 1865. The Doors were probably the first true great American rock 'n' roll band, but let's be honest, Jim Morrison was a nut job. He mesmerized audiences, but he couldn't charm them with wit like Mick Jagger. Aerosmith's tendency to sell out weakens its chances. And although R.E.M. continues to release reliable albums today, they spent the better part of a decade trying to gain that mass following. \nAnd then there were two. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers vs. Talking Heads. Although Tom Petty is an easy favorite, I'm going to go with the upset and choose Talking Heads. It's not so much what Tom Petty and his gang don't offer; it's what David Byrne and his gang bring to the table. Talking Heads proved to be a dynamic quartet, constantly rethinking the way they made music. They stitched together forms of punk, funk, blues and even world to create a diverse rock tapestry. Ever--important in America, as a symbol of independence, Byrne took over as producer after Brian Eno left in 1983 and demonstrated creativity and integrity. Furthermore, Talking Heads' depth is rarely acknowledged. Eight albums in 11 years plus breakthrough concert performances (see Stop Making Sense) made for a very innovative band. \nWell there ya have it, folks. Bring on The Stones. Who will prevail? It's gonna be a barnburner. In the end, I believe "Psycho Killer" will triumph over "Street Fighting Man"
(11/16/06 4:28am)
Let me start my review of "Need for Speed Carbon" by saying there is nothing particularly bad about it.\nYes, the FMV cutscenes are ridiculously cheesy and completely unnecessary, but they're also easily skipped over and don't really get in the way of things.\nThe tuning and street racing is solid, but that is also my biggest complaint: There's very little difference between the racing in this game and that of "Need for Speed Underground" which came out three years ago.\nDrag racing is out but it's been replaced with tight "canyon duel" races with bosses and extremely finicky drift races (which were actually the easiest part of the past few "Need for Speed" games). The trade-off is negligible. Canyon races are a decent addition to the series while the new drift courses will have you pulling your hair out as much as the most frustrating drag races.\nAlso new to this edition is the use of a partner during races who will give you speed boosts or take out other racers. Sometimes, this comes in handy, but a lot of the time, he's not really necessary or rarely, gets in the way.\nMuch like the rest of the game, the neon-heavy graphics (which are little above average for a 360 game) and hip-hop soundtrack are what we've come to expect from the series, and little more. None of the songs will have you hitting the mute button, but they won't exactly have you tapping your toes either.\nOverall, the few new features in "Need for Speed Carbon" make it feel more like an expansion pack than a new game, but since it's building on an already great formula that's not as bad as you might think.\nIf you're a big fan of the NFS series like me or never played one before, this is an addicting title. Otherwise you might want to wait for a price drop or next year's inevitable sequel.
(11/16/06 4:26am)
If you're looking for an exciting way to spend a weekend night, I suggest watching a documentary about crossword puzzles. Seriously. \nDirected by Patrick Creadon, "Wordplay" is a behind-the-scenes look at the masterminds of The New York Times' crossword puzzle and the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Creadon does the best thing he can to actually make this movie interesting: He tells the stories of the people involved. \nCreadon focuses on the editor of the Times crossword Will Shortz, who is originally from Crawfordsville, Ind. and graduated from IU with a degree in enigmatology (the study of puzzles). Shortz presides over the toughest crossword in the country at the Times. \nA large portion of the beginning is Creadon going around and talking to famous people who do the Times crossword on a daily basis. \nJon Stewart challenges Shortz to make the puzzle harder. Former President Bill Clinton, Senator Bob Dole and Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina each chime in about how much they enjoy the puzzle. \nThe latter part of the film is centered on the best crossword puzzlers in the country as they prepare for and compete in the national championships. \nMost of the people competing in the tournament are just, well, weird. They range from your everyday businessman to people on the verge of Trekkie status. \nNo matter how bizarre, the people make the movie. As the tournament came to a close, I actually rooted for the eventual winner and felt awful for the guy who blew his chance at victory. \nThe DVD special features add a lot to the content. There's commentary from Creadon and Shortz, extra interviews, plenty of deleted scenes and five of Shortz's best crosswords included. \nCreadon created a lens into a place about which not many people know. Obscurity of subject makes a good film, even when it's about nerds doing crosswords.
(11/16/06 4:24am)
There's something about "Cars" that I just can't put my finger on. It has nowhere near as an original concept as some past Pixar films. The story's nothing new; a hot shot egocentric rookie learns the errors of his ways through small town values and the guidance of a crotchety old wise-man, who used to be a hot shot egocentric rookie himself. The humor isn't quite as razor sharp. Yet "Cars" is so pleasant and at ease with itself, it's just as enjoyable as its Pixar siblings. \nOwen Wilson voices Lightning McQueen, said hot shot race car who is heading to California for a big race against his rival. On the way he gets in trouble with the local law town of Radiator Springs, a boonies sort of town off the highway that Lighting accidentally destroys. Here he encounters Doc the local judge (Paul Newman) who wants nothing to do with McQueen's renegade personality. Sally (Bonnie Hunt), another sports car who escaped the hustle and bustle of city life for the more peaceful country life, decides it'd be better to keep Lightning around for some community service. As Lightning freaks out about the possibility of missing his race, he slowly learns the value of friendship and family.\n"Cars" may take some getting used to as every character is, well, a car. Unlike "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo," the plot doesn't revolve around objects in the (relatively) human world coming to life and speaking. Everything in the world of "Cars" from the bees to the cows is a car; no humans exist. \nUnfortunately some of "Cars"' visual magnificence will be lost when viewed on smaller home systems. Yet the picture is still crystal clear and the animation is magnificent. The film preaches to get out and enjoy the beauty of Route 66 and middle America, but seeing it animated so well defeats the purpose of a week long car trip.\nThe cast, also including Cheech Marin, George Carlin and Tony Shalhoub, does a stellar job as Pixar continues choosing the right voice for the character, not the big names that look best on top of the title. Somehow Larry the Cable Guy as the well-meaning hillbilly Mater (the Dori to Lightning's Nemo) manages to steal the show.\nSpecial features include a new animated short, "Mater and the Ghostlight," and the spectacular short "One Man Band" that played before the film during its theatrical run. Be sure to watch the hilarious end credits where past Pixar films are re-imagined as car movies. Whatever it is that "Cars" has -- charm, spirit, whatever -- it works. Like a finely tuned engine.
(11/16/06 4:21am)
I hope Keith Urban cracks open a fortune cookie soon and reads the following message: "Give up on your music, and just be happy with your lovely wife." Nicole Kidman could undoubtedly support her husband if he decided to call it quits. My wish won't come true, though, which is a travesty; Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing digs Urban deeper into the hole that is his career. \nUrban seems an unlikely country star. We hear him sport the twang, but in interviews his native Australian accent remains thick. Yet he claims Nashville as his home. Regardless of such confusion, the album's laughable lyrics could serve as inspiration for a South Park ditty. In the generic "Once in a Lifetime," Urban sings "It's a long shot baby/Yeah I know it's true/But if anyone can make it/I'm bettin' on me and you." \nThe rest of the album doesn't shy away from romance, either. Even though "Won't Let You Down" begins with a solid first verse, Urban couldn't resist throwing in cheesy love lines in the chorus. He's a love lyric-aholic. Where did he go wrong? His early career promised so much. He was an award-winning country musician whose guitar skills placed him head and shoulders above his peers. Since an initial burst onto the scene, however, Urban's cookie cutter albums achieve mediocrity at best. \nLove, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing serves as a fitting counterpart for Urban's aptly named fan club, Monkeyville. There's plenty of square-dancin', toe-tappin', boot-slidin' and hay-rollin' goin' around for everyone, folks. \nThe only number that doesn't induce a yawn, "Raise the Barn," tips a hat to the people of New Orleans for their strength after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. Now there's a topic to sing about, Keith. If only he could broaden his song-writing capabilities.
(11/16/06 4:19am)
This posthumous release tactic seems oddly familiar...does the name 2-Pac ring a bell?\nOl' Dirty Bastard, the spastic but loveable member of the world-famous Wu-Tang Clan, has a new record out, two years after his untimely death in the Wu-Tang studio. This is the third proper release from Dirty, and unfortunately, by far his weakest effort.\nHis first two releases saw the ODB spit lyrical humor, sometimes in an indecipherable manner: mumbling, screaming, half rapping, half singing, half making noise. Both records went gold. This release was meant to be put out by Ol' Dirty before his death, but at the same time, it seems like an effort to cash in on the fallen rapper.\nA Son Unique features many names in the mainstream hip-hop and R&B spectrum. Dirty stumbles around with perverted lyrics and a guest appearance from Missy Elliot on the boring "Lift Ya Skirt." Some songs simply take ODB's vocals and throw them in the song with a stereotypical MTV rapper (who the hell is Lil' Frame?). Even the collaborations with fellow Wu-Tang members (Ghostface Killah, RZA and Raekwon are featured on here) seem weak. And for the love of God, whenever I hear Macy Gray's voice, I want to punch a baby.\nI don't think there's a positive thing I can say about this release. \nIt's flat-out disappointing. Although I didn't have any real expectations for this release, I thought maybe I'd find one bumpin' track in the mix. Wrong. I don't think he could discern how bad this would turn out. He's probably rolling in his grave over this. Rest in peace ODB. Sorry you had to go out like this. I'll always remember "Hippa To The Hoppa" and "Shame on a Nigga"
(11/16/06 4:18am)
In the years since the invasion of Iraq, critics have occasionally complained about the dearth of protest music today. But it's out there -- it just doesn't sell well or get much mainstream airplay (you can decide which leads to which). And after digging around a little, you'll find modern music that could easily hold its own against what your boomer parents listened to -- including the two albums by The Evens.\nThe Evens are comprised of Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina -- and any punks not familiar with the former best trade in their facial piercings for popped collars. Having vented his spleen in the high-speed blast of Minor Threat, and the more oblique and sophisticated (but still noisy) Fugazi, MacKaye takes a different track with Farina -- the two make stripped-down, melodic, slightly-folky pop with lyrics that will, nevertheless, melt the face off anyone in their crosshairs. And if The Evens' self-titled debut was a heat lamp, Get Evens is a laser. The band's sound has been further simplified to a raw combination of guitar strums, judicious drumming and interchanging male-female vocals that could be performed anywhere from a local open-mic-night to a street-corner demonstration. It's beautiful. \nBut then this is teamed with lyrics like "How do people sleep amidst the slaughter?" ("Cut From The Cloth"), "You and yours and all your wars have run your last campaign -- you're FIRED!" ("Everyone Knows"), "You must be insaaaane" (repeated seven times in "All You Find You Keep") -- and the whole of the devilishly funny "Dinner with the President," where MacKaye and Farina ask why, despite being D.C. neighbors, they never get invited over to the White House. \nThe album's only real shortcoming is that it could benefit from a more personal touch -- it reels off a bit like a laundry-list of progressive gripes. But if your winter of discontent needs a soundtrack, consider warming yourself by The Evens' fire.
(11/16/06 4:13am)
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe's second project together has none of the same energy or vitality of their last project, "Gladiator," and the pair's upcoming "American Gangster" looks to pack serious heat. For now, though, we have a relatively lighthearted melodrama in "A Good Year," a movie with a concept worthy of a Lifetime Original, but with a unique performance by Crowe that nearly transcends the simple, standard formula.\nThe plot, based on the novel by Peter Mayle, finds Russell Crowe's Max Skinner, a profit-driven British stockbroker, inheriting an expansive vineyard in France from his late uncle (a typically moving Albert Finney). Max is your average power player; obsessed with money and in disregard of the simple, nuanced things in life for favor of the hard bottom line. You might think you know where this is going, and you'd be right. After inheriting the vineyard, where he spent much of his youth, he becomes slowly enamored with life's simpler pleasures, and quaint life lessons are learned as Max begins to favor the big picture over the day's market closing numbers.\nThe film's saving grace is Crowe, who, for all the reasons audiences have to dislike his character, exudes a presence and star quality that make sense of why he's such a sought after actor these days. Carefully balancing Max's despicable qualities with a subtle humor and wit that make him alternately pathetic and sympathetic, Crowe delivers a fully realized character in the midst of a partially realized film. Also delivering is cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, who makes a case for the south of France as the most aesthetically gorgeous spot on Earth.\nThere are those who argue Scott should stick to action epics, and "A Good Year" mostly proves them to be correct. The movie is allowed to slip into a predictable pattern that films like Scott's own "Gladiator," "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Black Hawk Down" never ventured near, suggesting that Scott weaves his best tales amidst the blood and strife of man's conflict against the violent nature of mankind, not one man's conflict against himself.
(11/13/06 7:44pm)
CHEAP EATS - TACO BELL
(11/09/06 8:59pm)
Toward the end of another lackluster psychology lecture, senior Kimberly Ranney grows anxious and glances at her phone to check the time. Only six more minutes until class is over, and then it's off to Kady's highly anticipated first basketball game of the season, she thinks to herself. After picking her up from school and walking her to the locker room at the gym, Ranney finds a good spot in the bleachers and chants "Go Kady!" as she makes her debut on the court. Anyone who didn't know the pair would think they were sisters by the way they interacted, but they aren't. Yet even though their connection isn't a biological one, Kimberly is Katie's big sister in the eyes of Big Brothers and Big Sisters. \nBig Brothers and Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club, which tied for second place in the Best of Bloomington poll in the category of Best Place to Volunteer, draw hundreds of IU students and members of the community to get involved in the lives of local children. Although they are two separate organizations, they have similar missions and sometimes work in collaboration with one another. \nBoth organizations are wildly popular within the Bloomington community. \n"Right now we have 569 volunteers that are matched with a child, 347 of those being IU students and professors," says Andrea Smith, Big Brothers Big Sisters director of operations. \nRanney decided she wanted to be a volunteer after her first job at Big Brothers Big Sisters, during which she performed simple tasks to help out in the office. She got connected with the organization to fulfill a volunteering requirement for a class. \n"I went through an interview process, and they picked two or three kids that they thought were the most compatible with me based on the kids' interviews and information," she says. "I worked with a case manager and we looked at each of the different girls and what sort of activities they liked to do, and I picked the girl I thought I'd work best with."\nBig Brothers Big Sisters has three different programs that volunteers can take part in. Ranney is part of the Community Big program, the most intensive of the three. "Bigs" can spend as much time as they'd like to with their "Littles" and can drive them to different places to do activities, pick them up from school, take them to sports practices and other things along those lines. The other programs are the School Bigs program, in which volunteers go to the child's school for a certain amount of time each week. The third option is the Club Bigs program, which intertwines Big Brothers and Big Sisters with the Boys and Girls Club. \n"Every Wednesday afternoon, I hang out with my Little, who I have been with for about a year now," senior Adam Waltz says. "For about an hour and a half, we hang out at the Boys and Girls Club, or take walks to Kirkwood or play in the park near the club."\nIn addition to student mentors, the Boys and Girls club offers various services to children in the Bloomington community. According to their Web site, they provide tutoring services, cooking classes and life skills classes, along with an arts-focused program that exposes kids to writing, art and photography. Their facility is equipped with computer labs and places for children to work on their homework. Exercise classes from cheerleading to Tae Bo are offered throughout the week as well. \nLike Ranney and Big Brothers Big Sisters, sophomore Paolo Balmaseda began to work at the Boys and Girls Club as part of a class assignment.\n"I started volunteering at the Boys and Girls club last semester when I took a class that required service work in the Bloomington Community," Balmaseda says. "When the semester was over, I decided to keep going there because I enjoyed it so much." \nRather than working directly with one child as volunteers at Big Brothers Big Sisters do, Boys and Girls club volunteers work with a number of children when they spend time at the club. \n"I help supervise the gym and play with the children in games as they come and go," he says. "During free time, I usually play with one to three kids and either shoot hoops or chase them around the gym." \nThe majority of the people that volunteer in both organizations work with children that are underprivileged and come from low-income families, Smith says. For many of them, the activities and programs they take part in during their time spent with either organization are things they would not normally be exposed to.\n"Two weeks ago my Little missed a Wednesday at the Boys and Girls Club because he was sick," says Walts. "The following week when I went to visit him he was really bummed that he hadn't been able to be there and spend time with me. He told me how sad he was to have missed just that one day and listed all the reasons why he liked spending time with me, and one of the main reasons was because he got to do fun stuff he doesn't usually get to do." \nNational studies have shown that the benefits of volunteer mentor programs for children are unmatched. Kids in these programs are 52 percent less likely to skip school, are more confident in their schoolwork and are more trusting in parents and other adults. They are also 27 percent less likely to start drinking alcohol and 46 percent less likely to start using drugs, Smith says.\nBut at the end of the day, it's not just the kids that enjoy the perks of these volunteer organizations.\n"Our volunteers love it so much, we often hear that they benefit more than the kids," Smith says. "Especially for IU students, it gives them an opportunity to do things in the community and we hear from a lot of students that it's a good release and fun way to get away from the stress of classes and working." \n"Going into this I was expecting to be a positive role model for these kids, by showing them that yeah, I go to college, they would want to be like me and want to go to college also," Walts says. "But I also did it to have fun, because this is a time where I can hang out with kids and sort of be a kid once again myself."\nBeyond an outlet to escape the pressures of schoolwork, volunteers enjoy working with these organizations because they see the results of the work they do every day. \n"One time when I was helping supervising children at the playground I had to take two kids back to the club and walk them across the street," Balmaseda says. "When we were about to cross, both of them just took my hands and walked with me. It just brought a good feeling when they held my hands. The kids know who I am and they listen to me, and I think the kids enjoy having an adult who plays with them"
(11/09/06 8:58pm)
WEEKEND writer Zack Teibloom takes a drink for the team on his quest to uncover what makes the Kilroys Sports' atmosphere so intoxicating.
(11/09/06 8:55pm)
Everyone remembers what they were doing the moment they heard that Kevin Federline was recording his own album. I was purchasing a new platinum chain shaped like a dollar sign... or maybe I was in the fast lane getting my smash on. I could've been skatin' off in my 'rari. I actually don't remember. \n(Warning: If you have a problem with abbreviating Kevin Federline to K-Fed, shield your eyes.) \nK-Fed, lovingly known as Mr. Britney Spears, actually has an album. Playing with Fire dropped last week, and the world exhaled. There was just one problem (yes, only one). His debut single "PopoZao" was cut from the album! \nThe song seeped into pop culture via a classic video of Federline rocking out to his own song that you can find anywhere on the Internet. Now he's claiming this track was a joke. I wasn't laughing. Besides being the jam of the year, "PopoZao" changed my life. \nBut before I delve into the importance and cultural significance of the anthem of our generation that is "PopoZao," I will point out the few redeeming qualities of Playing with Fire sans a Brazilian booty shaker. Confused fans everywhere finally know the truth about Federline. He's not your brother. He's not your uncle. He's your daddy. \nAt least that's what he tells us in the song "Y'all Ain't Ready." \nAnd some of the lyrics just speak to you in a way no other art form can speak. They tug at your heart and your mind and, most importantly, your soul. Like these lyrics from the song "Privilege:" \n"I got Gucci on, she got Prada/ She calls me daddy, but she's not my daughter/ And I'm not her father, I'm just a mack/ I got tired of drugs, so I switched to rap, like that." \nK-Fed doesn't pretend he can't hear you mocking him. He has a track titled "America's Most Hated." K-Fed has feelings, too. He's a regular human being with access to millions of dollars who chain-smokes at Denny's just like you and me. The naysayers only "hate" on him because they're jealous of his success. In "Lose Control" he says, "Don't hate 'cuz I'm a superstar ... and I married a superstar." \nYes, he did marry a superstar. Even though B. Spears already had a 1999 hit single "Crazy," she is featured on K-Fed's own "Crazy," a tune that could also be titled, "I Guess This is Why a Rich Pop Star Would Marry a White Trash Backup Dancer." In the song Britney's raspy vocals croon, "And they say I'm crazy for loving you." \nIf you'll excuse me, I need to pause for just a moment and write an open letter to Britney Spears.
(11/09/06 8:53pm)
Few video games are able to blur the lines between reality and fantasy. No matter how realistic the players or crowds look, you still know you're not intercepting an errant Brett Favre pass or dunking over Shaq. But when you're in "Tiger Woods PGA Tour '07", you cross that line. You can feel the pressure as your video game-self prepares to tee off on the 17th at TPC at Sawgrass, the gale-force wind just waiting to take your ball into the water, Tiger breathing down your neck as you compete in match play. \nI couldn't wait for the XBOX 360 version of this game to be released. With last year's version quickly reformatted from regular XBOX, it barely had any of the features of the original classic -- already established as the best golf game out there. This year's edition is a complete game. The player list is adequately sized with all the usual suspects (Woods, Singh, Goosen, Furyk, and of course John Daly), and there's 12 stunningly realistic courses, with create-a-course options as well. \nBut the best part of the game is definitely the career mode. You start by creating a golfer, selecting from seemingly endless possibilities of physical appearance, accessories, and clothing. Then you can hit up the practice facility and train, improving your skills from rookie to legend. You can also compete in the Tiger Challenge, where you face random competitors and pros alike in match play in order to u lock courses, players, increase your skill, and eventually take on the ultimate challenger in Tiger Woods. Not to mention a little thing called the PGA Tour season, where you can compete in the same events as the pros in an effort to make a name for your created self. \nOf course, the game added some features as well. "Tournament atmosphere" allows you to play under the watchful eyes of a full gallery of people, there to cheer you on or get in the way of your shots as they're pelted with shots gone awry. There's also the "true aiming" system, which allows you to add a draw or fade on your shot by manipulating the joystick. \nOverall, the game's great, but it still isn't quite up to the level that the original XBOX version was. Great graphics, good gameplay, could use some more courses and players. It's still as close to shooting under par at Pebble Beach I'll get.
(11/09/06 8:46pm)
I was first introduced to Lady Sovereign last year through a single, "Random." My first thought upon hearing the track was, "God, this sounds like a really bad M.I.A. song." \nSovereign's debut album, A Public Warning, proved my memory's not as bad as I thought. Nearly every track sounded like M.I.A.'s fantastic fast-paced pieces, yet each song fell short of what M.I.A. regularly achieves. Lady Sovereign defies every convention; she is a white, female, British rapper. Although her music isn't always great, you can't say she's not a rebel. But believe me, she won't let you forget either. \nThe album begins with "9 to 5," a song praising the visceral happiness of not working. Oddly enough, the melody of the song actually sounds a lot like a Spice Girls song. The subject material about working-class England is akin to something that Sovereign's rapping British peer, The Streets, might bring up. \nThe album bounces through the next few tracks, with Sovereign musing on her "bad-ass" style over electronic bleeps that sound like samples from Mario Kart. Sovereign's current single, "Love Me or Hate Me," showcases her genius lyrics: "If you hate me then ... fuck you." \nOne of the better songs on the album is track six, "My England." The emcee professes her love to the Great Britain that she knows so well. The song is sort-of a "Welcome to Atlanta" across the pond. The standout track, "Those Were the Days," is a nice change from the pace of the rest of the record. Sovereign raps about her childhood over a feel good guitar-sampled beat. \nIt's easy to respect Lady Sovereign for simply existing. However, after the first few tracks, you've already had the point drilled into your head: she's a rebel, she does what she wants to do, blah blah. There's always an overly defensive tone in her lyrics and a definite insecurity about her stature in the rap world. You don't have to keep telling us how cool you are, Sovereign. Just do it.
(11/09/06 8:44pm)
Allmusic.com is, by far, one of the best music information resources available anywhere. However, its main page on the Deftones -- on the band's sound, on its influences -- is absurdly out of date. "Along with Limp Bizkit," the band's biography starts off, "the Deftones are often considered to be disciples of Korn, but in fact, they've been around for just as long (if not longer)." Ouch.\nThe fact is that since, at least, 2000's White Pony, the Deftones have deserved much more credit regarding the quality of their art -- and, while hardly rock perfection, Saturday Night Wrist only reinforces this. For one thing, the album has about as much in common with Korn and Limp Bizkit as Fred Durst has with, well, anyone with talent. Rather than rap-rock or nü-metal (shudder), think chilly space rock with a few shards of screamy, poundy metal jutting out of it -- much of Saturday Night is more akin to the proggier bands straddling the indie/alt-rock border (...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Muse, Doves, Mars Volta) than the mainstream metal with which the Deftones are often associated. And, yet, despite its arty moments, the album stays fairly accessible, generally avoiding the eye-rolling pretension that afflicts other prog devotees (I'm looking at you, Mars Volta).\nNot to say everything's hunky-dory. For one thing, Saturday Night suffers from a classic space rock problem -- there's so much emphasis on atmosphere and texture and pan-album cohesion, that much of it blends together into a blur that rocks pleasantly, but isn't all that memorable. To employ a music critic cliché: it's easy to like, but not to love. This draws emphasis to the songs that are the furthest from the overall vibe -- the thrashers "Rapture" and "Rats! Rats! Rats!" and the experimental "Pink Cellphone." Of these, "Rats! Rats! Rats!" is by far the best. Lead vocalist Chino Moreno screeches at you to "Decide! Decide!" while the band hammers away furiously -- interspersing a couple of melodic pauses that last just long enough to make the listener feel blasted when the band returns with double the rage. "Rapture" is likewise suited to head-banging, but is more straightforward and less inspired. On the other hand, with its literally phoned-in spoken vocals by Giant Drag's Annie Hardy, "Pink Cellphone" doesn't really work -- it's the one truly "bad-prog" moment on the album.\nLastly, the Deftones deserve credit for titling their mid-album instrumental "U,U,D,D,L,R,L,R,A,B,Select,Start". If only the song matched the initial thrill of tackling "Contra" with 30 extra lives. Sigh.