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(07/08/04 4:00am)
In 2002, the American Film Institute listed "Blazing Saddles" as the sixth funniest film of all time, out of 100 selections. Thirty years after its release, the western parody is back in a new special edition DVD, and like a fine wine it's improved with age.\n "Saddles" tells the story of the small western town of Rockridge and the sheriff (Cleavon Little) who saves it from its demise. By having a simple, and sometimes stupid storyline, director Mel Brooks uses "Saddles" as a way to poke fun at the campy western TV shows and movies of the 1950s, racism and even potty humor (see the memorable beans sequence).\n Although this is not my favorite Brooks film (nothing beats Frau Blücher's screeching horses from "Young Frankenstein"), "Saddles" is a very funny movie. The 30th Anniversary Special Edition DVD lacks the intriguing special features one would expect from a movie like this, but does do a nice job with the digital transfer and remastered soundtrack.\n The disc features a somewhat interesting commentary track from Brooks, some deleted scenes and a short featurette about how the film was made. The bottom line is this: "Blazing Saddles" still packs all the laughs and is a great movie for those tired of the same dull comedies.
(07/08/04 1:58am)
On the first day of classes, Catherine Marchese walked into her classroom with a different kind of curriculum in mind. Sporting a pointy wizard hat and waving a long wand, Marchese was ready to work her magic.\nAs a teacher at University Elementary School in Bloomington, Marchese is using the theme of magic to teach her students their daily lessons.\n"It was a great way of opening because I didn't have to say anything," Marchese said. "They just had to watch."\nMarchese is one of the many English as a New Language instructors, trained to help foreign speaking students adapt to the conditions of the American classroom. Through an immersion program, these students are able to learn English while interacting in a regular classroom. Due to the increase of immigrants coming to the United States, more and more schools are altering their curriculums to accommodate the eager learners.\nIn the 2003-2004 school year, 47 percent of the University Elementary's student body was international students, and 17 percent spoke very little English, Marchese said. \n"We had an explosion of new language learners," she said. "It doubled, or even tripled since my first year."\nUniversity was one of the first schools in Bloomington to feature an ENL program but now is one of many, said Aniko Bahr, director of the Office of Multicultural Education Services for the Monroe County Community School Corporation. \n"ENL programs, like the one at University, have proven to be very successful," Bahr said. "It's the best way to teach newcomers the language."\nAs a full-time specialty instructor at University, Marchese works with ENL students through a "pull out" method of teaching. Each day she meets with a small group from grades 1 through 5 for 40 to 45 minutes, focusing on reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.\nFor many students, particularly those of East Asian backgrounds, certain parts of the English language are difficult to understand. One challenge is recognizing simple vowels for spelling.\n"Letters like 'a' and words like 'the' are very hard for Asian students who speak a language where some English sounds don't even exist," Marchese said.\nIn 2003, 27 percent of students at University were of Asian ethnicity, which is far greater than the Indiana state average of 1 percent, according to a status report done by www.greatschools.net and the Monroe County Department of Education.\nMartha Nyikos, professor of language education at IU, said she believes the changes at schools like University reflect the growing population of international students at IU.\n"A lot of the students at University have parents who are getting their Ph.D or Masters," Nyikos said. "Especially students from an East Asian background."\nAt IU, 8.7 percent of the student body, both undergraduate and graduate, is comprised of international students, according to International Student Resources Department at IU. \nThe Bloomington ENL programs are different from the traditional bilingual education programs found in places like Southern California and Arizona. While bilingual classes teach student's material in English, as well as a second language, ENL programs are taught only in English by trained language education specialists, Bahr said.\nIn Bloomington, two elementary schools, University and Templeton, have full-time ENL instructors.\nAt University, Marchese will teach five days a week for students, who, combined, speak 12 different languages, ranging from Japanese and Korean, to Spanish and German. The classes focus on a hands-on, visual method of teaching that encourages students to work in groups. Activities that use songs and simple books help students grasp the basics, Marchese said. \n"Being extremely visual is essential," Marchese said. "Once (the students) become comfortable with the class, they start relying on each other to learn."\nDespite the progress, the programs still face some difficulties ranging from lack of funding to new government curriculum programs, like "No Child Left Behind," which sets a standard for all schools by mandatory testing in order to receive funding. \nNyikos said she believes the main hardship ENL students face is having to understand English on an academic level. \n"What people don't understand is that challenges are much greater for students coming in with low English literacy," Nyikos said.\nSubjects like language arts and history create barriers for international students. In her college classes, Nyikos teaches students about the different kinds of bilingual education programs and even places them in schools like University Elementary to gain field experience. \n"Many times, in regular curriculum programs, these kids are not watched closely by the teacher and they fall behind in their work," Nyikos said.\nJanice Bizzari, University's principal, said she has seen no serious problems with Marchese's pull-out classes, but realizes that with all the success there are consequences.\n"Having an ENL teacher is a luxury," Bizzari said. "However, every time you pull a child out of the classroom, they are going to lose something."\nThe other threat to successful ENL programs is money. At the Monroe County School Corporation, ENL funding is one of Bahr's main concerns.\nFor the most part the federal government, through education grants, funds ENL programs in Bloomington on a per capita basis based on the number of ENL students. However, half of the money received is used to pay the salaries of instructors like Marchese, which does not leave a lot more for improvements costs.\n"We need to spend more money on ENL instructors 'cause I'm still short staff," Bahr said. "I would also like to start a real bilingual education program in Bloomington of either Korean and English or Spanish and English, or ultimately both."\nThe future of ENL programs in Bloomington is unclear. Now, University and Templeton are the only elementary schools to have full-time ENL teachers, but Marchese and others are pushing for ENL in all of Monroe County. \nFor Bahr, one goal is to start ENL in early education. Now, all programs begin in the first grade, while in other parts of the country children are involved with ENL in pre-kindergarten and Head Start, a program designed to encourage early education, Bahr said.\nDespite current challenges and ambitious goals, the ENL programs were very successful over the years and continue to prosper. Every year the number of ENL staffers increase and more and more elementary schools are opening their doors to English learners, Bahr said. \n"Because University was so overloaded with ENL students, the county decided to create more programs," Bahr said. "Now students, who were previously being bused out for ENL, are able to stay in their neighborhood school."\nAs the current school year draws to an end, Marchese is busy as ever helping her students get ahead in their new environment. She said she believes it is a great accomplishment and does not have any plans of leaving.\n"I absolutely love seeing the kids go from speaking no English at all and then seeing how they progress," Marchese said. "It's sort of like child birth."\nOn the second to last Wednesday of the year, her 10 a.m. second graders move on to their homeroom classes. Marchese takes a seat at a desk and skims through her students daily quizzes. Above her a colorful banner on the wall reads, "Let Learning Take You Around The World."\n-- Contact staff writer C. Warner Sills at csills@indiana.edu.
(07/08/04 1:23am)
In 2002, the American Film Institute listed "Blazing Saddles" as the sixth funniest film of all time, out of 100 selections. Thirty years after its release, the western parody is back in a new special edition DVD, and like a fine wine it's improved with age.\n "Saddles" tells the story of the small western town of Rockridge and the sheriff (Cleavon Little) who saves it from its demise. By having a simple, and sometimes stupid storyline, director Mel Brooks uses "Saddles" as a way to poke fun at the campy western TV shows and movies of the 1950s, racism and even potty humor (see the memorable beans sequence).\n Although this is not my favorite Brooks film (nothing beats Frau Blücher's screeching horses from "Young Frankenstein"), "Saddles" is a very funny movie. The 30th Anniversary Special Edition DVD lacks the intriguing special features one would expect from a movie like this, but does do a nice job with the digital transfer and remastered soundtrack.\n The disc features a somewhat interesting commentary track from Brooks, some deleted scenes and a short featurette about how the film was made. The bottom line is this: "Blazing Saddles" still packs all the laughs and is a great movie for those tired of the same dull comedies.
(07/01/04 2:04am)
Whether you like parades, barbecues with friends, or simply gazing at the firework displays, Bloomington has many events and festivals this year for celebrating the Fourth of July.\n"This is the nation's birthday," said Dave Cobb, who is the 2004 Bloomington fireworks chairman. "We can't wait for it to happen again. It's just so much fun."\nThe fireworks display on campus is a tradition dating back 55 years ago. The event will be held Sunday at dusk at the IU Memorial Stadium, with an expected attendance of 50,000 people, Cobb said.\nThe spectacle is funded by the Bloomington community and hosted, for the fifth year in a row, by the American Veterans Organization. The festivities will feature local bands and food vendors and about $25,000 worth of fireworks, Cobb said.\n"We try to support the community as much as possible," Cobb said. "We want people to make an afternoon or evening out of this."\nThe other major event of the day will be the annual Bloomington Fourth of July parade, which will begin at 3 p.m. at the intersection of 11th Street and College Avenue. The parade will feature floats, musical acts, horses, and various marching groups and organizations, said Talisha Coppock, who is an event volunteer and member of the Downtown Bloomington Commission. \n"The parade is a real reflection of the Bloomington community," Coppock said. "It's one of those events that helps with Bloomington's image as a small town."\nThe parade will feature entries from 130 different groups, ranging from local Cub Scout troops to the Bloomington Fire Department, with the theme "Supporting Our Troops in Uniform." The walk will last a little more than one hour, with activities and musical performances before the main event beginning at 11:30 a.m.\nThe Bloomington Pops Orchestra will hold its annual Picnic with the Pops event at Ivy Tech State College on July 3. Mike walsh, vice president of operations for the orchestra, said the picnic began in 1996 and has grown in popularity.\nThe festivities will begin at 4 p.m. with local music acts, food vendors, activities for children, fireworks and a prize competition for best table decoration. Tickets for the event range from blanket seating on the lawn to group tables in front of the stage and can be purchased at the orchestra's office or at any Bloomington Marsh or O'Malia's stores.\n"It's probably one of the biggest events in Bloomington this summer," Walsh said. "It's going to be a wonderful event."\n-- Contact staff writer C. Warner Sills at csills@indiana.edu.
(06/10/04 4:00am)
"Pokémon Colosseum" is a decent game. What? Don't look at me like that. Yes, I'll admit it; I was a Poké-fan back when asking for someone's "squirtle" didn't get you a restraining order. It was a simple role-playing game with surprising depth, and everyone else was doing it, right? But yes, even though it's a "Pokémon Stadium" for the Gamecube, it's a decent game.\nI do not own the Gamecube-to-Game Boy Advance connect cable, so I was not able to fully enjoy "Colosseum." You unfortunately must transfer "Pokémon" from your GBA, or from the one player mode, to register for the "Colosseum Battle" (the game won't supply you with any, like in "Stadium"). Your other option is to "Battle Now," which will assign you random Pokémon for a quick battle. Therefore, I'm not too sure what this section is like, so on to more familiar ground.\nWhat makes this game different from the "Stadiums" of the 64-bit era is that there is now a pseudo-RPG one player mode. I look at it as a tease since it's not a full-fledged RPG. You start off with Pokémon that are of a high level and have moves already equipped to them, so you don't get much room for customization. Also, there's no wild Pokémon to catch, just Shadow Pokémon, which detracts from the experience. One very surprising aspect of the game is the awesome music. I don't know if they're trying to keep their now matured original audience or what, but from the lazy, harmonica-laden tunes to smooth finger-snapping jazz, you'll be hooked.\nSo, if you like "Pokémon" and have "Ruby" and/or "Sapphire," pick this game up. Otherwise, rent or pass. I'll choose someone else.
(06/10/04 2:04am)
"Pokémon Colosseum" is a decent game. What? Don't look at me like that. Yes, I'll admit it; I was a Poké-fan back when asking for someone's "squirtle" didn't get you a restraining order. It was a simple role-playing game with surprising depth, and everyone else was doing it, right? But yes, even though it's a "Pokémon Stadium" for the Gamecube, it's a decent game.\nI do not own the Gamecube-to-Game Boy Advance connect cable, so I was not able to fully enjoy "Colosseum." You unfortunately must transfer "Pokémon" from your GBA, or from the one player mode, to register for the "Colosseum Battle" (the game won't supply you with any, like in "Stadium"). Your other option is to "Battle Now," which will assign you random Pokémon for a quick battle. Therefore, I'm not too sure what this section is like, so on to more familiar ground.\nWhat makes this game different from the "Stadiums" of the 64-bit era is that there is now a pseudo-RPG one player mode. I look at it as a tease since it's not a full-fledged RPG. You start off with Pokémon that are of a high level and have moves already equipped to them, so you don't get much room for customization. Also, there's no wild Pokémon to catch, just Shadow Pokémon, which detracts from the experience. One very surprising aspect of the game is the awesome music. I don't know if they're trying to keep their now matured original audience or what, but from the lazy, harmonica-laden tunes to smooth finger-snapping jazz, you'll be hooked.\nSo, if you like "Pokémon" and have "Ruby" and/or "Sapphire," pick this game up. Otherwise, rent or pass. I'll choose someone else.
(05/25/04 3:05pm)
The Beta Band's sound has undergone a major evolution since the band's 1997 formation from electronica/trip-hop to indie rock. The band took over as producers for their third proper album, Heroes to Zeros, and they haven't lost a step. Other bands' projects, like the Smashing Pumpkins' Adore, have not been nearly as successful when the musicians played the role of producer.\nBeta Band purists will surely be a bit taken aback by the richer rock texture Hot Shots II merely hinted at, but the band's maturation as artists can only be admired. Heroes to Zeros preserves a whiff of the Scottish trip-hop aroma the band helped generate, but it utilizes that as a base for the record's innovative and elaborate sound.\nDespite the changes, this Beta Band record, like all the others, is great to have playing in the background while chilling with your friends. The song "Wonderful" has their signature easy-going feel, but it exemplifies the band's use of other styles to convey that mood. While its 1998 release, The 3 E.P.'s, was far more transcendental with its funky beats and seemingly endless inclusion of various instruments, Heroes to Zeros displays the broader range of directions this band wants to explore.
(05/24/04 4:36pm)
Rob Poulos is a walking fragment of literature.\nTattooed on his left wrist is a single word, lowercase, followed by a comma and quotation marks -- "back," -- as if it was lifted from the end of a line of dialogue.\nLikely it was. Poulos, himself a student of creative writing, joined a worldwide effort to help author Shelley Jackson publish a short story solely on human hide.\nAppropriately titled "Skin," the 2,095-word piece of fiction is the foundation for a project that's as exclusive as it is obscure. Each person bears one word only, and Jackson insists that the full text will be distributed only to participants.\n"I can't write a normal book. I'm not interested in that," Jackson said in a telephone interview while roller-skating through New York City's borough of Brooklyn.\nNone of her books have been mainstream. Her 1995 "Patchwork Girl" was written in computer hypertext, full of endless mouse clickable links.\n"It's not that everything I do has to be tricked out with gimmicks and games," she said. "I'm just interested in exploring the range of what a text can do."\nJackson, 40, launched the project she calls a "mortal work of art" in August.\nPoulos, 22, heard about it in his literature class at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His professor was given: "pen?"\n"I thought it was an interesting mix of genres and I liked the permanence of the whole thing," Poulos said. "I always told myself if I get a tattoo, it better be something of importance."\nJackson said participants want to be connected to 2,094 other people and often don't care about the story's subject. Some have never read her earlier work.\nPoulos did know of Jackson. After seeing the rules for the project, he e-mailed her.\n"I told myself if I get a word I don't like, I'm not going to do it," Poulos said.\nA letter came in the mail with Poulos' word -- "back," -- a few months ago. Possibly a character's dialogue from the story, he thought.\nWithin days, Poulos got his first tattoo for $60 at Skin Illustrations, a parlor near his home in Overland Park, Kan.\nDrawn in a black textbook font, "back," is small enough that it could be concealed under a watch strap.\nJackson was the first to ink the story's title to the underside of her wrist. Its uncommon spot complements her wild hair, nose and lip piercings and the "&" tattooed to her bicep.\nInitially, Jackson asked friends to become the story's opening lines. But when BBC and others reported on her project, e-mails and letters poured in from across the United States and dozens of countries, from Jordan to Japan.\nShe has more than enough volunteers and could have finished the project months ago if not for an arm injury, she said. All the words -- about 400 remain -- will be assigned after she finishes teaching creative writing at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn this summer.\nThe story has no obscene words, but some can be taken more than one way. One woman, for example, refused to tattoo "use" to her curvy body.\nJackson's "words" have replied with proof of their tattoos. A man in his 50s from Hawaii sent a photo in which he proudly flexes his first tattoo. Mother-daughter duos have consecutive words in "Skin" tattooed on their bodies. So do couples.\n"I was always fascinated by the idea of alternative publications and not many authors have ever attempted alternative ways of publishing," Jackson said. "Publishers are not interested in conceptual art."\nAuthor Neal Pollack has also mastered publicity stunts with his literature.\n"One doesn't do something like Shelley did to get noticed," said Pollack, whose first book tour mocked literary conventions with readings at train stations and baseball stadiums. On his last tour, Pollack peddled his work through live punk rock shows.\nHe acknowledged that "Skin" could easily be seen as "pretentious."\n"But anything that even moderately shakes literature out of its doldrums is great," Pollack said.\nWilliam Gibson was a pioneer in elevating the craft through artful self-expression with his "Agrippa (A Book of The Dead)."\nIn 1992, the author, famed for "Johnny Mnemonic," sold $2,000 copies of a "read-only-once" poem. Published on a computer disk and bound by art that vanished when exposed to light, a program would scroll the six-verse poem across the screen one time, then self-destruct (the idea was spoiled when someone passed the poem over the Internet).\nJackson is debating how to present her story to her "words," but she's optimistic that "Skin," in its published entirety, will remain a secret among her loyal subjects. She gives no clues about the story's topic, only that it's in the "surreal tradition of literary fantasists."\nPoulos promises he won't share the story when he gets his hands on it. He hopes to meet Jackson someday, and there's talk of an online discussion board for the new community.
(05/20/04 4:00am)
Rob Poulos is a walking fragment of literature.\nTattooed on his left wrist is a single word, lowercase, followed by a comma and quotation marks -- "back," -- as if it was lifted from the end of a line of dialogue.\nLikely it was. Poulos, himself a student of creative writing, joined a worldwide effort to help author Shelley Jackson publish a short story solely on human hide.\nAppropriately titled "Skin," the 2,095-word piece of fiction is the foundation for a project that's as exclusive as it is obscure. Each person bears one word only, and Jackson insists that the full text will be distributed only to participants.\n"I can't write a normal book. I'm not interested in that," Jackson said in a telephone interview while roller-skating through New York City's borough of Brooklyn.\nNone of her books have been mainstream. Her 1995 "Patchwork Girl" was written in computer hypertext, full of endless mouse clickable links.\n"It's not that everything I do has to be tricked out with gimmicks and games," she said. "I'm just interested in exploring the range of what a text can do."\nJackson, 40, launched the project she calls a "mortal work of art" in August.\nPoulos, 22, heard about it in his literature class at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His professor was given: "pen?"\n"I thought it was an interesting mix of genres and I liked the permanence of the whole thing," Poulos said. "I always told myself if I get a tattoo, it better be something of importance."\nJackson said participants want to be connected to 2,094 other people and often don't care about the story's subject. Some have never read her earlier work.\nPoulos did know of Jackson. After seeing the rules for the project, he e-mailed her.\n"I told myself if I get a word I don't like, I'm not going to do it," Poulos said.\nA letter came in the mail with Poulos' word -- "back," -- a few months ago. Possibly a character's dialogue from the story, he thought.\nWithin days, Poulos got his first tattoo for $60 at Skin Illustrations, a parlor near his home in Overland Park, Kan.\nDrawn in a black textbook font, "back," is small enough that it could be concealed under a watch strap.\nJackson was the first to ink the story's title to the underside of her wrist. Its uncommon spot complements her wild hair, nose and lip piercings and the "&" tattooed to her bicep.\nInitially, Jackson asked friends to become the story's opening lines. But when BBC and others reported on her project, e-mails and letters poured in from across the United States and dozens of countries, from Jordan to Japan.\nShe has more than enough volunteers and could have finished the project months ago if not for an arm injury, she said. All the words -- about 400 remain -- will be assigned after she finishes teaching creative writing at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn this summer.\nThe story has no obscene words, but some can be taken more than one way. One woman, for example, refused to tattoo "use" to her curvy body.\nJackson's "words" have replied with proof of their tattoos. A man in his 50s from Hawaii sent a photo in which he proudly flexes his first tattoo. Mother-daughter duos have consecutive words in "Skin" tattooed on their bodies. So do couples.\n"I was always fascinated by the idea of alternative publications and not many authors have ever attempted alternative ways of publishing," Jackson said. "Publishers are not interested in conceptual art."\nAuthor Neal Pollack has also mastered publicity stunts with his literature.\n"One doesn't do something like Shelley did to get noticed," said Pollack, whose first book tour mocked literary conventions with readings at train stations and baseball stadiums. On his last tour, Pollack peddled his work through live punk rock shows.\nHe acknowledged that "Skin" could easily be seen as "pretentious."\n"But anything that even moderately shakes literature out of its doldrums is great," Pollack said.\nWilliam Gibson was a pioneer in elevating the craft through artful self-expression with his "Agrippa (A Book of The Dead)."\nIn 1992, the author, famed for "Johnny Mnemonic," sold $2,000 copies of a "read-only-once" poem. Published on a computer disk and bound by art that vanished when exposed to light, a program would scroll the six-verse poem across the screen one time, then self-destruct (the idea was spoiled when someone passed the poem over the Internet).\nJackson is debating how to present her story to her "words," but she's optimistic that "Skin," in its published entirety, will remain a secret among her loyal subjects. She gives no clues about the story's topic, only that it's in the "surreal tradition of literary fantasists."\nPoulos promises he won't share the story when he gets his hands on it. He hopes to meet Jackson someday, and there's talk of an online discussion board for the new community.
(05/13/04 4:00am)
The Beta Band's sound has undergone a major evolution since the band's 1997 formation from electronica/trip-hop to indie rock. The band took over as producers for their third proper album, Heroes to Zeros, and they haven't lost a step. Other bands' projects, like the Smashing Pumpkins' Adore, have not been nearly as successful when the musicians played the role of producer.\nBeta Band purists will surely be a bit taken aback by the richer rock texture Hot Shots II merely hinted at, but the band's maturation as artists can only be admired. Heroes to Zeros preserves a whiff of the Scottish trip-hop aroma the band helped generate, but it utilizes that as a base for the record's innovative and elaborate sound.\nDespite the changes, this Beta Band record, like all the others, is great to have playing in the background while chilling with your friends. The song "Wonderful" has their signature easy-going feel, but it exemplifies the band's use of other styles to convey that mood. While its 1998 release, The 3 E.P.'s, was far more transcendental with its funky beats and seemingly endless inclusion of various instruments, Heroes to Zeros displays the broader range of directions this band wants to explore.
(04/08/04 4:49am)
While recording their second record, Vines bassist Patrick Matthews said, "Not to compare us to the Beatles, but you know how Rubber Soul and Revolver would almost work as a double album? These two are turning out pretty similar, just different songs."\nBy "different," I think Matthews actually meant to say "less creative." Not to argue semantics with him, but Revolver perfected Rubber Soul's revolutionary sound, while the Vines' Winning Days is just a bastardized version of their debut masterpiece Highly Evolved. The Aussie band's trademark grunge/'60s pop fusion which once produced hook-rich jams and delicate, charming ballads has now been watered-down and adulterated.\nA song which manages to shine through the wreckage is "She's Got Something to Say to Me," which clearly displays the band's unique contribution to '60s pop imitation in garage rock. The title track, "Winning Days," is one of the best ballads which front man Craig Nicholls has ever written. It brings together nimble, carefree acoustic guitar rhythms and heart-wrenching lyrics.\nIt's obvious from Highly Evolved that the Vines have amazing potential as artists, but Winning Days is the sophomore slump which their garage rock counterparts have managed to avoid. I suppose the Vines' records thus far could work as a double album, but I'd probably only listen to disc one.
(04/08/04 4:00am)
While recording their second record, Vines bassist Patrick Matthews said, "Not to compare us to the Beatles, but you know how Rubber Soul and Revolver would almost work as a double album? These two are turning out pretty similar, just different songs."\nBy "different," I think Matthews actually meant to say "less creative." Not to argue semantics with him, but Revolver perfected Rubber Soul's revolutionary sound, while the Vines' Winning Days is just a bastardized version of their debut masterpiece Highly Evolved. The Aussie band's trademark grunge/'60s pop fusion which once produced hook-rich jams and delicate, charming ballads has now been watered-down and adulterated.\nA song which manages to shine through the wreckage is "She's Got Something to Say to Me," which clearly displays the band's unique contribution to '60s pop imitation in garage rock. The title track, "Winning Days," is one of the best ballads which front man Craig Nicholls has ever written. It brings together nimble, carefree acoustic guitar rhythms and heart-wrenching lyrics.\nIt's obvious from Highly Evolved that the Vines have amazing potential as artists, but Winning Days is the sophomore slump which their garage rock counterparts have managed to avoid. I suppose the Vines' records thus far could work as a double album, but I'd probably only listen to disc one.
(03/04/04 5:00am)
Disturbed, Chevelle, Taproot and Unloco had so much fun on the Music as a Weapon II Tour they decided to put together a CD/DVD chronicling it. Both the tour and CD have the exact same music -- excepting a bonus video for Disturbed's "Liberate." \nThe DVD shows the tour's incredible final concert in Disturbed's hometown of Chicago, which includes a lot of head-banging energy and great stage set-ups and light shows from all the bands. The album includes two previously unreleased tracks by Disturbed -- "Loading the Weapon," a brooding instrumental introduction and "Dehumanized," a mysteriously dark song. Amid the chaos, Disturbed does a great but shortened cover of Metallica's "Fade to Black," as well as its own beautifully melancholic ballad, "Darkness." \nSharing the spotlight with Disturbed, Chevelle and Taproot is the lesser-known but nonetheless impressive Unloco. In spite of lacking the benefits of commercial radio play, Unloco is given ample opportunity to be noticed by the mainstream heavy metal community with this collection, and rightfully so. \nBalancing the obscure with the mainstream, Music as a Weapon II wraps up with breakout hits including Chevelle's "The Red," Taproot's "Poem" and of course, Disturbed's "Stupify."\nThis product stands out as truly unique -- it's one of few opportunities, outside lame-brained horror movie soundtracks, to have a good dose of hard-hitting heavy metal.
(03/04/04 3:53am)
Disturbed, Chevelle, Taproot and Unloco had so much fun on the Music as a Weapon II Tour they decided to put together a CD/DVD chronicling it. Both the tour and CD have the exact same music -- excepting a bonus video for Disturbed's "Liberate." \nThe DVD shows the tour's incredible final concert in Disturbed's hometown of Chicago, which includes a lot of head-banging energy and great stage set-ups and light shows from all the bands. The album includes two previously unreleased tracks by Disturbed -- "Loading the Weapon," a brooding instrumental introduction and "Dehumanized," a mysteriously dark song. Amid the chaos, Disturbed does a great but shortened cover of Metallica's "Fade to Black," as well as its own beautifully melancholic ballad, "Darkness." \nSharing the spotlight with Disturbed, Chevelle and Taproot is the lesser-known but nonetheless impressive Unloco. In spite of lacking the benefits of commercial radio play, Unloco is given ample opportunity to be noticed by the mainstream heavy metal community with this collection, and rightfully so. \nBalancing the obscure with the mainstream, Music as a Weapon II wraps up with breakout hits including Chevelle's "The Red," Taproot's "Poem" and of course, Disturbed's "Stupify."\nThis product stands out as truly unique -- it's one of few opportunities, outside lame-brained horror movie soundtracks, to have a good dose of hard-hitting heavy metal.
(02/26/04 5:00am)
It's nearing 2 a.m. on a Friday night and Kirkwood Ave. is dead. The exception is a group of three girls in tight jeans and sleeveless, black tops who despite their better judgment, run to Kilroy's Bar and Grill in 11-degree temperature. \nWhen the girls reach the door and quickly pull it open, the sound of Chingy's "Holidae In" combines with a roar of conversation and tumbles out into the street as if there's not enough room inside to hold all the noise. As the door closes, Kirkwood is again quiet, and a man perched on a metal stool behind a hot dog stand smiles.\nMatt Berry, who to most of his customers is simply the "hot dog man," has been working behind a hot dog stand for eight cold winters. Perservering both Bloomington's frigid temperatures and the intoxicated customers who are spit out of Kirkwood's many bars, Berry is a refreshing reminder that happiness is in the eye of the beholder.\n"I really like getting to meet so many interesting people, and while some will be boisterous and aggressive, you're talking maybe one in 20," Berry says. \nIndeed, Berry's late hours and proximity to Kilroy's, Nick's English Hut and the Upstairs Pub stir up an often "interesting" group of people who Berry considers his customers. From Amish men to half-nude students, not much can surprise him anymore. \n"Just last week I saw a group of guys come out the front door of Kilroy's without pants or undergarments on and then run towards the Sample Gates," Berry says, laughing.\nWhile Berry's customers can so often be unpredictable, so too can the weather. Protected only by a small umbrella, Berry has spent every Wednesday through Saturday for the last eight years selling hot dogs from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. in any condition including rain, snow or sleet. He says the most difficult part of the job is not selling his "quintessential chili-cheese dog," but trying to stay warm having only a shoe-box size heating unit.\n"Occasionally I'll get screwed on a hot dog and it will come out of my pocket, but undoubtedly the hardest part is the weather," Berry says. \nBerry has come to accept that bad weather comes with being a hot dog vendor. Fortunately, he finds his job fulfilling, and it provides enough income for life's essentials. \n"It pays for a comfortable, modest lifestyle," Berry says. \nHis attitude towards life is evident in the pride he takes making his hot dogs. He shows patience towards slurring customers who bumble through their wallets, counting $2.25 in coins. Senior Kim Kessinger has been going to Berry's stand exclusively for nearly four years -- not just for the product, but for the service. \n"It's not just about getting a convenient hot dog after a long night at the bars, it's about the friendly service that comes with it," Kessinger says. "Not to mention he has the best hot dog in Bloomington." \nWhat many people don't know is that Berry's hot dogs are no different from the hot dogs sold in front of Kilroy's Sports Bar or the Bluebird Nightclub because the ingredients come from the same place -- Gordon Food Service Marketplace. While Berry is the main man outside Kilroy's on Kirkwood, Larry Kanserski and Leslie Burke run the show outside of Kilory's Sports and the Bluebird respectively. Wednesday through Saturday, the three of them meet at a warehouse at 11:30 p.m., hook up their carts together and pull them behind a pickup truck to their respective locations.\n"We shut down our carts around 3:30 a.m. and then have to scrub down our dishes, so I usually don't get home until 4:45 a.m.," Berry says.\nThe late hours, along with some obnoxiously-intoxicated customers, can make for a long night. Although the vendors admit that most people are pretty casual, some can get a little out of hand. A six-year veteran, Kanserski will be the first to admit he's had some frustrating altercations with his customers.\n"There's a lot of attitude that can be pushed across in the simple way of requesting something," he says. "Even offensive attitude like I am a servant or a peasant."\nAlthough his customers might assume that Kanserski merely sells hot dogs, the hot dog stand is only one chapter out of his life. Due to his current occupation, some might overlook his service in the National Guard, degree in historical preservation and internship at Valley Fords National Park.\n"I was standing at Washington's headquarters in historical garb," he says. "It would have worked out into a job if Congress hadn't cut back funding. It affected national parks, state parks, local parks -- anything that was recreationally orientated."\nKanserski went from working in the nation's capitol to living off the hungry stomachs of drunken college students. Although he seems a little bitter about the way his life was redirected by a simple congressional decision, he says that working as a hot dog vendor isn't as bad as it may seem. \n"It's kept me fed," he says. "But it's not going to be a career. In fact this is probably the last winter you'll see me out here."\nOutside of the Bluebird Thursday through Saturday, Leslie Burke runs her part of the business with a friendly smile and an optimistic attitude. While she admits that Kanserski gets a lot of the obnoxious drunks, she says her customers are the fuel to her fire, thawing her out in the freezing temperatures in the late night.\n"I'm convinced this spot at the Bluebird is the prime spot," she says. "People come here to hear a good band and dance, but I think at the other bars people try to see how smashed they can get."\nShe sounds convincing, but every hot dog stand has to have some kind of drama. \n"The other night there was a big brawl," she says. "People were crashing into the cart, falling over and hitting their heads into it."\nBurke also recalls a soldier who visited the bar while on leave. In the midst of a scuffle his tags got ripped off, and in an instant, chaos was created.\n"It was really an intense time," she says. "After his tags got ripped off it was not an issue of anything that had happened before -- he just wanted his tags back. That was the biggest fight I had seen, but surprisingly the cops didn't come."\nWhile all hot dog vendors have their stories, Burke says the most she's learned from her experiences is to relax and treat people with courtesy. And although some people don't show the same respect back, she stands strong and pays no mind to rude comments.\n"I try to just hear it all, rather than react to it," she says. "I know if there's a drunk guy coming at me that they're influenced by the alcohol."\nBerry has a similar view on bitter drunks with attitude, wanting to take their problems out on him. In fact his perspective is warming, even in the numbingly cold February night. \n"In life you'll always deal with someone who's obnoxious," he says. "If you cannot do well with that, you're not going to do well with life"
(02/25/04 3:20pm)
It's nearing 2 a.m. on a Friday night and Kirkwood Ave. is dead. The exception is a group of three girls in tight jeans and sleeveless, black tops who despite their better judgment, run to Kilroy's Bar and Grill in 11-degree temperature. \nWhen the girls reach the door and quickly pull it open, the sound of Chingy's "Holidae In" combines with a roar of conversation and tumbles out into the street as if there's not enough room inside to hold all the noise. As the door closes, Kirkwood is again quiet, and a man perched on a metal stool behind a hot dog stand smiles.\nMatt Berry, who to most of his customers is simply the "hot dog man," has been working behind a hot dog stand for eight cold winters. Perservering both Bloomington's frigid temperatures and the intoxicated customers who are spit out of Kirkwood's many bars, Berry is a refreshing reminder that happiness is in the eye of the beholder.\n"I really like getting to meet so many interesting people, and while some will be boisterous and aggressive, you're talking maybe one in 20," Berry says. \nIndeed, Berry's late hours and proximity to Kilroy's, Nick's English Hut and the Upstairs Pub stir up an often "interesting" group of people who Berry considers his customers. From Amish men to half-nude students, not much can surprise him anymore. \n"Just last week I saw a group of guys come out the front door of Kilroy's without pants or undergarments on and then run towards the Sample Gates," Berry says, laughing.\nWhile Berry's customers can so often be unpredictable, so too can the weather. Protected only by a small umbrella, Berry has spent every Wednesday through Saturday for the last eight years selling hot dogs from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. in any condition including rain, snow or sleet. He says the most difficult part of the job is not selling his "quintessential chili-cheese dog," but trying to stay warm having only a shoe-box size heating unit.\n"Occasionally I'll get screwed on a hot dog and it will come out of my pocket, but undoubtedly the hardest part is the weather," Berry says. \nBerry has come to accept that bad weather comes with being a hot dog vendor. Fortunately, he finds his job fulfilling, and it provides enough income for life's essentials. \n"It pays for a comfortable, modest lifestyle," Berry says. \nHis attitude towards life is evident in the pride he takes making his hot dogs. He shows patience towards slurring customers who bumble through their wallets, counting $2.25 in coins. Senior Kim Kessinger has been going to Berry's stand exclusively for nearly four years -- not just for the product, but for the service. \n"It's not just about getting a convenient hot dog after a long night at the bars, it's about the friendly service that comes with it," Kessinger says. "Not to mention he has the best hot dog in Bloomington." \nWhat many people don't know is that Berry's hot dogs are no different from the hot dogs sold in front of Kilroy's Sports Bar or the Bluebird Nightclub because the ingredients come from the same place -- Gordon Food Service Marketplace. While Berry is the main man outside Kilroy's on Kirkwood, Larry Kanserski and Leslie Burke run the show outside of Kilory's Sports and the Bluebird respectively. Wednesday through Saturday, the three of them meet at a warehouse at 11:30 p.m., hook up their carts together and pull them behind a pickup truck to their respective locations.\n"We shut down our carts around 3:30 a.m. and then have to scrub down our dishes, so I usually don't get home until 4:45 a.m.," Berry says.\nThe late hours, along with some obnoxiously-intoxicated customers, can make for a long night. Although the vendors admit that most people are pretty casual, some can get a little out of hand. A six-year veteran, Kanserski will be the first to admit he's had some frustrating altercations with his customers.\n"There's a lot of attitude that can be pushed across in the simple way of requesting something," he says. "Even offensive attitude like I am a servant or a peasant."\nAlthough his customers might assume that Kanserski merely sells hot dogs, the hot dog stand is only one chapter out of his life. Due to his current occupation, some might overlook his service in the National Guard, degree in historical preservation and internship at Valley Fords National Park.\n"I was standing at Washington's headquarters in historical garb," he says. "It would have worked out into a job if Congress hadn't cut back funding. It affected national parks, state parks, local parks -- anything that was recreationally orientated."\nKanserski went from working in the nation's capitol to living off the hungry stomachs of drunken college students. Although he seems a little bitter about the way his life was redirected by a simple congressional decision, he says that working as a hot dog vendor isn't as bad as it may seem. \n"It's kept me fed," he says. "But it's not going to be a career. In fact this is probably the last winter you'll see me out here."\nOutside of the Bluebird Thursday through Saturday, Leslie Burke runs her part of the business with a friendly smile and an optimistic attitude. While she admits that Kanserski gets a lot of the obnoxious drunks, she says her customers are the fuel to her fire, thawing her out in the freezing temperatures in the late night.\n"I'm convinced this spot at the Bluebird is the prime spot," she says. "People come here to hear a good band and dance, but I think at the other bars people try to see how smashed they can get."\nShe sounds convincing, but every hot dog stand has to have some kind of drama. \n"The other night there was a big brawl," she says. "People were crashing into the cart, falling over and hitting their heads into it."\nBurke also recalls a soldier who visited the bar while on leave. In the midst of a scuffle his tags got ripped off, and in an instant, chaos was created.\n"It was really an intense time," she says. "After his tags got ripped off it was not an issue of anything that had happened before -- he just wanted his tags back. That was the biggest fight I had seen, but surprisingly the cops didn't come."\nWhile all hot dog vendors have their stories, Burke says the most she's learned from her experiences is to relax and treat people with courtesy. And although some people don't show the same respect back, she stands strong and pays no mind to rude comments.\n"I try to just hear it all, rather than react to it," she says. "I know if there's a drunk guy coming at me that they're influenced by the alcohol."\nBerry has a similar view on bitter drunks with attitude, wanting to take their problems out on him. In fact his perspective is warming, even in the numbingly cold February night. \n"In life you'll always deal with someone who's obnoxious," he says. "If you cannot do well with that, you're not going to do well with life"
(12/11/03 5:00am)
Senior Michelle Thompson sits on a twin-sized bed and picks at her fourth-hand, red and white '94 Mexican-made Fender Stratocaster. She, bassist Jimmy "Governor Scum" Doolan and drummer Charlie Anderson sit crammed into Anderson's small, cold "office" during the first practice session the three have had together. She alternately fiddles with the tuning heads and flips through a book entitled "The Encyclopedia of the Gods," looking for band names.\n"Let's call ourselves the 'Hot dogs,'" she says to Scum, sitting atop his bass amplifier.\nLess than enthused with the suggestion, the three decide to put the band name ideas on hold for a while and run through some new material. They meander through their first ever rehearsal of Thompson's "Hideaway," her un-miked voice competing poorly with her guitar in the tiny room. Anderson taps out a tasteful beat on dampered symbols. \n"I thought about a cool band name while I was playing that," Thompson says once they have finished. "How about 'Cheer up Charlie?' It's from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."\nShe sings a few bars from the movie; Scum tells Anderson to cheer up. Anderson hates when people tell him that. \nThey spend the rest of the rehearsal piecing together each of their distinctive musical talents to craft a unique sound. With only a few weeks before their first show, they have their work cut out for them.\nThree weeks after the first rehearsal, the verdict arrives: Cheer up Charlie, it is. \n"After a month of high stress trying to decide a name, we picked the first one we ever thought about," Thomson says. "Charlie is our drummer, and he is one depressed little stranger."\nThompson's first major collaborative effort is taking shape. After hours of hard work, she says the trio has revamped her original solo numbers with Scum's bass and Anderson's "kick-ass drums." \nThey can't quite put their finger on it, but they think the sound might be somewhere between "folky with an edge" and "'50s Rock." \nWhatever it is, Thompson says she can't wait to see how crowds react to their new material.\n"Bloomington is ready to have a really big band," she says.\nCheer up Charlie will open for the band Secret Girl in its Bloomington debut at the Vertigo tonight. Although she has never played there with her own band, Thompson is no stranger to the club. The musician has entertained the Vertigo's open-mic night crowds with her solo performances, if not with her onstage stand-up comedy.\n"I think I'm a comedian, I guess," she says, nervously fiddling with her eyelashes, and tells what she claims is 'the best joke I've ever told.' "What do you call a fish with no eyes? Fssshhh … I think I'm slowly turning into a mom with these mom jokes."\nThompson describes her music as easy-listening -- her definition of pop music. But her standard-issue blue jeans and concert t-shirts defy pop musician convention, because Thompson feels no desire to conform to stereotypes.\n"Like, if you're a female in the music scene, you should be singing songs that somebody else wrote, and someone else is playing the music," Thompson says. "And your boobies should be hanging out…Not that my boobies aren't hanging out. But I don't want to be Madonna. I have a dorky song I wrote a long time ago, but there's this line that says, 'I wanna be heard, not worshipped.'"\nProfound words, indeed. So whenever she steps onstage, the singer-songwriter's mind no doubt mind buzzes with similar deep thoughts.\n"(I'm thinking) that I need some whiskey," Thompson says, laughing. "I don't get nervous. If you get nervous, your voice sounds shaky. But you're nervous about getting nervous."\nNervous or not, Michelle never fails to captivate her audience, says friend and recent IU graduate Sam Samardzija. Bar chatter and pool games die down quickly when Thompson takes the stage, drawing in patrons with her voice, lyrics and stage presence, Samardzija says.\n"For me, the music speaks for itself," Samardzija says. "It's raw, with a very clean voice. That quality of a live show doesn't happen these days unless some girl-crazy band is lipsinging."\nThompson met Scum several years ago when she sang backup for his old band, The Infinite Path. \nThe two discovered common musical tastes in groups such as Modest Mouse, the Smashing Pumpkins and the French Kicks, and after swapping CDs for some time, began to discuss forming a new band. \nAnderson entered the picture more recently and brings his own unique style to the band's flavor. What exactly this "flavor" is, none of the members can say for sure.\n"I don't think we're trying to fit in," Scum says of the group's aspirations for carving out their own niche. "I don't care who we're playing for. I don't give a shit, I just wanna play."\nAnd play they will. Without a single show under their respective belts, the group has already set a definite schedule to establish a following here in Bloomington.\nAfter tonight's show, Cheer up Charlie will play Uncle Fester's House of Blooze with Awesome Cool Dudes, a Texas-based band, on Dec. 20th. It will return to the Vertigo Friday, Jan. 9 for another 30-minute set. \nWhile plans for a lead guitarist are in the works, the group intends to concentrate on its current strengths for the timebeing.\n"We are pathetic, enthusiastic, insecure people that love to make music," Thompson says of herself and her cohorts, "What more can I say?"\nPlenty, according to Anderson, who recalls instances in which Scum has been drunk on stage in a leotard.\n"You ever hear of 'The Dancing Grannies' before?" he asks.\nScum smiles as Anderson's anecdote jogs his memory, and he reminisces about the inspiration for such a stunt.\n"It's a workout video for old ladies," he says.\nApparently, Vertigo patrons are in for quite a show tonight. And even if they aren't, the members of Cheer up Charlie plan on enjoying themselves.\n"We just want to have fun, rack up a few beer tabs and enjoy the rest of our time in this town," says Thompson. \nAnd if you don't come see us, we'll kill you -- seriously"
(12/11/03 5:00am)
Before you head to the warm comforts of home and ring in the new year, roll out the ol' yule log and settle down for some good times in southern Indiana. \nAnd what exactly is a yule log, you may ask? Well, I asked Jeeves from www.askjeeves.com the same question.\nThe results show that this seasonal custom dates back to the 12th century, where the master of the house would place an enormous log of freshly cut wood, justifiably dubbed the yule log, and would be carried into the home with great ceremony. On Christmas Eve, it would be placed in the fireplace and lit with grand delight for all and to protect the home from lightening … and the malevolent powers of the devil. \nA bit extreme in the acts of thwarting the devilish have-tos of the netherworld, but nevertheless a tale to be had and known for all.\nHere in Bloomington, keeping in the tradition of anti-devilish endeavors, there are many festivities to be enjoyed to get the spirit of the season deeply instilled within us all. \nMay I begin with the basics: I ask you first to enjoy the bites upon your nose from Jack Frost and breathe in deep the crisp, cool air of December. It truly encompasses the change of seasons here in Indiana and is a wonderful prelude to the season which spawns the frost and the holiday feeling. \nA walk through campus with the crunch of snow afoot sets the tone for warm thoughts and true holiday bliss. The snow will cometh, don't worry. However, some students may have different thoughts when it comes to that darn snow.\n"My favorite part about the snow is all the dirt they put on it. My feet just get wet and dirty," graduate student Erich Eschmann says cynically.\nGrabbing the next piece of the holiday spirit is to your own regard. The downtown lights were lit following the celebration of the true prelude to the wonders of winter, Thanksgiving. Take time for a walk under the lights that encompass the quintessential small town holiday feelings harbored within Bloomington's downtown square. Among them you will find the spirit that resides in us all to enjoy the youthful exuberance of throwing snowballs and carrying-on among friends. \nOnce you get tired of throwing those snowballs, try throwing up an evergreen in front of the window to celebrate the times, or even stretch for an imported "lamp of electric sex" a la A Christmas Story if that suits your tastes better. \nThe trees may be found atop a paved lot at your local department store, but I recommend grabbing the ax and heading down to Bloomington's very own tree farm. Twin H Tree Farms, located five miles south of town off Highway 37, hosts marvelous trees ripe for the slicing. But that's killing a tree for the sole purpose of capturing its aroma and adding to your holiday cheer. Buy a plastic one and a scented candle if it bothers you to hack away at the wonders of nature.\nContinuing the outdoor adventure, take advantage of the wonders of winter by heading out to Griffey Lake for the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department's "Wander the Winter Sky" program. Meeting at the boathouse at 7 p.m. Saturday, the event will guide you through a hopefully clear winter sky, highlighting the constellations and reading star charts. The cost is $3.50 per person. \nOn your way back toward the city, but before settling back in at home, lace up your fancy figure skates and take to the ice for this year's Holiday Skate at the Frank Southern Ice Center. \nOn Saturday, from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m., you have your chance to throw up some triple salchows and really impress those little kids as they fly around the rink and threaten your very well-being. The cost is $5 for all ages and will certainly reaffirm your love for footwear with ankle supports. \nWhether it be from the warmth provided by spiked eggnog or your ventures to the many local establishments that provide holiday cheer, there are also plentiful amounts of comfort to be found indoors.\nThe spirit is captured throughout the town as shops, eateries and homes have added their personal touch to the season with lights and religious homage to their personal beliefs. \nWithout having to leave the comforts of home to indulge in the holiday happenings, WFIU is currently featuring their holiday programs on Sunday evenings all the way through New Year's Eve. \nThe Bloomington Playwrights Project is also featuring holiday themed productions throughout the month at their establishment on S. Washington St. Among them are "The Twelve Plays of Christmas" and "Christmas Eve," which run throughout the weekends that remain until Christmas.\nIf music is your fancy, check out the community Christmas party hosted by WFHB on Dec. 20. It will feature the sounds of Tom Roznowski, Mary Janes and others at Vertigo nightclub at 9 p.m. \nUncle Fester's will also be host the original local sounds of The Swell and Run of the Mill tomorrow night, with guarantees of a few holiday jingles and certainties of awesome rock and roll. The sets will be loaded with kickin' jams and intense performances by both of these headlining groups. \n"It will rock you so hard you'll forget about Jesus," IU alum and lead singer of Run of the Mill Chris Isom says.\nJunior Riley Kubly is excited for the upcoming season, as he makes his rounds to the various shows in town. "I've planned to go the holiday show to see The Swell and the other band I haven't heard of."\nWarm your toes tapping along to the sweet sounds and warm your tummies with the sweet elixir at the bar. \nMusic, friends, hopefully a little snow, and of course the picture isn't complete without a trip to see the jolly fatman himself, Santa Claus. \nYou can take a trip out to College Mall, in all its consumerist glory, as Santa is featured daily through Christmas Eve. \nBut, if it's immersion into a winter wonderland you desire, hold out for the snow and head down to Brown County for the copious amount of outdoor holiday adventures that await. \nOn the Fridays and Saturdays that remain in December, a visit with Santa is available for those young at heart who still desire to plop down on an old man's lap with their wishlists. I am sure it won't be uncomfortable or odd for either of you. Just bring a friend with a camera and have at it.\nHoliday horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday hay rides and even a free train ride with Frosty and the elves are ready and waiting for you to hop aboard and hang on with your little mitten clad hands each weekend in December. \nThe Brown County Holiday Festival is in full swing with over 350 specialty shops, a number of seasonal art galleries, carolers and the cornerstone to any winter escapades … hot chocolate. It doesn't get any better than all of that so close and so inviting for the holiday spirit, with the hopes of exuding seasonal delight onto all.\nFollowing your romp in Brown County, head home for some relaxation. Simply flip on the tube and tune in to the holiday movie of your choice. They're in full swing by now, and their ability to never grow old but rather better with age, is a must-do for any afternoon on the couch. \nWhen asked to comment on his plans for his remaining time in Bloomington before heading home for the holidays, senior Mike Huber says, "I prefer to sit on the couch and watch holiday movies in between preparing for my exams." \nReliving Ralphie's escapades each year throughout his small town in Indiana, pulls in as the best of the best. "Wow, that's great." \nAll that remains now is for snow to come. Fall in love with the wondrous white powder that sprinkles a glow onto your windshields and window panes. \nAwaking to a canopy of snow lined trees and untouched roadways should not instill the hate of stirring from your slumber and dreading your existence in this arctic environment. Snatch up your woolies and your long johns and tear into the awaiting wonderland with youthful exuberance. \nNothing beats a tumble in the yard while constructing the world's largest snowman while cleverly misplacing the carrot and coal. \nHappy Holidays.
(12/11/03 5:00am)
Forget the flood of publicity accompanying the infamous Britney/Madonna make-out session for a second. Now, remember Alicia Keys' performance at last year's MTV Music Awards, which generated just as much media coverage in 2002. But the difference was Keys did not have to swap saliva with another girl; her mouth alone gets enough attention thanks to her incredible voice. Keys, appropriately named, can also play the piano. And she writes her own songs. \nFor her second record, Alicia Keys has transformed her diary entries while on the road promoting her debut Songs in A Minor into a collection of '60s and '70s soul-inspired tunes. What results is Keys succeeding in offering an album that surpasses her debut in every category. The vocals are flawless and confident, the lyrics are more mature, and thanks to guest producers Timbaland (of Missy Elliott fame) and Kanye West (of "KrucialKeys" Enterprise), the album has some "bump" to it. \nThe album follows the same structure as her debut, alternating piano-driven tracks with an array of other instruments, including guitars, saxophones, horns and violins and adding hip-hop beats as its pulse. "Heartburn" in particular has a very modern rock instrumentation with electric guitar licks and heavy percussion, but Alicia's vocals keep it part rhythm and blues. \nOther strong tracks include her recently-released first single "You Don't Know My Name," which sounds like a collaboration between Keys and the Supremes. The piano ornamentation shows off Alicia's impeccable skills on the keyboard. The next two songs ("If I Ain't Got You" and "Diary") are the only "ballads" on the album, but they dodge Celine Dion-style cheesiness by containing heartfelt lyrics and innovative hooks. \nThe second half of the album gets even better. The chorus on "Dragon Days" makes it the strongest track, and "Wake Up" shows an early R&B influence in the background vocals of Easy Mo Bee and Dwayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Tone! "Samsonite Man" speaks of an on-again, off-again relationship, but Alicia sings that this time, she's "Gotta go, gotta go." \nThe five-time Grammy-winning singer wrote or co-wrote all but one track and produced the large majority of it, and every aspect of the album reflects her control. The album is The Diary of Alicia Keys. The first single is "You Don't Know My Name." The artist? You know her name by now.
(12/11/03 5:00am)
It's obvious when listening to Nelly Furtado that her musical experience has varied. The 24-year-old Portuguese-Canadian features a wide range of musical flavors on her second album Folklore.\nSome of the songs utilize instruments like the mandolin and various percussion toys for an eastern ethnic feeling. Others use a dulcimer and a banjo, giving it an American folk flair. Still others are your basic dance-pop tunes or folksy crooning, featuring little more than acoustic guitar. \nPerhaps the best, however, is "Island of Wonder," featuring Caetano Veloso. With instruments like finger cymbals, congas and vibes, and Portuguese shout outs, the song delivers a wonderful slow Latin groove. Despite the various styles of music, Furtado's voice complements each one beautifully.\nStill, there are flaws. The lyrics, for example, sometimes border on pretentious bad poetry, attempting to sound thoughtful and reflective. Perhaps the most obnoxious example of this phenomenon is "Childhood Dreams:" "I have been bruised by many trails/ sometimes my skin's so thick it's free … I'm sliding on the rainbows of my childhood dreams." \nThough there are some songs with lyrics that are effective, such as "Fresh Off the Boat", about half the songs need some help, despite their beautiful and interesting music.