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(01/10/13 1:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>1. If you haven’t been to Sahara Mart, you’re missing out. This family-owned grocery store offers a wide range of organic produce, exotic groceries and, most importantly, tea. Besides known brands like Yogi, Tazo and Twinings, Sahara Mart also offers a bulk section teeming with varieties from around the world for those wishing to buy their tea in ridiculous quantities. If you’re looking to nurse yourself back to health this winter, stock up on tea and more at Sahara.2. When IU finished the Union Street Center apartments in 2010, it kept secret the best C-Store on the meal plan. The Union Street C-Store offers primarily organic groceries and produce, from Paul Newman products to Annie’s Bunny Grahams, all for meal points.3. Open daily, this addition to Bloomington is bound to have a selection for the tiresome, runny nose. With 10 to 12 different kinds of soups (of the meaty, veggie and vegan variety) to choose from, you won’t leave this place feeling under the weather. You can dine in or carry out a stew as good as grandma’s.4. If you’re new to Bloomington or if you’ve been living in the winter isolation caves known to some as “the dorms,” you might not have heard of Bloomingfoods. This organic grocery store is a cozy space made for passing the time. (The Sixth Street location is the best). 5. Don’t let the word “vegan” get you down. Whether you’re engaged in the “Vegan January” 31-day challenge, or you’re just looking for a sit-down joint with good grub, the Owlery is a homey, warm and hospitable place to venture into non-dairy foods. 6. Don't go to the IU Health Center7. The IU Urgent Care is infinitely better than the IU Health Center. With after-hours services, a shorter wait and debatably a kinder staff, it’s worth the extra walk or drive to get to a more efficient health service. If you’ve got a cold, or just have questions, you’ll find the Urgent Care is a better bet to getting back on your feet.
(01/10/13 1:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the past three years, I’ve converted to veganism for a stifling 31 days, challenging myself to seek out dairy alternatives and egg surrogates through a cold, wintery month. Though cheese, as you can imagine, is the hardest thing to give up, I’ve hit other roadblocks: Greek yogurt, cream for my coffee and oh god, the ranch dressing. Giving up animal products is hard — near masochistic — when you’re going through a season that craves so many comfort foods such as hot chocolate and baked desserts.So why, do you ask, has “Vegan January” become a small epidemic amongst kids these days?Because afterward, you feel like a rock star.Veganism, when done right, leaves your body detoxed of unwanted entities. If during the winter, you find yourself loading up on post-Christmas treats, “Vegan January” is a self-disciplinary action you can take to trying something new.The word “vegan” can easily dissuade you. Associations of pretension, superiority or general weirdness has put veganism a far ways back, but a challenge like this, where ordinary omnivores like you or me can do a free trial, keeps from stigmatizing the diet.This isn’t a vendetta against winter weight, nor is it a shot at trying to get you to convert to vegetarianism, but in the spirit of New Year’s resolutions and in trying to boost your immune system as best you can, take a stab at this veggie-friendly victory. I cannot talk highly enough of something that more and more people are doing. And it’s not too late to start.
(01/06/13 9:07pm)
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(10/03/12 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>OK, so our good friend Henry David Thoreau already made a pretty good argument as to why we should walk everywhere, especially during Bloomington’s most beautiful season. He said, “Here is this vast, savage, hovering mother of ours, Nature, lying all around, with such beauty and such affection for her children, as the leopard; and yet we are so early weaned from her breast to society, to that culture which is exclusively an interaction of man on man.” It is in our nature to be part of nature. While I truly do agree with our most famous American transcendentalist, I would like to offer a bit of dissent.Thoreau’s lecture was first read in the 1850s.I’m sure that was a beautiful time to live, just on the cusp of the Civil War. The fact of the matter is that metropolises then had not yet overgrown existing forests. Now, the nature he spoke of is not so readily available. Bloomington residents have the privileges of Cedar Bluff and Griffy Lake, but what about us city folk? Believe it or not, there are ways to enjoy walking without nature. Walking raises your productivity level. Getting to your destination plants a seed of achievement in you for the rest of your day. This achievement encourages you to take on other tasks you thought might be a little inconvenient. You’re also able to listen to music or an audiobook. Both of these activities might not be something you typically do. This is a great opportunity to “read” “Moby Dick,” just like you always wanted to. You could get at least 20 pages a day done.In London, a 30-minute walk is nothing. In Bloomington, it really isn’t that big of a deal either. A 30-minute walk is my commute to school every day.A 30-minute walk is a rational amount of time to spend getting from A to B.In Bloomington, it takes less than 30 minutes to get form Briscoe to Jordan Hall.City maps here give a radius of what’s in a 15-minute walking distance from your current location. Walking is strongly encouraged, just as it should be in Bloomington. Making the change between Bloomington and London hasn’t been a huge transition for me because I was always a walker, though it wasn’t until now that I realized exactly why. It is a means of mental collection.It is a means of hoarding the details of where you reside so you can one day come back to that memory or visit, when you have the time.I might be preaching to the choir, but it’s because of walking that you’re able to become a more well-rounded person in building local knowledge. Whether consciously or subconsciously, you’re absorbing your surroundings, your communal happenings, buildings you’ve never noticed before and strangers you’ve never encountered. Walking can be a charity in benefit races.Walking can even be a gesture you’re willing to make for someone you love, an expulsion of your bad energies and one of those rare times when you’re alone with your thoughts, without your computer screen. Walking is a means of breaking in your boots, stepping on leaves, jumping in puddles, stretching your quads, doubling your heart rate and bettering your senses. And, yes, this column is the most hoity-toity, self-indulgent piece of editorial fluff, but if you’re pissed about it, I offer one piece of advice.Walk it off.— ftirado@indiana.edu
(09/26/12 10:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In London, it’s pretty deplorable to wear sweatpants to school.British students — guys, specifically — tend to be much more presentable in an academic setting when in front of their peers and most certainly when in front of their professors. As it’s been described to me, London boys will always dress “a little smarter” when they’re heading off to university.When the director of our study abroad program talked about cultural differences between students in America and students in the United Kingdom, she said, “Oh, and if you brought your sweatshirts and other paraphernalia that have your university’s name stamped on it, don’t wear it to class. It’s not a cool thing to do here. You’ll just look rather silly.”I tend to agree. I have never owned something with IU’s brand on it, excluding the “Indiana Grandma” T-shirt I picked out for free at T.I.S. Bookstore with my birthday coupon.From what I’ve gathered, London students most certainly own a sweatshirt with their university’s name on it. They just wear it infrequently.U.K. students would buy a university T-shirt in the same manner we might buy a Six Flags T-shirt when we go to Six Flags.We would not, however, go to Six Flags, buy four T-shirts, a pair of sweatpants, a pack of pencils, two track jackets and a crewneck for every member of our family.Pride for universities functions on a different level here in London.Rather than crowding your closet with the same theme and color, you’d better represent your school by doing well, excelling in campus organizations and engaging in healthy competition with the universities around you.And while this might seem rather un-American of me, I’d love for y’all to do the same. Go through your wardrobe, count the number of IU things you have and consider donating to make room for newer, more individualized pieces of clothing. There are approximately 1 gajillion other ways to display your school’s spirit, but uniforming your wardrobe isn’t one of them.Ask yourself, “Do I really need three IU tank tops?”“Do I really need this Hoosier basketball sweater-poncho hybrid?”This applies in cases other than college paraphernalia. Oftentimes, we wear the brands and colors we’re familiar with because we feel comfortable in them. Comfortable is quite the opposite of daring, innovative or fashion-forward. Take a page out of the Brits’ book and “dress smarter.”
(09/12/12 10:31pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The electronica of Phoenix, the upbeat guitar of M83, the vocal aesthetic of Local Natives. Two Door Cinema Club is back with an amalgamation of sounds for its sophomore record, “Beacon.”The band gave us a taste of the album with lead single “Sleeping Alone,” a guitar-fuzzy dance track that ebbs and swells with innovation. The single speaks largely for the album as a whole. Thematically, the lyrics challenge the former identity of the band as it graduates to something more sophisticated, heartbreaking and dynamic. The Northern Irishmen expand their palette and capture their audience with a much fuller sound, showcasing tracks that move from poppy “Next Year” to jazzy “Sun,” then crooning “The World Is Watching,” the album’s most gut-wrenching track.And where Two Door Cinema Club mostly satisfies after keeping its fans on their toes, it doesn’t stretch the extra inch to give us something with a little more nuance.By Francisco Tirado
(08/30/12 12:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This season’s fashion trends are the following: leopard print, draped furs, velvet, towering hats, pantsuits, the leather dress and anything that makes you look like you ride horses. So, what are you waiting for? The September issue of Vogue, aka the sacred text of your seasonal style, is witness to these peaking and recurring trends. Yet you question them? How dare you. Are you poor? Do you hate horses or something? I am here to tell you that you do not have to wear leopard prints to be up with the trend.The sad reality is that too many women and men refer to this autumnal bible in a “don’t question it, just do it” sorta way, but when equestrian attire and giant fur accessories are at stake, it’s important to step back and prioritize and personalize the trends poking through this season.What makes me an authority? Absolutely nothing. I am a boy who wears boys’ and girls’ clothes. I have been voted “Best Dressed” in a few superlatives. I’ve been reading fashion magazines since I was a closeted tweenie who could hide them under his bed. I’m relatively ordinary.But what validates my viewpoint here is that I am a college student with a utilitarian, comfortable and cheap approach to fashion. This means I (and probably you) will not be buying mink scarves or riding trousers. This means the demographic I’m seeking to read this are those who value the designs we see in the media and are willing to be innovative in making them work fiscally.Quickly, ladies and gentlemen (that’s right, you too, gentlemen), here are a few things to think about this fall.Minimalism is subsiding. With big embellishments, golden embroideries and designs that remind me of antique carpets, do not shy away from patterns this season. I mean head-to-toe sometimes, if you find a good one. Go about it counterintuitively, in the sense that you want to think less about coordinating and more about clashing strategically. Just as long as it isn’t plaid. Speaking of patterns: leopard. Because of its risky, trashy and cheap implications, you cannot go into it shyly. Wear the cat confidently or steer clear. For those of you who are faint of heart, use little ways to make an impression without committing to the extremities. Ladies, stick with a cool sheath. That way a statement collar — meaning a collar of an unusual pattern, embellishment, or studs — can maneuver the outfit. I hear they even have detachable collars as accessories these days, if you wanted to sneakily tuck it into a sweater.The bags and murses — as big as ever — can also bring up your style. “You speak softly and carry a loud bag,” as a J. Crew advertisement put it. My favorite trend, however, is equestrian. Specifically thinking about silhouette, big floppy hips are in. Lady Gaga flaunts the large, Ursula-like hips on the cover of this month’s Vogue. This sounds unappealing, but focusing on high-waisted pants or loose chino jeans paired with a high boot will bring this idea to the college-level playing field. Girls, invest in the peplum blouse or dress. Guys can go especially bold by thinking about their waistlines rising higher and higher. There are three trends I’m willing to ignore for the sake of our age and budgets, but you don’t have to: velvet, leather pants and stupid, stupid hats. Marc Jacobs made it all about mad hatters this winter, and I’m thinking we should mellow out. To end on fur, however, is important, because while we all can’t afford real furs, nor pull off the full mink trench coat suggested by many runways, there is a means of modernizing what seems like an old-lady genre of clothes. Why fur, you say? Because reenergizing old marvels is what fashion is about. While seductresses in film noir sported these great coats, 2012 constructs fur in a way that’s tributary to the mysterious, powerful woman. Fur can be an accent — a trapper hat, a fuzzy bag or wrap. Or in my case, a strip of faux bought at Jo-Ann Fabrics and buttoned once to put over my trench coat.By Francisco Tirado
(08/29/12 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I am not at IU right now.I am at home near Chicago, waiting for the University College London school year to start so I can fly over and take a semester in a new place.I am currently experiencing what some actors refer to as “pre-show jitters,” a phenomenon in which everything you’ve prepared for and looked forward to has the potential to blow up in your face in front of all your friends.And I know students can go abroad for just the stupidest reasons.But part of my crisis comes from the fact that I cannot, for the life of me, pinpoint my own stupid reason.Part of it comes from a recent tarot card reading that assured some prosperity but mostly violence, the devil, broken aspirations and death.Then there’s the fact that almost all my knowledge of the U.K. comes from either “Harry Potter” or “Skins.”So, when people ask me, “Why London?” in response to hearing my abroad plans, I have little to share. Isn’t it enough to say, “I just want a change of scenery”?We’re all nomadically inclined. I refuse to believe that any student living at a landlocked university has not, at one time or other, had a daydream about flying away, sailing away or driving away in a car until the tank runs out.It is human to want to leave everything. And while I love Indiana, I don’t know why I should need to provide a reason for wanting to leave. Everybody wants to get out of his or her comfort zone a little, and everybody wants to abandon their own messed-up systems for another, different messed-up system. But mark my words, if Romney wins, I’m not coming back.To correct myself, I actually have many reasons to share, but I have little I want to share with the public. For example, I won’t say I want to go to England because they speak English there and that eliminates one step for me. I won’t say I’m going to meet cute, intelligent men, or that I’m going mostly for the library/museum scene.I probably can’t say overcast and rainy is my favorite weather, cobblestone streets make me giddy or I really want to walk through the park where Perdita and Pongo meet in the animated film “101 Dalmatians.”No, all these things would probably seem rather flip, so I usually say, “I just want a change of scenery,” they look at me like I’m crazy and the conversation deflates.— ftirado@indiana.edu
(08/15/12 11:52pm)
Giving up, internalized anger and passive grief make up a majority of themes in Passion Pit’s sophomore album.It starts with rich R&B slow jams and tributary ’80s tones and follows with self-deprecating lyrics.Lead vocalist Michael Angelakos’ falsetto contributes to the juxtaposition of lyrical and instrumental tone. His voice leans against synth beats and reaches a distorted, sad falsetto in tracks including “Constant Conversations.” The anguished falsetto stitches the tracks together like you would an open wound.In the band’s 2009 debut, “Manners,” these stylistic devices acted as buoyant contributions to a candy-sweet, super melodic summer anthem. On “Gossamer,” the flourishes are fleshy and vulnerable. The overall mood of the album — though frustratingly repetitive — gives one the feeling that Passion Pit is in a chipper sort of turmoil. The contrast of happy beats against dark lyricism is something of a rerun, but it’s done with nuance. In “Gossamer,” the band has one-upped its game with sparkling equalizers, thumpy bass and interspersed sounds that remind you of Super Nintendo. The album is fitting for pop nobility.By Francisco Tirado
(08/15/12 11:33pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Cannes Grand Jury Prize winner “Beasts of the Southern Wild” ventures into the brave, imaginative world of a child named Hushpuppy who struggles through the fictitious, marshy island called the Bathtub — a bayou slowly drowning in post-Katrina wreckage. This survival story is “Where The Wilds Things Are” meets “The Pursuit of Happyness,” intertwined in the savage and beautiful bayou, host to seething, colorful seafood montages and untamable creatures, against a killer soundtrack — an amalgam of whimsical and creole.In a brutish father-daughter narrative, the plot of “Beasts” wanders in the most satisfactory way, wowing the audience with the shock of an undomesticated community. The elegance in poverty and a poetic script doesn’t rely on dialogue.Hushpuppy is a protagonist to go down in the ages — conquering the task of growing up too young, subserving masculinity as a means of survival and understanding how animals talk. Quvenzhané Wallis was 5 when she auditioned for the role, and her performance was tear-jerkingly, awe-inspiringly good. She is the undeniable icon for a movie that does not underestimate the caliber of children, who are capable of handling things much, much bigger than themselves.By Francisco Tirado
(08/13/12 6:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I have been an active participant in what has been the summer of Chick-fil-A anti-hate trolling and article posting in protest of homophobic chicken in response to Dan Cathy’s unsurprising reaffirmation that his corporation does not support same-sex marriage. It really is silly, if you take a glance at our opposing teams — Pro-Chick vs. Anti-Chick (e.g. Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin vs. The Muppets and The Liberal Internet).The last vestiges of our stance on the gay civil rights movement have been exhausted and boiled down to one COO and his chicken. With the 2012 election coming soon, it only makes sense that we’d unleash our mad, typing fingers upon the likes of corporations’ special interests. Celebrities and activists alike have really tuned into this “non-serious, but seriously, this is serious” epidemic. On July 25, I posted on my Facebook, “LET’S ALL GET INTO ARGUMENTS ABOUT CHICK-FIL-A / THIS IS WHERE THE REAL ISSUES LIE,” and about 30 people liked it or made their own commentary on my stance. Our energies, as I’ve admitted, could go to a better place. In lieu of trolling, we could employ our actual bodies to activism, to writing letters, to boycotting, to the empowerment of pro-gay groups, rather than the bashing of a disempowered, anti-gay one. And though I believe we should have higher standards for what we should and should not take seriously in the news these days, there are two main reasons why Cathy’s announcement was anything but trivial.First, in light of the gay civil rights movement, not all people (gay or straight) assume their roles in activism as much as the movement needs. The nature of activism thrives on the assignment of an enemy, and while Christian organizations, conservative media and right-wing politicians do a splendid job of fulfilling those enemy vacancies, Chick-fil-A is different. In the sea of quotes and names we recognize on our Twitter feeds, the descent of Chick-fil-A into the ranks of conservative special-interest groups provided a tangible, accessible enemy. People were reading their computer screens and thinking, “Hey, that’s a place that I eat. I don’t want to eat there anymore.” And in droves, the chicken chain lost much of its agency: customers. In the victory of Citizens United in 2010, for the first time in American election history, the government decided to include corporations in the iconic U.S. mantra “We, the People.” Powerful interest groups can contribute insurmountable financial support to candidates and political campaigns. As members of a democracy and a nation that believes in “freedom” in any sense of the word, Chick-fil-A, which has donated roughly $2 million to anti-gay groups, has shown us that we, the (real) people, actually have a say. We can learn to put our efforts, our money and our tax dollars into something more substantial (and more nutritious, at that).Second, on Aug. 3, I made out with a boy in front of a camera crew at Chicago’s only Chick-fil-A. The “Kiss-In,” as it was called, displayed peaceful protest — affection as activism. A day later, I was walking and holding a boy’s hand when a black woman muttered to her friend, “Never thought I’d see the day where they could just walk the streets.” Only 50 years ago, people of color were sitting in restaurants for their own rights (a different movement altogether, but comparable). The very fact that we need to kiss, hold hands or show affection in order to protest is a reminder that this right is the right of love and the freedom to make ourselves as public as we want without worry of bullying, exploitation or hate speech. Anderson Cooper said “the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible,” and Chick-fil-A has provided an invaluable agency in the visibility of our dispute. This is not the First Amendment. It is the fight for those who have yet to make themselves visible. This is the protection of those who are threatened and too afraid to show their colors because powerful corporate interests stand against them. This is one or two sentences in a history book 50 years from now. — ftirado@indiana.edu
(07/11/12 11:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Frank Ocean came out as a queer man on July 4, and the mainstream music world barely blinked an eye. In a letter posted on his Tumblr, he retells the story of his first love, who is a man. He acknowledges that he’s had relationships with both women and men, but the letter doesn’t read like his objective was to come out, unlike the comings out of many celebrities past.Lance Bass declared, “I’m Gay!” Anderson Cooper wrote a dignified and articulate letter. Ricky Martin gracefully identified as “a fortunate homosexual man.” Celebrities’ commitment to their sexualities has always been a big deal in the tabloids. These cultural icons always have something to protect: their masculinity, their sex appeal and their career reaching the largest possible demographic.Ocean is no different in this sense, but in his all-caps prose block, he neither raised a rainbow flag nor threw up defenses against what was a risky move for an artist in the hyper-heterosexual world of R&B. No, Ocean did not even use the word “gay.” Instead, he told it like it is. It’s a story of heartbreak and loss, delivered with relatable pathos and without platitudes of homouniversality.Several artists reached out to praise Ocean’s “brave” gesture, including groupmate Tyler, the Creator — leader of Odd Future, a controversial rap group with openly anti-gay lyrics. We wonder how much sacrifice went into taking that step against the grain. In Ocean’s letter, he details his life with honesty that not only bespeaks heartbreak but the process of coming out. We are inclined toward expression and emotion for our romances. We grieve for the things we cannot take back, but in that we are free. Ocean’s syntax is nothing but. His mixtape “Channel Orange” overtly describes love with a male counterpart on a couple tracks, and on every song he emotes. He is tender about the unrequited “Bad Religion” of idolizing someone who can’t openly reciprocate.This queer sensibility comes with the territory of queer songwriters but shies away from the trappings of the “gay singer” that so many queer artists fall into. “Channel Orange” is a compilation worthy of exaltation beyond Ocean’s sexuality. Pouring his heart into his writing and his work only diversifies him as an artist and opens up a lesser-known avenue in R&B.Upon coming out, Anderson Cooper spoke with profound authority: “The tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible.”Ocean is doing just that. Perhaps one day coming out will not be such a hoopla. Perhaps one day the public will see a same-sex relationship as just a relationship. Until then, it’s important Frank Ocean isn’t telling just the same old stories.
(06/28/12 3:24pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After the pee-your-pants anticipation for this summer release, Justin Bieber — tween icon, Canadian, Justin Timberlake-in-training — has finally, yes, finally bestowed on us what we thought would be the smash of the season.Featuring collaborations with Nicki Minaj, Drake and Ludacris, the high-profile pop artist and his myriad producers pulled out the big guns. The album’s opening track, “All Around the World,” is nothing special — a dubstepping adrenaline pumper, which might have worked better somewhere in the middle of the tracklist. Bieber and Drake, however, are a heavenly pairing of R&B nirvana. Their “Right Here” pleads and presses, overlooking the movie’s younger audience who might be unfit for the song’s sexy, silky slow beat.Though Bieber fails to diversify his sound throughout, “Beauty and a Beat” sets itself apart from the rest, in the fashion Nicki Minaj sets her self apart from practically everything. Meanwhile, the title track suffers from sounding like every slow-dance song in the history of middle school socials.Though “Believe” ends strong with dance techno and features some lovable acoustic ballads, the album’s length betrays it. Bieber doesn’t take enough risks to make the album’s 17 tracks worth the hype.By Francisco Tirado
(06/20/12 10:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson, otherwise known as The Tallest Man on Earth, released his third album, which has stirred up buzz among Dylan-faithful folk fans looking for crooning vocals and chords that make you feel like you’re in the woods.There’s no hiding Matsson’s success now that he’s performed at Pitchfork Music Festival and toured with Bon Iver, But with “There’s No Leaving Now,” Matsson has distanced himself from Woody Guthrie and put away his usual melancholy for moments at a time.Opener “To Just Grow Away” approaches the listener from afar. Matsson never shies from his roots in acoustic rhythm, but delves momentarily into small reverb-filled tracks and even a piano ballad on the title track.The largest criticism for his third album would be the lack of risks taken in the name of adoring folk followers, but to diverge from what he does so well would be too much to take. With Matsson giving traditionalism a jagged edge and uncommon nuance, how could we blame him?By Francisco Tirado
(06/13/12 8:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Grizzly Bear has jumped back into the game with a play you would not expect. It’s a soft-spoken track with ambient gauze of hypnotically off sound, until pristine guitar stabs through. “Sleeping Ute” is not trying to be the indie-pop hit “Knife” was, as this newest release for the band’s currently unnamed album highlights how decidedly impenetrable Grizzly Bear can be. The song has an in-the-forest kind of appeal to it. Listeners of “Sleeping Ute” wander through the track with no real destination, but imagery of running bodies and sunlight passing through tree branches flies inexplicably through your head. The band remains approachable, and though it didn’t produce a radio-ready track, it didn’t give us something difficult either. Daniel Rossen’s voice is haunting as it wails and echoes in the comfortable ambiguity of sadness and catharsis. The electric guitar and noisy effects are the shining stars of the song’s carefully crafted, anxious aesthetic.By Francisco Tirado
(06/07/12 12:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Justin Bieber is following up on the sweet, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth “Boyfriend” with his latest single, “Die In Your Arms.”Do not be fooled by the title, folks. The rather solemn title does not mean his newest radio diamond has traversed into the world of adult maturity, despite his recent ball-droppage. No, “Die In Your Arms,” rather than being the sexy-sad R&B ballad I anticipated, is a tangy summer anthem, full of the sunny, breezy pop appeal we’ll get with the rest of the season.Brimming with “Mmhmms” and “Aww yeahs,” the single is gleefully unoriginal. But Bieber is good at what he does. Reminiscent of “Baby,” “Die In Your Arms” is the ghost of Bieber past, greeted like an old friend. Whether you’re listening on a train, bike or in a yellow convertible with the top down, this track will put a smile on your face with its glittering and candy-sweet tunes.I vouch for this track, perhaps because my expectations were lowered after the “Boyfriend” music video, but if you’ve got a pop-savvy ear, you’ll find that Biebs absolutely did not fail to give the people what they wanted.By Francisco Tirado
(05/31/12 6:27pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Predominantly acoustic artists are finding themselves in a bit of a rut. The age of the piano has passed, and singer-songwriter types and anti-folk artists like Regina Spektor tend to get left in the dust.Russian-American Spektor is a sentimentalist. The entrancing lyrics and slow, sweet melodies on opener “Small Town Moon” are what we know the honey-voiced, angelic weirdo for.But the album throws no fastballs, nor does it take any real risks, save the singles “All of the Rowboats” and “Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas),” which get a little dancey but not really.Trying to attack an artist like Spektor is about as ethical as clubbing a baby seal — it just doesn’t feel right. But the problem Regina is running into is that dozens of her unrecorded songs, some like “Ne Me Quitte Pas” written more than 10 years ago, are surfacing at a time that don’t fit the modern ear.Nevertheless, a ballad like “Firewood” reminds you that she’s a true genius in authenticity.By Francisco Tirado
(05/31/12 6:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ambient R&B and lo-fi hipstamatic Tom Krell of How To Dress Well has released the first track from his sophomore effort, “Total Loss,” set to come out later this year.“The Ocean Floor for Everything,” like much of Krell’s work, is a down-tempo swelling of happy heartbreak, and for some reason the ocean metaphor is one that fits the work of How to Dress Well so... well. The steady roll of the keyboard, the echoing croon of Krell, the hush of his tracks that resonates like the wind from a conch shell.Krell is a master at what he does, single-handedly commandeering an orchestrated tiny-masterpiece. How To Dress Well, even in concert, functions at the level of a tiny colossus. Though over-chill and seemingly simple, “Ocean Floor” works overtime through its minimalism.How To Dress Well bestows on us, truly, a sea of sound, and Krell’s got our ears itching for the next record.By Francisco Tirado
(05/24/12 1:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fast-growing lady rapper, Harlem-based bratty girl and cunnilingus aficionado Azealia Banks has released a new track from her upcoming mixtape “Fantastic.” Before she’s even old enough to drink, Banks has given voice to every no-nonsense bad girl since her debut, “212,” stepping in as Nicki is starting to burn out. Banks has since appeared near the top of the charts in the United Kingdom — she’s too raunchy for puritanical United States radio — in addition to having the honor of performing at New York City’s Met Costume Gala.Banks’ rhymes serve as the backbone to “Jumanji,” which employs marching-band-remix percussion, while steel drum tropicalia plays up her wildness. The single is playful, colorful electronica that showcases her trademark sonic density, but the instrumental is more engaging than the melody. Her flow is steady throughout, and refrain “Real bitch all day/Uptown, Broadway” reminds her audience, “Yes, I can rap.” This is easily the best thing she’s unleashed since “212,” but ranking “Jumanji” as highly as her smash hit would be wrong.By Francisco Tirado
(05/14/12 5:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After what seemed like the biggest anticipation for any music video in the history of tween pop, Justin Bieber finally released “Boyfriend” after not one, not two, but four previews of the much-hyped single.The boy-icon had girls, guys and IDS desk editors alike squirming with the big reveal of the new and improved sexy Bieber, and following up with a video for the well-received track meant treading risky waters. Much of his coming album depended on this release (or it did for me, at least). Bieber might as well have said, “Gotcha!” with greased hair and a stupid smirk. The video he had previewed was only a decoy to conceal his actual generic, much-less-sexy, significantly lamer music video.With gaudy sports cars and distracting, over-styled women, Bieber made “Boyfriend” a dump site for music video clichés. Little innovation was put into visual appeal, his coming of age or the dancing we know him so well for. The best part — not exaggerating — was Bieber’s pair of show-stopping, metallic gold shoes.“Boyfriend” was a colossal letdown and, if anything, a step backward in Bieber’s trek to advance his credibility as a mature performing artist. With luck, though, there’s still time to recover.By Francisco Tirado