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Progressive hard rock live

By Sam Nissen · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

If the music world were put on a political spectrum… The Dave Matthews Band, The Neptunes or Franz Ferdinand might correspond to liberal politicians, being progressive innovators across genres. Simple Plan, Nelly or Bon Jovi might correspond to middle of the road politicians, being pervasive, well-liked but not really all that good or substantive.

What happened to the Weekend?

By Stephanie Susman · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

It's 11 p.m., Monday, Oct. 10 and senior Andrew Phillips has class at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. While some IU students are spending their Monday nights at home studying or sleeping, Phillips and his roommates, seniors Jonah Pryor and Ben Falk, are sitting on the patio at Kilroy's on Kirkwood enjoying the weather and hoping to achieve their near-daily goal: to get drunk.

Horror worthy of rejection

By C. Warner Sills and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

For anyone familiar with Rob Zombie, the ex-front man of rock band White Zombie, you will know that he is a devout fan of horror movies. His music videos always had a creepy style to them, his stage presence was always elaborate and his 2003 directed horror film "House of a 1000 Corpses" was packed with personal odes to the genre he loves. His recent opus, "The Devil's Rejects" is a continuation of "Corpses"' vicious story. But does this already mediocre story really need a follow up?

'Greatest Hitz' according to the band

By -Sam Johnston and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

There used to be a time when great bands made great albums and then years later took their best and most beloved songs and released a greatest hits CD. Nowadays, bands feel that after releasing a couple of albums each containing two or three singles, they are ready to make a greatest hits CD. This shouldn't be the case. Greatest hits albums should promote exactly what it says, a band's greatest hits.

Not left up to 'fate'

By Alyson Brodsy and Patrick Hurley · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Female singer/songwriters are a dime a dozen, so it takes something extra special to get recognition in that genre. We already have Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette and Jewel (who even hails from Earl's home state of Alaska). But Kate Earl offers something just a little different than those who have paved the road for her.

Getting "to the pain" never felt so good

By -Sam Johnston and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

In this day and age of punk rock and rap music dominating the music industry, it's refreshing to hear bands that aren't afraid to play heavy metal. Nonpoint is one such band that has always managed to stay true to their roots and their fans. They have experimented with their sound a number of times over the years, but they always end up redefining themselves and making themselves better.

Not quite 'perfect'

By Alyson Brodsky and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

With Hilary Duff and Heather Locklear starring as a mother-daughter duo, this movie is the epitome of the saying, "nothing in life is perfect." Jean (Locklear) is a single mother who is desperate to find the perfect man. The problem is every time her relationship with a man falls through, she packs up and moves her two daughters to a new city. Irritated by her mother's immature ways and determined to do anything to make her mother happy, Holly (Duff) creates an imaginary admirer to boost her mother's confidence.

The Boys in the Basement

By Nick O'Neil · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

The music rings through the "Mobley House," drawing from an old staircase and a dimly lit basement. The voices of the band thunder off the walls, they argue, they laugh, they agree and the music continues. The songs play among pizza boxes and dirty laundry. The sounds echo in between an ironing board and an old microwave. This might sound like your average college band, but Mobley is far from average.

Love and zombies!

By Alyson Brodsy and Diana Glozman · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Halloween may have passed, but for those still not ready to let go, Mest's new album is sure to keep the holiday spirit alive. Tony Lovato (lead vocals), Jeremiah Rangel (guitarist/vocalist), Nick Gigler (drums) and Matt Lovato (bass) formed the band Mest about four years ago in their working class suburb of Chicago. John Feldmann of Marvin Records helped produce the fourth album, Photographs.

Steal this column -- then listen to it

By C. Warner Sills and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

During a weekend back home this time last year, a group of what I like to call Evanston street thugs burglarized my small Japanese economy sedan. The aftermath of the heist, although not terribly severe, was upsetting to say the least. The crooks got away with a handful of change from my ashtray, helped themselves to the $40 VCR in my trunk and even indulged in a pack of Orbitz Winterfresh gum. The horror.

Relive the "OC"

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Mellini · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

I don't know too much about indie rock music, but if Seth Cohen likes it, it's good enough for me. As an "O.C." aficionado, nothing brings me greater joy than a release of any new "O.C." product. The "O.C." producers know how to match scenes with the perfect music.

A 'Beast'ly good hits album

By Alyson Brodsy and Ryan McLaughlin · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

It's been 24 years since the Beastie Boys began their assault on the music scene. Throughout their career, the Beastie Boys have completely altered the face of music with their unique mix of hip-hop, punk and rock. First hitting the mainstream with 1986's License to Ill, the Beastie Boys were labeled as immature party boys. However, this didn't stop License from becoming the first hip-hop album to reach the top spot on the Billboard Pop Charts, where it stayed for five weeks and became the best-selling rap album of the 1980s.

Not on the right track from the start

By Alyson Brodsy and Matt McMullan · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Movies revolving around scandalous affairs seem to play well with the public. "Fatal Attraction" brought Oscar nominations and "Fear" brought a very angry Mark Wahlberg. Both brought in audiences. The success of this little genre is fascinating. When you get down to it, watching some jerk suffer through all his bad decisions for our amusement is a creepy but ultimately very human form of entertainment. The idea isn't to suffer and sympathize with him, but rather to see how far he'll fall.

Radio Stays Alive

By Caitlin Brase · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

We've all been there -- we tune the radio, hoping for one of our favorite songs, and what we get instead is a deejay rambling on about some new contest or other radio station-sponsored event. But radio is supposed to be about music, not contests. Isn't it?

COURTESY PHOTO
Trigorin (junior Josh Hambrock) and Nina (junior Justine Salata) share their love in "The Seagull" presented by the IU Department of Theatre and Drama in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre.

Think 'Jumanji' in space

By Alyson Brodsy and Olivia Morales · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Chris Van Allsburg is quite possibly one of the most inventive children's authors of all time. His stories combine artistry with fantastical story elements in a way that is breathtaking. "Jumanji," a 1994 Robin Williams vehicle based on Van Allsburg's book, was a special effects bonanza featuring a board game that sucked its players into an African jungle. It is fair to say that Jon Favreau's adaptation of Van Allsburg's "Zathura" is basically "Jumanji" in space.

Japan's movie masterpiece

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Kenji Mizoguchi's "Ugetsu," a film often treated as the "Citizen Kane" of Japan's cinematic history, is quite possibly one of the longest overdue DVD releases since the technology was created. Originally released by the Criterion Collection on laserdisc many years ago, Criterion now releases "Ugetsu" on DVD.

Is it supposed to hurt?

By Alyson Brodsy and Diana Glozman · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Are you ready to listen to some serious growling mixed in with a few soothing lyrics about suicide? From Autumn to Ashes, self-proclaimed "metalcore" music takes a hybrid approach to mix metal, rock and emo. Get ready to bang your head into some concrete walls. The album starts out with distorted riffs which bleed into Benjamin Perri's screaming in "Where Do You Draw the Line." What's really amazing about this band is that the drummer actually does the main vocals. Francis Mark manages to cool down the growl fest by throwing in some emo vocals.

Couldn't be better if it were made of chocolate

By Alyson Brodsky and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Tim Burton strikes gold by bringing back to life the world of Willy Wonka. But unlike the original, Burton creates the story through his eyes. And because it showcases the bizarre signature style of its director, Burton once again delivers. At the same time, he also creates a film, unlike his others, that is optimistic. And what would a Tim Burton film be without over-the-top imagery and bizarre characters?

Satire city: Kill, kill, kill

By Alyson Brodsy and Evan Ross · Thursday, Nov. 17,2005 12 a.m.

Last month, satire as we know it ended. The ability to joke at other's expenses died with a whisper out in California with the stroke of a pen. Why, you may ask? Because California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed bill AB1179 into law. That bill will make it illegal to rent "violent video games" to children. This includes game that features "the range of options available to a player includes killing, maiming, dismembering or sexually assaulting an image of a human being."

Faculty vote to review Herbert as IU president

By Mike Malik · Wednesday, Nov. 16,2005 8:26 p.m.

The continuing tension between IU President Adam Herbert and the Bloomington campus faculty escalated Tuesday night at the first special session of the Bloomington faculty in almost 20 years as members approved resolutions to have the trustees review Herbert's job performance. Documents Letter from President Adam Herbert to faculty Opening remarks from professor Theodore Miller Open letter to the faculty from professor Kevin Brown