Kings of disappointment
Either the Kings have hit a wall, or they are just trying to sell out in a big way. Even the best tracks sound at best like B-sides off Because of the Times.
Either the Kings have hit a wall, or they are just trying to sell out in a big way. Even the best tracks sound at best like B-sides off Because of the Times.
Time the Conqueror is a good comeback for Browne, as the political nature of the songs here are likely to ruffle some feathers and spark conversation about the sad state of affairs that is the world today.
While the club hits on Doll Domination are sure to keep people dancing all night, the Pussycat Dolls struggle with ballads and originality.
Astronautalis masterfully and effortlessly permeates multiple fields of music, manifesting a stellar genre all his own. Pomegranate is one giant leap for trans-genre music.
Jenny Lewis’ second solo album is a combination of her typical bluesy, rocky, gospel vocals that were so brilliantly executed on her first album. However, there is a certain disconnect and the notion that perhaps she’s trying a little too hard.
Even though the band has always written oversimplified pop songs, Plain White T’s have reached a new plateau of cheese. At least some older songs contained sizable hooks to sing along with; here, most of the tracks are “Delilah” clones that feature no range, an abnormal mess of handclaps and a lack of anything redeeming.
Old Crow Medicine Show no doubt have the exceptional talent to recall the unique sound of Americana, and Tennessee Pusher will undoubtedly break their old-style charm to an even larger audience.
Which Way is Down is not the best of what the local Bloomington music scene has to offer. Nevertheless, The Buzzkills do a reasonable job with what they are trying to accomplish. They don’t break any new ground or take any major risks here, but they’re at least successful for creating rock music that sounds decent.
While the Lotus festival fuels interest in international music around Bloomington, students more interested in film might be wondering how they can experience the town’s international culture offerings.
Dear Science, the third full-length from Brooklyn quintet TV on the Radio, immediately harkens back to a different era with insistent hand claps and a faux-Rivingtons/Trashmen vocal scat on “Halfway Home,” all building to an aural explosion, ushering in the band’s latest experimental musical treatise. If you thought Return to Cookie Mountain was heady, prepare yourself.
The Lotus Fest isn’t the only place in Bloomington to hear international music.Although Bloomington is the home of this annual world music extravaganza, international music can be heard around town year-round.
Loyalty to Loyalty is a major letdown. A lot of times it’s difficult to pinpoint where a wrong turn was made on various albums, but it’s blatantly obvious as to why Cold War Kids didn’t come through on Loyalty to Loyalty: The songs here are not catchy.
Take the pace of “The Fugitive,” combine that with the plots of “Enemy of the State” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” and throw in the newest “It” actor, and you get “Eagle Eye.” “Eagle Eye” is not as good as the movies that inspired it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.
The 2008 Lotus Festival brings the world’s music to Bloomington
“Choke” is one of the strangest books, as well as the only Chuck Palahniuk novel I’ve ever read besides “Fight Club,” so I was anxious (as I always am when good books get made into movies) to see if it was done right. Though the execution wasn’t perfect, it was a worthy adaptation of Palahniuk’s novel.
Spike Lee spins a gripping tale of love, war, God and men on a scale that is epic and still human. Though not as good as some of his other films, it is an excellent addition to the war genre. “Miracle” is well-worth seeing for anyone interested in the tales of human drama spun out of the time period.
Reviews Editor Cory Barker discusses why some TV shows could actually work as feature-length movies.
Three WEEKEND reviewers tackle the newest songs in music.
Sen. John Edwards will speak about what the election results mean for the economy as well as discuss his experiences running as a presidential candidate.
Sen. John Edwards will speak about what the election results mean for the economy as well as discuss his experiences running as a presidential candidate at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 in the IU Auditorium, according to a press release.