The Wake

My girlfriend said it before I thought it. The ‘80s are coming back. She uttered those prophetic words last summer, as we strolled down Hennepin across from Calhoun Square. Those five words stopped me in full stride. Flashes of bright florescent colors and excessively large hair interrupted my peaceful state of consciousness.“The ‘80s?” I asked, a bit taken aback. I then uttered a sound that defies the English language. Something like, “iiihhhhg.” I instantly realized that despite spending the first eight years of my life in this decade, I have never once felt nostalgic, nor have I ever had any longing for that strange time to return.At first, I shrugged off those intuitive words as merely a fashion prediction. I saw some of the influence popping up around town in clothes, accessories and advertisements. My …

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Irish bands seem forever doomed to recreate those sounds made popular by groups such as The Cranberries, U2 and even The Pogues, those sounds that immediately mark them as Irish. That’s not to say Irish music isn’t beautiful and diverse, but sometimes it becomes a gimmick, an obstacle some groups can’t get past. That’s not the case with The Thrills. Their first full-length album, So Much for the City, is packed with sunshine and sandy beaches, rather than crooning accents and wailing vocals. Influenced by ‘60s musicians like the Beach Boys and Burt Bacharach, So Much for the City is the musical equivalent of a summer vacation. Songs like “Santa Cruz (You’re not that far),” “Big Sur” and “Hollywood Kids” bring to mind images of road trips and hammocks and the frivolity of youth. Why …

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Jazz and blues have always been present in Norah Jones’ work, but in her second major label album, Feels Like Home, Jones moves her focus away from jazz to mellow guitar driven blues. The jazz that made her famous still has a large presence, but songs like “Creepin’ In,” which includes a duet with Dolly Parton, take country by the reins. “Creepin’ In” strums and bops to a different beat then what is typical of Jones. Yet, Jones’s smoke-curling-in-the-air voice is still magnificent in old-fashioned love, loss and pictorial melodies. Her tinkling ivories are as personal as her lyrics. Jones also ventures into new ground with the whimsical “Carnival Town.” The song is reminiscent of quiet, ‘30s lounge singing. Playfulness works its way into her single “Sunrise” as Jones coos to her listeners, teasing with …

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Although a controversial topic for the light-hearted or light-headed, marijuana is something worth laughing about. Written and performed by Arj Barker, Doug Benson and Tony Camin — three pot-loving comedians — The MarijuanaLogues pokes fun at a drug we love to love, hate to love, or love to hate, all while paying “respectful homage” to the amazing theatrical experience of The Vagina Monologues. According to Doug Benson, each comic has something of their own to bring to the table: “Tony is the intellect, he uses a lot of facts from science. Arj is the dumb one. I’m sorta the one in the middle – I bridge the gap.” From jokes about “the marijuana man” to “when enough is never enough,” you are sure to be giggling like a stoner in no time. Coming high isn’t …

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For the most part, overnighters and stressing out for finals came to an end for one group of ‘U’ seniors Valentine’s Day night with the close of the “10 La Femme” fashion show.“Every year, the seniors majoring in fashion design must have one public exhibition,” said fashion design senior Cassandra Willms. Each student displays her senior line, a group of outfits that portray a similar theme throughout the many pieces of clothing. As usual, this year’s senior class decided to plan a fashion show that incorporated all of the seniors’ pieces, rather than seeking out venues to display their work in.Unlike most years, however, “10 La Femme” was put on by a more motivated-than-average group of women.“Our class was overly ambitious,” said Kaela Runck, fashion design senior. “The usual fashion design program calls for …

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Since 1991, John Darnielle, the one-man powerhouse behind the Mountain Goats, has released more than 30 seven-inches, tapes and CDs. Self-recording most of his music with an acoustic guitar and a Panasonic boombox, Darnielle has developed a cult-like following. Fans have to search for the songs, too - most of the Mountain Goats’ albums came out on a handful of obscure labels, many now extinct. This homemade feel lends a personal quality to the Mountain Goats’ folky yet often pissed-off songs, capturing every flubbed guitar chord and voice crack in a medium Darnielle compares to a Polaroid snapshot - instant reflection.
In 2002, however, the band took a different direction and released Tallahassee, a polished, studio-recorded full-length complete with a backing band and scores of instruments. Though Tallahassee had a different sound and …

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There are hundreds of restaurants in the Twin Cities that are ideal for spending a special Valentine’s date. One of them, right in the U’s back yard, is the Loring Pasta Bar.The Loring’s décor sets the mood for romance. The main dining room’s two plus-story ceiling opens the room, allowing guests to view the magnificent decoration; yet the seating setup—oversized moon-shaped booths and generously spaced tables—keeps each party’s dining experience private. Heavily dimmed lighting is set off by disco balls reflecting teal and fuchsia rays. Live trees, some 12 or 15 feet tall, positioned throughout the room cause diners to forget the university-bound traffic outside.The women’s bathroom itself is reason enough to visit the Loring for first-timers. Holes in the walls serve as garbage bins, while French doors and (for the not-so-modest) beaded curtains cover …

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Exaggeration, white lies and stretching the truth – all common ideas associated with Tim Burton’s latest film, Big Fish.A man who could never be accused of being unimaginative, Burton has not only matured with this heartfelt story of family ties but has also proved to audiences that his work is more than simply something to poke fun at.Burton, who directed such films as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and Batman, has been stuck in the ultra-imaginary, where the boundaries of the surreal are stretched through exotic settings and fantasy-like characters, competing with storylines that could only come true in dreams.Big Fish is no exception to Burton’s wackiness, yet it unfolds by telling the tale of an average Joe with the heart of a superhero.The events and history of the life of …

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If shows like Family Guy and The Simpsons have taught us anything, it’s cartoons are not just for kids anymore. Anyone who says differently has obviously never seen South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut. Cartoons have always played on people’s senses of whimsy and humor, although some have more fun exploring the seedier side of human nature. The French animated film, The Triplets of Belleville, certainly belongs in the latter category. Animated films have long been a staple for adults as well as children and Triplets is no exception. A good old-fashioned tug-of-war between good and evil, Triplets is a treat, but don’t make the mistake of lumping it with feel-goods like Finding Nemo. This is not The Little Mermaid. You won’t find any cliché romance story or important morals here. Triplets tells the story …

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Dancing in a leotard, flaunting his fully-exposed chest to the likes of David Lee Roth and Freddie Mercury, lead singer, Justin Hawkins, of The Darkness has re-established ’80s glam-rock. Hailing from England, the foursome’s debut album Permission to Land has already gone four times platinum in the United Kingdom. Once a band struggling for mainstream acceptance, The Darkness have now become a cult-like hit. And why not? With such rockin’ hits like “Growing on Me” and “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” they have made the theme of love a sexual escapade for all to explore. “I believe in a thing called love / Just listen to the rhythm of my heart / There’s a chance we could make it now / We’ll be rocking ’til the sun goes down.” Their obsession with women, …

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With a new singer in tow (Tim Owens replacing Matt Barlow), Iced Earth has accomplished a masterwork. On The Glorious Burden, band leader Jon Schaffer has put together a conceptual double album based on military history and his love for the U.S.A. The album opens with a classy and respectful guitar version of “The Star Spangled Banner,” followed by a power thrash track about the American Revolution (“Declaration Day”) and a somber ballad dedicated to victims of the 9/11 attacks (“When the Eagle Cries”). My favorite track on the first disc is “Valley Forge,” another power thrash masterwork that really delivers an emotional punch. The second disc for me is the absolute highlight of Iced Earth’s nineteen year career. This is the epic “Gettysburg,” clocking in at over thirty minutes. Schaffer has thought out …

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It has been brought to my attention that it may be necessary for me to explain some things about underground metal. I have decided to go through a quick primer for you on metal’s sub-genres. The first topic I will touch on is the style of DEATH METAL. Death metal began in the early 1980s with bands such as Possessed and Death. It became a more extreme evolution of thrash metal. Death metal consists of ultra-fast guitar playing that is highly distorted and usually very intricate. The playing is quite often non-melodic. The vocals are a growled style as pioneered by the late Chuck Schuldiner (Death). At best, they sound absolutely ferocious and commanding; at worst, they resemble the cookie monster. The drumming and bass playing, like the guitars, are hyper-speed and intricate. The scene’s …

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I learned two valuable lessons from the Stills/Ryan Adams show at First Avenue last December: 1. I’m a weak person, at least musically. 2. Ryan Adams is akin to a coddled baby with one too many eight balls of coke in his carriage. The past couple of years have produced band after band of ‘80s revivalists borrowing from The Smiths, The Cure and Joy Division. Interpol, Hot Hot Heat and The Rapture have all enjoyed critical buzz and indie-sized success by infusing great songs with the sounds of Johnny Marr and Ian Curtis. As someone who spent a considerable amount of his early music-listening life trying to empathize with Robert Smith, I’ve found it difficult not to like these ‘80s derivatives. The Stills, I thought, would hopefully be the first of these bands that I …

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Four Fingers: Self Titled (RPO-SUBACA)Listening to this album gave me the impression that I’d somehow stumbled into a late-night, opium-induced Turkish escapade with a back alley belly-dancer. Self-Titled, the group’s debut album, shakes with the kind of raw Moorish sexual passion that you’d expect to hear wafting through a Moroccan street market. Employing acoustic instruments to convey a multitude of sounds, the members of Four Fingers passionately rip through their wordly art-jazz, creating the closest thing I’ve ever heard to a recorded musical orgasm. Best for fans of: Frankencense, Sitars, Tantric Sex
How to get it? Either buy it from them at a show or at one of their late-night gigs on the streets of Dinkytown; otherwise, email them at: MAXILANUS@hotmail.comHanz Solo: Closet Pop (self-released)Hans Erickson knows that there’s more to a band than a …

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Mason Jennings is from Minnesota, and it shows. In his latest album, Use Your Voice, the rustic singer-songwriter serves up ten tracks of northern living, Dylan-style. Like the prophetic folk-rocker before him, Jennings basks in the simplicity of song. Much of the album features only Jennings’ gutsy acoustic guitar and harmonica, backed by a subdued drum and bass rhythm section. Fortunately for Jennings, his songs are able to hold up to such sparse instrumentation. Songs like “Crown” and “Fourteen Pictures” stab at the heart like an adrenaline needle, injecting it with the tortures of love and loss. Others, such as “Empire Builder” and “Keepin’ It Real” highlight Jennings’ Anglo-folk-funk aspirations. Though Jennings’ voice seems to purposefully replicate Dylan’s coarse crooning, who can blame him? After all, Jennings knows he’s a Minnesotan, and, like Dylan, his …

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