Some people shy away from small theater companies producing lesser−known works because they don't believe in unknown entities. A historical tragedy with jolting anachronisms, on a stage in an old piano factory in Boston that seats 49 audience members? Why would I go to that?
Crime doesn't pay, but it sells quite easily on TV. So it's no surprise that Fox selected "The Chicago Code," the new police drama from "The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan, as a midseason replacement. It's also no surprise that every scene involves at least one — and often two — of the following: a gun, a high−speed car chase, yelling, death and/or sex. What is surprising about this series, though, is that it really can't be lumped in with all the other cop riffraff. Shockingly, "The Chicago Code" is actually a worthwhile television series.
Most people don't give electronic musicians enough credit: Eking vibrant, expressive sounds out of a panel of knobs and sliders takes a unique skill set. James Blake proves he has those skills — over and over — on his self−titled debut, "James Blake." In an eclectic mix of dubstep, minimalist techno and soul music, Blake has carved himself a unique niche in an overcrowded scene.
How much food did you leave behind on your plate at Dewick this afternoon? Was it just your banana peel or the bones from your chicken wings? Or did you take a few too many spicy fries and overestimate how much salad you were going to eat? The latter is an occurrence that happens far too often, according to Jonathan Bloom, and we should all be trying our hardest to cut down on our food waste before it is too late.
An international superspy date-raped by a sixteen year-old princess from Gstaad; a sex robot named Fisto Roboto; a scientist who doses his secretary with LSD to induce love — all of these delights (and more!) are the plots driving this season's funniest R-rated animated show, one that is surprisingly not airing on Adult Swim. Yes kids, "Archer" is back and — as if it were even possible — cruder than ever.
George Carlin famously explained modern censorship in his comedy act: "There are 400,000 words in the English language, and there are seven you can't say on television … You know the seven, don't ya? That you can't say on TV? S---, piss, f---, c---, c---sucker, motherf---er and tits."
It's hard to catch people off guard in jazz these days. In a genre that has accommodated everything from Pharoah Sanders' multiphonic saxophone wails to Sun Ra's solos on a squeaky door hinge, few things feel like they really push the envelope anymore. That's why audiences gave Wayne Shorter two rounds of standing ovations last Tuesday night at the Berklee Performance Center: He managed to bring something wholly new to the table.
This past Sunday, the Black Eyed Peas did a horrible job at the Super (more like "Subpar") Bowl halftime show. Rather than said crappy band, here are the top ten things that the Daily Arts Department would have rather seen.
Having released more than 20 studio albums since its formation as an anarcho−punk band in 1979, Amsterdam−based The Ex has proven time and time again that one of its greatest strengths is its ability to adapt to the current world−music scene without losing any of its individuality.
Ashkenazi Jews have been hiding a terrible secret from the culinary world. Withholding this secret from the general public is the reason why many people believe that the traditional food of their Eastern European Jewish friends is boring and flavorless. The secret, my gastronomic friends, is gribenes, which, translated roughly from Yiddish, means "unholy deliciousness."* Gribenes (pronounced GRI-bih-niss) is essentially chicken skin fried with onions. It's the bacon of kosher eats, the magic fairy dust of the shtetl. Sprinkle it on anything and there is a 100-percent chance that it will taste better.
Documentary films are designed to document events or people in a way that authentically reflects the world. Last year, however, films such as "Catfish," "I'm Still Here" and "Exit Through the Gift Shop" twisted the definition of the genre, presenting themselves as documentaries but eliciting speculation as to how true they really are. The results have been mixed, to say the least.
When Pinkberry opened its first location in West Hollywood in 2005, owners Shelly Hwang and Young Lee reaped the benefits of nearly instant success. The Los Angeles locale meant a deadly combination of health−conscious consumers and year−round warm weather to complement its frozen yogurt products.
Sam Beam, the bearded singer−songwriter better known as Iron and Wine, has gone all grown−up and funky in his latest album "Kiss Each Other Clean." Those familiar with his previous albums know Beam for his hushed voice, folk sound and clean melodies. This stylistic formula has yielded successful and cohesive work extolled by both critics and average listeners.
Red contacts, fake blood, plastic fangs — the vampire craze certainly isn't anything new. From "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997−2003) to the "Twilight" series and "True Blood," one would think the world of vampires has finally been bled dry.
Indian artist Atul Bhalla in 2005 took a series of 14 digital pigment photographs depicting the artist's gradual descent into the Yamuna River and formed a poignant montage on the spirituality and environmental degradation of the water revered by Indian Hindus. The prints, which are based on the poem "Not Waving but Drowning" (1957) by English poet Stevie Smith, are currently on display at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University.
I am a huge sucker for a juicy conspiracy theory. My overactive imagination has always raced to develop explanations for the more intriguing events in history. I am not a passive citizen; I do not believe the government−certified stories behind assassinations, military coups and other extraordinary occurrences. The United States Government will stop at nothing to cover up their mistakes. When it comes to their explanations, I am a choosy customer … and I am not buying it.
Some movies are so bad that they become really enjoyable for how lame and unintentionally hilarious they are. Then there are films that are so bad they move past that point to become just plain awful again.
It's not new for art to find beauty in the humdrum of the world, and it's certainly not new for artists to find beauty in the unusual, but Rachel Perry Welty takes the especially humdrum and composes beauty from it. Her deCordova Museum debut, "Rachel Perry Welty 24/7," sorts through the emotionally taxing stuff that overwhelms daily life and finds subtlety in the most underwhelming of materials.
The rich and spoiled New York socialites are back. "Gossip Girl" returned Jan. 24 to continue its fourth season on The CW following the lives of beautiful Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), her troubled friends and her even more drama-ridden family.
