Cold War Kids may have found the musical opposite of "easy listening." This quartet from Fullerton, Calif. has released a raw, searing, but frequently abrasive album in their second studio LP, "Loyalty to Loyalty."
While venturing beyond Davis Square, there is no doubt that everyone has, at some point, run into a musician of sorts in the catacombs of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) subway system, affectionately known as "the T." For years, these subway performers have kept the tunnels of the Boston subways alive with their music and human energy, brightening a place that is usually dark and mundane.
Stephen Colbert is set to appear in "The Amazing Spider-Man" comic book release mid-October, and that got us thinking. If Marvel can boost their readership by including this popular television personality, they might be able to make a habit of including real-life celebrities in the superhero world. We at the Daily Arts Department have some ideas, and they are arranged in order of who will look best in tights: 10. Don Rickles: Because he's so old, his whole life seems to be one big senior moment. With all of the insults and shenanigans this man pulls off (think Emmy Awards two weeks ago), a comic book seems to be the only thing that could capture this man's personality. 9. Barry Bonds: He's big, he's buff and he can hit a ball out of a ballpark. Superman could use his super strength as a backup in case he gets a leg cramp. The only things we don't know is how Barry will explain those blood stains on his butt... 8. Dwight Schrute: Someone this weird doesn't belong in the real world. His knowledge of bears, beets and Battlestar Galactica could prove powerful in the world of superheroes and villains. Not to mention his prowess as a volunteer sheriff deputy (on weekends). We'd like to see him throwing jello and maybe shooting lasers from his giant specs. Let's face it, being a comic book character is probably his life's dream anyway. 7. Super-Jesus: Ah whatever, the "super" doesn't really mean anything anyway; broham can already turn water into wine. Now, what I really want to see is a frat boy who can turn human urine into Natty Light. That's what I call an alternative energy source, WOOO COLLEGE. 6. Keith Olbermann: Keith Olbermann is actually Super-Jesus, so, I don't see why he's on here twice. 5. Michael Cera: What could possibly make this man-boy more awkward, thus more awesome? Answer: a comic book detailing all of his awkward Hollywood stunts. 4. Arnold Schwarzenegger: This wouldn't take much effort at all. He's got the voice, the disproportioned bodybuilder physique and a superhero name: The Governator. When evil robots take over California, you know who will be there to stomp them out. 3. Jemaine Clement: He's already got a super-hero name (Hip-hiphopopopotamus) and the power to seduce the ladies with his clever outfits, catchy rhymes and geeky disguise. Plus, who else could possibly save the world from the imminent robotic uprising of the year 2000? 2. Sarah Palin: Read in shock and awe as Wasilla-Woman mauls a moose, forces teens into loveless marriages, high-fives Russia, shotguns a beer, then empties a can of hairspray on her head. After all, there's no hole in the ozone layer, you freedom-hating commie. 1. Natalie Portman: It's bad enough she was a sci-fi nerd pinup in the "Star Wars" prequels, but seeing Natalie drawn in comic style (aka physically impossible proportions) might open a fifth dimensional black hole and cause the galaxy to implode upon itself. It's kind of risky, but it would make for a great special edition issue.
The Daily got to speak with character actor Adam Nelson at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston about his new movie "Appaloosa," which opens to a wide release tomorrow. In the film, set in New Mexico in 1882, Nelson plays Mackie Shelton, an accomplished gunman who travels with his brother, Ring Shelton, looking for work. He crosses paths with Appaloosa Marshall Virgil Cole (played by Ed Harris, who is also the movie's director and co-writer) and Deputy Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) as they try to get rid of a lawless rancher who has control of the town. Nelson spoke about his role, how he prepared for it, why he got into acting and what is in store for him in the near future.
Nicolas Sparks, the popular author of "A Walk to Remember" (1999) and "The Notebook" (1996), delivered another tear-jerker with his novel "Nights in Rodanthe" (2002). Sparks' novels, however, have never been known for their literary ingenuity, and his film adaptations peaked with 2004's "The Notebook" and its subsequent pile of Teen Choice Awards. The film adaptation of "Nights," while as touching as the rest of his tales, is similarly full of clichés and trite, over-simplified plot lines.
Many fans of the Kings of Leon were eagerly awaiting the release of their fourth full-length album. Those hoping for another album in the vein of "Aha Shake Heartbreak," (2004), the perfect companion for whiskey-soaked, dance-filled nights, however, might be disappointed. "Only by the Night" steps even further away from a classic, raw blues sound and quickly assumes its place as the most mainstream and dull of any of their albums.
Spike Lee has made a career out of one distinct formula. The archetypal Lee movie is a well known concept: a provocative, socially conscious drama usually set in New York that grapples with the difficult subjects of race and class in American society. With every film released since his masterpiece "Do the Right Thing" (1989), the formula has worked.
Following the U.S. invasion of Iraq in April 2003, thousands of pieces were looted from The Iraq Museum in Baghdad, which housed one of the world's foremost collections of Mesopotamian art. Many of these priceless works have not been recovered and may never be restored to the museum.
Anger and indignation are not equivalent; whereas anger might constitute nothing more than a strong but temporary displeasure, indignation unrelentingly stresses the extreme injustice of whatever or whomever has wronged the indignant. This specific kind of fury resonates at the core of Philip Roth's newest novel, "Indignation."
What do you get when you take Steve Carell, slap on a goatee and stick him into an exaggerated fat suit? Believe it or not, the season premiere of NBC's hit comedy "The Office." On Thursday night, the series about the impractical workplace of a paper-selling company began its fifth season with a bang: a special, hour-long episode that pulled at the heartstrings and evoked uncontrollable laughter. Adapted from a British television series of the same name, the "mockumentary"-styled "The Office" boasts an abundance of talented writers, as well as the unique depth of the ensemble.
TV on the Radio is a band that does not believe in the adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If they did, their follow up to 2006's "Return to Cookie Mountain" would be a good album with a few excellent songs. Instead they produced "Dear Science," their most cohesive, accessible, all-around best material to date.
On Sept. 10 Metallica's newest album, "Death Magnetic," was released, and its critical reception, moreover it's popular reception, could either be the death knell for the metal genre or a rebirth of the genre of popular rock.
Tufts grad Pete Shungu (‘03), aka Afro DZ ak, breaks out a solo trumpet Wednesday night during his album release party at Bill's Bar in Boston. Shungu's debut solo album, "Elevation," was released Tuesday and features socially conscious hip-hop with multi-instrumental jazz backing. To read more about the concert and to see an audio slideshow featuring more pictures like this one, visit the brand-new Arts blog, "The Scene."
Last Monday, the seventh season of "Dancing with the Stars" premiered on ABC. With a fresh new cast of celebrities and even some new additions amongst the professional dancers, "Stars" starts out on the right path toward a successful season, even as the format of the show sticks to its worn-out formula.
From the classic duel in "Romeo and Juliet" (1996) to the bloody landing at Omaha Beach in "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), to a slap across the cheek, to an all-out fisticuffs brawl, violent action graces the stages and screens of classic and popular storytelling entertainment.
Photographs of famous people are so common — whether taken by the paparazzi or for promotional reasons — that most of us never think about what kind of portrait is painted by the image. The famous have been immortalized time and again by the media, a trend that has stripped away any chance of the mystery, sacredness and drama of the flash or thoughtful exposure. Yousuf Karsh, one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 20th century, stands as a stark contrast to today's click-happy environment. Just this week, an exhibition of over 100 of his photographs opened at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. "Karsh 100: A Biography in Images" marks the 100th anniversary of Karsh's birth and showcases some of his most famous works.
As a sea of boisterously intoxicated students filters into Tufts' football stadium on Saturday, you may find yourself wondering how you ended up on a hard metal seat screaming for bulky men in uniform. Football and beer aren't for everyone. If you're looking for an alternative to Homecoming on Saturday, look no further than the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival in Boston.
Afro DZ ak is more than your average MC, but that statement doesn't nearly do justice to his art. In truth, this artist isn't an MC, he's not a singer, he's not an arranger and he's not a trained trumpet player; he's a light in an otherwise dark and somber hip-hop world.
Well, the unimaginable has happened: "Heroes" got even worse. For those who have never had the pleasure of seeing NBC's silliest "X-Men" meets "The Young and the Restless" superhero drama, don't bother starting now.
Pete Shungu (LA '03) has, at the age of 27, achieved what few musicians have the time or patience to do: He has kept up with his passion for music and social activism, which began in college, and created an impressive work of art. Last night, he took the stage for the biggest show of his life. He'd performed for large crowds before, but rarely as the main act, and never had the stakes been so high. Shungu, a.k.a. Afro DZ ak, had just released his very first solo album, "Elevation," which had been several years in the making.
