Stepping into The Burren with its wood paneling, soft red lighting, walls postered with pictures of musical acts and lilting Irish music piping from the sound system feels like being transported to a small piece of Dublin without having to leave Somerville.
Just when we thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt couldnt be more of a renaissance man, the actor-producer-screenwriter unveiled the pilot of HitRECord on TV (2014) proving that he is indeed a jack of all trades. Drawing from a creative wealth of artists across the globe, Gordon-Levitts new series stitches together user-submitted content into a patchwork of stories that tie into greater themes during each episode. The result is a series of homegrown products that are hyperactive, dazzling and often unexpectedly touching.
Just when we thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt couldn't be more of a renaissance man, the actor-producer-screenwriter unveiled the pilot of "HitRECord on TV" (2014) - proving that he is indeed a jack of all trades. Drawing from a creative wealth of artists across the globe, Gordon-Levitt's new series stitches together user-submitted content into a patchwork of stories that tie into greater themes during each episode. The result is a series of homegrown products that are hyperactive, dazzling and often unexpectedly touching.
Stepping into The Burren - with its wood paneling, soft red lighting, walls postered with pictures of musical acts and lilting Irish music piping from the sound system - feels like being transported to a small piece of Dublin without having to leave Somerville.
Its refreshing to hear young musicians playing traditional jazz. Its even more refreshing to hear them playing it exceptionally well. While jazz sub-genres range from the screaming, avant-garde sensibilities of John Zorn to the lukewarm Muzak of Kenny G, Steven Feifke and company keep it simple. Each band member is all of 23 or 24 years old, yet each is as savvy as a much more seasoned musician. Anybody with an interest in jazz should watch Feifke and tenor saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown cover Summertime (1935) and For All We Know (1934) on YouTube.
It's refreshing to hear young musicians playing traditional jazz. It's even more refreshing to hear them playing it exceptionally well. While jazz sub-genres range from the screaming, avant-garde sensibilities of John Zorn to the lukewarm Muzak of Kenny G, Steven Feifke and company keep it simple. Each band member is all of 23 or 24 years old, yet each is as savvy as a much more seasoned musician. Anybody with an interest in jazz should watch Feifke and tenor saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown cover "Summertime" (1935) and "For All We Know" (1934) on YouTube.
The newest album by Against Me! starts out raw and powerful. "Your tells are so obvious / shoulders too broad for a girl ... / you want them to notice / the ragged ends of your summer dress / you want them to see you like they see every other girl / they just see a faggot / they'll hold their breath not to catch the sick ..." With these lyrics, we get a true first glimpse into the world of Laura Jane Grace, singing in her first album since coming out as transgender in 2012.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyles readers waited 12 years for the Scottish writer to revive the beloved detective in 1905 after killing him off in The Final Problem (1893). Likewise, the BBCs Sherlock left its audiences anxiously anticipating for two years the third seasons North American premiere, which hit PBS on Sunday, Jan. 19. Titled The Empty Hearse, the 90-minute episode brings back the wildly popular consulting detective and promises further developments for the rest of the season.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's readers waited 12 years for the Scottish writer to revive the beloved detective in 1905 after killing him off in "The Final Problem" (1893). Likewise, the BBC's "Sherlock" left its audiences anxiously anticipating - for two years - the third season's North American premiere, which hit PBS on Sunday, Jan. 19. Titled "The Empty Hearse," the 90-minute episode brings back the wildly popular consulting detective and promises further developments for the rest of the season.
In an era of reboot and sequel-crazed Hollywood, with studios increasingly eager to stake their fortunes on just a handful of tent pole films each year, the value of name recognition to studios cant be overstated. After all, theres a reason that someone (albeit an unfortunately misguided individual) thought that making a Battleship (2012) film was a good idea. There are numerous franchises in Hollywood that are near-guarantees at the box office just based on name recognition alone. Jason Bourne? Check. James Bond? Check. Jack Ryan? Eh, not so much.
A bands personality can make or break its fan base, its credibility and its ability to establish itself in the industry. Best Coast, the west-coast crooners with simple, frank and sincere songs, has inspired a generation of teens with poignant nostalgia. Vampire Weekend, whose outrageous lead singer (Ezra Koenig) and trademark melodies have garnered a massive and loyal following, is a great example of successful personality development. Simply put, the character of a group can define how a listener enjoys its music. Bands are undeniably tied to how they present themselves and to the kinds of associations they evoke for the audience.
A band's personality can make or break its fan base, its credibility and its ability to establish itself in the industry. Best Coast, the west-coast crooners with simple, frank and sincere songs, has inspired a generation of teens with poignant nostalgia. Vampire Weekend, whose outrageous lead singer (Ezra Koenig) and trademark melodies have garnered a massive and loyal following, is a great example of successful personality development. Simply put, the character of a group can define how a listener enjoys its music. Bands are undeniably tied to how they present themselves and to the kinds of associations they evoke for the audience.
Its a busy season for Hollywood. Four days after Tina Fey and Amy Poehler returned to host the Golden Globes on Jan. 12, the Oscar nominees were announced. The Screen Actors Guilds Awards were broadcast Jan. 18 and the very next night, envelopes were opened at the Producers Guild Awards. With less than two months until the Academy Awards, the Daily takes a look at how some of the Oscar races are shaping up.
List off all the typical ingredients of the standard crime drama, and "True Detective" seems like a perfectly calculated recipe: two mismatched male detectives trying to solve a gruesome, inexplicable murder in a decrepit southern gothic town. But as the show develops, it becomes clear that HBO's new anthology series is anything but a clich?sum of its parts. Writer and creator Nic Pizzolatto subverts the centricity of the actual mystery and instead demands a closer examination of the cops' damaged psyches, revealing demons that slowly unfold to make "True Detective" one of the network's most intriguing releases of 2014.
List off all the typical ingredients of the standard crime drama, and True Detective seems like a perfectly calculated recipe: two mismatched male detectives trying to solve a gruesome, inexplicable murder in a decrepit southern gothic town. But as the show develops, it becomes clear that HBOs new anthology series is anything but a clich?sum of its parts. Writer and creator Nic Pizzolatto subverts the centricity of the actual mystery and instead demands a closer examination of the cops damaged psyches, revealing demons that slowly unfold to make True Detective one of the networks most intriguing releases of 2014.
When veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen announced that his 18th studio album would consist mainly of outtakes, covers and re-recorded songs, many assumed that the artist was finally scraping the bottom of the barrel. But with the release of "High Hopes," Springsteen proves that he still has some surprises left even at this point in his long career. The result is a mostly successful experiment that showcases Springsteen's various stylistic approaches, developed over the past decade and beyond, as well as his newfound musical relationship with guitarist Tom Morello. The album's songs may not fit together quite as elegantly as they do on many of Springsteen's previous albums, but the strength of his songwriting and willingness to explore new territory make "High Hopes" a compelling listen.
For more than a decade, one band has been trying to revive the sounds of record companies Motown and Stax in the most in the most authentic way possible. Not content with just using samples or experimenting with already established formulas, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have been producing the real deal. Eschewing modern conventions by recording with non-digital equipment, they make vintage music the same way it was made in the late 60s and early 70s. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have also ensured that their music stays true to the original soul and funk music style found in their five studio albums, the latest of which, Give the People What They Want, mostly follows the same old formula. And it is this very formula that has become both a blessing and a curse for the band.
"The Mindy Project" (2012-present) doesn't like to waste time. The winter premiere fast forwarded through Dr. Mindy Lahiri's (Mindy Kaling) new relationship with handsome lawyer Cliff (Glenn Howerton) by documenting their many firsts: first kiss, first time having sex, first late-night conversation - you get the picture. This progression, however, comes to a halt once Cliff asks Mindy to go on a ski trip - what would be their first vacation. One might expect this to be an exciting prospect, but Mindy is more worried than thrilled. This trip will be the first time Cliff sees her in a bikini - and our resident OB/GYN does not relish this idea.
When veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen announced that his 18th studio album would consist mainly of outtakes, covers and re-recorded songs, many assumed that the artist was finally scraping the bottom of the barrel. But with the release of High Hopes, Springsteen proves that he still has some surprises left even at this point in his long career. The result is a mostly successful experiment that showcases Springsteens various stylistic approaches, developed over the past decade and beyond, as well as his newfound musical relationship with guitarist Tom Morello. The albums songs may not fit together quite as elegantly as they do on many of Springsteens previous albums, but the strength of his songwriting and willingness to explore new territory make High Hopes a compelling listen.
Spike Jonze's "Her" is one of the many Oscar bait films widely released at the beginning of 2014. That is not to say it is the kind of movie that exists simply to win awards.
