Arts

Arts

Concert Review | Steven Feifke fills Regattabar with passionate, sophisticated jazz

January 28

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.

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Arts

Against Me! dials down politics, turns up emotion

January 27

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.

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Arts

TV Review | ‘Sherlock’ returns after two-year hiatus

January 26

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.

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Arts

TV Review | 'Sherlock' returns after two-year hiatus

January 26

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.

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Arts

Jack Ryan series reboots with ‘Shadow Recruit’

January 26

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 can’t be overstated. After all, there’s 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.

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Arts

Young the Giant’s sophomore album cheap, derivative

January 22

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.

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Arts

Young the Giant's sophomore album cheap, derivative

January 22

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.

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Arts

Oscar race heats up as nominees are announced

January 22

It’s 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.

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Arts

TV Review | 'True Detective' stands out as promising crime drama

January 22

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.

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Arts

TV Review | ‘True Detective’ stands out as promising crime drama

January 22

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.

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Arts

Springsteen returns with 'High Hopes'

January 20

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.

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Arts

Sharon Jones sticks to what she knows

January 20

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.

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Arts

TV Review | 'The Mindy Project' sticks to old formula

January 20

"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.

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Arts

Springsteen returns with ‘High Hopes’

January 20

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.

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Arts

Artificial intelligence creates authentic love in 'Her'

January 20

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.

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Arts

Artificial intelligence creates authentic love in ‘Her’

January 20

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.

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Arts

TV Review | ‘The Mindy Project’ sticks to old formula

January 20

“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.

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Arts

Malkmus' newest album off solo project is charming, human

January 16

At this point in his career, it seems like there is no stopping Stephen Malkmus. With five albums from his eponymous band already under his belt, it would be understandable if the 47-year-old musician decided to pack up his guitar and call it a day. Instead, he has pulled together yet another collection of loose, fun-loving tracks - and is traveling across the world to promote them. Malkmus isn't concerned with expectations, and it is this nonchalance that makes his newest record both accessible and enjoyable. In an age where it is cool to not care, Malkmus excels at making his music human, which encourages the listener to feel a tangible connection to his songs - a connection that many indie artists have lost.

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Arts

Theatre Review | Huntington Theatre Company's 'Venus in Fur' a success

January 16

Loud, crackling thunderclaps vibrate through the theater as the curtain rises on the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of “Venus in Fur.” The fearsome, unsettling thunder, delivered with little warning, silenced the audience and became a symbol of power and nature for this play, which is a study in power dynamics and sexual authority.

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Arts

Theatre Review | Huntington Theatre Company's 'Venus in Fur' a success

January 16

Loud, crackling thunderclaps vibrate through the theater as the curtain rises on the Huntington Theatre Company's production of "Venus in Fur." The fearsome, unsettling thunder, delivered with little warning, silenced the audience and became a symbol of power and nature for this play, which is a study in power dynamics and sexual authority.

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